Chapter 1

Camelia's POV

In my last life, Lonnie screwed me over. He framed me for sleeping with rogues and betraying the pack, all to protect a low-rank she-wolf. He basically signed my death warrant.

But I was reborn. And this time, when he tried to lure me into the same trap, I didn't play along. I was done trying to save a relationship that's already dead. My dignity—and my life—come first.

This time, I was going to cut this damn mating bond myself.

Lonnie held the Mating Dissolution Agreement and practically begged me to sign it. He wanted to make sure his little she-wolf wouldn't be trashed by the pack for seducing an Alpha.

"Noah died for me, Camelia," he said, sounding all pathetic. "Aileen is all he left behind. I can't just let her be exiled. You get that, right?"

Years ago, during a routine patrol, Lonnie got jumped by the Bloodmoon pack.

His lead guard, Noah, took a hit meant for him and died a messy death.

His only wish was for his Alpha, Lonnie, to take care of his sister, Aileen.

Lonnie took that blood debt way too far. He gave Aileen whatever she wanted, and eventually, her scent was all over my house.

In my first life, when he chose Aileen over me, my wolf, Andrea, lost it. I tore that agreement to pieces and spent the night howling in the woods.

Big mistake. It just gave him an excuse to spend years gaslighting and abusing me. Andrea withered away without his scent, and I got too weak to even function.

I tried to leave, but they wouldn't let me go that easy.

Aileen told Lonnie I was faking it to make him look bad.

So, to "save face," he set me up. He made it look like I cheated with some omega while I was in heat, stripped me of my Luna title, and left me with nothing.

I ended up in the Silver Moon forest with a silver blade to my throat.

***

"We'll tell the Council the mating bond snapped a year ago," Lonnie said.

His voice snapped me back to reality. We were in his office, and his cedar-scented Alpha aura was making it hard to breathe. "We only kept it quiet for the sake of the pack."

I stared at the water in my glass, keeping my mouth shut.

A week ago, some photos of Aileen seducing Lonnie leaked. The pack went ballistic. Every high-ranking she-wolves was calling for her head.

Lonnie's reputation was in the gutter, and the Dawn Breaker Pack was about to be picked apart by rivals.

Last time, I was naive. I thought if I played the "classy Luna," the drama would just go away.

But looking at that paper, I realized that in this world, being "nice" just gets you killed.

I'd screamed at him back then, asked him why he was throwing away what the Moon Goddess gave us.

All he had to do was send her away. Instead, he made me the sacrificial lamb.

"Babe," Lonnie said, using that smooth, manipulative voice of his. "Trust me, this is just a temporary fix. Once the Council chill out, we'll redo our vows. I promise, as your Alpha."

I looked at the parchment. Every word felt like a slap.

He thought my silence meant he was winning, so he kept going.

"Camelia, work with me here. Once this blows over, I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you and Andrea. Deal?"

He leaned in and put an arm around me.

He looked into my eyes, trying to play me.

For a second, my body betrayed me. The mating bond gave me that familiar spark where he touched me.

He was literally holding a knife to my back, and my instincts still wanted him. It was disgusting.

I shut Andrea down. His "love" tasted like trash.

Next to him, Aileen looked like she was about to faint.

"Luna Camelia, please... help me," she whimpered. "My brother is gone. I have nobody. If I'm expelled and become a rogue, I'm dead. Please!"

She dropped to her knees, showing her neck.

It looked submissive, but it was a total power move.

She was betting Lonnie would rush to play the hero.

She won. Before I could even blink, Lonnie snatched her up and tucked her against him.

He let out a low growl at me. "She's on her knees and you're just gonna sit there? Where's your heart, Camelia?"

The fake "babe" act was gone. This was the real him—angry and violent.

"I've made up my mind. Tomorrow at the meeting, you play along. Or else—"

"I'll sign."

I cut him off. My voice was totally flat.

Andrea stopped fighting. I looked at the two of them and their little drama.

I was done.

I knew exactly what "or else" meant.

Last time, right after I refused, I got jumped by rogues and "caught" on camera.

Overnight, I went from the noble Luna to a disgraced tramp. Even after I died, they threw my bones into the wasteland.

They got to stay on their pedestals while I died in the dirt.

Well, this time, you want my life? You can have it. I'm out.