Chapter 1

Through the Moonwater Mirror, I saw myself from eight years ago, bubbling with excitement over our fated mate's eternal promises. In return, I showed her Alpha Owen, eight years later, fucking another she-wolf right in front of my eyes.

On the terrace, Owen’s hand slid down the blonde's back, pulling her zipper down.

The fabric slipped down to her waist, revealing black lace lingerie.

Just as they were about to step inside, the woman suddenly stopped.

She noticed me standing in the living room.

"Wait, there's someone else here?" She frowned at me. "Who is she? Why is there someone else in your apartment?"

Owen didn't care at all. He even leaned down and gave her a deeper kiss.

He opened his eyes. His golden wolf eyes pierced through the glass, cold and amused.

"Ignore her. She doesn't mind. Right, my Luna?"

Care?

My heart used to howl. Then it went numb. Now, there's only silence.

Through the screen, the me from eight years ago saw everything.

Her face turned instantly pale. Her lips trembled, unable to form words. "No... no..."

The Moonwater Mirror went dead black.

Numb, I looked down, pulled out my phone, and sent a single text to my brother—the one I hadn't seen in years.

"Merry Winter Solstice, Leo. Hope you're doing well."

The she-wolf giggled, victorious. Her hand slid boldly down his chiseled abs.

"Where did you find an Omega mate this obedient?"

Behind me, clothes rustled. Breaths grew heavy.

They started moving toward the bedroom, still wrapped around each other.

The woman's heels dropped onto the floor.

Owen's tie was ripped off, reeking of that woman's heavy scent.

I slipped out of the room. I wouldn't disturb the two animals.

Twenty minutes later, the butler, John, appeared before me looking awkward.

"Madam, the Alpha asked you to fetch a bottle of red wine from the cellar." He avoided my eyes. "A 1982 Romanée-Conti."

"Deliver it where?" My voice was hollow.

"The penthouse suite." He blushed. "He said... it's to set the mood."

The wine cellar was huge. I spent over half an hour searching through countless vintage bottles.

Whispers from the maids drifted down the hallway.

"Poor Luna. He's humiliating her again."

"An Omega from a tiny pack. She never deserved our Alpha in the first place."

"I heard she trapped him with the Blood Moon Ritual. That's dark magic."

"No wonder the Alpha hates her so much. Any man would want revenge after being tricked like that."

The Blood Moon Ritual. The night that ruined everything.

The whispers dragged me back eight years. To the day I met Owen in the national park.

Our wolves instantly recognized each other as fated mates. But his mother, Eleonora, fiercely opposed it.

"An Omega from a weak pack will dilute our noble Alpha bloodline! Absolutely not!"

Right after that, my brother Leo's small company suddenly fell into a $50 million financial crisis.

Debt collectors showed up, threatening his life.

"Sienna, only the Blood Moon Ritual can save us." He knelt before me, crying and begging. "Force the mark with ancient magic. Owen will have to help us pay the debt."

I was pushed into a corner.

On the night of the Blood Moon, I followed the forbidden ritual, using my own blood to summon the most primal wolf instincts.

The ritual shattered his control. He marked me under the gaze of the Moon Goddess. An irreversible bond.

When he woke up, his eyes were like ice.

"So this was your plan? You and your brother set me up?"

"No, Owen! We're fated..."

"Fated?" He sneered. "Maybe you faked that too."

He gave my brother the money, but he told me:

"You trapped me. So don't even think about leaving. This is your debt. A debt you can never repay."

Our bond went from a beautiful dream blessed by the Moon Goddess.

To a conspiracy in his eyes—a scheme by me and my brother to trap him.

Later, I brought up breaking the mark.

But every time I tried, he would sneer and pin me down with his Alpha aura:

"You can leave once you pay back that fifty million with interest. Otherwise, I'll make sure your brother completely disappears from this world."

I hadn't seen Leo in years.

...

I found the precious bottle of red wine and walked toward the penthouse suite.

I knocked, and a lazy female voice answered from inside:

"Come in."

The moment I pushed the door open, I saw a scene of pure debauchery.

The blonde woman was half-naked, lounging on the messy bed, covered in fresh hickeys and scratch marks.

Her lips were swollen, her blonde hair sticking to her sweaty forehead.

Owen sat on the edge of the bed, shirtless, slowly putting on his button-down.

The room reeked of sex.

And the mate bond screamed. A fresh tear ripped through my chest.

Every time. Every time he touched another woman, I felt it.

"What took you so long?" Owen took the wine, sounding impatient. "We're almost ready for round three."

The woman giggled. "Maybe she likes listening to us?"

"Since you're here, stay." Owen pressed his Alpha aura against me, his golden eyes flashing with cruelty. "Watch what real passion looks like."

The woman sat up, looking at me shamelessly. "Or just take off your clothes and join us? A threesome is way hotter."

"Good idea." Owen nodded, his voice full of command. "Take off your clothes, Sienna."

My stomach churned violently.

I stumbled to the bathroom, collapsing before the toilet as my body heaved.

Stomach acid burned my throat as tears streamed down my face.

After I’d heaved until I was empty and shaking, I pulled out the Moonwater Mirror with trembling hands and activated it again.

She answered, her eyes red.

"Do you still think he loves you?" My voice was cracked and hoarse.

Sobs came through the Mirror.

"Why... why did he turn out like this? He promised he'd only love me!"

I knew that without living through these years of despair, she couldn't truly understand just from words.

Maybe she’d still make excuses for him, like I used to, thinking it was just a temporary misunderstanding.

I didn't blame her. She had to see. She had to watch it all burn.