See You in the Next Life—Not

My choice to step forward and ask to become an arranged mate caught both my father and the elders by surprise.

Father asked, puzzled, "Loria, weren't you the one who swore you'd die to be Kael Silvertooth's mate? Why would you want to take Volf Frostfang as your mate?"

Yes. In my past life, I used suicide to force everyone to agree to me becoming Kael's mate. Because of that, my foster sister Lyra was left to bear the responsibility of becoming the arranged mate of Volf, the Alpha of the Frostfang pack.

What I had not expected was that Lyra, desperate to escape from him, would flee into the Bloodmist Forest. There, she was torn apart by feral wolves.

From the moment that news reached us, Kael—who was already my mate—never spoke another word to me. No matter how I repented, no matter how hard I tried to please him, all he gave me was silence and a cold gaze.

We were mates, yet he had become nothing more than a stranger I knew too well.

Later, during a hunt I led, an avalanche struck. I gave up my chance to escape so the others could survive, staying behind to hold off the crashing snow. Just as I was about to be buried beneath it all, Kael appeared.

He burned through his wolf energy to pull me free. In the process, he suffered irreversible injuries that left him on the brink of death.

My heart shattered. I wanted nothing more than to die with him.

Yet, even as his life flickered out, he refused to say a single word to me. Instead, clutching the wolf fang Lyra had once given him, he vowed, "Lyra, if there's a next life, I'll protect you no matter what."

Now, that vow was about to come true. This time, I would give him the chance to guard Lyra forever.

I raised my head and looked toward my father and the elders, my voice unwavering. "Before the Moon Goddess, I, Loria, daughter of the Silvermoon pack's Alpha, willingly pledge myself to be arranged mates with the Frostfang pack. May our two packs end all strife and live in peace."

The elders debated for a long while before finally granting their consent.

"Father, Elders," I continued, "I ask that we keep this arrangement a secret for now. Announce it only three days from now, when I depart with the Frostfang pack."

As I stepped out of the council hall, I ran into Kael on patrol. His brow furrowed, his gaze sharp with disapproval.

"Loria, you can't be so cruel. Lyra's wolf energy is weak. She isn't suited to be Volf's mate."

The only girls of age in the Alpha family were Lyra and me. If she was not suited, then who else could it be?

Could it be me, who would be standing beside him at the marking ceremony in three days?

"Should I be his mate instead, then?"

"Of course not!" His hand tightened on the hilt of his blade. "Our marking ceremony is in three days. How could I ever let you take someone else as your mate?"

He continued, "What I mean is the pack doesn't need arranged mates to preserve peace. If the Frostfang pack insists on tying us together that way, then as one of our strongest warriors, I'll lead the guards to fight them to the death."

Still, every life in our pack was precious. If there was a way to avoid bloodshed, why sacrifice them?

I did not argue further. In my past life, I wasted enough of my breath explaining, but Kael had still gone to his grave believing it was my selfishness that killed Lyra.

If that was how he saw it, then so be it.

I did not tell him that I would be the one becoming Volf's arranged mate.

When he saw Lyra standing beside him at the marking ceremony three days later, I am sure he would be overjoyed.

The memory of him shielding me from the avalanche pressed down on my chest, leaving it sore and tight.

Kael, you once gave your life to save mine. This time, I would give you Lyra.