Chapter 2 · Marked By The Alpha's Enemy

Before he even finished speaking, I shoved the door wide open. "Gavin? Chloe? Are you in here?"

A split second later, a woman's shriek and a man's furious roar echoed from inside.

I stood in the doorway, stiffening as if I'd been struck by lightning.

The guests behind me witnessed it all. Right in the middle of a sacred lunar bonding ceremony, Gavin was marking my cousin.

I stared at Gavin, my face completely drained of color. Tears instantly welled up. "Gavin, how... how could you..."

Unable to bear the shock, I fainted.

But right before I lost consciousness, I caught a flash of panic in Gavin's eyes, quickly followed by a deeply hidden smugness.

I knew it. They did this on purpose.

They thought I'd soften up like last time and beg Liam for help.

Then Chloe would claim she was forced to mate with Liam and threaten suicide, making me feel guilty for the rest of my life.

Meanwhile, Gavin could keep playing the devoted husband, soaking up my devotion while secretly keeping Chloe on the side.

Too bad I rewrote the script.

Liam moved fast, catching me from behind before I hit the floor.

He looked down at my pale face, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes. But what dominated his expression was pure, unadulterated Alpha rage. The wrath of betrayal.

After all, he and Chloe had a verbal marriage agreement.

Now Chloe was sleeping with someone else in front of an audience. The pride of the Silver Moon Pack was being dragged through the mud.

Liam scooped me up into his arms and shot a lethal glare at the disheveled Gavin. "The Blackwood Pack better give me a damn good explanation. Otherwise, the Silver Moon Pack will not let this go."

His voice was a low, dangerous growl. He unleashed his Alpha aura without holding back.

Every wolf in the room shivered.

The Silver Moon Pack was one of the top five packs in the country. Even as a second heir, Liam wielded power no one dared to cross.

Carrying me, he took long strides away from that room reeking of sex and betrayal.

Resting against his chest, I caught his clean scent of cedarwood. My heart skipped a beat.

In my old life, Liam silently loved Chloe for years just to honor a family promise.

After she died, he married someone else at his family's behest, yet he remained loyal and never strayed.

A man like this deserved so much better.

This time, I wasn't going to let Chloe use him.

*****

When I finally woke up, it was already the next evening.

As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a handsome, worried face.

Liam was sitting by the bed. Seeing me awake, he immediately handed me a glass of warm water. "Drink."

His palm was warm and strong. His fingertips brushed against the back of my hand, sending a faint jolt of electricity through me.

I took the glass and finally realized I was at the Silver Moon estate.

I tried to ask, "I..."

"Your parents and the Blackwoods are downstairs," Liam cut in. "They're negotiating."

He paused, his gaze turning sharp. "Elena, tell me. Was last night an accident, or was it a setup?"

I froze. I didn't expect him to be so sharp.

"Why would you ask that?"

Liam stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to me. "Chloe's timing with the serum was too perfect. And Gavin... he went straight to the honeymoon suite after leaving the hall.

"He didn't look for you or go anywhere else. It was almost like he knew Chloe would be waiting for him."

My heart raced. Liam's instincts were far more terrifying than I thought.

"Furthermore," Liam turned around, his deep blue eyes piercing right through me. "Your timing was also a bit too convenient.

"The moment you left the hall, the order to lock the doors, bringing everyone upstairs right on cue... it was all too flawless.

"Did you know about this all along?"

I fell silent.

Liam walked over to the bed and dropped to one knee, bringing himself to my eye level. "Elena, I do not know what you went through, but I can feel it. You changed.

"Yesterday, your eyes were terrifyingly calm. That was not the look of a woman betrayed by her fiancé.

"That was the look of someone out for revenge."

I stared at him, my heart pounding.

Liam was smarter than I thought, and much more dangerous.

But also infinitely more attractive.

After a long moment, I finally spoke. "Would you believe me if I said Gavin and Chloe planned to kill me?"

Liam did not hesitate. "I believe you."

"Why?"

"Because your eyes do not lie." He reached out, gently brushing my cheek. "And my instincts are telling me you need protection."

For a second, I almost drowned in his gentle gaze.

But I couldn't. At least, not right now.

I looked away. "How are things downstairs?"

Liam dropped his hand, his expression turning cold again. "The Blackwoods want you to sign a shared mate agreement.

"Chloe would be a submissive mate, and you would keep the title of legal spouse and all inheritance rights."

I scoffed. "In their dreams."

"My father already rejected it." Liam stood up. "He also made a counteroffer."

Chapter 2

Before he even finished speaking, I shoved the door wide open. "Gavin? Chloe? Are you in here?"

A split second later, a woman's shriek and a man's furious roar echoed from inside.

I stood in the doorway, stiffening as if I'd been struck by lightning.

The guests behind me witnessed it all. Right in the middle of a sacred lunar bonding ceremony, Gavin was marking my cousin.

I stared at Gavin, my face completely drained of color. Tears instantly welled up. "Gavin, how... how could you..."

Unable to bear the shock, I fainted.

But right before I lost consciousness, I caught a flash of panic in Gavin's eyes, quickly followed by a deeply hidden smugness.

I knew it. They did this on purpose.

They thought I'd soften up like last time and beg Liam for help.

Then Chloe would claim she was forced to mate with Liam and threaten suicide, making me feel guilty for the rest of my life.

Meanwhile, Gavin could keep playing the devoted husband, soaking up my devotion while secretly keeping Chloe on the side.

Too bad I rewrote the script.

Liam moved fast, catching me from behind before I hit the floor.

He looked down at my pale face, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes. But what dominated his expression was pure, unadulterated Alpha rage. The wrath of betrayal.

After all, he and Chloe had a verbal marriage agreement.

Now Chloe was sleeping with someone else in front of an audience. The pride of the Silver Moon Pack was being dragged through the mud.

Liam scooped me up into his arms and shot a lethal glare at the disheveled Gavin. "The Blackwood Pack better give me a damn good explanation. Otherwise, the Silver Moon Pack will not let this go."

His voice was a low, dangerous growl. He unleashed his Alpha aura without holding back.

Every wolf in the room shivered.

The Silver Moon Pack was one of the top five packs in the country. Even as a second heir, Liam wielded power no one dared to cross.

Carrying me, he took long strides away from that room reeking of sex and betrayal.

Resting against his chest, I caught his clean scent of cedarwood. My heart skipped a beat.

In my old life, Liam silently loved Chloe for years just to honor a family promise.

After she died, he married someone else at his family's behest, yet he remained loyal and never strayed.

A man like this deserved so much better.

This time, I wasn't going to let Chloe use him.

*****

When I finally woke up, it was already the next evening.

As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a handsome, worried face.

Liam was sitting by the bed. Seeing me awake, he immediately handed me a glass of warm water. "Drink."

His palm was warm and strong. His fingertips brushed against the back of my hand, sending a faint jolt of electricity through me.

I took the glass and finally realized I was at the Silver Moon estate.

I tried to ask, "I..."

"Your parents and the Blackwoods are downstairs," Liam cut in. "They're negotiating."

He paused, his gaze turning sharp. "Elena, tell me. Was last night an accident, or was it a setup?"

I froze. I didn't expect him to be so sharp.

"Why would you ask that?"

Liam stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to me. "Chloe's timing with the serum was too perfect. And Gavin... he went straight to the honeymoon suite after leaving the hall.

"He didn't look for you or go anywhere else. It was almost like he knew Chloe would be waiting for him."

My heart raced. Liam's instincts were far more terrifying than I thought.

"Furthermore," Liam turned around, his deep blue eyes piercing right through me. "Your timing was also a bit too convenient.

"The moment you left the hall, the order to lock the doors, bringing everyone upstairs right on cue... it was all too flawless.

"Did you know about this all along?"

I fell silent.

Liam walked over to the bed and dropped to one knee, bringing himself to my eye level. "Elena, I do not know what you went through, but I can feel it. You changed.

"Yesterday, your eyes were terrifyingly calm. That was not the look of a woman betrayed by her fiancé.

"That was the look of someone out for revenge."

I stared at him, my heart pounding.

Liam was smarter than I thought, and much more dangerous.

But also infinitely more attractive.

After a long moment, I finally spoke. "Would you believe me if I said Gavin and Chloe planned to kill me?"

Liam did not hesitate. "I believe you."

"Why?"

"Because your eyes do not lie." He reached out, gently brushing my cheek. "And my instincts are telling me you need protection."

For a second, I almost drowned in his gentle gaze.

But I couldn't. At least, not right now.

I looked away. "How are things downstairs?"

Liam dropped his hand, his expression turning cold again. "The Blackwoods want you to sign a shared mate agreement.

"Chloe would be a submissive mate, and you would keep the title of legal spouse and all inheritance rights."

I scoffed. "In their dreams."

"My father already rejected it." Liam stood up. "He also made a counteroffer."