Chapter 1

I returned home with the fake mate certificate in hand, feeling hollow.

A mate certificate was something every mated werewolf couple possessed—a symbol of legitimacy issued by the Werewolf Pack Council. It was the equivalent of a marriage certificate in human terms.

But mine was a lie.

I forced myself to hold it together as I approached the door to our house.

Just as I was about to push it open, I heard Sam's voice inside, speaking with his Beta.

"Alpha, it's been five years. Are you still not going to mark Echo?"

I froze where I stood, even my breath stilled.

A long silence stretched out before Sam's voice responded, low and steady.

"Not yet. Lily's alone in the White Moon Pack. She needs me as her support—only then can she gain a foothold."

The Beta didn't hesitate to remind him, "But Echo doesn't even have a proper mate certificate with you. If she ever finds out about the deception, she could leave anytime."

Sam lowered his gaze. After a moment of contemplation, he replied, "Lily gave birth to my daughter. I must do everything I can to protect her. As for Echo…she loves me too much to ever walk away. Besides, she broke with her birth pack just to marry me. She has nowhere else to go now. She can only stay by my side."

The truth, stripped bare and bleeding, crashed down on me like a winter gale. I felt myself plunging into an icy abyss.

My father had strongly opposed my relationship with Sam. Back then, Sam hadn't yet become an Alpha, and in his eyes, that made him unworthy of an Alpha's daughter. I'd defied my father, severed ties with my birth pack, and followed Sam to the White Moon Pack alone.

And now… that very sacrifice had become the chain he used to keep me bound.

My thoughts spiraled, chaotic and wild. I didn't even see where my foot slipped. One moment I was standing, the next I crashed to the ground.

A soft wind stirred, and in the blink of an eye, Sam appeared in front of me. He lifted me into his arms, cradling me gently, and carried me inside to the sofa.

His movements were so careful, as if I were a delicate crystal he didn't dare break.

"Why are you so careless? Are you hurt anywhere?"

He fussed over my hands and feet, his voice tender, his eyes filled with worry—not a trace of it seemed fake.

For five whole years, I'd lived under his illusion, lulled by the careful lie he spun just for me.

I suddenly grabbed his hand. Even now, I refused to believe the man who loved me so deeply could lie.

Maybe the Werewolf Affairs Division had made a mistake. Maybe Sam truly didn't know.

Clinging to the last thread of hope, I asked him, "Sam, I lost our mate certificate. Should we get one reissued?"

There was a flicker of panic in his eyes, quickly masked by calm.

He turned his head away, avoiding my gaze.

"Let the Beta take care of that. You just focus on getting better."

I shut my eyes, despair crashing over me like a wave. After a long pause, I nodded slowly.

"Alright."

A hint of unease flashed across Sam's face. Just as he opened his mouth—perhaps to explain—his phone rang.

I looked up. The caller ID read: Lily.

He quickly let go of me and snatched up the phone, offering only a rushed excuse as he moved toward the door.

"I'll tell the Beta to handle the certificate. Something's come up with the pack. I need to take care of it."

He picked up the call without waiting for a reply.

"Lily, don't worry—I'm on my way."

At that same moment, I received a call from the pack orphanage.

"Echo, your mate mentioned wanting to adopt Kitty, but there's another couple interested in her now. Do you have time to come take a look?"

I gathered myself, put on a calm face, and drove to the orphanage.

From a distance, I saw Sam already standing at the entrance. I hadn't even had the chance to approach when a figure darted out and threw herself into his arms.

"Sam, you're finally here! Please, save Kitty! I don't want her to be adopted by strangers. I don't want her calling someone else Mom and Dad."

I stared, stunned, at the woman he gently soothed.

It was Lily.