Chapter 1 Chapter 1

I was Alpha Scott's fated human mate. He hated me for ten years, yet he died saving me in an explosion. Driven to suicide by the pack, I reopened my eyes to find myself back on the day the Moon Goddess designated me as Scott's mate. "Human!? A weak human is my mate? What kind of sick joke is this!" Scott's roar echoed across the Moonlit Plaza. I stood frozen, my heart pounding. I was back, back to the Moon Hunt Festival from ten years ago—the day my destiny and Scott’s intertwined. "Alpha, this is the Moon Goddess's decree," the Head Elder reminded him softly. "To hell with the Moon Goddess's decree!" Scott ripped off the ceremonial badge pinned to his chest. "I will not accept a useless female without even claws as my Luna!" The werewolves around us whispered amongst themselves. Joanna stood a short distance away, a smug smile playing on her lips. She was noble and elegant, a blue-blood, Scott's childhood sweetheart. I took a deep breath. This time, I wouldn't make the same mistakes. "I request to perform the Severing Ceremony." My voice was clear and firm, causing an uproar in the plaza. Scott’s expression froze, his golden eyes flashing with disbelief. "What?""You heard me, Alpha." I looked him straight in the eye. "I want to cut the bond between us. I ask the Elder Council to allow Scott and Joanna to mate, to strengthen the pack alliance." The plaza erupted into chaos. This was unprecedented—a mate chosen by the Moon Goddess actively requesting to sever the bond? "Ha!" Scott laughed mockingly. "I didn't expect you to have some self-awareness." My heart felt like it was being stabbed, but I fought back tears. I remembered the Moon Goddess's words: "Within one day of your rebirth, you must remedy his three greatest regrets from his past life to change his fate. But rebirth always comes with a price." The first regret: Regretting being mated to Elena. I would grant him his wish. "The Severing Ceremony requires preparation," the Head Elder said with a frown. "It will take at least three days.""Then let's not waste any time." Scott looked at me coldly, then turned to leave. I instinctively reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. "Wait...""What now?" he snapped, turning back impatiently. "Before... before we officially sever the bond, could you take me to Skyfall Ridge to see the aurora just once?" I asked, mustering my courage. This was one of my biggest regrets from my past life; he had never agreed. Scott frowned, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. I knew what he was thinking—why was I being so compliant, even proposing the severing myself, yet making such a request? Unexpectedly, he nodded. "Tomorrow night. Don't keep me waiting." I stood rooted to the spot, watching him walk away. "You're such a silly girl," a gentle voice said from behind me. It was the Old Shaman, the pack's wiseman. "Why do you say that?""Because your eyes betray you," the Old Shaman said meaningfully. "Even as you decided to sever the bond, you're still deeply in love with him." I couldn't deny it. "Scott's father has asked me to start preparing for the Severing Ceremony tomorrow," the Shaman sighed. "They've been looking forward to this day for a long time.""I know." The Shaman handed me a wooden box. "These are the scrolls and materials needed for the Severing Ceremony. Study them well; the ritual requires your complete focus.""Thank you," I said, taking the wooden box. As I walked out of the plaza, I heard a few werewolves whispering behind me: "She actually knows her place...""A useless human like her, fit to be our Luna?""The Alpha and Joanna are a match made in heaven!" I quickened my pace, tears finally streaming down my face. Late that night, I opened the wooden box the Shaman had given me, studying the complex runes and ritual requirements. "The Severing Ceremony... No, I won't perform the Severing Ceremony," I muttered to myself. "I'll use the Alliance Blessing Ceremony instead." The Alliance Blessing Ceremony would allow Scott to form a political alliance with Joanna's family even without me as his mate. He could have everything he wanted, without me needing to be there. I pulled out the human ID and the long-distance bus ticket from the bottom of my suitcase. I had prepared these ??? thing after my rebirth. Looking at my exhausted reflection in the mirror, I whispered, "Tomorrow, it will all be over."

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"Scott! Help me!" A scream shattered the dawn quiet. Scott and I were standing at the entrance of Skyfall Ridge, about to climb together. The urgent cry for help made Scott tense up instantly. "Joanna?" he said, looking back sharply. A disheveled female werewolf stumbled towards us; it was Joanna's second-in-command, Melissa. "Alpha! It's terrible! Miss Joanna is breaking down! Her wolf is about to lose complete control!" Melissa cried, tears in her eyes. "She found out you chose a human mate, and her mental strength completely shattered!" Scott's face changed instantly. "Where is she?""The family territory..." Scott didn't even glance at me before turning to leave. After three steps, he stopped and said without looking back, "Wait for me." Then he disappeared into the forest. I stood there, shaking my head with a bitter smile. Same as always, Scott. For ten years, you've always put Joanna first. Back at my temporary quarters, I took out the items hidden under my pillow—a fake ID and a bus ticket to leave the pack lands. The bus was scheduled for eight o'clock tonight, heading to a coastal town five hundred miles away. A small note fell out from under the ticket—"Ticket confirmed, window seat. Safe travels, Elena." It was signed by the Old Shaman. He knew I was leaving. He always knew everything. I took a deep breath. It was time to face the hardest part. The atmosphere in the Elder Council Hall was solemn. I stood before Scott's parents, feeling their cold stares. "You requested a private meeting with us. What is it?" the former Alpha asked coldly. "I've come to say goodbye." I looked him straight in the eye. "I'm leaving the pack lands tonight, and I will never return." Scott's mother scoffed. "So you've finally realized your place? But do you really think the Severing Ceremony can be completed so easily?""I'm not here to talk about the Severing Ceremony." I shook my head. "I'm here to warn you.""Warn us?" Both of them frowned. "The Moon Goddess gave me a prophetic dream," I said gravely. "If Scott and I are forcibly bound together, ten years from now, he will die a horrible death in a bloody battle." The temperature in the room plummeted. "What nonsense are you talking?" Scott's father roared. "He will die saving me." My voice trembled with pain. "The Bloodfang Pack's silver bombs will explode right here." I pointed to my heart. "They'll shatter his insides, making him die in agony." The details I described were so precise that even the anger on Scott's father's face was replaced by shock. "I don't know if you believe in prophetic dreams, but I can't take that risk," I continued. "Let Scott and Joanna be together. I've already prepared for an 'Alliance Blessing Ceremony,' not a Severing Ceremony. This way, even if they aren't true mates, they can still form a solid political alliance." The former Luna—Scott's mother—nervously clutched her husband's hand. "This kind of thing... we can't just ignore it.""Where will you go?" the former Alpha asked. "As far away as possible," I said with a bitter smile. "Let Scott forget about me, this human." Leaving the Elder Council Hall, I felt a sense of relief. The second regret: "Regretting not defying the elders' arrangements," was also fulfilled. Night fell, and I went to Skyfall Ridge alone. The moon had just risen, its silver light like water. This was the time Scott and I had agreed to meet. But I knew he wouldn't come; he was surely still taking care of Joanna. "It's so beautiful..." I whispered, gazing at the magnificent aurora before me. "At least in this life, I get to see it with my own eyes.""You betrayed me." An icy voice came from behind me, and I whirled around. Scott stood there, his eyes burning with furious flames. He exuded a dangerous aura, his eyes glowing with a beastly golden light in the moonlight. "What exactly did you tell the Elders?" he demanded, stepping closer. "They suddenly backed off all pressure on Joanna's family and even agreed to the Alliance Blessing!" I took a step back. "I just told them the truth—""Bullshit!" he roared. "Do you know what state Joanna is in right now? She was so desperate she used 'Soul-Devouring Sorcery'! That's forbidden!" I widened my eyes in surprise. Soul-Devouring Sorcery? The kind of dark magic that could destroy the caster's soul? "Why would she do that?""It's all because of you!" Scott's eyes were filled with resentment. "Those damn stories you told the Elders made Joanna completely lose hope! She knows she can never have me!" I froze. This wasn't right. If the Elders had agreed to the Alliance Blessing, Joanna should be happy. Why would she try to destroy herself? Scott's fist slammed into a nearby rock with a loud crash. "If anything happens to Joanna, I swear, I'll make you pay!" Under the moonlight, his gaze was as cold as a blade, piercing my heart. "Tell me..." he advanced on me, his breath hot on my face, "how do we save her?"

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

"There is a way," I said, biting my lip, my eyes determined. "What way?" Scott stared intently at me. "Soul-Devouring Sorcery needs to be purified. Only a mate blessed by the Moon Goddess, by offering their 'Life Source,' can do it," I said calmly, though my heart was racing. "How do you know this?" Scott's eyes narrowed, full of suspicion. "The Shaman told me," I lied. In reality, I had witnessed Joanna suffering the backlash of the sorcery in my past life. "Let's go." Scott grabbed my wrist without another word, his grip strong enough to nearly crush my bones. We raced through the forest to the pack Shaman's wooden cabin. In the dim candlelight, the Old Shaman was grinding some herbs. "Shaman, is this true?" Scott got straight to the point. "Can a human's Life Source undo Soul-Devouring Sorcery?" The Old Shaman looked up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, then looked at me, his expression complex. "Yes, Alpha. But...""But what?""For a human, extracting their Life Source is almost fatal," the Shaman sighed. "She will most likely die." Scott's hand abruptly let go of me. He turned, his back to me, shoulders tense. "No.""I'm willing," I stepped forward, my voice firm. Scott whirled around, his eyes full of shock and anger. "Are you crazy? What does this have to do with you?""This is what I owe Joanna," I looked him straight in the eye. "And what I owe you." He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it. The internal struggle was almost written on his face. "Prepare the ritual, Shaman," I said, not giving Scott a chance to object. The Old Shaman sighed and rose to prepare. "Alpha, the ritual will be very painful. Are you sure you want to be present?" Scott didn't answer, but his eyes told me—he wouldn't leave. An hour later, the ritual site was ready. The Shaman had drawn complex runes on the ground, surrounded by seven lit black candles. Joanna was brought in, her condition shocking—her skin was as pale as paper, her eyes completely black, with black bloodstains around her lips. "Let's begin," the Shaman motioned for me to lie in the center of the runes. Just then, Scott suddenly took off his leather jacket and covered my eyes with it. "Don't look." His voice was surprisingly gentle. "It's going to hurt a lot." In the darkness, I felt his presence near. "I'll make it up to you... no matter what." The ritual began. Agony, like a thousand knives stabbing my body simultaneously, coursed through me. I heard my own screams, felt my body being torn apart from the inside. Blood flowed from my nose, ears, and eyes. In a daze, I thought I saw a golden light surge from my chest and fly towards Joanna. Her agonized roars merged with my screams. Then... everything went dark. After some unknown time, I awoke to the beeping of a heart monitor. "You're awake." I turned my head and saw Scott sitting by my bedside. He looked haggard, his eyes bloodshot. "Joanna..." I managed hoarsely. "She's fine now," Scott replied softly. "Thanks to you." I closed my eyes, feeling the weakness throughout my body. I could sense my life force had been greatly diminished; this was the price of offering my Life Source. "Why did you do it?" he asked, his voice a mixture of confusion and some emotion I couldn't decipher. "This way, you don't owe me anything," I smiled. "You can be with Joanna with a clear conscience." Scott frowned. "The Shaman said you'll need at least three months to fully recover. I was thinking... maybe I could take you to Seattle. They have the best human hospitals there. As... compensation." His offer pained my heart. Still the same pattern—guilt, not love. "No need, Scott," I said softly. "I plan to leave this place.""What?" He shot up from his seat. "There are no more debts between us." I looked him straight in the eye. "I wish you and Joanna happiness." Scott opened his mouth to say something, but his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at it, and his face changed. "It's Joanna... she's awake...""Go on," I said, looking away. He hesitated for a moment, then finally left. After the door closed, I struggled to get up and change my clothes. The Shaman had already prepared everything for me—forged discharge papers, enough medication, and tonight's bus ticket. I left a letter for the Shaman to give to Scott: "By the time you read this, I'll be gone. Don't try to find me; this is my choice. I've fulfilled my mission. Be happy, Alpha." At 7 PM, I quietly slipped out of the pack's medical center. At 10 PM, when Scott stormed into my hospital room, only to find the empty bed, the Shaman handed him my letter. And just at midnight, breaking news spread throughout the pack lands—a long-distance bus leaving town had lost control on a mountain road, crashed off a cliff, and burst into flames. On the passenger list, clear as day, was the name "Elena Miller." Due to the intensity of the fire, the bodies were severely burned and unrecognizable.