Semua Bab Begged to Mark Me? It's too Late!: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Andrew left with the she-wolf.The roar of the car engine cut through the night.Joey,the Omega,sighed beside me."Luna,why provoke the Alpha?You know he resents you."I picked up the ring by my feet and dropped it in the trash."Joey,go on.I'll be fine."The housekeeper sighed once more and left.I went upstairs alone.Stripped off the elaborate gown.Changed into a plain T-shirt,pulled out a suitcase,and packed everything in the closet that was mine.Other mates who split up still had to go through the formalities—the unbinding ceremony.But the only thing connecting Andrew and me was a ring.Now that the ring had been discarded like garbage,whatever we'd had was over.No one would have guessed that the wedding that once shook the North—the Alpha and his Luna—had never even been sealed with a mark.I still remembered what Andrew said at our wedding."I'll never mark you.The only wolf I'll ever mark is Rachel.You should never have married me,Daisy."But what could I do?I married him any

Austin finished setting up the tent and brought out food and water to me.He flopped down on the mat beside me,sprawled out on his back,staring up at a sky just beginning to fill with stars."Hey,you should try this.Looking at stars like this hits different."At the Aldric Pack,everything came with rules.Everything had to befit a Luna's status.The phrase I'd heard most often was:"Luna Daisy,you can't do that."Lying on my back to stargaze?I'd never even considered it.Not that Austin gave me time to think.He grabbed my arm and pulled me right off the stool onto the mat."Lie down!"I let go of the pretense and did as he said.Lying down,the sky felt close enough to touch.We lay there like that,side by side,gazing at a canopy of stars,talking about everything and nothing.And quietly,I made a decision.I was going to start over.For real this time.Running away was just that—running.I needed to meet new people,see the world beyond these borders,until the day Andrew could stand right in

I started learning to make traditional pastries from the old woman down the street.At first I kept mixing up the sugar and salt,which had her in stitches,but watching the dough take shape into something sweet under my hands gave me a sense of groundedness I'd never felt in the North.Austin dropped by for meals now and then.He'd take a bite and dramatically declare it the best pastry in the world,making me laugh until tears ran down my face.One evening,I was watering the tulips when Austin came running over,looking conspiratorial.He said he wanted to show me something.We followed the river at the edge of town for a long time,until we reached a meadow blanketed in wildflowers.He pulled a guitar from his backpack,sat down in the grass,and started playing a bright folk tune.The evening breeze carried the scent of flowers and his music.Sitting beside him,I felt—for the first time—that I truly belonged here.That I belonged to this free,open air.The days drifted by,unhurried.I gradually

I touched the mark on my neck,still a little dazed.Back when I thought my mate would only ever be Andrew,I never could have imagined being marked by someone else.Last night,after Austin's relentless persuasion,I'd agreed to let him mark me—so he'd have something to show his family.Austin studied the mark on my neck."Let's go see my parents together.Otherwise my mom will keep thinking I'm making it all up."This marking felt strangely unreal.Three years ago,there'd been a grand wedding—all the ceremony and none of the substance.No mark.All of it had been a performance for an audience,a facade of happiness.Now I had a mark but no ceremony.And yet something in my chest felt settled.Maybe because I'd gone in with no expectations,there was nothing left to disappoint.Austin took me home to meet his parents.When we got back,he was beaming."Daisy,thanks to you,my parents finally agreed to let me hold my exhibition.This collection is my best work yet."A month later,Austin's exhibition

I pulled Austin inside and shut the door.He clutched his face,wincing."Babe,he hits hard.Quick—check if I'm disfigured."I dug out the first-aid kit."Stop calling me that.Hold still and let me put something on it."The moment I leaned in,he turned his head and pressed a kiss to my lips."Way more effective than medicine.And back there,when Andrew was around—you didn't correct me when I called you my Luna."I shoved the ointment into his hand."You said this was just a mark for show.Not a real mating."Austin grinned—the unmistakable look of someone who'd gotten exactly what they wanted."I just wanted to lock down my claim early,before that Aldric Alpha stole you back.""This is fraud!"I glared at him.Austin held my gaze,completely serious."Daisy—I traded my freedom for this.I agreed to work at the Werewolf Council in exchange for choosing my own mate.If this is fraud,I scammed myself into a life sentence.If you break our bond now,I'll have no mate and a desk job for the rest of my l