Chapter 1

I swirled the champagne in my glass, smiling like the sun.

Cole blinked. Something flickered in his expression, and then he let go of my wrist.

The fury that had been written all over his face a moment ago shifted into something uncertain, almost awkward.

He cleared his throat twice and apologized for grabbing me.

"Sorry."

"The pack doctor says Kate's condition is getting worse. She might not have much time. We grew up together. I can't stand the thought of her dying without this one wish fulfilled."

"Thank you for understanding."

I smiled and rose to my feet, reaching up to straighten his tie.

In my last life, I hadn't been able to make sense of any of this. I had believed, to the very end, that a mate owed the other absolute loyalty.

Even if Kate had a dying wish, that didn't make it right to fulfill it at the expense of our bonding ceremony, the thing I valued most.

So I had torn the ceremony to pieces and forced Cole to stop it. The chaos sent Kate stumbling out in tears, and she was killed in the accident on the spot.

On the surface, Cole had sighed, turned back to me, and carried on as though he were devoted. But underneath, he had already worked everything out.

To avenge Kate, he invented a charge of conspiracy with rogue wolves against my pack. My parents were both locked in Alliance prison. I was hunted down and killed by rogues.

Now that I had a second chance, I was going to let him live out the rest of his days inseparable from Kate, the woman he truly loved.

I just wondered whether Kate would still want him once he was no longer an Alpha.

After I finished adjusting his tie, I touched his face lightly, just once.

After today, that arrogance of his would never look the same.

Cole startled at the gesture. Then a certain pride spread across his features, the kind that broadcasts to everyone watching: even after he’d chosen another woman, I could never bring myself to leave him.

He covered my hand with his, voice gentle.

"Wendy, I need you to know, you will always be the most special person to me."

"Once the ceremony with Kate is done, I'll make it up to you properly."

"And one more thing, can I give Kate your moonstone necklace? It's her one last wish."

I nodded, pulled out the necklace, and gestured for him to get on with the ceremony.

I needed time before I could fully break free from this situation, so I had decided to give Cole three chances. Three was enough to leave him with nothing.

I was curious how long it would take him to burn through all three.

A day. A month. Maybe a year.

For now, he had used one.

He seemed to misread my reaction, though. He thought I was reluctant to give up the necklace.

Before he left, he turned back and pressed a kiss to my forehead. My stomach turned.

Once I was sure he was gone, I caught the attention of the pack members who had come with me and beckoned them over.

"Retrieve every supply and resource Blood Moon Pack has provided to Cole's pack. All of it."