Chapter 1

In my past life, when my father bought the twin guards, my stepsister tossed the nearly blind Slade to me.

I prepared his remedies myself and even deliberately slowed my pace when walking. I matched his steps for five long years. But on the day of the attack, he flawlessly protected my stepsister in the heavy smoke.

Lying in a pool of my own blood, I finally understood. His blindness was never a disease. He simply didn't want to look at me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day we chose our guards. This time, I'd give him exactly what he wanted.

"Maybe I'll take Slade. Diana's wolf is dormant, so Corbin's size will protect her better."

Cecilia's voice stabbed into my ears like a needle.

I snapped my head up.

The lights in the main hall were blinding. I saw the long carpet, the pack crest, and my father's ebony cane.

Two boys stood side by side at the end of the carpet, still reeking of blood and rust from the fighting ring.

Everything was exactly the same as it was five years ago.

Before I could even refuse, she plastered on a fake smile and turned to Corbin. "Corbin, I'm entrusting Diana to you. You must keep her safe."

My fingers grew cold, but anger burned in my chest.

In my past life, her false kindness fooled me completely.

She chose the healthy brother first, then acted like she was doing me a favor. She knew my flaw too well. I never accepted other people's charity.

If I refused, she'd get the better guard and a good reputation.

The whole pack would say Cecilia was kind-hearted, while her useless sister was just being ungrateful.

Back then, I was actually stupid enough to think she really cared about our sisterhood.

This time, I didn't say no like I did before. Instead, I cut right through her act. "Sure, I accept."

Cecilia froze. Her smile remained, but her eyes widened for a split second. She hadn't expected me to accept.

I met her gaze and flashed a cold smile.

In my past life, I let her manipulate me however she wanted. Not this time.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the brief shock on Slade's face.

My father, Alpha Richard, spoke up, his expression darkening.

"That's ridiculous. Absolutely not. Cecilia, you're the future of our pack. There's no room for error when it comes to your safety. That blind boy can barely see. How is he supposed to protect you?"

I turned to him, swallowing the bitterness rising in my throat.

In his eyes, I, the rightful Alpha heir, couldn't even compare to a bastard from nowhere.

Back then, he married my mother to save the pack's failing finances. The healer network she brought in saved the entire Lockwood pack.

But in the end, she found out he already had a child out of wedlock.

Heartbroken, my mother fell ill and passed away a year later.

Less than a month after her death, my father moved Cecilia and her mother into the packhouse, forcing me to call her my older sister.

I still held onto a tiny bit of hope for him, thinking he bought these twins to make up for my dormant wolf.

But he knew perfectly well that Slade was half-blind, yet he still brought him here, making this choice a complete joke. From the beginning, he only ever intended for Cecilia to have the strongest guard.

Cecilia breathed a sigh of relief, grabbing his arm as she softened her voice. "Then what about Diana?"

Father didn't even look at me. He gave a nod to the men behind him.

His elite personal guard, Garrick, understood and stepped forward.

I knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted to teach the blind boy a lesson so Cecilia would give up on him, leaving me grateful for the scraps. It was his usual trick.

The faint scrape of a drawn dagger echoed. Garrick lunged from Slade's back left, launching a surprise attack from his blind spot.

Slade remained completely calm. He tilted his head just a tiny bit, dodging it perfectly before backhanding Garrick's wrist and twisting it outward.

A sharp crack of breaking bone echoed. Garrick screamed and dropped to his knees, his dagger clattering onto the carpet.

Slade let go and stood tall. His cloudy gray eyes lacked focus, yet they stared steadily toward the Alpha's seat.

"My eyes might be useless," he said. "But my claws and teeth are not."

He paused.

"I'll protect Lady Cecilia with my life."