Chapter 2

Kyle obviously hated my smile. He stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Serena, don't play this reverse-psychology game with me. You are the heir of Silver Vale Pack. I am Blackthorn Pack's Alpha heir. Our mate alliance was arranged twenty years ago. There is a limit to how far you can push this."

"I'm not pushing anything." I fastened the suitcase and pushed it to his feet. "I already checked the route. There has been no rogue activity around the Southern Hot Springs territory lately. Leave tomorrow morning, and you can be back within three days."

Kyle suddenly grabbed my wrist. "What are you trying to do?"

I looked up at him. "Let you have what you want. Since Lina needs you more than I do, since I am always supposed to give way to her, then I will. I am done fighting her, Kyle."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means we don't need a mate ceremony anymore."

His expression changed at last. He let go of my wrist as if I had said something absurd. "Say that again."

I did not. I simply looked down at the red mark his fingers had left on my skin.

Two years ago, Lina had been a quiet assistant at the healer house. I even defended her the first time Kyle scolded her over a wrong herb list.

After that, he started making exceptions for her. She feared the dark, so he patrolled with her until midnight. She feared pack feasts, so he led her through the crowd. Meanwhile, I, the mate promised before the Moon Goddess and two packs, became a bystander.

I asked why he forgot my birthday but remembered her favorite cake. I asked why my rogue wound was "nothing" because I was a warrior, while her scratched finger woke the whole healer house.

Every time, he said, "Serena, you're strong. Lina is different. She has no one."

Dying once made the truth simple. It was not because I was strong. It was because he did not love me.

Lina suddenly stepped back, crying. "It's all my fault. Kyle, Serena only wants to break the alliance because of me. I'll leave. I'll go far away and never bother either of you again."

She turned toward the door, moving just slowly enough for Kyle to catch her.

Of course he did. When he looked back at me, the disgust in his eyes was already back. "Must you ruin everyone's mood right before the festival?"

"I told you, I am not making a scene."

"Then what was that?"

"Exactly what it sounded like."

He sneered, finally losing patience. "Fine. Stay this stubborn. When I come back, if you still want to be my Luna, you will apologize to Lina. Otherwise, I will keep postponing the ceremony."

In my last life, that threat would have terrified me. I feared the alliance failing, Silver Vale being mocked, and my love becoming a joke. Now all I felt was relief.

"No need to postpone it," I said. "I will ask the Pack Council to cancel the alliance."

Kyle's face went dark. "You think Silver Vale will let you act this spoiled?"

"That is not your concern."

He opened his mouth, but Lina was sobbing outside the door. His anger immediately found a new direction. He threw out the words "unbelievable" and went after her.

When the door shut, the house was so quiet I could hear myself breathe.

A moment later, my phone buzzed with an anonymous message. It was Lina.

"Serena, so what if you have Silver Vale behind you? Kyle still came after me."

Another message followed.

"Aren't you the future Luna? Then enjoy guarding that empty house alone tonight. When he comes back, you'll still have to apologize. He hates it when you get jealous of me."

In my last life, she had sent me plenty of messages like that. I showed them to Kyle, but he only looked at me with disgust.

“Lina is kind. She would never send something this vicious,” he said. “Stop making things up just to frame her.”

He thought every message was another one of my jealous tricks.

This time, I did not save it or argue back.

I only answered, "If you like him so much, don't let go."

Then I blocked the number and opened a name I had almost buried in my phone.

Adrian North. Alpha of the northern Frostmoon Pack, and the man who had once invited me to rebuild his healer house.

"You said Frostmoon Pack needed a Luna and a healer to rebuild its medical wing," I said. "Does that offer still stand?"

A low, steady voice answered, "Serena, the northern gates have always been open to you."

I closed my eyes. "Then I accept."

Not to make anyone pay. Not to make Kyle regret anything.

This time, I only wanted to leave him, and the life where my pain was treated like a duty.