Chapter 1

I got rid of every item that carried Ethan Ford's scent, and I threw the pure white lace gown I had secretly sewn for the marking ceremony into the blazing flames of the fireplace.

On the day he was about to first shift at the full moon ceremony, I severed my mind-link to the Silvermoon pack and headed to the airport.

Before I boarded the plane, Ethan sent me a text.

"Why aren't you here yet? All the pack members and Elders are waiting for you."

As I stared at the screen, my lips curled into a mocking smile. I didn't bother responding to him. Instead, I just blocked him and the other members of the Silvermoon pack.

What he didn't know was that just half a month earlier, I agreed to be the mate of Lucas Knight, the Alpha of the most powerful pack in the North—the Nightblood pack.

Soon after the plane landed in the North, I would be marked by him and become his Luna.

…

"Lucas, my wolf is ready," I said as I stood in front of the mirror.

I looked at my pale and thin reflection. This was the result of enduring the pain of being a "rejected mate" for far too long.

It turned out that defying the Moon Goddess's original plan wasn't so difficult after all.

"Ivy… Are you sure you want to accept my mark?"

On the other end of the phone, Lucas's voice was deep and husky. It carried the magnetism and authority unique to a powerful Alpha, yet he sounded extremely gentle toward me.

My nose stung—an instinctive reaction to being cared for by someone powerful.

As tears fell, I softly responded, "I accept."

"Ivy, did you know? From the moment we first caught each other's scent at the Werewolf Academy, my wolf has been waiting for this day."

Without my noticing, my reflection in the mirror was already wearing a faint smile.

"Give me half a month. I'll get the Elder Council to release all alliance obligations with the Silvermoon pack," I said.

"Okay. My wolf and I will be waiting for you."

Right after the call ended, my door was pushed open.

"Ivy."

My father, Marcus Turner, entered. He was the Beta of the Silvermoon pack.

He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly and said, "Ella just went through her first shift, and she had a very intense physical reaction. She has a weak wolf with a frail constitution, and your bedroom is optimally positioned to absorb moonlight energy for recovery.

"The Elder Council believes that, for the future of the pack, you two should exchange rooms."

I didn't respond. My gaze simply fell on the faces of the mother-daughter duo behind him.

My stepmother, Linda Sutton, quickly spoke up. "Marcus, there's no need to trouble Ivy."

Ella Turner—my stepsister—also shrank back, radiating a sickening sense of fragility. "Really, Dad, I'm fine. Please don't let this become a problem for the pack."

"This is the Council's decision," Dad said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Ivy, you're a pure-blooded werewolf who's strong and healthy. You should make concessions for the benefit of the pack."

I stared blankly at Dad.

I thought my wolf would go mad from being betrayed by a close family member. I thought my heart would break because Dad favored a stepdaughter of a mixed bloodline over me.

However, I didn't shed a single tear. My wolf simply acted indifferent and let out a scornful, low snort.

"Fine. I'll swap with her," I said.

In just half a month, I would completely sever my ties to this rotten pack.

Therefore, in this place riddled with power plays, it no longer mattered which room I lived in.