Chapter 1

"You stupid wolf! Get down from that ship right now! Instead of choosing Oliver, the Beta with a gentle soul, you decided to choose Gilbert, the cold and ruthless Alpha, as your mate! Why, oh why, did I raise such a troublesome daughter like you?"

I heard my mom's voice ringing out from behind me. For a moment, I almost spun on my heel to look at her. But in the end, I held back my urge.

When I recalled the tragic outcomes both my cousin, Clara Evonfall, and I had faced, I told myself that I had made the right decision.

In my previous life, Clara had married Gilbert. But thanks to Gilbert's childhood sweetheart, Joanna Penning, who kept interfering with their marriage, Clara had remained a virgin for the rest of her life.

To think that such a gentle she-wolf had her life ruined by Gilbert just like that…

Right after I got reborn, I saw Clara sitting on the bed with a glum expression. Obviously, she was depressed about the fact that she'd be marrying the cold Gilbert soon. Hence, I packed up my luggage immediately so that I could fulfill the bonding pact in her stead.

"Clara, I'll become Alpha Gilbert's Luna. Even though Oliver has a bad reputation, his temperament is pretty decent. You two should be able to click well with each other."

Tears pooled in Clara's eyes at that moment.

"Alyssa, Alpha Gilbert is a difficult man to get along with. His childhood sweetheart is another nightmare to deal with. I can't let you shoulder the tragic burden that's mine to bear."

I just smiled at her. It was a bright and bold smile, though one could describe it as an idiotic smile, too.

"Clara, since the bonding pact is meant for our family, that means it's up for grabs for anyone bearing our family name. Back when the packs drafted the bonding pact, they never specified which daughter had to marry Alpha Gilbert at all.

"As for me, I'm no weak she-wolf. I'm currently training to become a Gamma warrior. If Alpha Gilbert wants to bully me, I'll kick his ass!"

As I spoke, I raised my fist and waved it at Clara.

The sight of my energetic display made Clara smile through her tears. "Alright. I'll swap mates with you."

Honestly speaking, I wasn't sure if my choice was correct. But one thing was for sure—I definitely didn't want my life to turn out like the one I had gone through in my previous life.

In my previous life, I could never get along with Oliver. I disliked him for being a smooth-talking bastard, while he despised me for not being feminine enough. Our days were filled with nothing but arguments. In less than a year, we severed our mate bond.

That was why Clara might as well become Oliver's mate after we got reborn. After all, Oliver was still a rich Beta at the end of the day. He could give Clara a comfortable and lavish life.

This was a lot better than Clara's fate from her previous life. When she was Gilbert's mate, Joanna had usurped her control over the family's finances. Every month, Clara was given only 100 dollars as her allowance. In the end, she died from depression.

To me, my plan was absolutely flawless. But after spending ten hours in a rocky ship where the sea seemed to stretch on endlessly, I could no longer feel smug about my plan.

I thought I could reach my destination after a night's fitful sleep, but I never would've thought that I'd get seasick during the journey.

When the ship finally docked at the harbor of the Bloodthorn pack's borders, I was overwhelmed with so much nausea that I could barely breathe. Even so, I told myself that this was my fate.

It was better for me to travel to the Bloodthorn pack than for Clara to go. With how fragile her health was, she wouldn't be able to tough out the difficult journey.

I straightened my back, my heart pounding in my chest. After all, I could see Gilbert, my future mate, through the thorny barrier of the Bloodthorn pack's borders. He stood in the morning mist, his tall and well-built physique brimming with danger and power.

My gaze lingered on him longer than I expected. I told myself that I was merely curious about him and nothing else.

At that moment, a shrill and sickly sweet voice boomed next to me.

"Alpha Gilbert, what is a country bumpkin dressed like a homeless she-wolf doing here?"