Chapter 2

The crowd gasped.

My father stared at Clara in disbelief. "Clara, are you out of your mind? He is the guard Aurora chose! And besides, Blake is just a rogue. Binding with him offers you nothing."

Hearing this, Blake immediately pulled an obsidian box from his jacket. He offered it to Clara respectfully.

"Princess Clara, this is my pledge of loyalty to you."

The box opened slowly. Inside sat a dark purple crystal, pulsing like a living heart.

The elders gasped.

"By the Goddess! Is that—"

"The Shadow Heart!"

"The legendary heart of the Shadow Beast!"

The hall erupted.

Everyone knew what this meant. This heart could drastically strengthen a werewolf's inner wolf, making their wolf form stronger and last longer. For a wolf with a weak bloodline, it was a life-changing treasure.

I stood there, looking down.

In our past life, his rogue wolf was dangerously unstable. He couldn't hold his wolf form for long in a fight. It was a fatal flaw.

I scoured the lands for rare herbs to heal him, but nothing worked. I even begged a hermit witch, who told me only the legendary "Shadow Heart" could fix him.

While I was risking everything to figure out how to get it for him, Blake hugged me tight. "Aurora, it's just a myth. The Shadow Beast is too dangerous. I won't risk my life and make you worry."

He kissed my forehead, his eyes full of tenderness.

It was all a lie.

The treasure he claimed was too dangerous... he just handed it to Clara without a second thought.

All my worry, my sacrifice, my heartache—it was all just one big, cruel joke.

"Impossible..." an elder stammered. "The Shadow Beast hasn't been seen in decades! How could you—"

"Three months ago, I tracked it at the border," Blake said, standing tall, unable to hide his pride. "I hunted it alone for a month. I killed it on the night of the full moon."

The crowd erupted again.

To kill a Shadow Beast alone? It was the stuff of legends.

Clara took the box. The heart pulsed with an enticing purple light in her hands.

She shot me a smug look, then turned to our father with tears in her eyes.

"Father, you've always favored my sister. You gave her the best tutors, the most expensive dresses, the finest guards," her voice broke. "Now, I finally have someone who truly wants to follow me. Are you going to deny me this one thing?"

My father stared greedily at the immense power radiating from the Shadow Heart.

I saw him hesitate.

"Aurora," he turned to me, his tone dripping with false affection. "Look, if Blake isn't willing, we can't force him. Just let Clara have him."

Hearing him, I closed my eyes, a wave of exhaustion washing over me.

Clara is my half-sister. Her mother, a common omega, was my father's first mate. She died in a rogue attack shortly after giving birth to Clara.

My father then married my mother, the last carrier of the Moon Goddess bloodline in the pack, and I was born.

Growing up, the whole pack saw how differently he treated us.

To Clara, he was a harsh drill sergeant. He threw her onto the training grounds and ignored her pleas. She wasn't allowed to cry, even when covered in scars.

But I was the apple of his eye. My room overflowed with crystals, moonstone jewelry, and lavish dresses. He spoiled me rotten. Even when I awakened my wolf and my talent far surpassed Clara's, my father told me training was too hard. He told me to just be the happy Princess of the Crimson Moon.

To outsiders, I was the favorite.

But I knew the truth. He was turning me into a decorative doll.

In my past life, I accidentally overheard him at Clara's mother's grave.

He said, "My love, you are still the only one in my heart."

"Don't worry. So what if Aurora has the Moon Goddess bloodline? I've already made her useless. Our daughter, Clara, will be the pack's one and only heir."

So, when I chose a rogue like Blake, my father was thrilled. Bound to a rogue, I could never threaten Clara's position.

But now, Blake had brought the Shadow Heart. He had proven his strength and sworn loyalty to Clara in front of everyone.

To help Clara secure this powerful asset, my father wanted me to give Blake up.

I slowly raised my head and gave a faint smile.

"Fine."

From the moment I was reborn, I already had a plan.

Clara, if you want him so badly, you can have him.