第1章

I handled my mother's funeral arrangements alone, returning home with a hollow heart to pack my belongings before leaving Stormfang Pack forever. The Alpha of the Northern Shadow Pack had promised to appoint me as their Head Healer if I joined them.

This had always been my dream, but Dominic had insisted I should be content as his Luna, staying quietly by his side.

"What are you doing so intently that you didn't even notice me come in?"

My mate Dominic had just returned from outside, his nose reddened from the cold.

When he spotted me packing my suitcase, his slightly upturned lips flattened and his brows furrowed.

"What's with all the packing? Planning to run away?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe. "Didn't I explain that Sylvia's family has ancient werewolf bloodlines? Pretending to bond with her gives me more leverage in the Alpha Council to compete for Alpha King. The mating ceremony was just for show—to increase my influence. None of it is real. You're my true mate, you know that."

I kept my eyes down, continuing to fold my clothes with an icy expression.

He rubbed his cold fingertips together, studying me.

Before, I would have eagerly welcomed him home, prepared his slippers, drawn his bath at the perfect temperature, and cooked his favorite meal.

But today, I remained distant and cold.

He reached out and cupped my face, forcing me to look at him. The chill from his hands made me flinch.

"Grace, are you really that jealous?" he scoffed. "Think about it—there were dozens of pack members watching. If they discovered the truth, my authority as Alpha would be ruined!"

I gave a bitter smile.

To him, I was nothing but a hidden plaything, which explained why he'd never publicly acknowledged me as his Luna.

I pushed his hands away, but he persisted, tilting my chin upward with his icy fingers. His eyes narrowed as he examined the red burn marks still visible on my face.

"Those guards must have a death wish, hurting my Grace like this," he said with feigned concern. "I'll punish them personally."

Here we go again. In the past, no matter how angry I was, I'd forgive him the moment he sweet-talked me, following him blindly with unwavering devotion.

Not this time.

Five days ago at his engagement party, Dominic's Beta guards—following his direct orders—drove me away from the mating ceremony grounds with blazing torches. My wolf couldn't escape fast enough, and the flames burned me severely.

"Look at that omega trying to be a Luna," they had jeered. "Everyone knows Mr. Dominic and Miss Sylvia are the perfect Alpha and Luna pair. You're just some female with unknown lineage throwing yourself at him for his Alpha status. Have you no shame?"

Pack members had pointed and laughed, accusing me of being a gold-digger attempting to ruin the relationship between the Alpha and his true mate.

My dignity had been completely shattered.

Coming back to the present, Dominic noticed I was still upset and played his trump card.

He tossed two common healing herbs from near the doorway onto the bed beside me.

"I heard your mother was injured in battle. I've been too busy with pack matters to visit her, but Sylvia thoughtfully prepared these healing herbs for you. Take them. Sylvia is so understanding—you should learn from her how to be a gracious Luna."

My mother, the only family I had left in this world, had desperately wanted to attend my mating ceremony. She had longed to witness my happiness firsthand.

Instead, all she received was news of Dominic's grand mating ceremony with another woman.

That day, while Dominic was hosting his extravagant ceremony, he'd reassigned most of the border warriors to maintain order at the event. Rogue wolves, learning of this vulnerability, launched a massive attack on Stormfang Pack territory.

My mother was hastily sent to the frontlines to fight these rogues. She was struck by a silver arrow and left clinging to life.

As a healer, I knew that with the energy from two high-grade healing crystals—the very ones I'd purchased—the silver poison could have been neutralized, restoring my mother's healing abilities and saving her life.

I had gone to the luxurious hotel where Dominic and Sylvia were holding their ceremony, begging desperately for help, only to be accused of being a gold-digger.

Remembering how my mother's wolf had grown cold beneath my hands, my heart twisted in agony, and my eyes instantly welled with tears.

I ignored the healing herbs he'd tossed beside me and said coldly:

"Dominic, we should—"

Break our bond. The words caught in my throat before I could finish.

Dominic interrupted me: "Enough. Sylvia and I have already held our mating ceremony. To avoid suspicion, I'll be moving her into our house. Reporters will be coming to cover the story, so you should move out and stay with your mother for now. You two can enjoy the Full Moon Festival together." He glanced at me with a smirk. "You're probably running low on cash, aren't you?"

He tapped his phone screen a few times and transferred money to my account.

"Here's 100 dollars as a festival allowance. No need to pay it back."

How laughable. For seven years, he had never publicly acknowledged our mate bond. I was only allowed in the pack house as his "private healer."

Yet now he planned to welcome Sylvia home with great fanfare and ceremony.