Chapter 1

Introduction："Other hands hold me as I push my way into the depths, and the night of the moon's night my lower back roar: 'Your blood, your breath, your breath—the city just belongs to me.'" Since then, I have been blessed with a heavenly blessing, and I have been given a life-long wolf to protect my guardianship. Desperately running away, more than capable of running away from the bottom, ignoring the self-defeating Alpha story that is at its most dangerous. "Did you change my last name?" In the dark of the night, a man's scorching breath caught my eye..

The evening before I was supposed to receive my mating certificate, Jasper Flynn, the wolf destined to be my mate, announced his decision to mark my best friend, Mireille Dalton, as his Luna.

Betrayed by both my closest companion and the wolf I had once loved, I became the subject of gossip within the pack. Everyone waited eagerly for my downfall. Yet, Nolan Reed, the esteemed Beta of one of London’s most influential packs, appeared unexpectedly and proclaimed his desire to claim me as his mate.

Without hesitation, I accepted his claim and stepped into the role of his Luna. Following our ceremony, I abandoned the dream I had spent years working toward. Instead, I devoted myself entirely to my new position, embodying the ideal Luna of the Reed Pack. Among the high-ranking she-wolves of the elite, I became someone they envied.

During a pack gathering, I arrived to escort a drunken Nolan home, only to overhear his sister, a wolf of high standing, speaking of me with pity.

“Nolan, the marketplace you built for Mireille’s pack is set to open soon, isn’t it? You’ve given up so much for her—even your bond with Selena was part of the scheme.”

With a bitter chuckle, Nolan responded, “As long as Mireille finds happiness, I will clear every obstacle from her path.”

The affection I had believed in, the devotion I had trusted—it had all been an illusion.

I had been nothing more than a pawn in their elaborate game.

That was the moment I decided to walk away.

Accompanied by Irene Humphrey, Nolan’s most trusted warrior and aide, I made my way to the pack’s private lodge, carrying a bowl of herbal tonic meant to soothe his drunken state.

A resident Omega informed me that Nolan was resting in the Alpha’s private chamber.

As I reached for the door, the sharp scent of alcohol filled my senses.

Through the half-open doorway, I heard a voice I recognized all too well.

“Nolan, the trading grounds for Mireille’s pack will be operational soon. You’ve spent years making sacrifices for her, even arranging your bond with Selena as part of the plan. How long do you intend to keep lying to her?”

My body stiffened. Just as I prepared to enter, Nolan’s slurred yet unmistakably bitter voice reached my ears.

“As long as Mireille remains content, I can keep up the act indefinitely.”

“For her sake, I will eliminate every obstacle.”

It felt as though lightning had struck me, paralyzing my every movement. My hand hovered in the air, unable to complete its motion.

Beside me, Irene cast a sideways glance, sympathy flickering in her eyes. Everyone had known the truth—except me.

Time seemed to halt. The soft flute melody playing in the lodge suddenly grated on my nerves, a sound too piercing to bear. My world, once secure, now crumbled around me.

“Selena adores you, Nolan. She has given you everything. What happens when she uncovers the truth?”

“She never will.”

Despite the warmth of the chamber, a chill crept through me.

I turned to Irene and murmured, “Beta Nolan has had too much to drink. Give this to him later. I’ll be outside.”

Then, as a quiet reminder, I added, “And make sure you don’t say anything you shouldn’t.”

Stepping into the night, I sat outside, my eyes lost in the vast sky above our pack’s land. The full moon shone down, indifferent to my turmoil.

Memories surfaced, unbidden and relentless. Jasper breaking our bond without warning. The scandal that followed. The humiliation that awaited me. And then, Nolan, stepping forward as my savior, telling the pack he had always loved me, marking me before them all.

I had trusted his words. I had believed his promises. Our mating ceremony had been celebrated throughout the territory as a tale of love triumphing over adversity.

Now, I saw the truth for what it was. A deception. A carefully crafted illusion.

Inside, Irene helped Nolan into the black SUV waiting outside the lodge. His expression remained hazy for a brief moment before something sharpened behind his gaze.

Then, he leaned his head against my shoulder.

“It was just a pack meeting, Selena. You could have let Irene handle it.”

I forced a small smile. “You shift unpredictably when you drink. I didn’t want you getting hurt.”

Nolan exhaled, gripping my arm.

“Mireille’s new trading grounds open tomorrow. I’ll be working late. Don’t stay up for me.”

“There have been sightings of rogues along the borders. Stay vigilant.”

That night, no matter how I turned in bed, sleep refused to come.

Then, a sudden thought surfaced. I had left my moonstone charm in the study.

Rising from bed, I entered the study. As I opened the drawer beneath the desk, the edge of several folded documents peeked out from within.