Chapter 1 Chapter 1

He called me a dog. I will erase every trace of myself from this so-called ‘home’—and leave him for good! I hung up the phone with my father. The bathroom was silent, except for the dripping faucet. Each drop hit the porcelain sink with a dull echo, like a monotonous reminder of my humiliation. The girl in the mirror looked pale, her hair sticking in messy strands to her damp cheeks. Ansel had called me his… dog. The word exploded in my skull. A sharp, unbearable buzzing filled my head, spreading through my veins until it coiled tightly around my heart. My stomach lurched violently, but nothing came up—only bitter bile burned the back of my throat. On the phone, my father’s voice had been calm, almost satisfied. He said the Walker Pack in the North was a strong and strategic choice. My future husband—a man I’d never even met—was known as a ruthless Alpha. Respected, feared, but fair. Most importantly, he had no scandals trailing behind him. He was, in every sense, a powerful leader. At least, I thought bitterly, he would never hold me in bed while linking his mind to someone else just to tell them I was nothing more than a plaything—a dog meant to please him. My wolf, Lilith, growled inside me, her voice trembling with rage and hurt. “That filthy bastard! How dare he treat us this way? I’ll tear his throat out! His stench makes me sick!”“Lilith, we’ll leave him,” I whispered back to her, though my throat was raw. “And when we do, he’ll pay. He’ll learn that I am no one’s dog.” Yes, I had loved Ansel once—before I saw the monster beneath his mask. He dared to insult me, to treat me as someone else’s replacement. He should be prepared for my revenge. For betraying all the love I gave him, he deserved to lose everything. I staggered out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom we once shared. The air still carried the scent of our recent intimacy, mixed with his cedar pheromones. That suffocating cedar stench now made me want to vomit. I yanked open the closet and began pulling everything out—dresses, shoes, accessories—tossing them onto the bed. Even the things he had bought me. They were tainted, just like him. All of it needed to be purged. Lilith was unusually quiet now, licking the same wounds that bled inside me. I picked up his favorite cashmere sweater—the one I had spent weeks finding as the perfect birthday gift. I remembered the way he had laughed, spinning me around in his arms. “Leah, you’re the best. My little sun.” Lies. My eyes landed on the photo frame on his desk. In it, we were smiling, Ansel’s gaze deceptively soft. But now I knew that behind that tenderness was nothing but disdain and calculation. I was never his partner. I was just a substitute for someone else. Every sacrifice, every piece of love I had given him—nothing but a pathetic joke. Methodically, I packed everything I owned into bags to throw away. Even the smallest traces of me—the doorknobs I had touched, the switches I had flipped—I wiped them clean with a damp cloth. I wanted no evidence left behind. It would be as if I had never existed here. In the end, I kept only a small suitcase: a few old clothes, my identification papers, and the necklace my mother had left me. Lilith pressed her presence against mine, sending me a wave of steady determination. “We’ll go somewhere far from him. Somewhere free of that cedar stench.”“Yes,” I agreed softly. “We’ll start over.” What was Ansel, really? Nothing but a despicable coward. He wasn’t worthy of being Alpha of the Blood Pack. I would make sure he lost that future. I would drag him down and leave him to rot like the dog he truly was. My path lay to the North—the Walker Pack. Cold, formidable, and wealthy. Perhaps their Alpha wasn’t the man I could rely on. Perhaps the winds there would be merciless. But what did it matter? I had already clawed my way out of hell. Whatever awaited me could not possibly be worse.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Nancy: [Aren’t you really coming over? It’s been five years since we last met.] Ansel: [I need to head back first, the dog needs to be fed. Once I calm things down, I’ll come see you, baby.] He put his phone away, pushed open the car door, and walked into the villa he had prepared for me—a gilded cage in all its splendor. “I’m back.” His voice was low and deep. I was curled up on the sofa, sorting through application materials for my trip to the Northern Territory. Hearing his voice, I snapped the laptop shut. He walked toward me holding a massive bouquet of red roses, pulling both me and the flowers into his arms, pressing his lips against mine. Disgusting. That kiss was utterly revolting. “What’s wrong? Missed me?” he asked. I stayed silent, lowering my head and burying my face into the roses. Their heavy fragrance rushed into my nose, but underneath it I could still smell the cloying sweetness of another woman’s pheromones clinging to him. My stomach churned, and I barely held back the urge to retch. Ansel pulled out a velvet box and flipped it open before my eyes. A diamond necklace sparkled under the living room lights, dazzling and harsh. “Didn’t you linger over this when we were shopping a few days ago?” His gaze locked on me with a focus that could have made any woman’s heart race—any woman who didn’t know him. “Do you like it?” Of course I remembered it. It was Nancy’s favorite designer brand. Seeing I hadn’t spoken; he mistook my silence for delight. Leaning in, he kissed my cheek. “Stunned? Let me put it on you.” The cold clasp brushed the skin at the nape of my neck, making me flinch involuntarily. My fingers hovered over the necklace. “Roses and diamonds again—I almost thought you were going to propose.” The feigned tenderness on Ansel’s face vanished instantly. His tone chilled. “When I propose, I’ll give you something better.”“And how long will that take?” His face turned completely cold. He hated being questioned, hated me challenging his authority. I reached to undo the necklace. The thing felt repulsive, suffocating against my skin. “Don’t move!” He seized my hand, pinning me to the sofa, his lips crushing down on mine again. My body turned rigid as stone. I turned my head away, blocking his kiss, both hands braced against his chest. “I… it’s not a good time.”“Don’t play games with me.” His voice was domineering and icy, laced with the oppressive force of an Alpha. “I know your cycle—you just finished.” As he spoke, his hand went to tear at my clothes. And then—his phone rang. The shrill ringtone sliced through the suffocating standoff. I shoved him off. “It’s your phone. Answer it.” Ansel pulled it from his pocket, irritation written all over his face. Trapped beneath him, I could clearly see the name flashing on the screen: Nancy. “I’ll take this.” Minutes later, he reappeared in a tailored dark suit, hair neatly styled, looking every bit taller and sharper. “A friend’s in trouble. I need to take care of it. Go to bed early.” From start to finish, he never noticed that this so-called “home” of his, a place he only returned to occasionally, was emptier than ever, as desolate as a model house no one lived in. Ansel was gone for three days. I didn’t care. My heart was a stagnant pool, incapable of stirring anymore. I opened Nancy’s social account. She was flamboyant, updating every day. On the first day: a photo of two hands clinking wine glasses. On his ring finger was a band—the couple’s ring from our one-year anniversary. On the second: a sunset by the sea, with two coconut trees leaning against each other. Those same trees Ansel and I had planted three years ago on the beach of his private island. On the third: an airport snapshot. Behind Nancy, Ansel’s tall figure appeared only as a blurred outline, yet unmistakable to anyone who knew him. Her followers flooded the comments, asking if she was in love. My wolf, Lilith, raged in my mind. “Shameless pair of mutts! Disgusting! Just looking at them makes me want to puke!” Like me, she no longer hoped for anything—only waited for revenge. I shut the phone, sick of their affairs, and went out to apply for a travel permit to the Northern Territory. Everything went smoothly. Back in the living room, I stared at the enormous framed photo on the wall. In it, I leaned in Ansel’s arms, looking as though I owned the world. But his face was expressionless, his eyes deep and empty like a bottomless well. I dragged a chair over. I wanted to take down that mocking frame. My fingers had just brushed the cold edge of the frame when— Bang! The villa door was kicked open from outside with a thunderous crash. Ansel stormed in, his face thunderous, Alpha pheromones blazing with fury, suffocating me. His eyes were sharp as blades, stabbing into me, then shifting to the frame at my fingertips. “Leah, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

“What are you trying to do?” His voice was low, “You want to throw away our photo? Leah, who gave you the guts?”“Our photo?” I repeated softly. “Am I even in it?” Ansel’s pupils shrank sharply. He glared at me, and for a few seconds the tension in the air was like a string on the verge of snapping. Suddenly, the anger on his face ebbed away like a tide. He looked at me, then glanced at the calendar on the wall. His expression shifted to one of frustration mixed with indulgence. “Look at me, losing my head.” He reached out a hand, voice softening. “Silly girl, did you forget what day it is? I rushed back just to celebrate your birthday. Come down—it’s dangerous up there.” I didn’t take his hand. I jumped off the chair on my own. “What brought you back?” I asked flatly, my tone devoid of emotion. Ansel pulled me into his arms, holding me so tight it felt like he wanted to press me into his bones. His voice was filled with deliberate tenderness. “Of course I came back to be with my birthday girl. Don’t pout. I didn’t forget.” He cupped my face, trying to kiss my eyes. I turned my head away, and his movement froze. “Still sulking? Is it because you think I didn’t prepare a gift?” He grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the door with force. “Come on. Let’s see your birthday present.” Outside, a brand-new white Maserati waited, an oversized red bow tied around it—gaudy and tacky. Ansel pulled the keys from his pocket and shoved them into my palm. “Your birthday gift. The third-anniversary edition.” He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Do you like it?” Birthday? Or anniversary? He didn’t even know. “Yes,” I said. I actually laughed. The irony was too much. My compliance pleased him. He kissed my ear, his hand wandering restlessly under the thin fabric of my clothes. The scent of cedar mingled with another cloying sweetness. Disgusting. His breath grew heavier as he bent down to lift me up, carrying me back toward the house. My muscles went taut, my mind racing for excuses to push him away. Should I say I’m tired? Or not feeling well? Just then, his phone rang again. For once, I felt grateful to the caller, even if it was Nancy. Annoyance flickered across his face as he set me down, issuing a command. “Go change. I’ll take you somewhere.” I bolted upstairs. Behind me, his voice lowered on the phone, deliberately gentle. “Hello, Nancy…” In my room, I chose a black backless evening gown I had bought myself, one he’d never seen me wear. I let my hair fall loosely, covering most of my bare back. The dress gleamed with a silky sheen. When I came down, Ansel had hung up. His eyes swept over me, brows tightening slightly. “Forget it. Tomorrow, I’ll buy you something better.” He drove himself. The car glided smoothly out of the villa district, merging into city traffic. The navigation destination: a private estate in the suburbs. I knew this place. Last year on his birthday, we came here—just the two of us, shut away inside the villa for two full days. Ansel stepped out first, circling to open my door. I had just straightened when— Bang! Bang! Golden confetti and rose petals rained down from above, shimmering like a gilded storm. “Wow!”“Hahaha!” A crowd of people in formal attire burst out from the villa, champagne glasses in hand, smiling as they surrounded us. “Luna! Happy birthday!”“Happy birthday!”“I told you, our Alpha would never forget Luna’s birthday!”“Oh my god, she’s even prettier than the rumors said! Alpha’s taste is impeccable!” My mind went blank. I could only stare at these unfamiliar faces. They were Ansel’s clan, his friends who I hadn’t seen once in three years. Hadn’t Ansel said an Alpha’s mate must be kept secret, to avoid unnecessary trouble? Hadn’t he said the timing wasn’t right? Music swelled. A server wheeled out a massive birthday cake. “Cut the cake! Cut the cake!” A cold knife was pushed into my hand. Ansel stood behind me, arms circling mine, his voice brimming with possession and proclamation. “Leah, let’s cut it together.” The sight of the cake, piled high with cream and fruit, made my stomach churn violently. And then, the heavy double doors of the hall swung open. Noise and music cut off as if someone had pressed pause. A tall, imposing man stood at the entrance. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black coat, with the night sky as his backdrop, he carried a chilling aura unique to the Northern Territory, like ice and snow, so out of place amid the warmth and luxury of the hall. His deep gray eyes cut through the crowd, locking directly onto me. “Leah Redwood,” he said. “I’ve come for you. I believe you missed your flight to the North.”

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

The ballroom air froze. Ansel shielded me behind him, his Alpha pheromones surging like a storm toward the man at the door. But the man stood like a mountain on a frozen plain—unshaken. “An arranged bond?” Ansel’s voice shook with suppressed rage, tinged with disbelief. “How is it I know nothing of this? Leah is mine.”“That’s your concern.” Andrew’s tone was calm, factual. “I’ve already reached an agreement with Marcus Redwood, Leah’s father.” His meaning was clear: he negotiated with the one who had authority. And that wasn’t Ansel. “Bullshit!” Ansel roared. “Leah will never leave with you!” My wolf, Lilith, howled in excitement inside my head. “Whoa! This one’s strong, Leah—I like him! Look at Ansel’s constipated face, ha! Let’s go with him, now!” I looked at Andrew, my supposed fiancé. Tall, broad-shouldered, his strong frame exuded reliability. Long legs, model-like build, sharp features, and those deep gray eyes that carried an air of mystery. His gaze rested steadily on me—calm, unfathomable. His composure unsettled me. Just then, a delicate voice broke the standoff. “Ansel?” Nancy. She walked in wearing a white dress, hair flowing over her shoulders. Rushing forward with just the right amount of worry and urgency, her eyes bypassed everyone else to land solely on Ansel. “I called, but you didn’t answer. I was so worried… What’s going on here?” She hurried to his side, naturally clinging to his arm. Only then did she pretend to notice me, covering her mouth in feigned surprise. “Leah? You’re here too? Today’s your birthday, isn’t it? I’m sorry, I didn’t know Ansel was throwing you a party, otherwise I…” Her words trailed off deliberately, each syllable a needle pricking my heart. Ansel’s face softened with Nancy’s arrival. Her gaze shifted to Andrew, sizing him up politely before offering a harmless smile. “Hello, I’m Nancy, Ansel’s friend. And you are?” Andrew’s eyes flicked over her face for less than a second before moving away. The public dismissal flushed her face crimson. Her lips trembled, tears welling quickly as she looked pitifully at Ansel. “Ansel…” Her voice quivered as though she’d suffered unbearable humiliation. His protective instincts ignited instantly. He snapped his head toward Andrew, eyes blazing. “You’d better show some respect! Apologize to Nancy!” Andrew’s reply was glacial. “I don’t speak to irrelevant people.” That hurt worse than any insult. Nancy was beneath even the effort of words—like a stray mutt. “Ah!” Nancy broke down, covering her face, sobbing for all to see. The crowd murmured, their expressions gleaming with gossip-fueled excitement. “Enough!” Ansel wrapped his arms around Nancy, soothing her softly. “Don’t cry, Nancy. It’s not your fault.” He held her like she was a priceless treasure. Then he turned on me, his gaze filled with hate. “Leah, is this what you wanted? To humiliate me in front of everyone?” My birthday party—a stage for his declaration of ownership. I looked at Nancy in his arms. Through her fingers, I caught the glint of smug triumph. She was taunting me. “Ansel,” she sobbed, “let’s go home. I don’t want to stay here…”“Alright, let’s go home.” He agreed instantly, not sparing me a glance, holding Nancy as he turned to leave. I drew in a breath, stepped forward, and shoved the couple’s ring from our first anniversary into his pocket. “Go,” I said. “Take her home.” He stared at me in disbelief. But in the end, he left with Nancy in his arms. The ballroom atmosphere twisted into awkwardness and unease. Beneath the loud music, whispers flew about what had just unfolded. Lilith snorted in my mind. “Serves him right! Scum with a green tea bitch—perfect match! Leah, let’s go with the tall one!” Footsteps sounded behind me. Andrew walked firmly to stand before me.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

He carried a unique scent, unlike Ansel’s invasive cedar. His was colder, cleaner… like the first breath of wind across the ice fields after a blizzard, laced with the salt of the sea. “It’s the sea!” Lilith exclaimed. “Leah, it’s fresh sea air! Not cedar mixed with rotten strawberries!”“Miss Leah,” Andrew extended his hand in a formal gesture. “Would you dance with me?” I stared at his hand—broad, with defined joints, warmth etched in its lines. After a moment’s hesitation, I placed mine in his. His grip was steady, dry, and strong. He guided me smoothly into the dance. My steps were stiff at first, but his lead was sure, and I soon found the rhythm. We were close—so close I could feel the vibration of his chest against me. The murmurs around us quieted. All eyes were on us. When the music ended, he didn’t release me. He looked down, gray eyes unreadable. “The air here is poor,” he said. “Let me take you somewhere else.” I nodded. He pulled me through the crowd, straight out of the ballroom. His car was parked at the gate of the estate—a black Land Rover, still dusted with traces of a long journey. He opened the passenger door for me, waited until I sat, then walked around to the driver’s side. The vehicle slid into city traffic. “Where do you want to go?” he asked. “I don’t know.” Today had been chaos—I couldn’t think. “That’s fine. I’ll take you somewhere you’ll like.” He drove to the city center, stopping before an upscale luxury mall. “Come on. We’re here.” I followed him into the mall, straight into a high-end jewelry boutique. The staff greeted him with immediate respect. He didn’t browse the glittering displays. Instead, he pointed to the necklace at my throat. “Take it off.” I froze, instinctively touching the diamond necklace Ansel had fastened around my neck earlier. “I don’t like my fiancée,” Andrew’s tone was calm but commanding, “wearing another man’s gift.” Heat crept up my face. Silently, I unclasped the necklace. He took it from my hand and casually passed it to a clerk—like tossing away trash. “Dispose of it.” Then, pointing to a sapphire necklace that shimmered like a river of stars, he said, “That one.” The clerk carefully brought it out. Andrew took it and fastened it around my neck himself. The gems were cool against my skin, yet unlike Ansel’s diamonds, they didn’t sting. “This suits you better,” he said. After that, he led me through nearly the entire mall—clothes, shoes, bags. If he liked it, he had it wrapped without glancing at the price. Most of the purchases were sent to a new address. He explained the villa at that address was something he had bought in haste for me. Maybe not perfect, but well-equipped, in a good location—a temporary home. “That’s enough for today,” he said, glancing at my stiletto heels. When we stepped out, the evening breeze cleared my muddled head. My hands were empty. He carried all the shopping bags in one hand, the other in his coat pocket. Under the neon lights, his profile looked particularly sharp. “Why?” I finally asked. “Why are you doing all this?” He stopped, turning to meet my gaze. For the first time, his gray eyes revealed an emotion I could read—the look of a man in love. “Whatever Ansel gives you, I can give you something better.” He paused, voice low and steady. “And whatever he can’t give you—I can.”

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

His words crashed into my mind like a stone thrown into still water, sending ripples spreading endlessly. “We’ll go back together,” he finally broke the silence, carrying the shopping bags toward his car. I followed but said, “I still have things to finish. I can’t stay in the villa you bought.” He stopped, nodded, and accepted my excuse. “Alright. Then I’ll take you back to your place.” I didn’t refuse. I needed time to process everything that had happened tonight. The car started and glided steadily through the night. My thoughts were in chaos—Ansel’s betrayal, Nancy’s provocation, Andrew’s sudden appearance, and his promise. In my mind, Lilith whispered her fondness for him: “Leah, I like him. His scent is like the clean sea breeze—it makes me feel safe.” I didn’t respond. Instead, I gripped the sapphire necklace around my neck, the icy touch clearing the fog of my thoughts. The car stopped at Ansel’s villa. It was completely dark inside, of course—he wouldn’t be here. He was with his beloved Nancy. I was about to get out when Andrew called softly, “Leah.”“Can I… hold you for a moment?” he asked, tentative and cautious. My heart skipped a beat. Lilith squealed in my head, “Say yes! Say yes! Let him hug you!” Almost against my will, I nodded. We stepped out and stood in the darkness by the villa. He opened his arms and gently pulled me against him. I buried my face in his coat, greedily breathing in his scent. I felt his arms tighten around me. His breath warmed the shell of my ear, and before I could react, his lips pressed down on mine. The kiss was light, gentle, carrying the weight of something precious. His lips brushed mine slowly, tenderly. Then it happened—a surge of indescribable energy exploded where our lips met, racing through every vein, every bone. My mind went blank, my body trembling with awe and ecstasy. “It’s… it’s our Mate!” Lilith’s voice rang out in my head, frantic with joy. “Leah, it’s him! I can feel his wolf—so strong, so warm. I love him! I love this feeling!” I felt it too. That pull, ancient and undeniable—the Moon Goddess’s blessing itself. So this was what it meant to meet a true Mate: the overwhelming joy of being whole, complete. Andrew felt it as well. His kiss deepened, growing urgent, as though he wanted more. I didn’t resist. I opened to him, responding instinctively. We clung to each other, lost in that moment, until the violent tremors of our souls finally subsided. Breathless, we pulled apart. “Leah…” His voice was husky as he spoke my name. I looked at him, speechless. He gazed at me one last time, then loosened his hold and stepped back. “Rest early,” he said quietly. “Call me if you need anything.” Then he turned, got into his car, and drove off. The black Land Rover soon disappeared into the night. I stood there, touching my burning lips, stunned for a long time. Back inside the villa, I went straight upstairs, collapsed on the bed, and pulled out my phone. I only meant to check the time, but the notification on the screen stabbed my heart like a knife. [Rising Painter Nancy Seen Crying at Midnight—Trouble in Paradise?] [Blood Tribe’s Future Alpha Heir Ansel Comforts Mystery Woman—Official Girlfriend’s Place at Risk?] I clicked in. A blurry photo showed Nancy, covering her face, crying pitifully. Ansel stood by her side, holding her waist, his gaze filled with tender concern. The comments section was already in flames. Fans and trolls alike flooded in. “Oh my god, what happened to our Nancy? Who bullied her?”“It must be that Leah woman! Using Ansel’s girlfriend status to push Nancy around!”“I always knew Leah was trouble. She must have tricked Ansel, poor Nancy!”“She’s just an Omega! What kind of tricks did she use to seduce an Alpha?” Every word was venom. My name was bound with “shameless,”“mistress,”“homewrecker,” as they tore me apart with their malice. I stared at the screen, then suddenly laughed. Ansel. Nancy. Is this what you wanted? Fine. Let’s play. This show is only just beginning.