The Alpha Marked Another While I Was Dying
Kael and I, Bella, grew up side by side in the Silverclaw Pack. We were bound by the unbreakable thread of fate.
Just as we reached adulthood and dreamed of our future together, I was diagnosed with Wolf Soul Degeneration: a rare, incurable illness that would drain my life force completely in just one week.
Our Marking Ceremony had been scheduled for exactly one month later.
Kael, the rightful Alpha heir, was scheduled to depart for the three-year Northern Trials, the only path to earning his place as leader of our pack.
Knowing he would abandon everything to stay with me, I made the unbearable choice to break his heart and drive him away.
Three days after I staged my betrayal, he appeared before me, his arm wrapped around a soft-spoken she-wolf from the Blackstone Pack.
I forced myself to stand tall and pretend nothing was wrong as he stared at me for a long, heavy moment.
Then he pulled out an official pack decree and said, "Ella and I will be mated in three days. I want you to officiate the ceremony."
Without another word, he turned and walked away with his new Luna-to-be
I stared at the decree in my hands until my vision blurred.
"I'm sorry. I hope you're happy forever."