The blinding headlights of a semi-truck were the last thing I remembered.

Then came the shattering crunch of metal, the smell of burnt rubber, and darkness.

When my eyes snapped open, the stench of gasoline was gone. In its place was the sharp scent of cedarwood, polished stone, and winter frost.

I sat up on a massive, velvet-draped bed.

"Where am I?" I muttered, pressing a hand against my temple.

My fingers were smaller. Fragile. Pale skin covered thin, trembling wrists that definitely did not belong to a twenty-six-year-old corporate strategist.

A leather-bound journal rested on the mahogany nightstand. I reached out and pulled it onto my lap, flipping through the dog-eared pages. The handwriting was neat, shaky, and stained with dried teardrops.

*Day 42: Kael didn't come home again. The guards said he was at Lira's estate. The mate bond burns like needles in my chest, but I won't complain. I must be a good wife for the pack.*

*Day 118: He brought Lira to the manor today. He held her hand right in front of the servants. When I tried to speak to him, he told me my voice gave him a headache. The tearing pain inside my soul is getting worse. I threw up blood this morning, but I hid the towels. I don't want him to hate me.*

*Day 205: He told the elders our marriage is nothing more than a political contract. He said he will never touch me. Why does it hurt so much? Why was I born so weak?*

Memories that weren't mine flooded my skull in violent flashes.

This body belonged to a girl named Lin—a fragile wolf born into a minor noble bloodline, married off to Alpha Kael to secure a treaty. From day one, Kael had treated her like garbage. He ignored her, humiliated her in public, and spent every night with his true love, Lira.

Because Kael refused to accept the mate bond, the magical tether was slowly tearing itself apart. The original Lin had endured that agonizing, bone-splintering pain all by herself, weeping in the dark while Kael flaunted his mistress.

She had literally died of a broken heart and bond shock in this very bed.

And now, I was in her skin.

"What a pathetic excuse for a man," I whispered, slamming the diary shut.

The heavy oak door creaked open. A middle-aged maid carrying a tray of untouched broth stepped inside, her expression bored and dismissive.

"Oh, you're finally awake," the maid said, setting the tray down on a side table with a loud clatter. "Alpha Kael said if you're done sulking, you need to stay in your quarters. Lady Lira is visiting, and the Alpha doesn't want you causing a scene."

I stared at her. "What did you just say?"

The maid frowned, clearly startled by the lack of tears. Usually, the girl would shrink away and apologize for existing.

"I said Lady Lira is here," the maid repeated, raising her chin. "You know how it is. You'll only upset yourself if you go down there."

"Who gave you permission to speak to me like that?" I asked, swinging my legs over the edge of the mattress.

The maid took a step back, her eyes widening. "I... I was only passing along the Alpha's orders, Luna Lin."

"Get out," I said.

"My lady?"

"I said get out."

She scurried out of the room without another word, leaving the door slightly ajar.

I stood up. My knees shook for a second, but I forced my spine straight. I walked over to the tall mirror near the wardrobe. A young woman with wide, silver-grey eyes and dark hair stared back at me. She looked frail, but the fear in her gaze was gone. In its place burned cold, furious fire.

"You suffered for nothing, little wolf," I told the reflection. "He broke you. But he won't break me. I'm going to make him pay for every single tear you shed."

I grabbed a thick woolen coat from the closet, threw it over my nightgown, and walked out into the corridor.

The castle was vast, lined with stone arches and iron chandeliers. As I descended the grand staircase toward the Great Hall, a sudden, violent spasm struck my chest.

It felt like a frozen blade twisting straight through my ribs.

My breath caught in my throat. My vision blurred with flashes of white heat. The mate bond. He was close, and his absolute rejection of our connection was sending shockwaves through my body.

I clenched my fists until my fingernails bit into my palms. The physical agony was real, but I refused to drop to my knees. I dragged air into my lungs and pushed forward.

In the center of the hall, Alpha Kael stood near the roaring fireplace. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp golden eyes and dark hair. Beside him stood Lira, a slender woman draped in silk, laughing softly at something he said. Several pack guards and servants stood around the perimeter.

The moment my bare feet touched the stone floor of the hall, Kael turned.

His golden eyes narrowed into slits of pure disgust.

"What are you doing down here?" Kael's voice boomed across the room, rough and commanding. "I thought I told you to stay in your room."

Lira leaned closer into his arm, feigning concern. "Kael, please don't be harsh. Lin looks so pale. Maybe she just wanted to see you."

"She knows the rules," Kael snapped, not taking his eyes off me. "Lin, go back upstairs. Your presence is giving me a headache."

The pain in my chest flared again, hot and sharp, radiating from the bond. The old Lin would have burst into tears and begged for a shred of his affection.

I took three steady steps forward instead.

"Is that the only line you know?" I asked, my voice ringing clear and steady through the quiet hall. "You seem to get a lot of headaches, Alpha. Maybe you should have a healer look at your brain."

A dead silence dropped over the room.

Two guards exchanged stunned glances. A maid dropped a polishing cloth onto the floor.

Kael's jaw tightened. He let go of Lira and took a heavy step toward me, his Alpha aura rolling off him like a suffocating wave.

"Watch your tongue," he growled, his voice dropping into a dangerous register. "You think because the council forced this mating mark on us, you have the right to disrespect me?"

"Disrespect you?" I let out a dry, sharp laugh. "That implies you did something to earn respect in the first place."

Lira gasped, clutching her chest. "Lin! How can you speak to your Alpha like that? He provides everything for you!"

I turned my head and fixed my gaze on Lira. "Did I ask for your input, mistress?"

Lira's face drained of color. "Kael..."

"Enough!" Kael roared, closing the distance between us until he towered over me. His golden eyes flashed with anger. "Let me make this crystal clear so your tiny mind understands. This marriage is a political arrangement. Nothing more. My heart belongs to Lira, and it always will. You are nothing to me, Lin. Stop embarrassing yourself with these pathetic tantrums."

He leaned down, expecting me to flinch, expecting me to cower like I had done a hundred times before.

I didn't blink. I didn't step back.

Instead, I tilted my head up, met his furious glare, and smiled.

"Good," I said softly.

Kael blinked, thrown off balance by the reaction. "What?"

"I said good," I repeated, stepping even closer, ignoring the tearing pain in my chest until my voice was a razor-sharp whisper meant only for him. "Keep your heart, Alpha Kael. Keep your mistress. Because very soon, you're going to realize that this marriage isn't your prison."

I paused, letting my smile widen into something cold and lethal.

"It's mine to burn down."

I didn't even make it to the center of my bedroom before the heavy oak door slammed against the stone wall.

Kael strode inside. He bypassed me entirely, marching straight to the vanity mirror. He pulled a silver chain from his pocket and threw it onto the polished wood. The emerald pendant clattered loudly against the glass.

"Lira's," he announced.

I glanced at the necklace, then back at him. "Do I look like a lost-and-found bin?"

"It stays right there," Kael ordered. "A reminder of your place. Just like I told you on our wedding night, Lin. You seem to have forgotten the rules."

He pulled a folded parchment from his jacket and dropped it next to the jewelry.

"I didn't forget," I said. "I just stopped caring."

"Read it," he demanded, tapping his boot against the floorboards.

"I know what it says."

"Read Clause Four," he pushed.

"I don't take orders from you in my private quarters."

"It says neither party holds claim over the other's affections," Kael recited loudly, his voice echoing off the high ceiling. "You agreed to this. Your pathetic father agreed to this. You don't get to act jealous in front of my pack."

"Jealousy requires attachment," I said, crossing my arms. "I feel nothing for you but mild annoyance."

Kael stepped closer. His golden eyes locked onto mine, searching for the familiar shine of tears. "I will only ever maintain a surface marriage with you. You are a political tax I was forced to pay. I will not hide my relationship with Lira. I will not restrict my time with her. She will walk these halls, wear my mark, and sleep in my bed."

He leaned in, his tone dropping into a harsh sneer. "You are a barren, weak placeholder. You have no strength, no curves, and no appeal. You will sit in this room, keep your mouth shut, and pretend to be grateful I even let you live in my territory."

The old Lin would have collapsed. She would have choked on her sobs and begged him to look at her just once.

I walked over to the vanity and picked up the emerald pendant. The metal felt cold against my skin.

"Are you quite finished?" I asked.

Kael frowned. His brows pulled together. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you were finished throwing your little tantrum." I held the necklace up to the light. "The cut on this stone is asymmetrical. Cheap. Did you buy this, or did she dig it out of a bargain bin?"

Kael’s jaw locked. He snatched the necklace from my fingers. "Do not speak of her."

"Then don't bring her cheap trinkets into my room," I countered. I picked up the marriage contract and tossed it at his chest. It bounced off his shirt and fluttered to the floor. "You want a surface marriage? Fine. But a surface marriage means you stay out of my space. It means you stop bursting through my door to announce who you plan to sleep with. I don't care, Kael."

"You are lying," he growled. "You threw up blood yesterday because I kissed her in the garden. Don't play games with me."

"I had food poisoning," I lied smoothly. "Your chef undercooked the venison."

Kael let out a harsh laugh. "Food poisoning. You expect me to believe that?"

"Believe whatever helps you sleep at night. Preferably in Lira's bed."

"You think you're clever," Kael said, closing the distance again. "You think a sharp tongue makes you dangerous."

"I think it makes me honest."

"Honesty?" He grabbed my chin. His grip was iron, forcing my head up. The mate bond screamed, a burning wire pulled taut between us. "Let's be honest, then. Your pack is broke. Your father sold you to me to pay off his gambling debts. You have no money, no allies, and no power here. If I throw you out, you starve."

I kept my eyes steady on his. "If you throw me out, the council revokes your trade treaty with the northern territories. You need my bloodline to keep your borders secure. You need my family's name to legitimize your claim over the riverlands. Don't pretend you're doing me a favor, Alpha."

His grip loosened. Surprise flickered across his face.

"You actually read the treaty," he said.

"Did you think I was illiterate?" I pulled my chin free. "We are business partners, Kael. Nothing more. So stop acting like a dramatic teenager and start acting like a leader."

"You have no right to lecture me."

"Someone has to. You're too busy picking out ugly jewelry and parading your mistress around like a trophy."

He glared at me, his chest heaving. "I will make your life in this castle a living hell. I will ensure every servant ignores you. I will strip your allowance down to nothing."

"Keep the money," I said. "I don't need your allowance to survive."

"You have nothing!" he shouted.

"I have my sanity," I replied. "Which is more than I can say for you."

I turned my back on him and walked toward the wardrobe.

Silence stretched across the room. I waited for the sound of his boots.

"This arrogance won't last," Kael said finally. "You will break, Lin. You always do."

The door clicked shut.

I exhaled, letting my shoulders drop. The phantom pain in my chest throbbed, but I forced it down. I survived round one.

I needed fresh water. The pitcher on my nightstand was empty. I picked it up and opened the door, stepping out into the shadowed corridor.

Voices drifted up from the landing below.

"Did you hear her?" a young woman whispered.

"I heard everything," an older voice replied. "The Alpha looked ready to snap her neck, and she called Lady Lira's jewelry cheap. She even threw the marriage contract right back at his chest."

I paused at the top of the stairs, leaning against the banister. Two maids stood near the linen closet, clutching stacks of towels.

"No way," the younger maid gasped. "She touched him? Without permission?"

"Threw it right at him. I thought he was going to shift and tear the room apart."

"I thought she'd be sobbing on the floor," the younger maid said, shaking her head. "She always cries when he mentions the contract."

"Not today," the older one noted. "She didn't back down an inch. She kicked him out of her room."

"It's like she's a completely different person. Do you think the bond shock changed her brain?"

"Keep your voice down," the older maid scolded. "If the Alpha hears you gossiping, he'll banish us to the outer borders."

I cleared my throat.

Both women jumped, dropping a towel in the process. They spun around, their eyes wide with panic.

"Luna Lin," the older maid stammered, dipping into a clumsy bow.

I walked down the steps and handed her the empty pitcher. "I need ice water. And chamomile tea, if we have it."

"Right away, my lady," she squeaked.

"And ladies?" I added, pausing on the bottom step.

They stiffened.

"If you're going to gossip about me," I said, offering a faint smile, "at least get the details right. I didn't just call the jewelry cheap. I called his taste in women cheap, too."

The younger maid’s jaw dropped.

I turned around and walked back up the stairs.

Once inside my bedroom, I locked the door. The adrenaline faded, leaving behind a hollow ache in my bones. The original Lin's body was incredibly weak. Standing up to Kael required energy this frame barely possessed.

I need to get stronger. I need to sever this mate bond before it actually kills me.

How do you break a wolf's bond? The lore in my head was fuzzy. Death was the usual way. Rejection was another, but Kael had already rejected her emotionally. I needed a formal, ritualistic severing.

I walked over to the bookshelf. Rows of dusty leather tomes lined the wood. Pack history. Moon goddess myths.

I pulled a thick volume down.

"Looking for a way out?" a voice asked.

I spun around, dropping the book. It hit the floor with a heavy thud.

A man sat in the armchair by the window. He wore a dark cloak, his face half-hidden in the gloom. But his eyes caught the moonlight—striking, ice-blue, and entirely amused.

"Who are you?" I demanded, scanning the room for a weapon. My eyes landed on a heavy brass candlestick on the nightstand.

The stranger noticed my gaze. He chuckled, a low, rich sound that vibrated through the quiet room.

"Put the candlestick down, little wolf," he said. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"My name is unimportant right now," the stranger replied, crossing his legs. "What matters is that I hate Alpha Kael almost as much as you do. And I know exactly how to break your mate bond."

"How?" I demanded, tightening my grip on the brass candlestick. "How do you break a mate bond?"

The stranger did not flinch. He remained seated in the armchair, his ice-blue eyes gleaming in the shadows.

"A severing ritual," he replied, his tone smooth and unbothered. "It requires blood, silver, and a willing participant to anchor you. But you aren't strong enough yet. Look at you."

"I survived his rejection today just fine. I am stronger than I look."

"Barely." He stood up, towering over me by at least a foot. "Your temperature is already rising. The bond is fighting your indifference. He is with her right now, you know. Across the courtyard."

"I do not care where he is or who he sleeps with."

"Your conscious mind does not care," he corrected, walking toward the open window. The night wind caught his dark cloak. "But your wolf does. The magic tethering you to him is tearing itself apart. Survive tonight, Lin. We will talk again when you aren't burning alive."

"Wait. Who are you? Give me a name."

He paused on the windowsill. "An enemy of your enemy."

"That isn't a name. That is a riddle."

"It is all you get for now," he said. "Rest. You will need your energy for the fever."

He slipped into the darkness. I rushed to the glass, but the courtyard below was empty.

A sudden, violent spasm ripped through my chest.

I dropped the candlestick. It hit the floorboards with a dull thud. Heat flared beneath my skin, radiating from my heart outward.

The mate bond.

He was close, and he was touching her. The magical tether connecting us registered his betrayal as physical trauma.

I dragged myself out of the bedroom. I needed ice. I needed anything to cool this inferno.

I stumbled down the corridor, leaning heavily against the stone walls. The castle was quiet, the servants long gone to their quarters. As I reached the landing of the east wing, hushed voices echoed from the balcony below.

"You shouldn't be here, Kael. The elders might see." Lira's voice. High-pitched. Feigning innocence.

"The elders do not dictate my bed," Kael replied. His tone was thick, heavy with desire.

"But your wife..."

"My wife is a ghost," he interrupted. "She is locked in her room, crying over a contract she cannot change. Forget her. She does not matter to us."

I peered over the banister. Kael had Lira pressed against the marble railing. His hands roamed her waist, his face buried in her neck.

The pain in my chest doubled. The original Lin's soul wept inside me, a phantom agony that threatened to snap my ribs.

I gripped the wooden rail. "Could you two keep it down?"

They sprang apart.

Kael's head snapped up. His golden eyes locked onto me, flashing with immediate fury. "Lin. Are you spying on us?"

"It is my house too," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the fever cooking my brain. "And you are practically shouting."

"Go back to your room," he ordered. "Now."

"Gladly." I wiped a line of sweat from my forehead. "Your perfume is giving me a migraine,