Chapter 3

A month later, it was the Silver Moon Pack's annual Blood Oath Day.

By tradition, the entire pack would renew their vows of loyalty. Elders, pack warriors, and key members of subordinate packs were all in attendance.

My father asked me to go early to deliver a keepsake left by my grandfather to Edmund.

As soon as I entered the estate, I ran into Chloe, who hadn't been home in days. She was wearing an expensive gown and a full set of moonstone jewelry.

"Sister," she greeted me with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Do you like it? Adrian bought it all for me. I told him not to spend so much, but he wouldn't listen. He said only I was worthy of it."

I frowned and tried to step around her, but she blocked my path.

"Why do you hate me so much, Sister? I know you're jealous, but we can't help who we love."

Before I could even respond, her eyes welled up with tears.

I reached out to push her aside, but she threw herself backward, crashing onto the floor.

"Sister! How could you hit me?!"

The next second, a suffocating Alpha aura slammed into my back. Adrian stormed over.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Selena?!" He hauled Chloe up from the floor. "You'd bully your own sister?"

I looked at them, almost wanting to laugh. "Ten years, Chloe, and your acting is still this pathetic?"

Adrian shoved me hard, sending me stumbling to the ground. He glared at me, furious. "Don't you dare humiliate her."

Guests were already stopping to stare.

Chloe buried her face in his chest, hiding a smirk. Adrian seemed to realize he had used too much force. He took a half-step toward me, but Chloe immediately dug her fingers into his arm.

"Adrian, I feel a little dizzy."

He instantly turned his attention back to her.

The whispers around us grew louder.

"Is that Selena Whitmore?"

"I heard she'd do absolutely anything to get Adrian."

"She can't even tolerate her own sister, and she expects to be our future Luna?"

Hearing the gossip, the disgust on Adrian's face deepened. "Apologize to Chloe, Selena."

I licked the blood off the corner of my lip. "In your dreams."

His expression turned lethal. "Grandfather is officially announcing our mating contract today. You'd better remember what I told you. Once that mark is on your neck, you don't get a say in what I do with Chloe."

I honestly didn't know what to say. This man was so utterly convinced that I could only ever choose him.

Just then, two figures emerged from the estate.

Beta Marcus frowned. "It's Blood Oath Day. What are you arguing about at the entrance?"

Behind him was Lucian. Today, he wasn't in a wheelchair.

He leaned on a sleek black cane, dressed in the traditional black formal wear of the Silver Moon Pack. Pinned to his chest was the silver wolf crest, symbolizing the Blackwood bloodline.

A few seconds later, he stopped right in front of me.

"Are you hurt?" his voice was incredibly soft.

The question hit me like a physical blow. I suddenly remembered my past life, during the worst stages of my Lunar Fading Syndrome. I had been walking alone on the street. By then, I couldn't even sense my wolf anymore. For a werewolf, that emptiness was a fate worse than death.

A black car had pulled up beside me. The window rolled down, revealing these exact same eyes. Lucian had asked, "Selena, why are you out here all alone?"

He had never called me his brother's mate.

Back then, I thought it was because he looked down on me.

"Selena?" he called my name again.

I snapped out of my daze. "No. I'm fine."

Adrian sneered from the side. "Whether she's hurt or not is none of your business. Back off, Lucian. She's your future Luna."

Lucian's knuckles turned white around the head of his cane. Marcus's expression, however, turned incredibly strange.

"Go inside," the Beta said. "The old Alpha is waiting for you."