Chapter 1

Right before entering the forest, I yanked hard on the reins of my horse and stopped it in place. Then, without hesitation, I took off Winnie Sullivan’s moon-white cloak.

Not long after I hid the cloak and stepped away from my mount, hurried footsteps sounded behind me. Xavier Long appeared beside me almost instantly, but the moment he realized it was me, he abruptly took a step back.

“Agnes? Why are you here?”

I knew exactly who he was looking for, so I met his gaze calmly and said, “That’s right. I’m the only one here, but if you head to the Moon Rite Forest now, you might find Winnie.”

Xavier froze for a second, suspicion flashing through his eyes. Whenever I saw him in the past, I would shamelessly cling to him. This was the first time I had ever pushed him toward another she-wolf.

I was in love with Xavier. Everyone in the pack knew it. For years, I followed him everywhere like his shadow. He never once drove me away. Instead, Xavier allowed me to stay by his side.

That was why, in my previous life, when we finally formed a mate bond, I truly believed we loved each other. I never knew the person he truly loved was my stepsister. So, this time, I chose to step aside. I would let them have their happy ending.

As I watched Xavier disappear into the forest, I finally let out a sigh. My back was already soaked with cold sweat, and my palms were freezing. This time, Xavier would definitely save Winnie, and the tragedy from my previous life would never happen again.

Soon, deafening wolf howls erupted from the direction of the Moon Rite Forest. It was the sort of sound only made when a werewolf of a high-ranking bloodline unleashed its aura. Birds exploded into flight across the mountains, and even the horse beside me instinctively lowered itself to the ground in fear.

My steps faltered. It felt like my heart was being wrenched out of my chest. Even though I had decided to let him go, my body still trembled instinctively whenever I felt Xavier’s presence.

When I returned to the temporary gathering grounds, the area was already packed with pack members. Xavier stood in the center of the crowd. Blood still stained his tall frame, and several tears ran across the silver-gray cloak draped over his shoulders. A fresh wound split across his left arm, deep enough to expose bone.

Yet, in his arms, he held someone securely. It was Winnie. Her face was pale as she leaned weakly against his chest, clutching tightly at his clothes, as if she had just survived a nightmare.

Gasps spread through the crowd.

“Rogue wolves?”

“If the Alpha heir hadn’t arrived in time, Miss Winnie probably wouldn’t have survived…”

“Xavier actually tore apart the Alpha of the rogue pack to save her!”

Voices of admiration rose one after another.

Meanwhile, Xavier lowered his head to look at Winnie, and for once, the cold sharpness in his eyes softened into unmistakable tenderness. I had seen that look countless times in my previous life. It just had never been meant for me.

I lowered my gaze and quietly turned to leave, but Winnie suddenly spotted me.

“Agnes!”

She struggled out of Xavier’s arms and ran toward me. When she stopped in front of me, she deliberately tilted her neck.

On the pale skin at her throat was a faint wolf bite mark. It was a temporary scent mark left by a high-ranking male wolf driven by extreme possessiveness and protective instincts. Although they had not formed a true mate bond, it was more than enough to claim someone publicly.

My eyes widened in shock, yet Winnie acted as though she noticed nothing. Her smile remained soft and innocent.

“Thank you for telling Xavier where to find me. He got there just in time and saved me from the rogue wolves.”

Then, she paused and deliberately glanced back at Xavier, unable to hide the smug satisfaction in her eyes.

“Agnes, you’re not upset with me, are you?”

The surrounding noble she-wolves all turned toward me at once, their gazes filled with curiosity and mockery.

Everyone in the pack knew I had pursued Xavier for three years. Everyone believed I would become the future mate of the Alpha heir. Yet now, he had risked his life for Winnie instead. This humiliation hit me like a slap across the face.

Winnie stepped closer and lowered her voice so only the two of us could hear.

“Do you see it now? The man you’ve pursued for so long only needs one crooked finger from me before he loses his mind. The things you desperately want have always come effortlessly to me. So tell me… what exactly do you have to compete with me?”