Chapter 4

Half a month later, Grandpa and I were having lunch when a commotion broke out outside.

The butler again.

"Ms. Blackmoon! Ms. Blackmoon, please open the door! Mr. Valen has come to ask you to bond with him!"

I opened the door. The butler greeted me with an ingratiating smile and pointed toward the crowd below.

"Do you see him, Ms. Blackmoon?"

"Mr. Valen's love is true. The moon itself is his witness!"

I looked down the mountainside. Damian was making his way up, dropping to his knees every few dozen steps. But following neatly behind him were four maids, two bodyguards, and his personal physician.

They carried thermoses, towels, and even a folding stretcher. They looked even more miserable than Damian did.

By the time Damian finally reached the summit, his legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees at my feet.

"Ivy... even though I haven't fully recovered, I still knelt all the way up the mountain... for you..."

He was gasping for breath, his voice hoarse, as though he'd used up every last ounce of strength.

"Now... you know my feelings are real. You'll become my mate... won't you?"

I nodded, putting on a touched smile.

"Oh, I'll definitely bond today!"

Just not to you.

Convinced I meant to bond with him, Damian looked so pleased with himself. He even invited Selena back to serve as the witness to our oath.

It was the same line I'd heard so many times in my previous life that I was sick of it.

"Selena and I have been friends for years. I don't want her to miss the most important day of my life."

In my previous life, blind devotion had kept me from seeing what was happening between them. I actually thought Damian was a loyal, honorable man.

Looking back, I really had been the kind of fool who'd thank the person who was selling her out.

I made up my mind. This time, I was going to squeeze every penny I could out of him.

I smiled sweetly at Damian. "That's fine. Invite whoever you want. But before we exchange our mating oath, I'd like to receive your gift. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

The next day, the long table in the living room was piled high with the gifts Damian had prepared for me.

A moonstone necklace. Black pearl earrings. The deed to Valen Keep. Shares in the surrounding woodlands. Revenue from the ancient hunting grounds. It was enough wealth for Grandpa and me to live comfortably for the rest of our lives.

I widened my eyes in feigned surprise. "You're giving me all of this willingly?"

Damian nodded earnestly. "Of course. I only hope it isn't too little."

Beside me, Selena trembled with rage as she stared at the fortune she believed should have been hers.

I decided to add fuel to the fire.

"Oh, and Damian, there's one more thing I'd like you to do."

He waved a hand casually. "Name it."

"I want you to post an announcement across every social platform in the North and on the Pack Council's public notice boards. Tell everyone you've been in love with me for years, that there's never been anything between you and Selena, and that she's the one who's been throwing herself at you all along.

"That way, no one will have anything to say about her serving as my bond witness."

Selena exploded before Damian could answer.

"Ivy Blackmoon, you backwoods little witch, don't push your luck!"

I let out a cold laugh.

"Which one of us is about to become the lady of House Valen?

"What exactly gives you the right to yell at me?"

Selena's jaw clenched with rage. She charged at me and swung.

Damian didn't react in time. The slap landed squarely across his face instead.

He glanced at me fearfully.

"Whatever you want, Ivy. I'll do anything!"

On the day of the mating ceremony, I opened the moon mirror.

Damian was driving over to pick me up, while Selena sat in the seat meant for his mate.

Damian looked at her with undisguised sympathy.

"Selena, right now Ivy is the only one in the world who can save me. I hope you understand."

"I understand, Damian..." Selena nestled against him. "I'll wait until you recover. Just remember that no one in this world loves you the way I do."

What a perfect pair of cheating bastards.

I put the moon mirror away with a cold smile.

It didn't matter. The future they dreamed of would never come to pass.

When Damian arrived to pick me up, I made no move to get into his car.

He looked at me, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"Ivy, what's wrong?"

I ignored him and walked straight to the car sent by the Ashbornes—the Valens' sworn rivals.

Just before I opened the door, I turned back with a smile.

"Sorry.

"Today is my mating ceremony..." I paused. "But you're not my mate."