The Luna was dead, and the position of queen stood empty.

I, Elsie Berry, had no desire to rise early, but I found myself drawn into the race for the throne.

The Lycan King, Christian Berry, with whom I had been in a cold war for two years, sent a message through the pack's mind link:

"Ten million dollars."

I gritted my teeth and reluctantly transferred my life savings into the pack's account.

But then, after taking the money, he raised the stakes:

"Give me a child as well."

I stood up, brushing the dust off my jeans.

Early mornings it was, then.

---

I was sixteen when I was forced to participate in the mate selection.

It was the first mate selection since the Lycan King’s ascension, and no one could escape it.

Especially since I was the only daughter in my family.

My father, a respected businessman in the city, patted his chest and assured me:

"Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of everything. Just go through the motions. Your mother and I will be waiting for you outside."

When it came to money, I trusted my father implicitly.

After all, my family was wealthy, one of the richest in the region.

When I entered the selection, I brought nothing but a small backpack.

I walked through the hall, waiting for the results, and was about to leave when a Delta stopped me:

"Miss, where are you going?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I bolted for the door, shouting back at him:

"What did you call me?"

The Delta, startled, ran after me, calling for the guards to close the gates, and replied:

"Miss, you’ve been chosen as a Delta!"

I turned back in horror, and as the gates closed, I heard the sound of my favorite coffee cup shattering on the ground and my parents’ heartbroken cries.

Just like that, I was dragged back, dazed, and officially became Elsie Berry, the Delta.

Before officially joining the pack, I was given two days to say goodbye to my parents.

My mother cried and hit my father:

"You said everything was taken care of! Our daughter has been pampered since birth—how can she survive in a pack like that?"

My father remained silent, sighing deeply as he endured my mother’s blows.

I sighed too and tried to console my mother:

"Mom, what’s done is done. We can’t change it now. It’s not like we can rebel, is it?"

My mother’s crying stopped abruptly, and both of us stared at my father in shock.

He calmly said:

"Rebellion… I’ve considered it."

"?"

"!"

"Not enough money. It wouldn’t work."

My mother started hitting him again, and then, still crying, she took me to see the city one last time.

When I returned to the pack, I brought thirty suitcases with me.

My mother, her eyes red from crying, said:

"Your dowry has already been sent to the pack’s treasury. If you ever face any hardships in the pack, send word to me. I’ll find a way to help you."

My father didn’t speak, but the corners of his mouth twitched, forming a smile uglier than a frown.

Over those two days, my father’s back seemed to bend more than usual.

I knew he had nearly exhausted our family’s wealth, begging every influential figure in the city, but it hadn’t saved me from joining the pack.

"Dad, stop begging. Keep the money and have another child with Mom."

My father turned away, his shoulders trembling.

I knelt down and performed the traditional farewell ritual to my parents.

The Delta cried out in alarm:

"Miss, you can’t do that! You’re a Delta now—you can only kneel to the Lycan King!"

I ignored him, completing the ritual:

"Once I join the pack, I can no longer serve my parents. I hope you both take care of yourselves. This is goodbye."

When I stood up, my parents were on their knees, their faces wet with tears.

The gates closed, and from that day on, I never stepped out of them again.

---

Since I was young, I had aspired to be a wise and just ruler.

I strived to be the best in everything.

In all aspects—etiquette, music, combat training, riding, literature, and mathematics—I practiced relentlessly after lessons.

All to surpass everyone and make a name for myself.

I never allowed myself a moment’s rest.

At sixteen, my father arranged for me to meet two she-wolves.

One became my Luna, the other my mate.

The Luna was kind and virtuous, the mate lively and cheerful.

Both were good she-wolves.

My mother taught me to be gentle and considerate to women.

And I was.

After ascending as the Lycan King, I made the Luna my queen and the mate my Gamma.

The others were given ranks based on their merits and contributions.

I knew life in the pack was hard, so I treated every she-wolf with equal care.

But I was too caring, and they always ended up falling for me.

They wanted to possess me entirely.

It became a burden.

I was the Lycan King of the entire pack, not just one she-wolf’s mate.

But I didn’t want to hurt their feelings, so I distanced myself for a while.

Then I’d ask the Luna to comfort them.

But the Luna wasn’t much of a talker.

She took them to meditate.

I didn’t believe in meditation, and I was worried.

Surprisingly, it worked wonders.

But these she-wolves… they started looking like they’d renounced the world.

My pack seemed full of life, but in reality, it was lifeless.

Few were left who could serve as my mate.

So the Luna suggested a mate selection.

It was the first selection since my ascension.

It had been delayed for years.

Not because I didn’t want to hold it.

But because we were broke.

The pack’s treasury was empty.

My ancestors had burned through three mansions in their revelry.

The repairs dragged on from my grandfather’s time to mine, and they still weren’t finished.

Add to that the constant battles.

The pack had endured years of hardship.

Only recently had things started to improve.

And only then did we think of holding a mate selection.

This time, I decided to choose only three.

I couldn’t afford more.

At first, I didn’t take notice of Elsie Berry.

I was ready to dismiss her.

After all, she came right after Zayla Stewart.

Zayla was stunning.

Elsie paled in comparison.

But then my Beta reminded me:

"Elsie Berry’s family is wealthy."

I was desperate for money.

I thought I could squeeze some out of her.

Her father had already poured money into my hands.

Rich—she was indeed rich.

I almost wanted to name her the "Rich Delta."

Though I was after her money, I still planned to treat her well.

But who could have guessed she’d cause trouble on her very first day?

How could she not know the basic protocols?

As a Delta, she could only kneel to me—how could she kneel to others?

But I let it slide, understanding she was saying goodbye to her parents.

But then she had the audacity to ask me for a house.

Vulgar!

Absolutely vulgar!

But undeniably rich.

I knew life in the pack would be tough, but I didn’t expect it to be this tough.

As a Delta, I had to share a den with others?

The Beta who accompanied me knelt down, apologizing:

"Your den in the main packhouse is still under renovation."

When I asked how long it would take, he hesitated before finally admitting:

"Eleven years..."

As we walked, I watched the packhouse transition from grand to dilapidated.

A sense of unease settled in my chest.

Before joining the pack, I was prepared to endure the hardships of love.

But I never expected to face the hardships of poverty.

This rundown den, three rooms shared by twelve Deltas, was worse than the quarters of my family’s lowest-ranking Omegas.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and said to the only Beta standing:

"I want to see the Lycan King."

The Beta smiled politely and replied:

"Delta Elsie, that’s not the proper protocol."

I opened a trunk, its contents gleaming with gold, catching his eye.

"I’ll request an audience with the King immediately. Please wait here, Delta."

Then he barked orders:

"Prepare a seat for Delta Elsie! Bring her tea!"

This Beta was dressed more lavishly than the others.

Along the way, many wolves bowed to him.

He didn’t kneel before me, and from his age and demeanor, I guessed he was the King’s right-hand Beta, Chloe Holmes.

At first, I thought he was here to punish me for breaking protocol by greeting my parents in public.

Otherwise, why would a mere Delta’s arrival warrant the presence of such a high-ranking Beta?

But when I saw the state of the den, I realized he was here for the thirty trunks of wealth I brought.

It finally dawned on me why my father’s efforts to keep me out of the pack had failed.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried hard enough—he’d tried too hard.

I was summoned to the King’s private study. He was younger than I expected, but his presence was commanding.

His sharp eyes glanced at me as he sipped his tea:

"What is it?"

I’d never been one to conform to the demure expectations of she-wolves, so I decided to be blunt:

"Does the pack need funds?"

"Cough…"

The King choked on his tea, and Chloe immediately called for the pack’s Healer.

"I’m fine," he said, glaring at me. After a long pause, he reluctantly admitted: "Yes."

"I’m willing to help."

"How?"

"I’ll contribute three hundred thousand."

He scoffed:

"A drop in the ocean."

I looked up:

"Gold."

His expression shifted, and a hint of interest flickered in his eyes.

I continued:

"My father deals in timber. We can supply the materials for the renovations at a low cost."

A smile spread across his face, and his tone softened:

"Delta Elsie, please rise."

I watched as his demeanor changed, his eyes now filled with warmth:

"Your generosity is commendable. I’m not sure how to reward you."

Praise my generosity?

What generosity?

Selflessness is generosity.

But I wasn’t about to let him take advantage of me.

"I don’t seek rewards. I just want a private den."

His smile faltered, and his gaze turned sharp. He hesitated:

"You’ve just joined the pack, and being promoted to Delta is already an exception. According to tradition, ranks are reviewed every three years. To become a Gamma, you’d have to wait six years. Tradition cannot be ignored."

Three dens had been destroyed during the previous King’s reign and had remained unrepaired since.

As a result, the Gammas had dens, the Betas had rooms, and the rest of us slept in shared spaces.

The King was right. If I wanted a private den, I’d need to be promoted to Gamma.

There was no precedent for a new member to be immediately promoted to Gamma.

But what did that have to do with me?

That was their problem to solve.

I scratched my head, feigning confusion:

"I joined the pack in such a hurry, I can’t remember if I brought gold or silver..."

The room fell silent.

After a long pause, Chloe exclaimed:

"Oh, my memory! A side den in the main packhouse has just been renovated. It was already assigned to Delta Elsie. I completely forgot. I deserve punishment."

Chloe Holmes, always quick on her feet.

A side den was acceptable for a Delta.

Now I had my den, and the King had his funds.

Everyone was happy.

The King praised me a few more times before dismissing me.

Chloe escorted me to the main packhouse and said softly:

"Delta Elsie, the King is a wise leader, but he is still the King. In the pack, the King is your Alpha."

I knew the King was a rare and wise leader. It was precisely because of this that I dared to make such a bold move today.

But I didn’t plan to vie for his attention. This den would likely be my home for the rest of my life.

The thought of such a drastic change was hard to accept, so I took a risk.

I lowered my head and thanked her:

"Thank you for the advice."

She continued:

"And about the incident at the pack gate, I took the liberty of keeping it quiet. But Delta Elsie, you mustn’t act so recklessly in the future."

I immediately handed her a pouch of coins, but she smiled and declined:

"This is my duty. If you have the chance, please give my regards to your father."

She bowed and left, and I caught a glimpse of the emerald ring on her finger.

A family heirloom my father rarely let me touch.

My eyes stung, and I let out a bitter laugh before stepping into the den that would be my cage for the rest of my life.

---

Chloe had smoothed things over.

But I never expected that Delta Elsie would team up with Delta Violet to avoid the King’s attention.

What kind of Alpha was I?

Every she-wolf in the pack vied for my favor.

Why would I care about her?

In the end, it was the Luna who sorted it out.

I turned my attention to Delta Violet first.

Her gold-embroidered cloak caught my eye.

When she left, I couldn’t resist keeping it for myself.

When it was Delta Elsie’s turn, I followed the usual protocol, giving her the experience of a mark ceremony.

It was a courtesy, a way to ease the transition.

I saw her again.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the ceremony, but she seemed more appealing than before.

I treated her gently, as I always did.

A night of tenderness.

But what was that look on her face?

Was I not good enough?

I’m the Lycan King, beloved by every she-wolf in the pack!

I told her to leave!

I didn’t want to see her again!

Furious, I removed her from the list of potential mates.

Let her rot in the outcast den!

Only later did I realize that the gold cloak was hers.

I had the gold threads and embellishments removed.

Hmph!

I made a point of favoring Delta Violet repeatedly.

I wanted Delta Elsie to see what true favor looked like.

Delta Violet was beautiful.

But she made a mistake.

She fell in love with me.

The possessive kind.

My fault, I suppose.

As usual, I started to distance myself.

I asked the Luna to comfort her.

Then I turned my attention to pack affairs.

We needed funds.

I had to figure out how to get more.

I saw Delta Violet again in the winter.

Almost a year had passed. I’d nearly forgotten her name.

She loved me, loved me to death.

It was both a regret and a guilt I carried.

I didn’t deserve that kind of love.

And the pack couldn’t afford it.

Delta Elsie’s gaze pierced me.

I transferred my guilt over Delta Violet’s death to her.

I was afraid she’d meet the same fate.

I called her to my study to assist me.

Happy?

This was an honor no she-wolf in the pack could hope for.

So why did she look so indifferent?

Almost annoyed?