Chapter 1

The scent of roasted meat and rich ale filled the banquet hall.

Kira wore the Heart of the Moon pendant that should have been mine, surrounded by her cronies.

Fake gasps of admiration echoed around her.

Then, countless mocking glances shot toward me in the corner.

"What kind of Luna doesn't even have the token? Don't worry, Kira, her mate bond with the Alpha is probably fading anyway."

"Exactly. Kira is pureblood. If it weren't for that accident back then, she would've mated with the Alpha long ago. Ayla never would have had a chance."

Accident? A sharp ache spread across my chest.

Was the "accident" her and my ex-mate Liam getting caught cheating on our mating day?

Jaxson sat at the head of the long table. His eyes bypassed the crowd and landed on Kira, full of indulgence and pity.

Basking in everyone's sympathy, Kira walked over to me with a glass of wine, looking pathetically fragile.

Her eyes locked onto the moonstone ring on my right ring finger.

It was from our mating ceremony seven years ago. Jaxson had traveled to the freezing wastelands himself to find the top-tier moonstone to soothe my traumatized inner wolf.

Kira giggled and whispered in my ear, "You've hogged Jaxson for seven years. You've enjoyed everything that was supposed to be mine. I suggest you hand over that ring yourself."

I looked at her coldly and took a half-step back.

She downed her wine and gave a malicious smile. "It's fine if you don't. It'll be mine sooner or later."

Midnight approached.

By pack tradition, the Luna was supposed to pray to the Moon Goddess using the moonstone snow wolf statue passed down by generations of Alphas.

I turned and walked toward the altar.

Kira rushed after me, blocking my way. Her voice was soft and whiny.

"Jaxson said I should do the prayer tonight."

Before I could speak, she reached out and touched the statue.

A second later, she let out a gasp, purposely slipped, and fell backward with the statue.

The priceless snow wolf smashed against the floor, shattering into pieces.

Kira sat among the sharp shards, a shallow scratch bleeding on her arm.

She clutched her wound, tears streaming down her face.

"Ayla, I just wanted to pray for the pack... If you didn't want me to, you could have just said so. Why did you push me?"

The upbeat music cut off instantly.

Everyone in the hall stared at us.

For the past seven years, Jaxson had mercilessly banished any she-wolf who dared to provoke me.

After Liam's betrayal, I was incredibly insecure.

Whenever another she-wolf got close to Jaxson or tried to seduce him, I would hide in his arms and cry until he kissed me and swore there would never be anyone else.

But this time was different.

Jaxson rushed over like a hurricane. He stretched out his long arms and pulled Kira tightly against his chest.

His eyes landed on the scratch on Kira's arm, which was barely bleeding. His golden eyes flashed.

He unleashed his Alpha aura without hesitation. It crashed down on my spine like an invisible iceberg.

Several low-ranking wolves couldn't handle it and dropped to their knees.

"What the hell are you doing, Ayla?!" His handsome face was tight with fury.

"Kira just had her mate bond forcefully severed and was exiled back to the pack! Her inner wolf is severely traumatized! I just wanted her to be happy and feel accepted."

He looked at me with deep disappointment. "You already have so much of my love. Why can't you show her a little mercy?! You're being totally unreasonable!"

His favoritism was blatant and shameless.

I looked at the face of the man I had loved with everything I had. My inner wolf let out a tragic whimper.

A tearing agony shot through our mate bond, almost shattering my nerves.

But I took a deep breath and forced my tears back.

I didn't say a word in my defense. I didn't grab his hand and frantically explain that I hadn't pushed her, like I used to.

I just raised my hand and slowly slid the moonstone ring off my finger.

Under everyone's shocked gazes, I handed it to Kira.

"Since you've suffered so much, take this. Maybe it'll soothe your hurt wolf." I looked at her calmly. "Sorry. I lost my footing and startled you."

Jaxson looked at my dead eyes, and his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

He subconsciously reached out to grab my hand, but froze mid-air.