Chapter 1

A murmur went through the crowd, and then the whole hall fell silent.

No one had expected my bloodline to be this poor.

"Hmph. That pure white fur, and I thought you were really something."

A familiar voice broke the silence. Damien.

I turned to look at him.

Moonlight washed over his face, cold, like a dusting of snow.

He tilted his chin up, idly running a finger along his jaw, his smile wicked and gorgeous all at once.

"The moonstone doesn't lie. As for you..."

Surprise flickered through me, and I lowered my eyes.

Tonight was the Full Moon Gala, and also the trial to decide who would win the right to be Damien's betrothed.

You simply had to reach out to the moonstone with your mind. The purer your blood, the brighter it glowed.

I came from the Frost Moon Pack. My fur was silver-white as snow, my bloodline about as pure as it gets.

And just now, I'd hidden it on purpose.

The Luna cleared her throat. "I think Lucienne's just nervous. What's gotten into you?"

She glanced at me, then at Damien, and smiled. "Shy, now that Damien's watching?"

Damien raised an eyebrow and said nothing, still smiling.

"Damien inherited the Lycan bloodline. It's a blessing and a curse."

"He needs a mate with the purest blood, or his pups won't carry the Lycan line."

The Luna looked me over and smiled. "Lucienne, I think you'd suit him perfectly."

She slipped a moonstone bracelet off her wrist. "If you'll have it, consider it a gift from me."

She'd clearly decided I was just shy, that I hadn't done myself justice.

The others crowded around me, offering congratulations.

"We've all heard how noble Lady Lucienne's blood is. Now we've seen it for ourselves."

"That white fur of yours, not a single off-color hair. It's beautiful."

It was the exact same scene as my previous life.

Except back then, I'd wanted to win. I'd given it everything.

The moonstone in my hand had blazed like a fallen moon, and no one could argue.

This time was different, though.

I looked at the bracelet in the Luna's hand. I didn't take it.

Instead I bowed my head. "I'm not worthy of Damien. I won't hold him back."

I was refusing the choice fate had handed me.

This time, I'd say it myself.