Chapter 1

On my way home, I caught sight of Yeats and Yelena riding in a luxurious car, headed down the avenue toward Alpha Villa Park.

As the name suggests, that was where the Alpha resided. Disguised as a helper, I blended in and followed them, sneaking around the villa until I could crouch beneath a window and listen to their conversation.

"Dad, how long do we have to pretend to be omegas?" Yelena asked, her voice muffled but clear enough.

"I can shift at will during the full moon, but I still have to lie to Mom—tell her I can't sense my wolf or shift at all. I can’t even come to this beautiful place every day. We don’t even need to hide our scents—Mom’s wolf is dormant. I’m tired of living this double life."

Yeats sighed, clearly moved by our daughter’s words.

"I don’t want to do this either," he said. "But I have no choice. Your mother is stubborn. If she finds out that Lily and I are together, she’ll cause chaos. We have to keep her as busy as possible, so she doesn’t notice what’s really going on."

At the mention of Lily, Yelena brightened.

"I like Aunt Lily. She’s so pretty, and she ranks high in our pack. She gives me gifts all the time."

She paused, then added, "Not like my mom. She always wears ugly or ragged clothes. She can’t even afford a little skirt for me."

Then she turned to Yeats and said sweetly, "Daddy, I wish I were Lily’s daughter."

But Yeats didn’t agree. Instead, he grew serious and warned her gently:

"Yelena, don’t say that again. Jasmin is your mother, and nothing can change that. She’s the one who sucked the silver poison from my wounds. Her wolf regressed into full dormancy because of it. No matter what happens, I won’t reject her as my mate."

As they left the villa, I watched them change into the ugly, worn clothes I was used to seeing them wear. Even though I had witnessed the entire act, I still found it hard to believe what I had seen.

When I had left our den at 4 a.m., Yelena had been sleeping, her face still pale from the poisoning she suffered since birth—poison she inherited from me. I’d felt so guilty. Yeats had been lying in bed, “paralyzed,” unable even to roll over without help.

Yet while I was out working five different jobs and surviving on a loaf of bread a day, they were living in luxury—the highest standard of life in our pack.

I dragged my feet on the way back. Just as I reached the front door, I heard the sound of someone jumping into bed.

Inside, in the living room, Yelena sat reading a tattered book. She looked up at me with a sweet smile.

"Mom, you’re finally back. If only I were healthier, you wouldn’t have to work so hard.

Tonight, I collected waste paper crates with the landlord—as werewolf junk collectors. We earned enough for a loaf of bread. Dad and I shared it.

Did you have dinner, Mommy?"

Tears of false guilt welled up in her eyes. If I hadn’t seen the truth with my own eyes, I might’ve believed her. I might’ve said, Don’t blame yourself, sweetheart. Mom is happy to work for her little pup, and have gone on to cook her something warm and affordable.

But all I could see was her in that princess dress and those shoes worth over $10,000.

I mumbled, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I already ate. Keep reading, okay?” Then I walked into the bedroom where my supposedly paralyzed mate lay.

Yeats was lying in the exact same position I’d left him in that morning.

But he had forgotten to put on the pair of worn socks I had mended four times.

He greeted me gently, “Darling, you look pale. Is the work too tiring?” He sighed dramatically. “I feel so sorry. You should have a much happier life as my Luna. But I lost my Alpha position when I became paralyzed. Now you’re the one providing for us. I owe you so much…”

I stared at him.

He was right about one thing: only when I was too busy did I stop thinking. I had been sleeping just three hours a night—1 a.m. to 3 a.m.—never stopping to question why a man who couldn’t move hadn’t developed bedsores or muscle atrophy, or why his skin was so smooth.

The more I looked at him, the colder I felt inside.

Yeats grew nervous under my silence. “What happened? Did your boss scold you? Don’t worry. I can borrow $500 from a friend so you can rest for a few days.”

Still pretending.

He thought $500 was enough to convince me he was a loving, supportive mate. Yet just days ago, he had spent $700,000 on dinner with Lily.

That icy numbness spread through my chest and out into my limbs. I began to sweat.

Yeats reached out, intending to caress my face—but stopped halfway, remembering he was supposed to be paralyzed. His hand froze in midair.

“Jasmin… are you okay? Are you sick…?”

I couldn’t bear it any longer. I turned and walked to the bathroom. Passing through the living room, I saw Yelena quickly hide a brand-new phone under a cushion.

I closed the bathroom door and took out my old, outdated cellphone. Its buttons were so worn I had to type from memory.

I typed a message:

"Dear Daddy and Mommy, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me for not following your advice. I was too headstrong."

As I waited for a reply, I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

The she-wolf staring back at me had aged far beyond her years. Ten years had gone by, but it looked like twenty.

My skin was sallow, my face lined with fatigue, and strands of white ran through my hair.

Who would believe this female wolf was once the only daughter of the Lycan King of Lupus Celestial?

My phone buzzed.

"You are forever our daughter—as long as you are willing to be."

A rush of emotion swelled in my chest. Relief, sorrow, and a faint glimmer of hope.

But before I returned to where I truly belonged…

I had to uncover the rest of the lies they had been hiding from me.