Chapter 1

Vera’s POV

"I, Vera Lane, reject you, Robert Chelles, as my mate."

Those words — calm, unhurried, final — hit the room like a stone dropped into still water, and the ripples spread instantly. Every guest erupted at once, whispers crashing into each other from every direction.

I turned to leave without looking back.

A pair of strong, warm hands caught me. I turned and came face to face with Robert's young, handsome face.

His eyes were a pale, washed-out blue. They used to make me think of the quiet mystery of Lake Daylan.

Right now, they were brewing a storm.

It had been so long since I'd seen him this young. I stood there for a moment, thrown.

Robert stepped forward and pulled me against him in one smooth motion, no room to resist, no question of refusal.

He leaned down slightly, his voice low and tightly leashed: "If you want to throw a tantrum, at least pick your moment."

In my previous life, Robert had kept up a flawless performance — patient, tender, the ideal mate. So this undisguised irritation caught me off guard. I stared at him, genuinely startled.

All those years ago, he had always preferred Bellis — vivid and warm where I was quiet and closed off. If Bellis hadn't told him about my feelings, told him not to let me down, I probably would have lived my entire life without ever becoming his mate.

And I had lied to myself. I told myself that if I loved him enough, he'd feel it. That eventually, he'd fall for me.

It wasn't until Bellis held the bloody truth up in front of my face that I finally had to wake up from that twenty-year sweet dream.

Robert had never loved me.

The only person he had ever loved, from the very beginning to the very end, was Bellis.

To keep their child close — legally, cleanly — he had sent my real baby to an orphanage and used a special drug to scramble my sense of smell so I couldn't tell my child had been swapped.

What he never knew was that Bellis hadn't pushed him toward me out of any pity for my broken heart. She just didn't want him. Not then. The Silver Moon Pack he ruled over was small and poor and barely worth her time. She kept him dangling but refused to commit, because her ambition was always bigger — she wanted to be the mate of the werewolf king.

They turned my child into an orphan. And I never got to see my baby — not even once — before I died.

The thought of it made my heart bleed.

But while I was lost in the past, Robert had already grabbed my hand and pressed it to the covenant stone. A flash of white light — and by the time I came back to myself, the mark had already formed.

Fury flared through me. I wrenched my hand away.

He looked at me with a slight frown. "What is your problem?"

I didn't answer. With everyone watching, I turned and walked out of the hall.

Since I'd been given a second chance, I was staying as far away from Robert and Bellis as possible. I would not let them destroy my life again.

I went home, changed into something comfortable, and headed for the door.

I didn't make it out. The growl of an engine stopped me, and I looked up to see Robert stepping out of a black Rolls-Royce with Bellis in his arms.

Bellis was still in her guest dress from the marking ceremony — a red fishtail gown that hugged every curve.

When she saw me, a flicker of panic crossed her face. "Robert, put me down, quick."

Even as she said this, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Robert didn't put her down. He looked at me with cool indifference. "Bellis isn't feeling well. I'm taking her to our room to rest."

A scene from my previous life surfaced — it had played out exactly like this. Back then, I'd gently suggested putting Bellis in a guest room instead of our bedroom.

Robert had just looked at me with that cold, contemptuous stare. "If it weren't for Bellis, do you think I'd have become your mate? Know your place."

So on the night of our marking ceremony, he and Bellis had taken the master bedroom. I was sent to the guest room.

This time around, I wasn't going to waste my breath.

I gave a bland nod and walked around both of them toward the door.

"Wait," Robert called after me.

"The Luna coronation is in a week. Come with me later to pick out a dress."

Was this my reward for being so compliant?

I laughed inwardly.

"No need. The dress from the marking ceremony will work fine."

Robert blinked, clearly not expecting my refusal.

After all, the version of me from my previous life had been so obvious about her feelings that even a blind person could see it. If he'd offered to spend an afternoon with her, she'd have been too excited to sleep.

Bellis immediately wriggled free from Robert's arms.

"Vera, don't be upset. Robert and I aren't like that, I promise."

The same old act. I'd fallen for it so many times before.

Sure enough, Robert took one look at Bellis's hurt, helpless expression and his face darkened. "Vera, don't push it."

I had no interest in getting tangled up in this. I turned to Bellis with a mild smile. "I'm not upset. I'm just a little tired. Get some rest."

Then I walked out without looking back.

First things first: I needed to find the High Priest and ask him to dissolve the mate bond between me and Robert.

Given a second chance, I wanted nothing more to do with Robert. Unfortunately, the mate bond had already formed. No matter how far I ran, Robert could find me anywhere.

But when I found him, the High Priest told me that breaking a mate bond unilaterally would strip me of my wolf entirely within a year.

No werewolf willingly became ordinary — physically weaker, senses dulled, no inner wolf. It was everything we feared.

I agreed without hesitating.

The High Priest let out a long, quiet sigh. I felt it immediately — my body growing heavier, the sounds from further away going soft and muffled, the rich threads of scent in the air fading into nothing.

"In seven days, your mate bond with the Alpha will be severed."

Seven days — plenty of time to get everything in order.

When I got home, the kitchen light was on.