Chapter 3

"I understand," I said, my tone carefully neutral. "Perhaps it's because you’re not here to make the final decisions. Your Beta probably needs your approval for everything. It’s getting late; shall we head inside?"

I reached out, feigning urgency, to tug at Graham’s sleeve. He stiffened, subtly shifting away, his gaze darting toward Phoebe, who stood behind him with her usual composed demeanor.

"Alpha," Phoebe interjected smoothly, her voice soft but carrying the weight of her position, "I overheard some pack members discussing a pressing issue at the firm. They really need your presence."

Graham’s expression brightened at her words, though he quickly masked it with a semblance of seriousness. He turned to me, his alpha tone commanding but laced with an undertone of dismissal. "Lucille, given the situation at the firm, let’s postpone the marking ceremony for a few days."

In my previous life, there had been no such incident.

A firm of that scale didn’t hinge solely on Graham Wright, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack. He wasn’t irreplaceable.

Phoebe’s excuse was clumsy and conveniently timed.

So, she’s been reincarnated too.

I cast a scrutinizing gaze at Phoebe. She clung tightly to Graham’s sleeve, her slender frame appearing unassuming, her expression that of a loyal Beta. She looked nothing more than a young wolf eager to assist her Alpha, her eyes downcast as if she were uneasy about speaking up.

There was nothing different about her.

Choosing not to expose their staged act, I watched them leave in silence.

Perhaps feeling a pang of guilt, Graham shot me an apologetic glance before sliding into the sleek black car. "Lucille, I truly didn’t expect this to happen. We’ll complete the marking ceremony another day. You should head back; it’s urgent, so I won’t be able to drop you off. Take care."

Phoebe, seated in the passenger seat, gazed at him with admiration, her loyalty unmistakable. It was as if she had already claimed her place beside him, despite the bond I was supposed to share with him.

"Go ahead, both of you. Stay safe on the road," I said, waving them off, but inwardly I scoffed.

Another day? I doubted that day would ever come.

After Graham left, I hailed a taxi and returned to the packhouse. This was supposed to be our shared home—a spacious three-bedroom suite, chosen with the idea of raising pups in mind. It had once held all my hopes and dreams.

In my past life, I had returned here gleefully after the marking ceremony, ready to decorate our home. Even without the wedding day approaching, I had meticulously prepared a feast for Graham, embracing the ritual of setting out honey-glazed ham and spiced apple pie.

No one knew that Graham would come home and unleash his anger.

He had accused me of disregarding his feelings by becoming pregnant, despite the marking ceremony, implying I was pushing him into a bond he didn’t truly want.

On the day of our public ceremony, the supposedly joyous Alpha had lain beside me in bed, disinterested and detached.

Each night thereafter, we shared a bed, but our thoughts always diverged.

Pulling myself away from these memories, I made a call to the pack’s HR department. A few days ago, I had been offered a transfer to the legal division of our overseas branch in Europe. They hadn’t minded my pregnancy status.

The transfer was merely a pretext; it was recognition and my chance for promotion. Once abroad, I could become the head of the department.

In my previous life, I had declined the opportunity to stay comfortably by Graham’s side as his Luna.

Months later, Graham’s law firm had flourished while we drifted apart, living completely disjointed lives.

Eventually, I had lost the pup, Graham had vanished, leaving behind debts for me to shoulder.

I hadn’t even gotten a proper rest postpartum before having to earn money to support both sets of parents and repay debts.

Gradually, my health had deteriorated, and my career had suffered due to juggling pack responsibilities.

In my later years, I had been stuck in mundane work, living a life without achievement.

No one had understood me, especially Graham’s parents.

They had only resented me for Graham’s disappearance and criticized me for not being as good as Phoebe...

Not being as good as Phoebe, the unfinished words in my memory now aligned with reality.

A wave of bitterness washed over me, my wolf stirring faintly in the back of my mind, a silent reminder of the strength I had yet to reclaim.