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In my previous life, My Alpha mate hated me for twelve years because he thought his parents forced him to mark me, thus causing his childhood sweetheart Ivy’s death.

Despite this, he still sacrificed himself to save me when the rogue wolf attacked. His last wish before he died was that he had never mated to me.

After he died, everyone, including me, regretted bonding us to each other.

For three years, I howled my prayers to the Moon Goddess every night. Finally, the great Moon Goddess granted me a second chance.

The Moon Goddess's power surged through me as I returned to the past. Ethan's mocking voice filled my ears once again.

"My parents threatened to exile me if I didn't mate with you. Your trick really worked, didn't it?" His laugh was bitter and cold. "But even if we're bound as mates, I'll never give you my love. We'll never be happy."

My eyes snapped open.

There he was—Ethan, alive and breathing, standing right in front of me.

His hands were casually shoved into his suit pockets. The contempt in his eyes was impossible to hide.

The future Ethan had grown into a mature, controlled Alpha. But this younger version was lazy and carefree, with that wild energy I hadn't seen in years.

My throat tightened at the sight.

The Moon Goddess had truly brought me back. But not to when we first met. She'd sent me back twelve years, to the very day we were supposed to hold our mating ceremony.

Thank the goddess it was this moment. There was still time to fix everything.

I swallowed the ache in my chest and drank in the sight of him.

"Ethan, you don't want to bind with me because the one you really love is Ivy, isn't it?"

His body went rigid. I'd hit the mark.

He stared at me with ice-cold eyes. "So what if it is? You're the former Alpha King's daughter. Our parents arranged this mating to give our pack stronger allies. We're about to submit our binding application to the Alpha Council. The whole pack knows you're going to be my mate. Do you really think we have any choice left?"

I nodded honestly. "Yes, we do."

Ethan scoffed. "I don't have time for your games. Just sign the application form and get it submitted to the Alpha Council. I'll wait outside."

As a powerful Alpha, his mating required Council approval. Only with their blessing could our bond become official.

This was my chance to change everything.

I watched his retreating figure, and my heart felt like it was being stabbed with silver needles.

I had loved Ethan for so many years, in this life and the last.

He'd saved me three times, risking his own life. I thought that meant he loved me too.

His parents had convinced me. "Ethan acts tough but he's soft inside. If he didn't love you, why would he risk death to save you over and over?"

I believed them. I was so happy to bind with him.

It wasn't until Ivy died that I finally understood the truth. He loved someone else entirely.

His dying words—wishing he'd never met me—had crushed whatever was left of my soul.

My twelve years of love had been his twelve years of torture.

Before the Moon Goddess sent me back, she'd given me a mission. I had to fulfill Ethan's three deepest regrets to break the cursed mate bond between us. Only then could we both be free and change our fates.

He wouldn't have to die at thirty-five because of me.

We'd both finally have the lives we deserved.

I looked down at the application form and wrote Ivy's name where mine should have been.

I remembered the three regrets from Ethan's private journal, written in his own hand:

'I regret becoming mates with her. I regret not fighting against my family's arrangement. I regret failing to save Ivy.'

His first regret would be fulfilled today.

I submitted their mating application to the Alpha Council and walked outside. Ethan was waiting by the door.

The approval would take some time. I wasn't ready to tell him that he'd soon be mated to his beloved Ivy.

I smiled at him gently.

"Ethan, I've prepared a gift for you. You'll find out what it is when the mating application gets approved. I hope you'll like it."