Chapter 1

The moment Jacob realized he had called out the wrong name yet again, he visibly froze.

He scrambled to correct himself in panic and stared at me, hesitating for two seconds before finally squeezing out, "Anya, will you?"

I could only manage a bitter, helpless smile.

This was our mating ceremony. Yet, even now, the name that still slipped past Jacob's lips was "Anna".

Looking at Jacob, I could see the sheer panic in his eyes. I knew he wanted to explain himself.

In fact, the moment he opened his mouth, I already knew exactly what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry, Anya. You know my memory isn't the best."

It was always this.

All these years, the excuse he gave me had barely changed. I just never expected he would use the same line today.

Hearing him utter those words again, a wave of annoyance washed over me.

I took a step back, my gaze hardening. "I refuse."

"Jacob, let's just call it quits."

He froze, clearly shocked that I would back out at the absolute last second.

Immediately, the whispers from the surrounding crowd began to drift over.

"Oh my god, Anya actually rejected him?"

"All these years, I thought for sure she was going to be the Luna of our pack. I can't believe she just said no."

"Wait, look closer at the program leaflet. The ceremony is actually between Alpha and Anna. And looking at Anna's face right now, it looks like she's ready to accept it."

I turned around and spotted Anna standing not far from me. She was dressed in a ceremonial gown as well.

Hearing Jacob say her name, Anna gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth as her eyes welled up with tears.

A few pack members pushed Anna forward while shoving me out of the way. "Anya, what are you even standing there for? Alpha clearly said his mating ceremony is with Anna. Did you seriously think this was for you?"

My spine went rigid.

Stumbling backward from their rough shoves, my hair turned into a messy tangle. I must have looked utterly pathetic standing out there in the cold.

When I finally lifted my head again, Anna had already been ushered up to the platform.

The rest of the pack surrounded them, waiting to offer their blessings.

Meanwhile, I looked like a total clown.

Through the crowd, Jacob looked at me. His expression was complex; his eyes laced with guilt.

But the second he turned back and saw Anna, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Just like that, the ritual I had spent years waiting for had just concluded, but the leading lady was someone else.