Chapter 2

After I settled Rachel in, I quickly found a job in the pack.

With my past experience working in the pack's town hall, I was assigned to the Northern packs' archives department and was tasked with registering supplies.

My monthly salary plus patrol subsidies was enough to support both Rachel and me.

However, on the third day after I started the job, Darius came to my door with Raven. Frowning, he said, "Why didn't you tell me you moved? I brought some things for Rachel."

When I saw the leather satchel in his hand, I almost laughed out loud.

That same morning, I had seen Darius at the entrance of the pack market with Raven and Cole.

Cole was crying loudly because he wanted to buy some jerky, so Raven comforted him and bought a bag of berries. But Cole suddenly knocked the bag to the ground and threw a big tantrum.

The bag Darius held now contained exactly those berries they had picked up from the ground.

I held back the sarcasm in my voice and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Darius' frown grew tighter. In the past, I would never have spoken to him in this way.

When he stayed silent, I glanced up at the sky and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll be going first. I still need to go to work."

Raven quickly spoke up, "Luna Selena, Alpha Darius wants you to give your position to me."

I froze and looked at Darius, thinking I had heard wrong. "What did you say?"

Darius nodded with certainty and said, "Selena, I've thought about it. I can't keep supporting Raven's livelihood. She needs a stable job."

My eyes turned red-rimmed, and I gritted my teeth. "So?"

"I'm the Alpha. As long as I say so, they'll prioritize arranging jobs for the mates of fallen warriors," Darius responded.

My fingernails were almost digging into my flesh at this point. I asked again, "What do you mean by that?"

Darius probably realized his words were too much, so he stopped talking.

Raven's voice suddenly turned pinched, and she started crying, "Luna Selena, I know it's unfair, but I'm a she-wolf with no mate and a pup to raise. What else can I do?

"Cole is still so young. How nice it would be if his father were still around!"

Those words worked, and Darius' back suddenly stiffened. He put on a stern face and said in a commanding tone, "Selena Vaughn! You're fighting with the mate of a fallen warrior over a job. Do you even have any shame?

"You're my Luna. Why do you still need to go out to work? Do you think I can't provide for you and Rachel?"

Still unwilling to give up, I retorted, "There are plenty of open positions in the pack. You could assign her to—"

Raven suddenly chuckled sharply. "But what can we do, Selena? I like your job!" she said sweetly.

My whole body shook as scenes of heavy snow filling the sky appeared before my eyes. I saw Rachel's frozen body and everything I had once lost.

I had already given in this much. Just why…

Darius could tell I was upset, so he put on a patient, earnest expression to try persuading me. "Selena, you're my mate and the Luna of the pack. Raven is a she-wolf raising a pup alone. It isn't easy for her…"

I laughed mockingly. The action caused my cracked lips to split open and bleed.

"But Alpha Darius, I already gave her my mate, my Alpha, and my own house. Now, the she-wolf with a pup and no mate is very clearly me!" I shot back.

I knew Darius too well. He was really capable of doing what he said.

My experience from my past life told me that the more I argued with him, the worse the result would be.

So, I lowered my eyes and softened my tone. "Rachel and I have to pay rent and buy food. The supplies at home… Didn't they all go to the mates of the fallen warriors?

"If I lose the job too, how will Rachel and I survive?"

Darius hesitated as expected. After a long pause, his tone lightened up. "Give me the address of your new house. There's still some money and games left at our place. I'll have someone deliver it tomorrow."

"Ration it well. It should last for a while, then," he added.

Since I had already moved out, I didn't want him to find me again.

I shook my head. "No need to go through the trouble. I'll go with Rachel tomorrow to pick it up."

Perhaps my coldness had set Darius off, for he frowned and said urgently, "Selena, you're my mate and the Luna, and Rachel is my daughter. I keep my promises, so why must you—"

I wasn't listening anymore, turning and walking away.

I knew this was unfair to me, and maybe even a little pathetic of me. But Darius was the Alpha, the leader of the pack.

A blizzard was about to sweep over the pack, and I had to make sure Rachel and I wouldn't starve to death.

I didn't want to experience the hunger, cold, and despair of my previous life for a second time.