Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Kane Porter and I had both taken the potent philter. I had bought it from a black-market vendor outside Graystone. He had told me, "Just a single drop is enough to drive a male werewolf insane. It'll make the man you love mark you!" So I bought it, paying a hefty price. In my past life, I had used it to force Kane, the man I had secretly loved for eight years, to mark me. And what was the outcome? He had marked me. I had become his Luna. But I had also become the woman he hated the most. For Arya Sowle, he had pushed me—pregnant with his child—into the ocean, leaving me and our unborn baby to drown. It had all been my fault. If I hadn't drugged him, hadn't forced him to mark me, and hadn't become his Luna, I wouldn't have met such a tragic end. Now, reborn in this moment, I refused to make the same mistake. This time, I would bring him and his beloved Arya together. Draped in a white fur cloak, Arya followed me to Kane's bedroom door, her gaze sharp with suspicion. "Scarlett, you said Kane was drugged with a philter and that he's in pain?" I nodded. She hesitated before asking, "Everyone knows you've been secretly in love with him. Why aren't you using this opportunity for yourself?""Because at this moment, the person he wants to see is you." She studied me, suspicion lingering in her gaze. But in the end, she stepped inside. From behind the door, I heard Kane's low, desperate murmur. "Arya…" Then, Kane lunged forward, pulling her into a desperate kiss. Their bodies tangled together. I shut my eyes, closed the door, and ran down the long hallway without looking back. But I knew. Compared to the agony of drowning with my unborn child in my past life, the pain of letting go of the man I loved was nothing. Standing atop Graystone's city wall, I gazed up at the moon. Heat coursed through my body, every inch of me aching for touch. The philter I had taken was taking full effect. I curled into myself, willing my body to resist its pull. But the drug was too strong. My mind went blurred, my limbs turned weak, and my skin felt feverishly hot. "Miss, are you alright?" I turned around and saw a tall man standing there. He wore a black cloak adorned with wolf fangs, and a dagger rested at his waist. "Are you… a guard from the castle?""Miss, do you need anything?" He stepped forward just in time to catch me before I nearly tumbled off the city wall. I didn't answer. Instead, I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips to his. My voice trembled with desperation as I said, "I need… you.""Miss, you're drunk. Let me take you back to your room to rest." He hoisted me over his shoulder like a sack of grain and started walking. Once inside my room, he turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm. My fingers slipped beneath his collar as I whispered, "Stay with me. Touch me. Kiss me. Please…" The man furrowed his brows and muttered, "Scarlett, don't do this…""Please, I can't take it…" I clung to him, my fingers tugging at his clothes. The hard planes of his muscles beneath my touch only intensified the desire raging inside me. Then, I heard a low chuckle above me, followed by a resigned sigh. "Just don't regret it." And with that, he pressed me down, his kisses falling like a raging storm.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

The next morning, I reached for my clothes, only to find them torn to shreds. The guard was gone. On the nightstand, he had left a note saying he had business to attend to and would come back for me. I ran my fingers over the mark on my neck as I looked in the mirror. He was probably lying. After all, I had slept with him. More than likely, he was off at a tavern bragging to a pack of rowdy werewolves about how he got lucky with a girl who threw herself at him. The love bites covering my body were beyond disgraceful. I wrapped my scarf tightly around my neck, making sure everything was concealed before heading down to breakfast. As the sister of an allied Alpha, I was an honored guest in Graystone and had the privilege of dining at the same table as Kane. Just as the maid placed some celery on my plate, Kane entered the dining hall with Arya by his side. "From today onward, Arya will be joining us for meals," he announced. I turned to see Arya clinging to his arm. She was wearing an off-shoulder dress that deliberately showcased the fresh bite on her neck—Kane's mark. The maids cast her envious glances. Arya took her seat, her gaze flicking toward me with a smirk. "Scarlett, aren't you a little overdressed for this weather?" I pulled my scarf tighter. "These windows are too large, and the curtains are sheer. The wind keeps blowing through, and I get cold easily.""Speaking of last night, I should thank you for helping Kane and me get together so quickly," Arya said, stretching with a yawn. Kane frowned. "Tired already? You just woke up." Arya flushed, lowering her voice. "Well… someone kept me up all night. It was exhausting.""Then, eat more and rest afterward." Kane turned to the maids. "From now on, Arya will be staying in my room." He said it while looking straight at me. Everyone knew I harbored feelings for Kane and had turned down countless blind dates arranged by my family. Of course, Kane was well aware of this. In the past, I would have been on the verge of tears, heartbroken as Kane flaunted his love in front of me. I would have clung to him, demanding to know why he was doing this to me. But now, I felt nothing. Kane seemed taken aback by my lack of reaction. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Arya cut in, "Kane, you know Scarlett has feelings for you and wants to marry you. Don't you think saying this in front of her might break her heart?" Kane looked at me coldly. "I'm close with her brother, and I see her as a sister. I would never marry her. "You're the one I want to marry. If anything, she'll be happy for me, not upset, knowing I've found my mate." When I still didn't react, Kane added, "Isn't that right, Scarlett?" I smiled and offered my blessing. "I'm not upset at all. In fact, the three of us had a wonderful night." Seeing that I didn't throw a tantrum like before, Arya deliberately knocked over her soup bowl, spilling it onto my scarf. She quickly pretended to help me clean up, using the opportunity to yank my scarf away. The next second, Kane's gaze darkened as it fell on my neck. His voice was cold. "Where were you last night?"

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I replied nonchalantly, "Me? I just went for a walk on the city wall yesterday.""Scarlett, what did you do last night? Who did this to your neck?" Kane's eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed my arm, pressing me relentlessly for an answer. It took me a moment to realize he was talking about the marks and love bites on my neck. I quickly readjusted my scarf and replied coldly, "Why should I tell you? What does it have to do with you?" Perhaps it was because I was unusually calm, or maybe because it was the first time I showed any sarcasm toward him, but Kane stood frozen in place. Without waiting for his response, I walked past him. He quickly stepped in front of me, sneering. "Don't think I don't know. You drugged me last night. What? Couldn't get me into bed, so you went off to sleep with another man? "You deliberately invited Arya over and disappeared for the night. You thought I would worry about you? Your little tricks didn't work." I didn't understand why Kane was so angry. Didn't I do him a favor by pushing him toward Arya? Ignoring him, I turned to leave. His angry voice continued to echo behind me as if he was venting some sort of frustration. "As you can see, I was with Arya last night, and we're getting married." He grabbed Arya by the chin and noticed the food residue at the corner of her mouth. "You've got something on your lips." Before she could wipe it away with a napkin, Kane leaned down and licked it off. Arya laughed and kissed him back. After they parted, Kane shouted at me, "Don't think that just because you slept with someone else, I'll get jealous and pay attention to you! Stop playing tricks, Scarlett. I don't like you, and that's the truth!" I raised an eyebrow. How had I never noticed just how narcissistic Kane was? Back when I used to follow him around, he couldn't even be bothered to speak to me. Now that I didn't like him anymore, he suddenly had so much to say. I smirked and responded, "You don't like me, and you think I like you? Stop being so narcissistic!" As I left the restaurant, the mark on my neck itched slightly. If Kane hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have started thinking about that guard. There was no denying it. The satisfaction I felt from him far exceeded any day spent with Kane. Scarlett, the sister of the Alpha of Thorn Pack, had slept with a guard and was now actively looking for him. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples at the thought. If I really did something like that, I would become the laughingstock of the entire Alliance Pack. "James, is there any way to find someone?" I leaned against the city wall and activated my communicator to call my brother, James Rose, back home. "Who are you trying to find?" I didn't know. I had no idea who that guard even was. "Scarlett, if you keep staying around Kane, you'll lose your mind. I suggest you go to the blind date I've set up for you." "Then, go ahead and arrange it," I replied. "You don't like Kane anymore?" "I've moved on." Suddenly, James's voice became excited. "Scarlett, did you finally come around? I'll contact him right away. Have you ever met Cesare Hill, the Alpha of the strongest pack in Alliance Pack, Windhowl Pack? "You must not have met him. You've been so focused on Kane that you wouldn't even look at anyone else. I've always said you and Kane are just a pair of fools. "Cesare is leagues above Kane in looks, pack status, and character." "Alright. I'll come home right away." I walked back to my room, only to find all my belongings thrown out in front of the door. Arya was standing there, looking quite smug.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

My new room was the most secluded one in Kane's castle—small, dark, and damp. Moss covered the walls, and the air smelled musty. Arya followed me to the door. "Your old room was where the Lunas of past generations stayed. Kane said since we're about to bond, I should stay there before the wedding ceremony," she said, her tone dripping with smugness. I ignored her and silently started picking up the things that had been thrown on the floor. "Now I understand. You drugged him last night, then sent me to his room, hoping that out of gratitude, he would make you his Luna. But too bad. Kane saw through everything. "All those times you followed him around, begging for his love, and he never acknowledged you. Now, that's even more impossible. "I came to tell you… "Tonight, there's a banquet. Kane invited all the Alphas from Alliance Pack to attend. It's going to be grand. He plans to announce our engagement. "He wants you, as his sister, to present the engagement ring to us at the banquet and bless us." I finished gathering my things and prepared to leave. "Sorry. I'm going home. No time for this. Let him find someone else." Arya stopped me. "Is it that you don't want to go, or you're too scared to go? After all these years, the one he's with is me. If you're sad about it, just cry. After all, it's me who's receiving the pack's blessing, not you." I was in a hurry to get home for my blind date, and I pushed past Arya, who was blocking my way. "I really have something urgent to take care of. Sorry, but I'm not going. I'll wish him well at the next engagement." I hurriedly grabbed my suitcase and left, leaving Arya standing there, her face turning dark with anger. By the time I returned to the shabby room with my suitcase, Arya was already gone. I threw my suitcase onto the bed and began searching for a dress to wear. Just a moment ago, James had contacted me through the communicator to tell me that my blind date match, Cesare, would also be attending Kane's engagement banquet tonight. We could meet in advance. Most of the guests had gathered in the banquet hall near the throne, waiting for the engagement ceremony to begin. I wore a simple white gown, standing behind a fountain a little farther from the throne, feeling both nervous and a bit excited. How would I meet Cesare? To leave a good impression on him, I had taken the time to do my makeup carefully and pinned my hair up. "Scarlett, you clearly said you weren't coming, so why are you here?" Arya's voice rang out behind me, both surprised and angry. "You're so crafty. Not only did you come, but you also dressed up so nicely. Are you trying to steal my spotlight as Kane's fiancée?" A few noble girls who were with Arya gathered around me. "I heard she drugged Kane just to become his Luna.""How shameless! She's the Alpha's sister from Thorn Pack, yet she's so disgraceful." Arya laughed coldly, and right in front of the girls, she tossed the diamond ring Kane was going to propose to her with into the fountain. "Oh, no, my diamond ring! Where did it go? Who stole it? Kane's going to chop off her head!" I didn't expect her to use this trick, and I was caught off guard. One of the girls shoved me, and my footing slipped. Before I knew it, I fell into the fountain. "Scarlett, you're jealous that Arya's caught the Alpha's eye, so you stole the diamond ring he was going to propose to her with and tried to hide it in the fountain. But instead, you ended up falling in yourself." The crowd gasped and laughed. I wanted to just walk out of the fountain, but my white, sheer dress was soaked, exposing my skin, chest, thighs, and the rest of my body. Looking around, I spotted a small statue in the fountain that I could hide behind. I crouched behind it, but the water from the fountain splashed all over my head. "Scarlett, why are you hiding back there? Did you jump into the fountain hoping Kane would come to rescue you?""Well, that's not going to work. The fountain isn't the ocean. It won't drown you. Kane won't come to save you.""Is she crazy? Is she really trying to get the Alpha's attention like this?" More and more people gathered around, standing by the fountain, watching me. The sound of laughter and mockery filled the air. My vision blurred, and the cruel words continued to hit me, mingled with the shifting shadows of people through the water's reflection. Finally, Kane must have noticed the commotion and walked over. He stood there coldly, watched me, and spoke words colder than the water in the fountain, "Scarlett, I know you're upset tonight and want to get my attention this way. "I'll just say this. Since I'm close with your brother, I only see you as a sister. As such, I advise you to stop liking me." Hearing that, I stayed hidden behind the statue, but I still stuck my head out and emphasized, "I already have a mate. I don't need to do this to get your attention." The banquet hall fell silent for a moment before it erupted into even louder laughter. "Mate? Who doesn't know she has feelings for Kane? If Kane doesn't mark her, she'll be alone forever." "Is she out of her mind? Spinning such a ridiculous lie." "Scarlett, I never thought you would resort to lying just to make me regret not caring for you." Arya's laugh grew even more mocking. "Scarlett, you stole my ring. Once you find it, you'd better give it back. "Come on. Hurry up and pull her out. Don't worry, Scarlett. I'll forgive you. Just don't catch a cold." As I was about to be dragged out and almost fully exposed in front of everyone, I shouted in rejection, "No!""If you really had a mate, why isn't he here right now to defend you?" Kane gave another order that filled me with despair. "Get her out of there." The cruel, twisted faces in the crowd swayed before me, and I thought, "It's over." Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice rang out, instantly overpowering all the mocking laughter, "I'm Scarlett's mate." I turned around to see the doors to the banquet hall swing open. A tall figure stepped into the room, backlit by the light. "I'll see who dares to hurt my fiancée."