Chapter 1
I was forced to take the place of my runaway sister and marry Arthur Lane, the heir to the Manhan gang.
At the altar, the Moon Goddess's mark suddenly flared to life, proving we were fated mates.
But Arthur only sneered and crushed the ritual goblet of blood wine in his hand.
"I reject you. My Luna will always be Annabelle Winters, and Annabelle alone," Arthur declared.
The guests burst into laughter, and the high priest regretfully announced that our mating bond had died completely.
My wolf spirit wailed, and the mark on my neck crumbled into ash.
Just then, the heavy church doors were kicked open.
Kane Stone, the Bloodthirsty Wolf King who controlled the city's underground casino, strode in with violence rolling off him.
He came straight to me, buried his face in the curve of my neck, and inhaled deeply.
The once-dead mating bond suddenly erupted with a terrifying wave of heat. It was the legendary second mate bond!
Kane lifted his head and pulled me hard into his arms.
"By Manhan's underground law, whoever marks the prey owns it," Kane said.
Arthur kicked over the prayer stand in front of him, "Let her go. She belongs to my family. You don't get to touch her."
*****
The air inside the church froze.
Kane released me and turned to face Arthur.
He took off his black leather gloves and tossed them onto the floor.
"Belongs to you?" Kane took one step forward.
"You rejected her in front of everyone." He added.
Arthur yanked off his tie, the veins in his neck bulging with Alpha rage. "So what?
"She stood here in Annabelle's place. That makes her a liar through and through.
"Rejecting a liar doesn't mean you get to take her away."
I stood where I was as a tearing pain ripped through my heart.
The backlash from being publicly rejected by my fated mate was eating away at my wolf spirit.
I clutched my chest and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
It splattered across my white wedding dress in a shocking burst of red.
Kane's head snapped toward me.
He strode over and swept me into his arms, "She's dying.
"You rejected her and severed the bond. The backlash is killing her."
Arthur stepped down from the altar and blocked the church exit, "Put her down.
"She stays with the Manhan gang and takes her punishment.
"Liars pay the price."
Just then, a sharp screech of brakes came from outside the church.
A woman in a white dress stumbled inside, "Arthur!"
It was Annabelle.
She was covered in injuries, and her dress was smeared with mud.
Arthur immediately shoved aside the guards in his way and rushed to her.
He pulled Annabelle tightly into his arms, "Where were you?
"Who did this to you?"
Annabelle leaned against Arthur's chest and pointed at me. "She did.
"She hired people to kidnap me so she could marry you.
"I barely managed to escape."
The whole room erupted.
Every eye turned to me.
Cradled in Kane's arms, I was so furious I laughed, "I kidnapped you?
"Annabelle, you ran from the wedding to fool around with a rogue, and now you're back to blame me?"
Arthur whipped his head toward me and glared, "Shut up!
"You vicious woman. How dare you slander your own sister?"
He pointed at several gang enforcers by the door, "Seize her and throw her in the dungeon."
Kane tightened his arms around me, "I'd like to see who dares touch her."
Dozens of armed men in black suddenly flooded into the church.
They were mercenaries from Kane's underground casino.
Both sides drew their weapons and faced off.
Just as they were about to open fire, Kane's phone rang.
He answered it, and a few seconds later, he hung up.
He looked down at me, "There's a mole at the casino. The vault's been blown.
"I have to deal with it myself."