Chapter 2

Two days remained until the marking ceremony.

Inside the Gray Mist Pack's council hall, the elders were reviewing the ceremony procedures.

I stood to the side while idly running my fingertips over my moonstone bracelet. I listened to Anthony chatting and laughing with the elders as if he had already become the Alpha of both packs.

This was when Lara walked in.

She was in a short, red dress. She walked directly to Anthony's side and slipped her arm through his. Her gaze, however, was fixed on me provocatively.

She was merely an Omega in the Gray Mist Pack, yet she had always coveted the Luna position.

In my past life, she rose to power by relying on Anthony's favoritism. She trampled over me every step of the way.

"Anthony, I brought you some nectar. It's your favorite."

Her voice was soft and sweet. Her fingers traced across his chest in an intimate gesture. She completely ignored the elders and me.

The elders' expressions darkened at the sight.

Pack rules were clear that, before the marking ceremony, both sides were to remain pure. Lara's behavior was nothing short of open defiance.

But Anthony didn't push her away. Instead, he took the jar of nectar, drank from it, and smiled. "You know me best."

I watched the scene unfold but didn't feel sad at all. I just sneered.

In my past life, I would have run off in tears, questioned him, and received nothing in return. He would've said 'don't be ridiculous. Lara's just like a sister to me.'

But now, I stepped forward slowly and knocked the jar out of Lara's hand.

It shattered instantly. Ceramic shards scattered across the floor as nectar soaked into her red dress.

"Lara." My cold gaze locked onto her face. "Do you not understand Gray Mist Pack's rules? Before the marking ceremony, anyone who isn't the Luna candidate is forbidden from having intimate contact with Anthony. Are you trying to get yourself exiled?"

Her face turned pale at first. Her cheeks then grew red.

She turned to Anthony and spoke in an aggrieved voice. "Anthony, look at her!"

Anthony's expression darkened. He grabbed my wrist. His grip was so tight it nearly crushed my bone.

"Sharon, have you had enough? Lara is just concerned about me. Why are you being so aggressive?"

"Concerned?" I yanked my hand free. There was a red line around my wrist. "Anthony, you've had that rose scent on you for three days. Do you think I'm blind or dumb?"

The elders' expressions shifted dramatically. They all turned to look at Anthony.

Werewolves had sharp senses. There was no way they hadn't noticed the unfamiliar scent. It was just that, out of respect for his future status as Alpha, no one had spoken up.

A flicker of panic crossed Anthony's eyes before it hardened into anger.

"Sharon, I know you care about me, but you can't slander me over something this trivial! If you want to be my Luna, you need to learn to accept everything about me. If you can't even tolerate my sister, what makes you worthy of being Luna?"

His words cut like a dull blade across my heart that had long gone cold.

In my past life, those same words had forced me to compromise and to tolerate his involvement with Lara repeatedly.

"Tolerate?" I laughed. My tears nearly fell. "You took me for granted and left me high and dry. Don't expect me to tolerate that."

I turned to face the elders. "Elders, let me make this clear today. If Anthony has any further inappropriate contact with Lara, I'm calling this marking ceremony off."

With that, I turned around and walked out of the council hall. Anthony's expression was solemn, the elders looked stunned, and Lara was glaring at me.

Just as I reached the doorway, I received a message from Sebastian.

The elite forces of Black Rock Pack were already stationed at the outer borders of Gray Mist Pack's territory.

In two days, he would personally show up with Black Rock Pack's moonstones.