Chapter 1

My soft laugh made Emily Carter's face flush crimson in an instant.She shot to her feet and lunged at me, then slapped me hard against my cheek."I said I'm the Alpha King's daughter. Are you deaf? Figures. Someone with no parents wouldn't understand rank or status."She opened her mouth to keep going, but I slapped her back before she could finish.Yes, I was an orphan.My father was the former Alpha King. He and my mother died in the greatest war our kind had ever known, sacrificing themselves to protect the Werewolf Kingdom.After that, my uncle, Hyde Sullivan, took the throne. He raised me himself and told me that I, Ariel Sullivan, would be his only successor.In the Werewolf Kingdom, my status stood above everyone else except my uncle.No one understood hierarchy better than I did, and no one understood the weight of responsibility it carried more than I did.If I was going to become a worthy successor, I had to temper myself.That was why I came to this border pack, a

Chapter 2

"Kneel. Now! Do you want the Alpha King to turn his back on our entire pack because of you?"Claude's voice snapped me back to the present.I drew in a sharp breath and shouted back, fury burning through my chest."Apologize? Everything here came from my hunt. Why shouldn't I be allowed to enjoy it?"I could have reached out through the mindlink and asked my uncle for the truth right then.But there was one thing I couldn't understand. Even if Emily truly held a noble identity, what right did she have to strip others of what they earned?All I wanted was fairness.When Claude realized I had no intention of bowing my head, his gaze turned vicious. He studied me for a moment. Then he turned, lowering his head respectfully toward Emily."Emily, the right to bathe in the Sacred Spring will be yours this time. Please forgive the disrespect shown by our pack."A chill rushed through me.I ground my teeth, my voice shaking with restrained rage."On what grounds? I mapped the routes

Chapter 3

When I got home, I packed my things quickly.Then I saw the announcement posted on the pack's internal network.[Ariel defied Emily and nearly caused the pack to fall into the Alpha King's disfavor. She has now been expelled, and her right to bathe in the Sacred Spring has been transferred to Emily. In addition, thanks to Emily's arrival, the pack has gained the opportunity to attend the Alpha King's banquet for the first time.]I let out a cold laugh and shut off my phone.As I lifted my bag and headed for the door, several of Emily's supporters surrounded me.Their expressions were filled with disdain."So what if your hunting results were impressive, Ariel? Can you get our pack into the Alpha King's banquet?""You really don't know your place. If not for Emily's arrival, our pack might never have even earned the right to lay eyes on the Alpha King."Emily stepped out from the crowd, standing proudly in front of me."All right, everyone, that's enough. Even though Ariel was

Chapter 4

The hall fell into instant silence, and everyone froze."That's the Alpha King. I've seen him from a distance at a celebration before.""Who is this shewolf? Why does she have a photo with him?""It's just a picture. That doesn't prove anything, right?""But I heard the Alpha King never takes photos..."I nodded slightly.My uncle truly despised being photographed.After the war, a brutal scar had been carved across his face. From that day on, he avoided cameras entirely.Except with me.Emily stumbled back, her flawless makeup cracking under the strain.The crowd looked between the two of us, confusion rippling through them."You said the Alpha King is your uncle. And she claims to be his daughter?""By that logic, you two should know each other."Emily's face had gone ghost‑white. Her lips trembled."That's impossible. You're lying. How could I not know if he had a niece?"Then she raised her voice, sharp and shrill."That photo is fake. You fabricated it!"Before I

Chapter 5

The moment my uncle said "my princess," the entire hall fell silent.When he saw me disheveled and cornered, his smile vanished in an instant. He spoke with a voice that carried absolute authority."What happened here?"His eyes swept across the crowd. No one dared to meet his gaze.Everyone's bodies shook as they kept their eyes down."What just happened? Why is my princess being treated this way?"His commanding voice echoed through the banquet hall."Will no one speak? I'll ask one last time. Who did this? What happened?"No one could have expected the once gentle Alpha King to look so furious. His eyes glowed red, like he could tear everyone in the hall apart.Finally, someone couldn't withstand the pressure and fell to their knees."Your Majesty, perhaps there's been a misunderstanding...""That's right. Your princess... can't be Ariel, right?"My uncle narrowed his eyes, scanning everyone in the room."What do you mean?"Someone trembled as they pointed at Emily."

Chapter 6

"Shut up! You're a fool! You don't even know what that means? Without them, none of the packs would exist the way they do today!"I shrugged and looked at my uncle."Uncle Hyde, I have to say, I'm surprised you actually gave her the emblem."He let out a weary sigh."Once I realized she was aiming for the successor's place, I expelled her from the palace. Giving her the emblem was my hope that whichever pack she found would accept her out of respect for me. I never imagined she would use it to pull all this nonsense!"Then my uncle stepped forward and grabbed Emily by the wrist, yanking hard.Emily screamed in pain and let go, the emblem clattering to the floor."Emily, I gave you a chance."Seeing the look in my uncle's eyes, Emily shook her head in terror."No! You can't do this to me! My father saved you! You should make me your successor!"My uncle's patience snapped. He shoved her away and barked, "Silence! Your father did save me long ago, and I am grateful for that. Bu