Chapter 1
As the fated mate of the future Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack, Ethan Howson, I waited for him for three whole years.
Even when he drew near, when my wolf howled frantically at the mate bond tying us together, he refused to complete the official marking on the full moon.
Then, he became obsessed with my half-sister, Ella Frost.
He claimed Ella was his "true love," flouting Pack rules by flooding the entire territory with possessive pheromones, all to win her over.
This time, my wolf didn't howl. It didn't beg for him to stay through our mind-link, as it had so many times before. I watched them calmly, and in that moment, I shut down the bond between us.
I rid my space of every trace of him: every trinket that carried his scent. The pure white lace robe I'd secretly stitched for our mating ceremony went into the fireplace, consumed by roaring flames.
The day before his first post-adulthood full moon transformation, I severed my mental connection to Silvermoon Territory alone and got behind the wheel.
Before I got in the car, Ethan sent me a message on the Pack network: [Why aren't you here yet? Everyone and the elders are waiting for you.]
A sarcastic smile touched my lips as I read it. I didn't reply. Instead, I blocked his number, along with every other Silvermoon Pack member's comm signal.
He had no idea that half a month earlier, I'd accepted the mate bond offered by Lucas Wayne, Alpha of the Nightshade Bloodmoon Pack, the most powerful Pack in the North.
When my plane touched down in the Northern Realm, I would take his marking and become his Luna.
*****
I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the reflection staring back.
I was pale, thin, and worn down by years of waiting and the pain of being rejected by my fated mate.
It turned out that turning my back on the Moon Goddess' plan wasn't as hard as I'd feared. "Lucas, my wolf is ready," I said into the phone.
On the other end, Lucas' voice rumbled. It was deep, gravelly, laced with the magnetic authority of a powerful Alpha, yet soft enough to make my heart ache. "Ivy... are you sure you want to take my marking?"
A lump formed in my throat. It was an instinctive response to being cherished by someone strong, someone who saw me.
Tears spilled down my cheeks as I whispered, "I'm sure."
"Ivy, do you know? From the first moment we caught each other's scent at Wolf Academy, my wolf has been counting down to this day," he said, his tone warm with devotion.
I looked back at the mirror and found that at some point, a faint smile was on my face.
"Give me half a month. I'll go through the Elder Council to break all my covenant obligations to Silvermoon Territory," I said.
"Take all the time you need. My wolf and I will be here, waiting for you," he replied.
Right after I hung up, the door swung open.
My father, Marcus Frost, Beta of Silvermoon Pack, said as he stepped in, clearing his throat awkwardly, "Ivy, Ella just went through her first transformation; her reaction is severe.
"She's a weak wolf, fragile by nature. Your master bedroom gets the best moonlight, perfect for her to recover her strength. The Elder Council says that for the good of the Pack, you two should swap rooms."
I said nothing, my gaze drifting to the mother and daughter standing behind him.
My stepmother, Linda Frost, hurried to speak up, feigning reluctance, "Marcus, we don't need to trouble Ivy with this."
Ella shrank back, oozing a sickly sweetness that made my wolf snarl. "You're right, Father. I'll be fine. I don't want to cause tension in the Pack because of me."
Marcus said, his tone brooking no argument, "It's the Elder Council's decision. Ivy, you're a pure-blood wolf. You're strong and resilient. You owe it to the Pack to make this concession."
I stared at him, my heart cold.
I thought my wolf would rage at the betrayal from my own blood, would shatter at the sight of my father prioritizing a half-blood stepsister over me.
But no tears came. My wolf lay low in my chest, letting out a cold, mocking growl.
"Sure. We'll swap," I said, my voice flat.
In half a month, I'd cut all blood ties to this rotten Pack.
In a territory ruled by scheming and power games, it really didn't matter which room I lived in.