Chapter 1

My fiancé's stepsister, Adina Mercer, claimed to be a messenger of the Moon Goddess, able to relay divine decrees on Her behalf.

Because of that, everything in our relationship had to be arranged by her.

From when I should go to the hospital after an injury to the brand of protection we used in bed, she decided everything.

Today marked the ninety-ninth time Kellan Ashford had skipped our mating ceremony because of something she said, leaving me standing alone at the altar.

When I called, his voice was calm as he gave me the same line he always did.

"Adina divined it. Today isn't a good day for us to mate. If we force it, we'll put both our lives at risk."

I gripped my phone and laughed.

"Did she also divine that if you keep refusing to mate with me, your pack will be destroyed?"

A beat of stunned silence.

Then he softened his tone.

"I know you're upset, but there's nothing I can do. It's the Moon Goddess's decree.

"Be good. There'll be another auspicious date next month, and I'll definitely mark you then.

"Adina hurt her hand. I need to go bandage it for her. Figure out how to explain this to everyone."

The call ended. Every wolf in the hall was watching me, waiting for my humiliation.

I closed my eyes and let the stillness settle over me.

They had no idea that their pack should have been swallowed whole by the far more powerful Mooncrest Pack long ago.

I had fallen in love with their Alpha and begged my father to turn a conquest into a marriage alliance.

That was the only reason they had known peace.

Too bad they didn't appreciate it.

Fine, then. Let Mooncrest's claws tear this land apart.

第1章

I opened my eyes and swept a cool gaze over the wolves below.

"I'm sorry, everyone. The ceremony can't proceed."

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

"How many times has this been now? Our Alpha obviously doesn't want to marry her. How can she be so shameless?"

"If I were her, I'd be too embarrassed to show my face. Riding on some tiny favor to force a mating with the Alpha? She must be desperate."

...

Ever since my wolf awakened, my hearing had been exceptionally sharp. Every word reached me.

In the past, every time Kellan left me behind, I would take the blame and make excuses for him.

But this time, I smiled.

"The ceremony is canceled because your Alpha ran off with his stepsister.

"I'm officially and permanently canceling my mating ceremony with Kellan. From this moment on, he and I have nothing to do with each other."

I tore off my veil, ignored the strange looks, and walked out.

Back at the villa Kellan and I shared, the door wouldn't open. Again.

Not surprising.

Every time Adina visited, she changed the door code.

She would let me bang on the door for hours before finally opening it with a show of innocence, claiming her music had been too loud to hear.

Such a flimsy excuse, yet Kellan never questioned it.

But this time, I was done playing their game.

I called a locksmith.

The locksmith was working on the lock when the door swung open from inside.

Kellan stood there, brows furrowed.

"What are you doing? If you can't get in, why didn't you call me?"

I pulled out my phone and waved the screen of missed calls at him.

"You didn't pick up."

He instinctively reached for his phone.

That was when Adina appeared behind him, holding his phone, her face full of apology.

"Sorry, I got so caught up in my game that I didn't notice Vanya calling you."

"You let her use your phone?"

I stared at Kellan, a bitter ache rising in my chest.

Kellan had always been obsessive about his boundaries.

In three years together, he had never once let me touch his phone.

Just last month, I'd fallen off a cliff during training and gotten hurt. My phone wasn't on me, and I'd asked to borrow his to call a doctor. He still refused.

I could still hear his exact words.

"Vanya, a strong wolf doesn't call for help over a minor training injury.

"Besides, my phone is personal. I can't just let you go through it."

I ended up limping out of the mountains alone, gritting my teeth through the pain.

Yet here was Adina, casually playing games on it.

Kellan looked away.

"Adina works hard. She needs a way to unwind. Stop being jealous over every little thing."

I nodded.

"Got it. I'm going in to pack my things."

He turned and went inside. Adina followed.

I paid the locksmith.

The moment I stepped in, Adina spoke up with a grin.

"Vanya, the Moon Goddess just delivered a decree. Your body is steeped in dark energy. You need to go guard Sunset Cliff for a year, or you'll face divine punishment."

My hands froze over the clothes I was folding. I looked at Kellan.

"You believe that?"

Sunset Cliff was riddled with toxic miasma and unknown dangers. Even the most seasoned wolf would barely survive it.

Kellan didn't even look up.

"The Moon Goddess is the highest power in our pack. We should all obey Her will."

Adina sidled up to me, wearing her best concerned expression.

"If you truly loved Kellan, you wouldn't defy the Moon Goddess's decree and stay in the pack knowing your body is tainted.

"It's only a year. Just go and try it. What's there to hesitate about?"

I scoffed.

"Easy for someone to say whatever she wants when she's hiding behind a fake title."

The instant the words left my mouth, Adina's eyes reddened.

"Vanya, everything I do is for the pack, and you doubt me..."

Kellan's voice turned cold.

"Apologize to Adina."

"An apology? Not happening. But I will do what she wants and stay far away from you."

I ignored him. My things were mostly packed. I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the door.

Kellan's phone buzzed. He glanced down at it.

Then he came after me.

第2章

"What was that about at the altar? What do you mean the mating ceremony is permanently canceled?"

Kellan grabbed my wrist, displeasure written all over his face.

"I know calling you at the last minute to cancel the mating upset you.

"But everything I did was in obedience to the Moon Goddess's decree, and for our future. As the future Luna, can't you be a little more understanding?"

I wrenched free and shook my head.

"I won't be your Luna.

"I meant every word I said at that altar."

After leaving the villa, I checked into a hotel.

My phone buzzed in my bag.

It was my father.

"I already know what happened at the mating ceremony.

"This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last. A man who truly wants to mate with you will make it happen no matter what. But if he doesn't want to, he'll always find an excuse.

"My girl, are you sure you still want him as your mate?"

It had taken my father a single remark to grasp what I had needed ninety-nine tries to understand.

I answered softly.

"It's over between us. Whatever you've been planning, you don't need to hold back on my account."

A smile crept into his voice.

"Good! That's my daughter. The future female Alpha of Mooncrest doesn't do anything halfway!

"Want me to send someone to pick you up? The sooner you leave that sorry excuse of a pack, the better."

"No. I'll come home on my own later."

I hung up and sank into a deep sleep.

When I opened my eyes, my phone showed hundreds of missed calls from Kellan and a flood of messages.

I was about to read them when the door was kicked in.

Kellan stormed in, eyes bloodshot.

"Vanya! If you have a problem, take it up with me! What did Adina ever do to you?

"Everything she says comes straight from the Moon Goddess. Are you questioning the Moon Goddess Herself?"

The Moon Goddess was the highest faith of all wolves. Kellan was wielding that accusation like a weapon.

I blinked.

"What are you talking about? What happened to her?"

Kellan sneered.

"You don't know what you did?

"You posted online just so people would feel sorry for you and go after Adina, didn't you?

"Well, congratulations. The comments are vicious. Adina is sensitive. How is she supposed to handle that?"

I scrolled to the top trending topics.

#WestmereAlphaAbandonsMateForStepsisterAdina#

#AdinaFakesMoonGoddessDecreesToStealHerSistersMate#

...

One trending topic after another, all about Adina.

But she still held the title of the Moon Goddess's messenger, and the majority were defending her. Only a handful believed she was lying.

Even reasonable doubts were swallowed up by her supporters. How many people were actually attacking her? And how harsh could they really be?

I said calmly.

"Those posts weren't from me. They have nothing to do with me."

Kellan's jaw tightened.

"Drop the act. The person you hired to post already confessed!

"Adina couldn't take it and jumped from the fifth floor. The doctors are still trying to save her. Do you even have a heart?"

My mouth opened, but the words stuck in my throat.

Once a wolf awakened, male or female, their physical resilience increased dramatically.

Jumping from the fifth floor was about as dangerous as hopping over a puddle.

As a pack Alpha, there was no way he didn't know that.

The only explanation was that because it was Adina, he'd lost the ability to think straight.

Before I could figure out how to prove my innocence, he hauled me to my feet.

"Adina is hurt because of you. I want you to go kneel before the Moon Goddess's shrine and pray. Pray that she survives.

"And when she wakes up, you'll beg for her forgiveness."

I struggled with everything I had.

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not even fully dressed!"

What set wolves apart from common beasts was their capacity for reason and the decency of clothing.

To appear outside in a state of undress was a profound humiliation.

He hesitated for only a second before gritting his teeth.

"This is the punishment you deserve for what you did to Adina."

I stared at his cold profile.

The last thread holding my heart together finally snapped.

第3章

On the street, leering, predatory gazes fell on me from every direction.

I hung my head and let Kellan drag me in silence.

We arrived at the hospital entrance.

His subordinate Leo hurried over.

"Adina is fine, sir. You can relax."

His eyes slid toward me, lingering on my chest.

"You can leave Vanya to me, sir. I have plenty of ways to deal with a prisoner."

Kellan's brow darkened. His fist slammed into Leo's face.

"She's mine. You don't get to touch her."

Leo crashed to the ground and scrambled to his knees, apologizing frantically.

"I was out of line, sir. Please forgive me."

Kellan ignored him and draped his jacket over my shoulders.

His voice was stiff.

"I'll keep today's incident quiet. Adina probably doesn't want to see you. Go pray at the Moon Goddess's shrine and repent."

I said nothing.

Before, seeing him defend me like that would have convinced me he still cared, that he just hadn't realized it yet.

But now, all I felt was cold.

On my third day locked inside the Moon Goddess's shrine, my phone still had no signal.

As the sky darkened, voices drifted in from outside.

"Adina is incredible. She actually wrote a detailed combat training plan for the pack."

"And the best part is she knows every squad inside out. The plan is tailored to each team's fighting style. You should have seen how grateful those warriors were."

"Moon Goddess bless us! Now there's someone worthy of being our Luna!"

...

My heart plummeted.

That combat training plan was mine!

Back when I loved Kellan, I had always worried that my father would one day ignore my feelings and move against Westmere.

To protect Kellan's pack, I had used everything I'd learned since childhood to create a perfect training plan, so that when war came, he could defend his own.

But how had my work ended up under Adina's name?

I rushed to the doors and screamed.

"Let me out! I need to see Kellan!"

No one answered.

By the time my voice had gone hoarse, I finally heard footsteps.

Someone opened the doors and respectfully ushered Kellan and Adina inside.

"Adina is kind enough to worry about you before she's even fully healed. Apologize to her and we can put this behind us."

Adina came up to me with a sweet smile and reached for my hand.

"Vanya, I know you weren't thinking clearly.

"No matter what you think of me, I've always thought of you as my best friend. Let's get along from now on, okay? Let's not make things harder for Kellan."

I grabbed her wrist and laughed coldly.

"Is that what friends do? Put their name on someone else's work?

"You wrote that training plan? Do you even know everyone in our combat units?"

第4章

Adina's face crumpled, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Vanya, that hurts. I wrote the training plan. How could it possibly be yours?

"If you wanted shared credit, you could have just asked. But you can't claim my work as your own."

She looked perfectly innocent. Perfectly pitiful.

If I hadn't poured my heart and soul into that plan, I might have believed her too.

But in Kellan's eyes, her version was the truth.

He pushed me aside and looked at Adina with soft, pained eyes.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let her near you. Since she won't listen, let her stay here and reflect."

He supported Adina as he led her away.

I chased after them.

"Kellan! I have proof that the plan is mine!

"I'm the only one who knows what the string of numbers at the end of the plan means!"

They both stopped.

Kellan frowned.

"It's just a string of numbers. That doesn't prove anything."

"But if you don't understand those numbers and train blindly, your warriors will only get weaker! Adina, can you tell us what they mean?"

I dug my nails into my palms.

A flicker of guilt crossed Adina's face.

"Kel, I'm not feeling well. I can't breathe."

Kellan studied her face for a long moment, then scooped her up and left.

He left me with one sentence.

"I'm the Alpha of Westmere. If I say the plan is Adina's, then it's Adina's."

I slumped against the door, my body sliding down to the floor.

So that was how it was. In Kellan's eyes, the truth didn't matter.

I simply wasn't the one in his heart, so I didn't deserve the right to speak the truth.

My phone, which had had no signal for days, suddenly buzzed.

A message from my father.

"Vanya, the warriors are assembled. I'm about to lead Mooncrest to flatten Westmere. Stay safe. I'm coming to bring you home."

I looked up at Kellan's retreating figure, my emotions tangled.

This day had always been coming.

The guards locked me in again.

I knelt before the Moon Goddess's statue and prayed silently.

"Moon Goddess, protect us."

In the dead of night, a crash at the doors jolted me awake.

Two warriors seized my arms and dragged me to the altar.

I was thrown to the ground like a rag doll.

Wolves crowded below the altar.

Adina stepped forward and bowed to the Moon Goddess.

"Great Moon Goddess! On behalf of the pack, I thank You for Your guidance."

Then she picked up a bowl of dark liquid and walked toward me.

Wolves forced my shoulders down, making me kneel before her.

As she drew closer, alarm shot through me.

It was wolfsbane!

It was lethal to any wolf.

I fought with everything I had.

"Let go of me! You have no right to do this!"

Adina tilted my chin up, her expression full of pity.

"Vanya, the Moon Goddess told me. The wolf inside you has been corrupted by darkness.

"She's been leading you astray, making you do terrible things.

"Only by putting her to sleep can you go back to normal.

"Don't worry. I had the healer adjust the dosage. It won't harm you."

I shook my head frantically, trying to pull back, but the wolves held me fast.

I could hear my wolf howling inside me.

She sensed the danger. The wolfsbane wasn't meant to put her to sleep. It was meant to kill her.

Desperate, I turned my helpless gaze to Kellan.

"Save me. I saved you once. You promised you'd always protect me."

Kellan's brow furrowed, and something like reluctance flickered in his eyes.

He was about to speak, but Adina cut in first.

"Kel! The Moon Goddess is never wrong. Putting Vanya's wolf to sleep is what's best for her.

"Besides, have you forgotten all the terrible things she's done since her wolf awakened?"

Kellan turned his face away, his voice rough.

"Vanya, I believe stealing credit for Adina's training plan wasn't really your intention. Once your wolf is fully asleep, everything will get better."

The wolves below began to murmur.

"Awakening your wolf is one of the biggest events in any pack. No one has ever been punished by having theirs put to sleep. She must have truly crossed the Alpha."

"Everyone knows Adina and the Alpha grew up together. No outsider could ever compete with that bond. She was deluding herself."

"Without her wolf, can she even call herself one of us? I wouldn't have the nerve to go on living."

I heard every word. So did Kellan.

He said nothing.

With her back to the crowd, Adina's face twisted with venom.

She pried my mouth open and whispered so only I could hear.

"You deserve this. This is what you get for going after Kel."

The liquid touched my lips. I pressed them together with everything I had, but it still seeped into my mouth.

I felt my wolf crying out in agony inside me, and tears streamed down my face.

Was I really going to lose her...

That was when a bullet whizzed past Adina's hair.

She dropped the bowl in shock, trembling all over.

"Who's there?!"

A deep voice boomed from the far end of the altar.

"I'd like to see who dares lay a hand on the future female Alpha of Mooncrest!"