Chapter 1

After school, I ran into a bunch of rogues, and my chosen mate, Albert Valero, instinctively shielded an Omega, Cleo Harvey.

In a moment of confusion, I caught whispers in the air.

"As expected, Albert really traveled back in time and finally made up for the regret of not saving Cleo, the one he failed to rescue."

"LOL. Daniela's inner wolf must have snapped."

"Given how cunning she is, she'll definitely have the elders push for the mate ceremony as soon as she gets back."

"Her tactics are easy to predict, but Albert has lived through it all before. Even if he loses the support of her pack, so what?"

*****

Amid the whispers, an overwhelming flood of information poured into my mind.

"Albert," I murmured instinctively.

However, he was totally focused on Cleo, shielding her behind his arm.

Cleo clung to his shirt like she might break, all fragile and trembling, making men protective of her.

"Don't be afraid. I'm right here," Albert leaned in, his voice dropping to that rough, intimate growl.

"Gosh. He's all over his Cleo now."

"It's all Daniela's fault for dragging him to the dessert shop earlier, causing him to miss the perfect moment to play the hero and save the damsel in distress. This, indirectly, led to Cleo's depression and suicide years later."

"Cleo really had it rough. This time, Albert has to break free from Daniela's clutches and save poor little Cleo."

Those whispers were clouding my thoughts.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" the rogue in front of me snapped, reaching out when I didn't respond.

My eyes narrowed as the wolf within me stirred. I shifted my stance and drove the rogue to the ground, the strength of the Alpha's daughter surging through my veins.

Seeing this, the two rogues circling Albert and Cleo lunged at me, snarls tearing through the air.

Everything descended into chaos.

Cleo pressed herself tight against Albert, her voice trembling.

"Albert, forget about me. Go help her!" she cried.

Albert's eyes met mine, cold and distant, as if I were nothing more than a stranger sniffing around his territory.

"She's an alpha's daughter and can protect herself. Let me get you out of here first," he said.

With that, he wrapped an arm around Cleo, almost forcing her along as he pulled her toward safety.

By the time the pack enforcers came crashing from the woods, the rogues were already retreating.

Albert's and Cleo's figures were disappearing into the shadows, their scents fading.

I stood there, my inner wolf growling deep in my chest.

Blood dripped from a crimson gash on my arm, burning like fire against my skin.

*****

Back in my room, the pack healer had already gone.

The sharp tang of herbal antiseptic still lingered in the air, mixed with the faint metallic scent of blood.

I lifted my arm, staring at the cleanly wrapped bandage above my wrist, but my mind wouldn't let go of what had happened after school.

I kept seeing Albert spinning into action without a second thought, putting himself between Cleo and those rogues.

He moved fast and decisively, as if instinct was driving him.

Then there was the way he looked at me, icy, indifferent, and full of contempt.

It made my whole body go cold.

That was when it hit me. The whispers were right. I loved him, but I could never claim him.

Albert and I had grown up together, our fates intertwined, but our packs were never equal.

He came from a bloodline heavy with heirs, and the competition for Alpha was cutthroat.

He'd always been the overlooked wolf, a handsome shadow in a sea of wolves, not so well-accepted.

I, on the other hand, was Luna's only daughter, the pack's cherished princess and heiress to all its lands.

However, because of our childhood bond, his pack, so close to being outcasts, managed to reclaim their territory and rise again with our help.

Albert, once the forgotten pup, slowly began to gain the pack's respect and was carefully trained for a greater role.

All those years, I had given everything to help him climb that ladder.

He always accepted it all with a calm indifference, never once refusing my help.

I had convinced myself that was what he wanted.

It wasn't until the whispers revealed the truth that I realized he'd resented me all along for using my pack's power to tie him down.

The whispers said he married me only because his pack forced him, enduring humiliation and pressure for their sake.

Cleo couldn't live to see him become alpha. That fragile Omega, his first love, would be worn down by a curse, and her death haunted him.

Sensing her future, he was determined to save her from a life of tragedy.

*****

Suddenly, my phone rang at my side.

The screen lit up, displaying the name "Albert."

As soon as I answered, his voice came through like a growl, full of anger. "Daniela, did you go running to my pack again, whining like a pup in front of my parents? Is this supposed to be fun?"

The whispers that had faded into the background flared up again.

"As expected, the spiteful Daniela went back and tattled, causing Albert to get a scolding from his father, Darian."

"Daniela is so strong and doesn't even get hurt, but Cleo is so fragile. Of course, she needs Albert's protection. Daniela is being so unreasonable."

"It's all because her pack is stronger than his. In the past, she relied on her pack's influence over his to manipulate things, using pack ties to force Albert into mating with her."

"So, after Cleo's death, Albert hated them so much. Not only did he take over Daniela's pack, but he also revealed the truth to her face, which made Daniela's father have a heart attack and end up in the healing den. Serves her right."

I gripped my phone, my fingers shaking slightly.

"What, did I hit a nerve? Got nothing to say now?" Albert's sneer was practically dripping through the phone, his words laced with pure sarcasm. "After all these years, that's your only trick—"

"Albert," I said, cutting him off and taking a deep breath.

"I don't need to play the victim to get what I want," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "Besides, your pack is always watching for any shift between us, worried we'd never mate.

"After all, over all these years, your pack has claimed so many territories thanks to mine. Any idea how much you have gained with my help?

"Need me to jog your memory?"

Albert suddenly went silent on the other end of the line.