Chapter 4

The entrance of Moonshadow Pack was brightly lit.

Lisa was kneeling in the snow while holding my pup in her arms.

A layer of snow covered her hair, and even her eyelashes were coated with frost. Her cheeks were bright red from the cold. It made her look utterly pitiful.

However, the sentries at the entrance were blocking her way.

Moonshadow Pack's Beta, Simon Murphy, stood in front of the gate with several warriors.

The commotion at the entrance had attracted a large crowd of pack members.

"Is that Alpha's Luna? I think I've heard him mention a shewolf like her before."

"Yeah, me too. Her name's Layla."

"What is Simon doing? Why is he stopping her?"

Hearing those comments, Lisa cried even harder. Her voice was filled with renewed confidence.

She pulled the moonstone necklace from around her neck and held it up for everyone to see.

"Look carefully! This is the moonstone necklace Lucien gave me!

"If I weren't the Luna he chose, why would he give this to me?"

She then pulled out the stack of letters from inside her clothes and trembled as she sobbed.

"These are the letters Lucien wrote to me. Every single one was hand-written by him!

"You can recognize Lucien's handwriting, can't you? Even if you don't believe me, you shouldn't doubt your own Alpha!"

As Lisa cried out, her gaze swept across the murmuring crowd.

Her eyes suddenly went wide.

She saw me.

When she saw me standing there alive, disbelief flashed through her eyes before turning into something vicious.

"I know now.

"I know why you won't let me in! Is it because this shewolf bribed you?"

Lisa pointed at me and screamed.

"I didn't even want to come here!

"I knew Lucien was injured and that Moonshadow Pack was occupied. I didn't want to disturb any of you. I could raise the pup myself!

"But this shewolf drugged me while I was still weak after giving birth and tried to kill me! She wanted to steal my pup! She wanted to steal the items that proved my identity!

"It took so much to give birth to this pup. I had no choice but to brave the snowstorm and bring him here.

"Otherwise, I was afraid my pup and I would never see Lucien again."

I listened to Lisa completely twist the truth while I trembled with rage.

She was crying so genuinely.

If I weren't the person this had actually happened to, I would have believed her myself.

The watching pack members erupted into an uproar.

"Could Simon really have been bribed? She has all those things as proof, and he still won't let her in?"

"Beta Simon! Is this how Moonshadow Pack treats the Alpha's mate?"

"Exactly! Let her in first. A shewolf who just gave birth is incredibly weak. What if something happens to her?"

Simon stepped forward expressionlessly.

"So you're saying your name is Layla? And that shewolf is pretending to be you?"

Lisa immediately nodded.

"Yes!"

Lisa glared at me.

"She's jealous that I have such an outstanding mate like Lucien, so she wants to steal my pup and my position as Luna!

"This evil shewolf should be executed immediately!"

Everyone's gaze shifted to me.

I stood there wrapped in a cloak. My face was completely drained of color, and I looked incredibly weak.

Suddenly, a voice came from within the crowd.

"Do you have any proof? This shewolf who claims to be Layla has the necklace and the letters. What do you have?"

I fell silent.

I had nothing.

Lisa looked at me, and a triumphant smile appeared on her face.

Right then, the crowd parted.

Lucien stepped forward.

His face was pale, but his back was perfectly straight.

I looked at him, and tears blurred my vision.

After becoming a spirit in my previous life, I had seen him countless times, but never again had I been able to stand before him like this.

From the moment Lucien appeared, his gaze had remained fixed on me.

He didn't look once at Lisa who was kneeling on the ground.

I was about to speak when Lisa suddenly staggered toward him with my pup in her arms.

"Lucien, look at me! I'm Layla!

"Do you remember what you wrote in your letters?"

She sobbed as if her heart were aching.

"You promised to take me home when the moon rises!"

The moment she said that, Lucien froze too.

He frowned, looked away from me, and turned to face Lisa.

The murmurs among the werewolves grew louder.

"She knows exactly what was written in the letters. How could that be faked?"

"Isn't she obviously the real Luna? What else is there to verify?"

Lisa thought victory was already hers. She hugged the pup and turned to glare at me.

"You evil shewolf! You still want to deceive Lucien! You have nothing, yet you still want to steal my identity?

"Give it up. I'm the real Layla.

"Lucien is mine too."

I ignored her and simply looked at Lucien.

I then spoke.

My voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for everyone on the snowy grounds to hear.

"Lisa, you memorized it wrong," I said.