Chapter 1

At the autumn hunt festival, the wolves cheered for their Alpha and future Luna to kiss.

Kyle looked livid. Every ounce of his attention was fixed on Vivian, who stood a short distance away covered in mud.

The watching wolves jeered. "Well, look who finally came crawling back. Vivian actually has the nerve to return to the Silver Mane pack."

Kyle pulled his arm from mine and glared in disgust at Vivian, who had been bullied to the ground. "Move. A traitor ought not to show her face before us."

Watching that familiar scene between Kyle and Vivian, I suddenly realized I had been reborn.

This was the very day Kyle had chosen for our mating ceremony - and the day Vivian came fleeing back to the pack.

Three months earlier, Kyle had disappeared after leading the Moonfield wolves into battle against a rival pack. The enemy claimed he had died. Vivian believed them and immediately married their Alpha, only to endure relentless abuse. The moment she learned Kyle was alive, she fled back here.

In my previous life, Kyle stripped Vivian of her position when she returned, reduced her to the lowest servant in the pack, and assigned her to wait on me hand and foot while the others beat and berated her at will.

Some urged Kyle to banish the traitor, but he refused. He said he would torment Vivian and force her to spend the rest of her life serving the pack to repay her debt.

I believed Kyle despised the woman who had betrayed him. I never saw the love hidden in his eyes.

Fortunately, the Moon Goddess heard my prayer.

Vivian knelt with red-rimmed eyes fixed pleadingly on Kyle. From inside her clothes, she drew out a bracelet carved with a wolf mark - the token Kyle had once given her.

Laughter broke out around her. Several wolves closed in, pointing and mocking her. "You betrayed the Alpha, yet now you dig up an old keepsake to feign that you still care? Do you honestly think you are still the one Kyle loves? There is room for no one but Ophelia in his heart now."

Someone snatched up a stone and hurled it at her. It cut Vivian's forehead, and blood slowly beaded along the wound.

Kyle reached for her at once, then seemed to remember himself and lowered his hand.

I took a deep breath and walked toward Vivian.

Kyle quickly stepped between us and pushed me back half a step, as if afraid I might hurt Vivian. He never noticed the old wound on my arm had split open.

He put his body between Vivian and me and frowned as he explained, "I was afraid she'd suddenly lash out and hurt you."

But I knew those were only empty words.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have missed the bleeding wound on me, and he wouldn't have come up with the ridiculous excuse that an Omega could hurt a Beta.

I looked at Vivian. "The rain is getting heavier. Let Vivian come inside to get out of the rain."

Every wolf watching froze. Their baffled gazes settled on me.

Everyone in the Silver Mane pack knew about Kyle and Vivian's past. They could not understand why I would invite Vivian into the house myself.

Kyle frowned and looked at me, puzzled. "Ophelia, this hunt festival is for the wolves of our pack. Are you sure you want to bring her in and ruin this for everyone?"

Vivian blinked innocently at Kyle, hurt etched across her face. Unspoken tension crackled between them.

I explained to him, "The rain is heavy. And besides, there may be rogues outside the pack."

Kyle opened his mouth to argue, but then noticed the blood still seeping from Vivian's forehead and silently gave in.

Vivian did not thank me. She simply kept looking at Kyle through her tears.

And I no longer cared. I had already made up my mind to leave.