Chapter 2

"Rhett is still a pup!" Lucien's voice held restrained fury. "As his guardian in name, you failed to teach him properly. I've already shown leniency by not holding you accountable. What right do you have to throw a tantrum?"

Guardian?

I let out a bitter, mocking laugh.

Back then, Lucien had fallen in love with my sister—Sylvia Wilder of the Frostclaw Pack—at first sight.

Even though the Elder Council and the Bloodline Assembly were staunchly opposed, he insisted on marking her as his mate.

The Frostclaw Pack rose quickly from a small southern border pack to a prestigious pack under the Wargspire Pack's protection.

After their marking ceremony, the two were inseparable and affectionate. They were envied by everyone in the Wargspire Pack.

But fate was cruel. Sylvia died from an incurable illness shortly after giving birth to Rhett.

To keep the Frostclaw Pack under protection, they sent me—the adopted daughter they had picked up from the streets—into the Wargspire Pack to take Sylvia's place.

While Lucien couldn't bear to take another mate, he also couldn't leave young Rhett uncared for.

So, both sides came to an agreement that I would stay in the Wargspire Pack for ten years as a stand-in companion to raise the young Alpha.

This so-called stand-in companion was neither an official member of the pack nor formally bonded or marked mate.

A hastily written contract had decided the course of my life.

And I foolishly honored that contract for a full decade.

I brought myself back from my thoughts and said calmly, "Lucien, the contract has ended. If I stay here, it will only bring suspicion and gossip to you and Rhett."

Lucien's brows relaxed slightly, and his tone softened. "If you bear a wolf pup for me, I will have you and the pup recorded in the family lineage. I can grant you a better status—"

"That won't be necessary," I cut him off coldly.

No one should live their whole life in humiliation.

I had had enough of being called "lowly", "a stand-in", or "a shadow companion". And I would never let my pup bear the stigma of being illegitimate.

I retrieved all the documents from my room and handed them to Lucien solemnly.

"In the past days, I've already transferred all my assets to Sylvia's former subordinates. The handover is complete.

"Rhett is now ten. He needs a proper mentor. I'm just an outsider; I can no longer fulfill this role."

Lucien scoffed coldly as he swept the documents from my hands to the floor with a wave, treating them like worthless scraps.

"Elara Wilder, don't be ungrateful. I'm letting this go because it's your birthday today. For the next few days, you're to stay in your room and reflect on your behavior!"

Bang!

The door slammed shut.

I looked up at the night sky and couldn't help but laugh.

It wasn't even my birthday today.

It was Sylvia's.

The night before I was sent into the Wargspire Pack, my adoptive mother summoned me.

She made me memorize everything about Sylvia—her footsteps, her speech, her expressions—and changed my birthday to match hers.

"Elara, you must make him believe you are her. Only then can you take root in the Wargspire Pack."

And that was indeed the truth.

Lucien, indifferent to all else, only ever remembered my birthday.

This day was the only time I ever felt respected in the pack.

But I was a counterfeit. I would always be a stand-in.

Suddenly, something struck my forehead. Pain exploded across my skull.

Rhett stood on the rooftop with a slingshot, his eyes filled with smug satisfaction.

"If you keep insisting on staying here, next time it won't be a stone—it'll be a bullet!" he declared, full of righteous fury.

He had completely forgotten that I was the one who taught him how to shoot and hunt in the first place.