The Bride He Lost, The Lesson He Learned

During the mating ceremony, Matthew Graham learned that Alpha Leonard was about to marry off the she-wolf he had adopted to the cruel Edwin Bowen.

Matthew immediately abandoned me, kidnapped the she-wolf, Kylie Hoffman, and had a mating ceremony with her.

After getting wind of what happened, the entire pack whispered among themselves, waiting for me to make a fool of myself.

I remained composed as I opened the door for Edwin, who had shown up in the middle of the night. He leaned against the door, smiling wickedly as he played with the rope in his hands.

"Matthew stole my bride. Taking his bride for a mating ceremony wouldn't be unreasonable, don't you think?"

I raised an eyebrow and grabbed him by the collar. "I don't like the idea of being abducted. I'd rather go with you willingly than be kidnapped. You're ruthless, and I'm obedient. That makes us a perfect match."

Upon hearing my response, Edwin froze, clearly taken aback. He played with the ring on his pinky, a smirk playing on his lips.

"That's a deal, Ms. Hadley. No backing out. Tomorrow, I'll get someone to move your things to my castle in the forest, where we'll hold our mating ceremony."

With that, Edwin lifted his cane and turned away gracefully. Unfortunately, his hasty footsteps betrayed his inner turmoil.

I watched his retreating figure, raised my wine glass, and took a sip. Suddenly, I chuckled to myself.

So, the Moonbeam pack's notorious Alpha did have an adorable side, after all.

Not long after Edwin left, Matthew showed up.

My smile froze instantly, giving way to an icy glare. As I spoke, my voice was tinged with sarcasm. "You just snatched someone else's bride. Shouldn't you be comforting her? Why are you here, seeking out a forgotten old flame like me?"

Matthew stopped, adjusting his glasses. "Queenie, I know I let you down, but I had my reasons. Kylie was born with poor health. If she really became that lunatic's lover, her life would be over!"

He sounded so righteous. But why didn't he think about me before abandoning me at the mating ceremony?

I was the Shadowstar pack's princess, yet I had been abandoned by the groom in front of everyone else. What was even more ridiculous was that he had done so for an Omega.

From the moment Matthew left me behind, I had completely lost hope in him.

"You should just go home. The mating ceremony will never happen, and it's over between us, too."

Matthew's brows furrowed as he instinctively reached for me. "Queenie, I know you've always been very sensible. I only wanted to rescue Kylie—that's all. Nothing happened between us!"

I took a step back to avoid his touch.

Did nothing really happen between Matthew and Kylie? If so, what was that mark on the crook of his neck?

Matthew met my glare and lowered his head. He tugged at his collar, trying to hide the mark, but decided to drop the act in the next moment.

"Queenie, I feel bad for Kylie! As long as I mark her, no one will ever bully her. This will never come between us.

"You can always be my lover, right? Once you two live with me, I'll treat you both equally. Kylie's a kind woman—she won't mind sharing my affection with you."

Did Matthew expect me to live with him and Kylie? I couldn't believe he actually came up with that idea.

Also, Matthew had the nerve to say that Kylie wouldn't mind sharing his affection with me! I was the Shadowstar pack's princess—why would I ever stoop so low to become a taken man's lover?

If my pack found out about this, they wouldn't hesitate to kill me.

I stepped back in disdain, my eyes filled with irritation. "I'll never be your lover."

Seeing that I refused to yield, Matthew looked extremely displeased. "Queenie, does it matter whether we're mates or lovers? It's just a title. I love you, so I'd never let anyone bully you! Why must you embarrass me?"

Me? Embarrass Matthew?