Chapter 1

After my secret crush was discovered, my adoptive uncle Kieran, who always loved me, completely became a different person.

He even brought my best friend Scarlett home and claimed her as his fiancée.

Looking at the deep wariness in his eyes toward me, I suddenly smiled with relief.

I agreed to my Alpha grandfather's tentative proposal for an arranged mating.

"Sure, an arranged mating sounds good. I haven't found my mate anyway."

My calm words surprised everyone.

Grandmother teased me curiously.

"What’s wrong with you, little girl? Didn't our Aria always get angry whenever this topic came up?"

Yes, before, whenever anyone mentioned dating or arranged matings, I'd storm off and cause a scene.

But today, I agreed so calmly.

Grandfather was obviously surprised, but more relieved. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out happily.

"Our Aria has grown up! Kieran's having his mating ceremony next month, and now Aria has plans too. Double blessings from Moon Goddess!"

I smiled, but my gaze drifted to the man I'd loved for over ten years.

He didn't look up.

Only after he finished peeling the shrimp in his hands did he say flatly.

"Good for her. Aria's grown up."

Then his gaze swept over from above, heavy and dark, landing on my face.

Just one glance, emotionless, yet so heavy it made my chest feel tight.

I lowered my eyes, avoiding that stare.

The woman sitting on his other side laughed softly.

"It's good that Aria can accept arranged mating. We can have our mating ceremonies together. It'll be even more fun."

It was Scarlett, my former best friend.

She spoke as if she were my future aunt-in-law.

"What type does Aria like? I know quite a few great Alphas. I promise Aria will like them."

Kieran didn't respond to her suggestion about joint ceremonies.

He just turned to look at her, the corner of his mouth lifting in an extremely faint curve.

He raised his hand to gently brush away the stray hair by her cheek, his eyes showing a kind of loving tenderness I'd never possessed.

I gripped my hands tightly under the table, nails digging into my palms, desperately fighting back the burning heat rising to my eyes.

"Someone from a good family will do. Grandfather's choice can't be wrong."

The food on the table tasted like cardboard.

Listening to Scarlett's sweet laughter across from me, I couldn't help but think of the past.

Kieran was ten years older than me. After his parents died in the war, Grandfather adopted him as a son.

So, I had to call him uncle.

When I was five, in a border war, my parents both died in a rogue wolf attack.

Seven days after my parents' funeral.

I was clutching my worn rabbit toy, curled up inside a wardrobe.

He removed the wardrobe door and pulled me out.

The fifteen-year-old boy wrapped my frozen feet in his school jacket and carried me on his back to my parents' grave, limping all the way.

He twisted his ankle while looking for me, but he told me it didn't hurt.

How could it not hurt? His wolf hadn't awakened at that time.

"Don’t be afraid, Aria."

He tucked my cold little feet into his arms to warm them, his voice hoarse.

"Uncle's here."

From then on, he was incredibly gentle with me.

He understood what it felt like to have no parents, and he granted my every wish.

How does a teenage boy love someone?

He'd wrap me in his coat and run red lights when I had a fever. In the emergency room, his pale face looked more like the patient than me.

Just because I said one word about being scared, he flew back from European pack. When I opened my eyes again, I saw his gentle gaze.

At that time, I fell hopelessly in love with this man.

At eighteen, I didn’t find my mate after I shifted, so I decided to follow my heart.

Encouraged by Scarlett, I gathered my courage, put on lace lingerie, and slipped into his bed.

Even now, I still remember the shock and confusion on his face.

He panicked and threw me, bedding and all, into the bathtub, turned on hot water to wash my tear-streaked face, then turned and left without looking back.

For seven days I called him non-stop, finally getting only one text message.

I am your uncle.

When he came back, he'd become a different person.

Cups I'd touched needed cleaning, sofas I'd sat on got new covers. Once, just picking up a file he'd dropped earned me a sharp rebuke.

"Stay far away from me. Can't you understand?"

To make me give up completely, he even brought Scarlett home three months ago and announced their engagement.

I cried myself unconscious, demanding to know why.

Why would he rather be with my best friend than accept me.

Kieran's words chilled me to the bone. "To stop you from having those disgusting dreams."

He was right.

So now the dream was over.

I decided not to love him anymore.