Chapter 2

Riley’s breath caught. “Then I would be honoured.”

“But what about the others?” Sabrina pulled her hand away. “And don’t just say it would be an honour, Riley, would you really want me as a mate?”

Riley’s eyes darkened, a muscle twitching in his jaw. He took a step back, creating space between them that felt like a canyon.

“You know I’ve always respected you, Sabrina. As a friend, as my future Luna.” His voice dropped to a near whisper. “But if you’re asking if I’ve thought about being your mate, yes. I have.”

The admission hung in the air between them, changing something fundamental. Sabrina’s heart stuttered. She’d known Riley her entire life, but suddenly she was seeing him differently, the strong line of his jaw, the way his shoulders filled out his shirt, the intensity in his gaze that she’d always dismissed as mere friendship.

“I’m not just asking about respect,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “I’m asking if you want me. Not the position, not the power. Me.”

Riley’s expression softened. He moved closer again, his pine scent enveloping her. “Do you remember when we were fourteen, and you broke your arm falling from that oak tree?”

Sabrina nodded, confused by the shift.

“I carried you back to the pack house. Three miles. You were crying, not from the pain, but because you thought your father would be disappointed.” His hand hovered near her face, not quite touching. “That’s when I knew. You’ve always been so much more than your title.”

Heat flooded Sabrina’s cheeks. She’d forgotten that day, but Riley remembered. Remembered her at her weakest.

“The Harem isn’t about what I want,” Riley continued. “It’s about what the pack needs. But if you’re asking what I feel...” He swallowed hard. “I’ve loved you since we were children, Sabrina. Not as my Luna, but as you.”

The confession stole her breath. She’d never allowed herself to consider Riley that way—it had been too complicated, too dangerous. But now, with her coming-of-age ceremony looming, everything was different.

“I don’t want to be responsible for men’s deaths,” she whispered.

Riley’s hand finally cupped her cheek, warm and steady. “Then don’t be. Change the system. You’ll be Luna. Your word will be law.”

Sabrina leaned into his touch, surprised by how natural it felt. “And if I choose you as my main?”

“Then I’ll stand beside you while you change our world.” His thumb traced her cheekbone. “But know this—I would stand beside you regardless of your choice.”

The weight on Sabrina’s chest shifted, not disappearing, but becoming something she could carry. She looked at the ancient texts scattered across her floor and saw not just tradition, but possibility.

“Help me,” she said. “Help me understand what I’m walking into, and how to make it better.”

Riley smiled, that familiar smile that had always made her feel safe. “Always.”

As they knelt together among the ancient books, Sabrina felt the first stirrings of something new—not acceptance of tradition, but determination to reshape it. The Harem would be different under her rule. It would have to be.

“So, beyond my main, there would be twenty-five others. Most of the official deaths in the Harem system were from cheating. There was no requirement for whether it was rape via drugging or not. Because they are meant to be purely my mates. To ensure bloodlines, I have asked for a sperm bank to be made of those who are even in the Harem.”

Riley’s eyebrows shot up at her suggestion. “A sperm bank? That’s... unconventional.”

“Is it?” Sabrina tilted her head, watching his reaction carefully. “It would prevent the need for competition during my heats. Each male in the Harem would have an equal chance to father a pup, regardless of their position.”

Riley considered this, his fingers drumming thoughtfully against the ancient text. “It would certainly reduce the incentive for sabotage.”

“Exactly.” Sabrina leaned forward, suddenly animated. “If the males know their genetic material is preserved and will be used regardless of their standing in the Harem, the power games lose their purpose.”

The pine scent of Riley’s wolf intensified as he contemplated her idea. “Your father won’t like it. The Elders will call it blasphemy against tradition.”

“Think about it, it would cut out the point of trying to have the competition for getting someone caught cheating, as they would still have a chance to father pups from the grave. Save in case of war and so on. It would save bloodlines.”

Riley’s expression shifted, a slow smile spreading across his face. “You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?”

“Since my fifteenth birthday, when I first learned what being the Alpha female heir truly meant.” Sabrina traced the embossed symbol of the Goddess on one of the ancient texts. “I’ve been searching for a way to honour tradition while making it... humane.”

The word hung between them. Humane. It wasn’t one typically associated with the Harem system.

“It’s brilliant,” Riley admitted, his voice filled with genuine admiration. “But the Elders will need more than just practicality. They’ll want spiritual justification.”

Sabrina nodded, her mind already working through the theological implications. “The Goddess values life above all. The current system wastes lives, strong wolves who could serve the pack in other ways.”

“And the sperm bank?” Riley asked, his tone carefully neutral. “How do you justify that to the traditionalists?”

Sabrina stood, moving to her window where she could see the pack grounds below. Young wolves trained in the open field, their laughter carrying up to her room.

“The Harem was established to ensure strong bloodlines,” she said, watching a young female wolf pin her opponent to the ground. “But the Goddess never specified how those bloodlines should be created. Only that they should be.”

Riley joined her at the window, his shoulder brushing against hers. “You’re planning to change everything, aren’t you?”

“Not everything.” Sabrina turned to face him, surprised by how close he stood. “Just the parts that don’t make sense anymore.”

His eyes searched hers, and for a moment, Sabrina wondered if he was about to kiss her. Instead, he stepped back, creating space between them.

“Your father will fight you on this,” he warned. “The Elders will call it heresy.”

“And what about you as one of those males I hold the fate of?”

Riley’s face softened. “I would support you regardless of my position. As your friend, as your Beta, or...” he paused, his voice dropping, “as your mate.”