Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"The crush Olivia wrote in her book must be me!""Dream on! Blonde hair, blue eyes, tall, and strong. She must be describing me!" I stood at the door. The joy and anticipation of meeting my friends again were now reduced to nothing. On the other end of the line, Ryder heard every single word coming from the three of them, but he remained silent. "You can pick someone else. I only trained them so that one of them could become your mate," said Ryder. The three of them—Jack Lynch, Eric Jakeman, and Benjamin Zeller—were the candidates of my marriage of convenience. Dad had doted on me before he passed. He had always hoped that there would be someone protecting me and helping me lead the pack in the future. Ryder Wright, Dad's most trusted friend, Alpha of the Glace pack, selected three guys from his pack. He trained and guided them so that I could pick one of them as my mate later on. I spent all my time with them, and we were close. However, Olivia Smith stirred something up in our harmonious lives. Ever since my wolf was damaged, I became lost. My wolf broke away from my body and soul, and I almost couldn't feel it. As such, they had been sidelining me. After I recovered, I wanted to surprise them, only to hear them discussing a way to get rid of me. "Alpha Ryder, could you… be my mate?" On the other end, Ryder pondered for a moment. "Aria, don't worry. They didn't fulfill their mandates, so I'll come up with the best solution for you. You don't have to rush to pick your mate." Ryder's voice was laced with anger. After ending the call, I silently went down to the first floor, pretending that I had just entered the house. Suddenly, the three of them pushed the door open. All of them were stunned to see me standing in the living room on the first floor. "Why is she back?" Jack came back to his senses and clamped a hand over his mouth. Then, he whispered in Eric's ear, "Since Aria Moore is here, Alpha Ryder must be back, too.""We're doomed. She's picking her mate so soon!" Eric held his forehead, looking troubled. "Jack, you're the oldest here, so you should take on the responsibility." Benjamin cast his gaze upon Jack. "Don't guilt-trip me. Am I a garbage collector to you?" Jack retorted with a scowl. I pretended not to hear anything and let them continue their absurd acts. They saw me as trouble and pushed me around, thinking that I was a poor loser. "Stop arguing. I don't want to get involved with her. Let's escape through the back door." Benjamin made a gesture, signaling them to leave. "She's already back. Alpha Ryder will teach us a lesson if we don't attend to her." Eric pointed in my direction. The trio kept shifting the responsibility and decided to draw lots. "Aria, why are you back?" Eric asked helplessly. "Eric! I missed you guys so much, so Alpha Ryder had the chauffeur send me here." I continued to feign an excited and surprised look. "How long have you been back?" Eric pursed his lips and waved his hand, hinting at the two hiding behind him to leave as soon as possible. "They have a mission today, so I'll send you back. When they're back later, we'll hold a welcome party for you." Eric crafted those lies without a trace of guilt. "It's okay. Alpha Ryder said he'd be picking me up later." I pretended to be thoughtful. "Alpha Ryder is coming?" The three of them looked panicked. "Yeah!" I flashed a delighted smile. "He said he'd arrange a mate bonding ceremony for me." Dead silence instantly filled the air.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

The next morning, Jack arrived at the door of my villa, his face sullen. "Aria, I'll be your mate." I wasn't sure if Ryder had asked him to or if Jack had lost in a fight with Eric and Benjamin, but Jack said he wanted to be my mate with a sulky look. Staring at his awful expression, I struggled to hold back my laughter. Olivia stepped forward from behind Jack. "Aria, I'm glad to see you again.""Olivia?" I flashed a surprised look as I took a few steps forward. I deliberately stumbled on the steps, and the notebook in my hand fell onto the floor. Olivia panicked when she saw the draft of my novel in the wide-open notebook. "Oops! My notebook! That's the draft of a novel I wrote back then. I heard that werewolf novels have been getting popular recently. This time, I plan to compile the draft and publish it." I bent over to pick up the notebook. Olivia grew anxious. "Aria, you'd better not embarrass yourself with your limited literary knowledge. People are gonna laugh at you. Do you think you can be like Olivia?" Jack shot me a disdainful look and purposefully kicked the notebook to the side. "Jack, are you degrading me? Didn't you want to become my mate?""If not because of Alpha Ryder, none of us would volunteer to be your mate!" Jack crossed his arms and stared at me contemptuously. "Are you so sure that nobody wants me?" Clenching my fists, I glared at him. "You're just an unwanted loser, yet you're still so arrogant and full of yourself! I'm the only one who's willing to lower myself and be your mate. Ughh! How unlucky!" Jack couldn't be bothered to look at me. He merely turned around and grumbled. "Jack! Aria is still recovering. Don't say those things to provoke her." Suddenly, Olivia raised her voice at Jack. "What was he saying?" I pretended that I didn't hear him. "It's fine, Aria. I know the latest trend pretty well. Your writing style is too old-school, so people won't like it. Why don't you choose another genre?" Olivia wanted to distract me. "Oh? Okay, then. It's such a shame. I put my heart and soul into writing that novel back then." Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and quickly helped me into the house. "Just focus on your recovery and get ready for the mate bonding ceremony with Jack.""But I want to keep writing. Becoming an author has always been my dream." Seeing how uncertain I was, Olivia became nervous again. "Hmm… I can help you. I know many publishers, so I can help you compile the draft," she said, pretending to be supportive. "Aria, you're so lucky. Olivia is the most popular young author right now. Many people are dying to be her students. You'd better stop giving attitude, or you'd be too ungrateful!" Before I could say anything, Jack warned me not to disrespect Olivia. I felt a strong urge to slap these two shameless people in their faces. But since I had to keep pretending that I hadn't recovered, I would just let them say anything they wished for a few more days. I couldn't wait to see Jack's reaction when he found out that the best-selling book wasn't written by Olivia. "Sign here." Jack handed over a document. I glanced at it and saw "Mate Bonding Agreement" written on it. Jack only agreed to be my mate because he wanted Ryder's support. Meanwhile, Ryder only wanted someone to be my bodyguard and help me take over the pack. Nonetheless, all the terms in the agreement put me at a disadvantage. After he became my mate, Jack even wanted to be the Argent Flame pack's Alpha. If I were the one who terminated the agreement, he would hold the rights to kick me out of the pack and choose a new mate. His shamelessness was beyond what I could comprehend. "Opps! I'm sorry. It slipped from my hand." I took the document and pretended to look for a pen. But I tripped over the couch when I stood up. The document was tossed into the chimney at the side, and the smell of burnt paper wafted through the air. "Aria, you—" Jack was so furious that his face turned livid. "I didn't do that on purpose. I simply lost my balance," I explained aggrievedly. "You… Forget it. I'll bring another copy here next time." Jack was at a loss for words as he held back his anger. Seeing that his plan had failed, Jack slammed the door and left in a huff. Olivia immediately followed to comfort him. As soon as they left, the innocent look on my face vanished instantly. I picked up my phone. "Alpha Ryder, I guess you've made up your mind, right?"

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Ryder held a banquet for me to announce that I had recovered. The second announcement was that the Argent Flame pack and the Glace pack would merge into one pack after we got married. I would become the heir of the new pack. Jack, Eric, and Benjamin would be under me, whilst Ryder would be my strongest backing in place of my dad. Eric and Benjamin were ambitious and wanted to build their career, but Jack thought differently. "Aria, this is the gown Alpha Ryder tailor-made for you a year ago. Alpha Ryder picked all this jewelry and accessories for you himself," the makeup artist said enviously. The pack leaders of the North would be attending the banquet. Ryder also hired a professional team to dress me up. Soon, all the guests arrived at the banquet venue. "Olivia, you're so pretty today," Jack praised. "Olivia, what would you like to drink? How about champagne?" Benjamin quickly added. "Olivia doesn't want your champagne. Let's have some fruits." Eric brought a piece of fruit to Olivia's lips. Olivia wore a red, form-fitting gown that accentuated her curvy figure. The three of them served her attentively, seemingly trying to win her heart. "Alpha Ryder, they seem so close to each other!" Holding Ryder's arm, I walked past them. Ryder shot them a sideways glance. Annoyed, he took a few steps to the side. "Those brats. Birds of a feather flock together.""Alpha Ryder, what do you plan to do with them after this?""What do you think? I'll follow your orders.""Hmm… I'll have to think about it." I winked at Ryder and turned around. Holding the hem of my dress, I walked up to them. "Isn't that the Argent Flame pack's Princess? I heard that she's useless now.""Alpha Ryder took her in after her dad passed away. She's such a beauty. What a waste that her wolf can't be awakened now.""I also heard that Alpha Ryder initially planned to have one of his three heirs be her mate.""I guess nobody would want a mate without her wolf. But anyone who becomes her mate will be the Alpha heir of the pack!" Meanwhile, Jack tried to please Olivia by introducing the pack leaders of the North attending the banquet to her. Jack's face froze when he saw me. "Aria, why are you out here when you have such a lowly identity? It's such an important occasion today. You'd better not stir up trouble and embarrass yourself.""What are you guys talking about? I'm curious. Many reporters and prominent figures of the packs are here today. I want to introduce Olivia to them. Her talent should be appreciated by more people," I said. "Don't cause trouble here. You know nothing, so you'd better stay put and behave yourself!" Benjamin pushed me to the side, and I almost fell. Fortunately, I held onto the chair in front of me. "The banquet's held for me, isn't it? But you all had such a good time chatting without me." I scoffed. "Yeah! Stop following me around. You haven't seen each other for so long. Go spend some time with Aria." Forcing a smile, Olivia pretended to be understanding and took the heat off me. "Keep Aria company, and I can take a break at a corner on my own. It's fine." As soon as Olivia said that, she put on another aggrieved look. "Olivia, you don't have to do this. She's no longer the superior Princess of the Argent Flame pack. Why do we still need to please her?" Jack hurriedly placed a hand on Olivia's shoulder and comforted her. "She should be more sensible and stay put on the sidelines, so she doesn't bother us." I could no longer control the wolf in me, and my hands gripping the hem of my dress tightened. "It seems like the three of you aren't pleased with my arrangement?" Ryder's cold, husky voice rang out from behind. "A-Alpha Ryder…" Jack wanted to explain himself, but his words became stuck in his throat. Ryder swept his cold gaze across the crowd, and the discussion stopped in an instant. Everyone had the sense to hold their tongues. Olivia saw how young and good-looking the Glace pack's Alpha was, so she straightened her back and stepped forward. "Don't blame them. They're only worried that Aria hasn't fully recovered. There are many people here. If something comes up and she loses control of her wolf—""Who are you?" Ryder shot her a sideways glance and didn't say another word. He pulled me next to him and put his arm around my shoulders to comfort me. "I… I'm Olivia, Aria's best friend. Don't you remember me?" Olivia sounded slightly awkward. "Olivia?" Ryder arched his eyebrows and stared at her mockingly. "Was 'Love in the Moonlight' written by you?" Olivia had stolen my draft and published that book. Jack, Eric, and Benjamin had been arguing over the identity of Olivia's crush in the book. How ridiculous. I wrote that book, and the male lead had nothing to do with them. "Yeah. It's now the best-selling novel in the human world," Olivia said, her eyes gleaming. "What a coincidence. Aria loves writing, too." When I found out that my work had been stolen, I told Ryder. He wanted to do something, but I stopped him. "Olivia's writing and mindblowing description of scenes are something that can't be achieved by a person without talent," Jack kept complimenting how talented Olivia was. Meanwhile, Benjamin saw the mocking look in Ryder's gaze and quickly nudged Jack. Only then did Jack stop speaking. The host announced the start of the banquet, and Ryder went up to the stage to give his speech. I sat in the audience, waiting for Ryder to announce me as the pack's heir. Ryder was about to make the announcement, and I had just lifted my gown to walk toward the stage when Olivia suddenly bumped into me from the side. The wine she was holding splashed all over me. "I'm sorry, Aria. I was distracted just now and didn't notice you in front of me." Olivia got a wet tissue from somewhere and wiped it on my face. My makeup was smudged, and my white gown had red patches all over. "Aria, let's go to my RV. I'll ask my makeup artist to fix your makeup. You should also get changed into a new gown. I'm truly sorry." I saw a sly grin tugging at Olivia's lips and wanted to reject her. "Oh, but Alpha Ryder is about to announce—" However, Jack exchanged looks with the rest and quickly chimed in, "Won't you embarrass the pack if you go up the stage like this? Hurry up and get changed!""Yeah. Come with me. It should be fast." Before I could reply, Olivia tugged at me and walked out. "Wait for a bit. The makeup artist is getting the gown. She'll be here right away." She brought me to the RV parked at the farthest corner of the parking lot. "Here are some drinks and desserts. You can try them." With that, she took a candy from the table and unwrapped it before shoving it into my mouth. "Wait right here. I'll check if the makeup artist is here yet." Olivia turned around and left. Then, she closed the car door. I hastily spat out the candy, but realized that I had left my phone behind. Just then, the car door opened, and two strange men barged into the car. "Hey, this young lady is so pretty." In front of me, the man's eyes shone with lust. "No wonder Ryder took her in. Let us shower you with some love today." The two approached me and licked their lips, flashing their lecherous looks. "Stay away… Stay away from me!" I reached for everything around me and flung it on their faces. It was such a critical situation, and I could no longer control the wolf in me. My eyes turned bloodshot, and my nails became sharp. "Hey, her wolf has awakened!""How dare that bitch lie to us!""What should we do now?""What other choices do we have? Get her!" The man pounced on me with a ferocious look. Forced into a corner, I shifted into a white wolf and fought with them. I tried my best to break the windshield of the RV and ran toward the entrance of the banquet hall. The broken glass left cuts all over my body. At the entrance of the hall, Olivia was leading a group of reporters toward the parking lot. They wanted to take intimate photos of me with two men. Outside the parking lot, I ran away from the men and felt a dizzy spell. The candy must have been laced. I shouted with all my might. From a distance, a few security guards heard me calling for help and rushed over to me. Using the last bit of my strength, I asked for Ryder's help through mind-link. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

"How useless could you all be! You couldn't even keep Aria safe with so many of you around!" Ryder roared angrily outside the room. "Alpha Ryder…" The noises outside woke me up. "I'm sorry, Aria. I failed to protect you." Ryder came in and gently helped me lean against the headboard. "I tightened up the security in advance, but those two sneaked in through Jack's car," Ryder explained apologetically. "It was Olivia. She thought my wolf hadn't been awakened, so she got someone to destroy me. I could still handle it initially, but Olivia went the extra mile and poisoned me with wolfsbane." It still made me shudder when I recalled what had happened in the car earlier. "Jack and the rest must be a part of this, too." I knew they didn't want to be my mate, but I hadn't expected them to be this cruel to me, especially when we were still at the banquet. There were many prominent figures and reporters today. If I were to be caught doing something, I would be too ashamed to live. They clearly wanted me dead. "I've suspended all of them. They didn't dare to show up here out of guilt, so they don't know about this yet." Feeling bad, Ryder caressed my hair, his slender fingers subconsciously sliding across my face. "Don't get worked up and rest well. I'll teach them a lesson for you." He spoke in a low and husky voice, looking affectionately at me in the eyes. I shook my head and grabbed his hand. "Alpha Ryder, I think there should be an answer to my question now!""What answer?" Ryder gulped. "Could you… be my mate?" It was so quiet in the room that only the sound of our breathing could be heard. "Aria, stop joking around." Ryder's breath grew rapid, and he looked slightly embarrassed. "I mean it." I turned his head with both hands and wrapped my arms around his neck. Then, I raised my head and kissed him. Just then, the door was kicked open. Jack, Eric, and Benjamin dashed into the room furiously and questioned me, "Aria, are you crazy? Why did you get the police to arrest Olivia?" They had yet to finish their words when they saw the scene before them. They stood rooted to the ground. Ryder had a hand circling my waist as he bent and kissed me passionately. "You two…" Eric gaped. "Alpha Ryder, what are you doing?"