The day I was supposed to have my mark ceremony with Ayan Peterson, Camille Wood, the Lycan Princess who had always adored him, fell from her horse and was gravely injured.

He tore off his ceremonial robe and sent a hurried mind link:

"The ceremony can wait. The Princess's safety comes first."

This wasn’t the first time he had chosen her over me.

But unlike before, I didn’t cry, didn’t make a scene, didn’t bend to his will.

My attendant, Shadow, asked me, "Miss Laura, will the ceremony still happen?"

I calmly finished my makeup, put on my gown, and then sent a letter to Ace Simpson, the Alpha of the Simpson Pack, who had always been at odds with Ayan.

"It will."

==============================

When word of Ayan’s rejection reached the Ferguson Pack, I was in the middle of getting ready.

Perhaps because I had been abandoned too many times before, I didn’t feel much pain.

My father, Alpha Mitchell Ferguson, however, was furious.

He had been a high-ranking figure in the Lycan court for years, with countless connections.

It had been a long time since he had been this angry.

"Postponed? That’s what he calls it. Has he thought about what this will do to you?"

He took a deep breath, glancing at me.

It seemed he remembered all the times I had been stubbornly devoted to Ayan.

In the end, he just waved his hand.

"Fine. You’ve admired him for years, and you’re determined to mate with him. What else can we do but listen to him?"

Over the years, I had done many foolish things for Ayan.

He loved ancient scrolls, so I spent a fortune searching for rare texts and eagerly presented them to him.

But Camille loved them too.

When she asked for them, he gave them to her.

I cried secretly for two days after finding out.

The next time we met, he simply said, "The Princess is of royal blood. My loyalty is to her, nothing more."

And I was placated.

He was the epitome of honor and loyalty, always putting duty first.

So even though I was his fated mate, Camille came before me.

Last year, during a pack run, Camille claimed she was aiming for a deer but deliberately shot my arm.

Furious, I fought back, ignoring the pain.

By the time Ayan arrived, Camille was smirking at me.

"Who do you think he’ll choose?" she whispered. "You, or me?"

Ayan chose her.

Just like today.

Back then, I lay on the ground, watching as Ayan carried Camille onto his horse.

He looked down at me, sighed, and said, "Laura, you’ve gone too far this time."

Yes.

I shouldn’t have been so reckless.

But my greatest mistake was loving him.

Soon, the guests outside also learned of what had happened.

I could hear their conversations.

"The entire capital knows that Princess Camille is in love with Ayan Peterson. This whole situation is clearly an attempt to disrupt their marking ceremony. They say it’s just a postponement, but in my opinion, it’s a rejection in disguise."

"Laura Simpson, the Omega from the Ferguson Pack, has always been so well-regarded in the capital. Who would have thought she’d end up like this? How will she ever find a mate now?"

"She has several younger sisters who haven’t been mated yet. This will surely affect their prospects too."

Ayan wouldn’t care about any of this.

He wouldn’t know how humiliated I felt today.

I stood there, dazed, my eyes fixed on the red decorations filling the room.

Ayan had been meticulous about this marking ceremony. He’d handled everything personally, ensuring every detail was perfect.

From my ceremonial dress to the necklace I wore, even the pearls on my shoes—he had chosen every detail himself.

He had put so much thought into it, only to abandon me at the last moment.

The next moment, I heard my own voice. "I won’t mate with him."

From now on, I wouldn’t chase after him, cry for him, or fight for him.

My words hung in the air.

My father, Alpha Mitchell Ferguson, paused, a flicker of relief crossing his face. "You’ve… come to your senses?"

I nodded.

Then, dismissing the others, I said to him, "Can you help me send a letter?"

He hesitated, studying me for a moment. "Are you sure?"

I nodded again. "Yes."

Only then did he leave.

My personal attendant, a loyal Beta from our pack, entered the room, her eyes filled with sympathy and unshed tears.

"Miss Laura, should I remove your jewelry?"

Since the ceremony wasn’t happening, it was customary to take it off.

But I shook my head. "Keep it on."

She paused, confused. "Is the ceremony still happening?"

I nodded.

Of course it was.

The Ferguson Pack’s century-old reputation couldn’t be ruined because of me.

I had already embarrassed myself enough by chasing after Ayan for so long.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure about the letter.

The person I had in mind was unpredictable, rebellious, and notoriously dismissive of authority.

But in the entire capital, the only one I could think of was Ace Simpson, the Alpha of the Simpson Pack.

The Peterson Pack was too influential. Aside from Ace, no one would dare to mate with me at a time like this.

I clenched my fists, my palms damp with sweat.

All I could do was wait.

I had already promised Ace enough through my father.

I just hoped it would be enough to convince him.

If it didn’t work, I’d have to find another way.

But one thing was certain—this ceremony would happen today.

Just then, someone rushed into the courtyard.

It was the Delta who had delivered Ayan’s message earlier.

He stood outside the window, speaking cautiously. "Miss Laura."

"Princess Camille has woken up. Alpha Ayan sent me to relay a message to you."

I didn’t understand.

When Camille had fallen from her horse, Ayan had thrown me a single sentence before rushing off to her side, abandoning our ceremony.

Now that she was awake and he was reassured, he suddenly remembered me.

I lifted my gaze. "Why didn’t he come himself?"

"Princess Camille was severely injured. She refused to let anyone treat her unless Alpha Ayan was by her side. He couldn’t leave."

"What did he want you to tell me?"

"He said he truly wanted to mate with you, but circumstances forced him to act this way. He asked you to wait for him."

For some reason, I didn’t even have the strength to feel resentful.

"I understand."

The Delta nodded and quickly left.

At the same time, the Beta in charge of the Simpson Pack’s household walked in.

He handed me a letter.

On it was a single, bold word:

**Yes.**

The Beta smiled and bowed slightly. "Alpha Ace said he doesn’t want any of the things you promised."

I looked up, surprised.

"What does he want then?"

The Beta just smiled, not answering. "Rest assured, Miss Laura. The ceremony will proceed as planned. The Simpson Pack has already made the necessary arrangements. We won’t miss the auspicious time."