Chapter 1

In my previous life, my Alpha mate hated me for ten years because his childhood sweetheart committed suicide by taking silver poison after he marked me.

After my rebirth, I decided to fulfill Kieran's wishes, give up my Luna status, and leave completely to make everyone happy.But things seem to have changed a bit?

"Sage, you're really something. You actually got all the pack elders to go on strike and force me to bond with you. Do you think becoming my mate will bring you happiness?"

Kieran's familiar voice reached my ears. I opened my eyes in a daze, staring blankly at him.

He stood before me, hands casually shoved into his suit pants pockets, his eyes filled with open mockery.

He looked much younger than I remembered from ten years later in my previous life.

This was Kieran just after coming of age, having awakened his Alpha wolf.

The Moon Goddess had truly given me another chance.

I suppressed the bitterness in my heart and stared at him longingly.

"You don't want to bond with me because the person you truly love is Elena, right?"

Kieran let out a bitter laugh. "So what if it is? But my wolf has claimed you. You're my fated mate. The elders and my parents all favor you becoming my future Luna. Can you change their minds?"

I said seriously, "I can."

My parents had died protecting the Alpha King. When the King learned I had a fated mate, he announced that if Kieran bonded with me, he would waive Stormfang Pack's taxes for twenty years and provide support with hunting grounds and mining resources. He even promised to attend our mating ceremony.

For a small, remote pack like Stormfang, this represented enormous benefits and supreme honor.

But I could also ask the Alpha King to grant me one wish.

Kieran froze for a moment, then gave an angry laugh.

"You're using the Alpha King to pressure me. For the pack's benefit, all the pack members including my parents are forcing me to bond with you. I can't resist them at all. And now you're saying you can easily change their minds?"

"Sage, I don't have time for your games. Go invite the Alpha King yourself and tell him our mating ceremony date has been set. I'll wait for you here."

With that, he turned and walked toward a shaded area under the trees.

Today was supposed to be the day Kieran and I got engaged. We were meant to have an audience with the Alpha King and invite him to attend our mating ceremony.

But this time, I didn't plan to do that.

Seeing the disgust in his eyes, my heart felt as if needles were stabbing it.

In my past life and now, I had loved Kieran for many years.

He had risked everything to save me multiple times. I mistakenly believed he had feelings for me too. Combined with his wolf choosing me as his fated mate, I happily requested the Alpha King's blessing and became his mate, thinking I had found true love.

It wasn't until his childhood sweetheart died tragically and he grew increasingly cold and distant toward me, even coming to hate me, that I suddenly realized he might not love me at all.

My love was his torment.

His dying words—that he wished he'd never met me—had completely shattered me.

After praying to the Moon Goddess countless times in my past life, I finally earned this chance to start over.

In my past life, Kieran had saved me three times. So this time, I wanted to grant his three wishes so he would have no regrets, and then I would leave him completely.

After that, we would go our separate ways. He wouldn't die at thirty-five because of me, and we would both be free to find our own destinies.

The Moon Goddess had told me that rebirth came at a huge price. I had only three days to change the past, but if Kieran could live, I wasn't afraid of any cost.

I met with the Alpha King and told him I was giving up my mate status with Kieran. I asked him to attend Kieran and Elena's mating ceremony instead, while still securing the promised resources and support for Stormfang Pack.

After some consideration, the Alpha King agreed to my request and signed a special document for me.

I knew Kieran's three regrets—they were written in his diary, which he had read every day in my past life.

"Regret bonding with Sage. Regret not resisting the pack and family's arrangements. Regret not saving Elena."

Now his first regret was resolved.

I came out with the document signed by the Alpha King and handed it to Kieran.

He looked at me with disdain, clearly thinking I had successfully trapped him into marriage, reaching to open the document.

But I pressed down on his hand and smiled gently. "Look at it tomorrow. There will be a surprise."

Kieran glanced at me. "Boring. Whether I look today or tomorrow, isn't it all about our mating ceremony? You're acting strange today. Are you so excited about becoming my mate that you've lost your mind?"

I was indeed happy.

Because I finally got to see you alive again.

I smiled. "I think you're the best person in the world. Anyone who becomes your mate would be very happy."

"Let's go home." He snorted coldly and turned to leave. If I didn't know better, I might have thought he was being shy.

On the drive back to Stormfang Pack, we passed through the bustling commercial district. I rolled down the window and heard several girls by the roadside excitedly discussing something.

"I heard that today is the day Cupid snuck out of Mount Olympus, and you can see the once-in-a-century aurora from the observatory on the northern mountain peak! Legend says that mates who see the aurora together will receive Cupid's blessing and live in health, peace, and love until they're old and gray!"

This brought back memories from my past life. I had heard similar news and begged Kieran to take me to the observatory, filled with anticipation.

Back then, Kieran had looked at me with cold mockery.

"These legends are just fairy tales for children. How old are you now? Why do you still believe in such things? Do you think two complete strangers who happen to see the aurora together can stay together for life? There's only interest and coercion between us, no love. Neither Cupid nor the Moon Goddess will bless us."

Those words shattered my beautiful fantasy.

That icy look from my past life still made me shiver.

I quietly rolled up the window.

But this time, Kieran's tone was indifferent as he spoke.

"Want to go?"

"I can take you to the observatory to see the aurora tonight. After we're bonded, I won't have time to accompany you to visit your parents' graves, so consider this compensation."

I looked up at him in surprise. It was unexpected, yet somehow not surprising.

Kieran had always been like this—sharp-tongued but kind-hearted.

Even though he didn't love me, he still risked his life to save me three times.

The first time was when I first shifted. I couldn't fully control my wolf yet and nearly fell into a silver thorn trap set by hunters. Kieran saved me but fell into the trap himself, sustaining injuries all over his body. The tendons in his right leg were corroded by silver poison. The healer had to cut away the rotting flesh to save his leg, and he almost lost his qualification to inherit Stormfang Pack.

The second time was during a patrol of new territory. I was caught in a mudslide containing silver ore. Kieran rushed into the danger zone and tore apart massive logs with his bare hands to save me, only to be buried by a second collapse. If the patrol team hadn't arrived in time to dig him out, he would have died.

The third time, hostile rogue wolves invaded Stormfang Pack's core territory. He took the attack meant for me. I escaped without a scratch, but the rogue wolf's claws pierced his chest.

Kieran was perfect in every way, except he didn't love me.

I knew that after today, our paths would never cross again.

Even if we went up to the observatory and saw the once-in-a-century aurora, we wouldn't spend our lives together as the legend promised.

But I still held back the tears gathering in my eyes and forced my brightest smile.

"Yes, let's go see the aurora together."