Chapter 4

Inside the grandest banquet hall of the Silver Moon Estate, Edmund slowly walked up to the dais.

Even in his old age, his Alpha aura instantly commanded absolute silence across the massive room.

He held his hand out to me, and I walked up to join him.

"Many of you know," Edmund began, his voice echoing off the walls. "Twenty years ago, during the great war between the Silver Moon Pack and the Rogues, Selena's grandfather, Elias, saved my life."

"We swore a Blood Oath that day. When Selena came of age, she would be allowed to choose any unmated heir from the Blackwood family to be her mate."

"And the man she chooses... will become the next Alpha."

That was what everyone truly cared about. The Silver Moon Pack controlled the largest werewolf territory in the North. Whoever became Edmund's successor would hold the most formidable power in the entire region.

Adrian smiled, adjusting his collar. A few of his brothers patted him on the back.

"Congratulations."

"Guess we'll be calling you Alpha Adrian soon."

He shot me a triumphant look as Edmund spoke again.

"Now, let the man Selena has chosen step forward."

Adrian took a confident step out of the crowd. "Grandfather, I—"

"Hold," Edmund cut him off sharply.

Then, the old Alpha looked toward the far end of the hall.

"Lucian."

A deathly silence fell over the banquet hall. The smug smile on Adrian's face shattered.

I turned my head. Lucian wasn't using his cane.

He walked toward me, step by steady step, as furious whispers erupted through the crowd.

"Why is it Lucian? Is there a mistake?"

"Wasn't Selena madly in love with Adrian?"

"Why would she choose a cripple who can't even shift?"

Adrian finally snapped out of his shock. "Grandfather! There has to be a mistake!"

Edmund glared at him coldly. "I am not so old that I can't read a name."

Marcus stepped forward, holding up a silver plate. "The plate Miss Selena personally handed to the old Alpha is engraved with the name Lucian Blackwood."

"Impossible." Adrian whipped his head toward me, his eyes wild. "Tell him you grabbed the wrong plate, Selena. Tell him."

There was actual desperation in his gaze. "The one you want to choose is me."

Looking at him, I suddenly felt that the version of myself from my past life was laughably pathetic.

"I didn't make a mistake. I chose Lucian."

Lucian's head snapped up. For the first time, a visible tremor of shock rippled through his ash-green eyes.

All the color drained from Adrian's face. "Are you out of your damn mind?!"

He lunged forward and grabbed my arm. "You love me! Everyone in the North knows it! How could you possibly choose a useless runt who can't even hold his wolf form?!"

Lucian paled. I violently wrenched my arm out of Adrian's grip.

"Enough. This is my choice."

Adrian stared at me, unhinged. "No, you're just trying to make me mad. Is this about Chloe? Is it because of that bracelet?"

I didn't even bother answering. Pack warriors had already stepped up and restrained him.

"Let me go!" Adrian roared, fighting against their grip. "Selena, you're supposed to choose me!"

The heavy oak doors of the hall slammed shut, finally cutting off his screaming.

Marcus handed me a thick black folder. "This is from the old Alpha."

Inside were the territorial authorizations and the inheritance trust.

In my past life, all of this had fallen into Adrian's hands. He used this exact power to fund his mistresses, suppress my family, and eventually bribe the healer to swap my life-saving medicine.

Not this time.

Just as I was putting the documents away, a faint scent drifted past me.

My heart gave a violent lurch. Deep inside me, my dormant wolf suddenly stirred, restless and hungry.

I froze.

Instinctively, I looked up at Lucian. He was already looking at me.

For a fraction of a second, his pupils seemed to flash a striking, pale silver, but they quickly returned to normal.

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

As the banquet officially began, Edmund seated Lucian directly beside him.

Everyone in the room understood exactly what that meant. From tonight on, he was the Silver Moon Pack's primary Alpha candidate.

A while later, Adrian burst back into the hall, reeking of alcohol.

"Grandfather, I refuse to accept this."

Edmund scowled. "Who let you back in?"

"Selena and I grew up together!" Adrian yelled, his eyes bloodshot. "She loves me! You can't let her marry Lucian!"

Edmund let out a harsh, mocking bark of laughter. "She loves you? Funny, I heard the thing you hated most these past few years was her affection for you."

Low snickers echoed through the room.

Adrian turned to me, desperate. "Selena, tell him."

I kept my voice perfectly calm. "I have no idea why Adrian is saying this. I did like him in the past, but I don't anymore."

He went deathly pale. "You're lying. You're just jealous. You picked Lucian just to provoke me because of Chloe! If you cancel the contract, I swear I'll see less of her."

I almost laughed out loud. "Adrian, who you like and who you see has absolutely nothing to do with me. I have chosen Lucian."

He suddenly lunged at me. "You can't!"

A hand firmly pulled me back. Lucian stepped squarely in front of me, shielding me with his body.

"That's enough, Adrian."

Adrian glared at him with pure venom. "Who the hell do you think you are? You're a cripple who can't even shift. You think you have the right to stand in my way?"

The air in the hall dropped to freezing.

The next second, a terrifying, suffocating pressure crashed down on the room.

It wasn't Lucian. It was Edmund.

The old Alpha's eyes glowed a lethal crimson. "Do I have the right, boy?"

Every single werewolf in the room instinctively bowed their heads. Edmund spoke, his voice dripping with absolute authority.

"Effective immediately, Adrian is suspended from all duties. He is stripped of his command over the warriors. He is not to leave the Silver Moon territory without my explicit permission."

Adrian looked at him in sheer disbelief. "Grandfather!"

But this time, no one stepped up to defend him.

I turned to look at Lucian, but he deliberately avoided my eyes.