Chapter 1

When I stepped out of the old Alpha King’s main tent, I did not expect to run into Raine.

He seemed to have just come from the elders’ gathering, with several young heirs from the packs at his side.

The moment they saw me, they laughed.

“Sia, have you chased the first heir all the way here now? If your father knew his heir had no sense of shame, he would never hold his head up before the elders again.”

Raine looked at me with open distaste.

“You came here to beg the old Alpha King for a bond pact, didn’t you?”

“I’m warning you. Stop deciding things on your own. You’ve spent years trailing after me without dignity and made enough of a spectacle already. What happens between us is something I still need to discuss with the old Alpha King myself.”

That look in his eyes was one I knew too well.

In my last life, he had looked at me like that all the way to the end.

I pressed down the heaviness in my chest and said evenly, “The old Alpha King summoned me for my coming-of-age ceremony. It has nothing to do with you.”

The words dropped like a stone.

For a beat, everyone fell silent.

Then the whispers broke out.

“Her coming-of-age ceremony?”

“Has the old Alpha King already decided?”

Of course they were shocked.

Everyone knew the old law. The pureblood heiress of Redmoon Pack would choose her mate at her coming-of-age ceremony, and the one she chose would stand closest to becoming the next Alpha King.

What I had just said was almost the same as announcing that the future ruler had already been decided.

After that brief silence, they began congratulating Raine at once.

“Looks like we should start offering our respects early.”

“Who in the packs doesn’t know Sia has only ever wanted you?”

Raine’s expression turned smug, though when he looked at me, the mockery remained.

“You’ve chased me for so many years. Now that you finally have what you wanted, you must be pleased.”

Then he stepped closer and lowered his voice.

“But I won’t make the same mistake I made in my last life. There’s one condition. If you want me to bond with you, you must agree to it.”

“The day we bond, I’ll bring Veya into my household and keep her with me.”

For a moment, my breath caught.

So he had returned too.

Before I could answer, a soft voice came from behind me.

“Sia.”

I turned and saw Veya walking toward us.

She was dressed lightly, pale-faced and fragile, as though a stronger wind might carry her off. Raine went to her at once, drew her into his arms, and his voice softened in a way it never had for me.

“Why did you come all the way here?”

Veya leaned weakly against him and said with a tremble, “Today is Sia’s coming-of-age ceremony. How could I not come? I’m only a little unwell after the wind caught me on the way here. If Sia blames me, I’ll accept it.”

Raine looked up at once and glared at me.

“Sia, how can you still be this cruel? It’s only a ceremony. Why drag a sick wolf out here for it?”

Then he lifted Veya into his arms.

“I’m taking her back. I’ll send for a healer.”

Before leaving, he threw one last cold warning over his shoulder.

“Sia, you’d better reflect on yourself. If you remain this overbearing, then what lies between us can wait.”

Then he walked away without another look, Veya in his arms.

I stood where I was and watched his back disappear.

In my last life, I had not stayed clear-headed enough to see things for what they were.

This time, I saw everything clearly.

If he was that unwilling to let Veya go, then I would let them have each other.