Chapter 1 Chapter 1

The blood moon loomed in the night sky. It was an omen of misfortune, signifying a night destined for upheaval. Uriel Silverplume, one of the Alphas of the Silverplume pack, had died. After getting ambushed while hunting down a group of rebel wolves, Uriel sacrificed himself to save his younger twin brother, Carlin Silverplume. Slain by the wolfsbane-coated silver blades of the hunters, he was wiped from existence. It had only been seven days since Uriel and Carlin completed the mate bonding ceremony with Allison and Johanna Thorne, a pair of sisters. Johanna, the younger sister, still remembered the way the mark on Allison's neck had abruptly darkened. Allison howled in pain before fainting. That was the start of the tragedy that unfolded next. The Silverplume pack was the most powerful among all the northern wolf packs. Ever since the first matriarch, fewer than ten pairs of twins had been born in the Northern Wolflands. The birth of Uriel and Carlin proved that the Moon Goddess had blessed the Silverplume pack. Thus, they enjoyed much glory. Alas, the Moon Goddess seemed to have made it so that this glorious fate came with a price. Now that Uriel was gone, to avoid the downfall of the pack, they would have to resort to something rather extreme and taboo. "Based on the sorceress' divination, this is the only option," Maria Croft, Uriel and Carlin's mother, declared. Her eyes were reddened with tears as she glared imperiously at Johanna and continued, "Carlin and Uriel are twins who share the same blood. On behalf of our ancestors, I ask that Carlin and Allison form a breeding pact to carry on Uriel's bloodline for him." The moment those words came out of Maria's mouth, all the blood drained from Johanna's face. For werewolves, the undivided loyalty of one's mate was as important as one's life. Yet, Maria was demanding that Johanna's husband procreate with another female. That was tantamount to subjecting Johanna to humiliation of the highest order. However, before Johanna could protest, Carmen Moore—Johanna and Allison's mother—came forward to take Maria's side. "Do as Maria says, Jo. This isn't just for the sake of the Silverplume pack but for Allison, too. You two grew up together. You wouldn't have been able to marry Carlin if Uriel hadn't fallen in love with Allison at first sight. This is her only chance of survival now. Are you going to destroy that chance and let her die?" According to werewolf traditions, if an Alpha died before procreating with his Luna, his Luna would have to follow him in death. Carmen's words added another layer of threat. It was as if any sign of disagreement from Johanna would not only make her responsible for the downfall of the Silverplume pack but also for having caused Allison's death. Johanna scoffed to herself. There it was again. She felt her heart twist in pain. Johanna's parents had three pups in total. As the second daughter, Johanna was the least favored of the three. Allison had been a rare silver wolf, and for females, that was a sign of good fortune. It was clear she would end up marrying a powerful wolf. Due to that, she had been her parents' pride and joy even from a young age. Their youngest brother, Darius Thorne, was a natural-born warrior. Not only did his battle prowess far exceed his peers, but he was even able to manifest his wolf at 15. Johanna was the least remarkable of her siblings. From the day she was born, it was clear her wolf was weak. She was a gray wolf—the most common of all wolves. For the first 18 years of her life, she grew up while being neglected by her parents, who favored her other siblings. Once Uriel fell in love with Allison at first sight, she ended up marrying Carlin. This was per werewolf tradition, which stipulated that if a pair of twin Alphas were born to any pack, the twins would have to marry a pair of sisters. Therefore, in everyone's eyes, including her parents, Johanna only managed to marry into the strongest family of the Silverplume pack thanks to Allison. Carlin seemed to be the only one who didn't think that way. It felt as though he had truly taken a liking to her too. Until now, he had never treated his marriage to Johanna as if it were the price he had to pay for being Uriel's younger brother. As the older brother, Uriel had the power to choose his mate. As it was, Carlin doted on Johanna just as much as Uriel doted on Allison. He would drop everything without hesitation whenever Johanna needed him and rush to her side. In the Northern Wolflands, only the strong survived. Hunts and battles were an everyday affair, and the weak received no pity from the others. And yet, Carlin was willing to compromise for Johnna's sake. He kept her by his side and put her needs first. If she merely spared a second glance at an accessory while browsing the werewolf market, it would appear on her bedside table the next morning. Carlin would also personally procure her favorite food, no matter how difficult it was to obtain. Despite holding a powerful position in the pack, he was willing to wait on her himself. On the day Johanna received her mark from Carlin, he had looked her straight in the eye and said adoringly, "Jo, perhaps you will never be your parents' favorite, but from now on, you're my most beloved mate. I am willing to swear to the Moon Goddess that I will love, cherish, and protect you forever." Moved beyond words, Johanna readily allowed Carlin to leave his mark on her neck. From that point onward, he was her entire world. As she expected, Carlin stepped forward before she could say anything and shielded her protectively behind him, just like he always did. "Mother, please stop forcing this on Jo," Carlin requested firmly. "Jo is my mate. She bears my mark. We have a mate bond, but you're asking me to betray her. She's not the only one who won't agree to it. I won't either!"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Once Carlin finished speaking, he kneeled before Maria, presenting the utmost sincerity. Following Uriel's death, Carlin was now the only Alpha in the Silverplume pack. His standing was even more esteemed than before, he had always been one of the most powerful wolves in the pack. Nevertheless, for Johanna's sake, he was willing to get on his knees. Still on his knees, he made his way past Maria and stopped in front of Uriel's coffin. He ended up staying in that position for the entire day, refusing to move despite Maria and the elders' varied attempts to convince him otherwise. Johanna was deeply touched. How did someone as ordinary as her get so lucky to meet someone like Carlin? Alas, that night, Johanna felt the betrayal of the one she loved the most and another who was supposed to be her family. Her wolf howled in anguish, and her heart wrenched in agony. Even though she could clearly sense it from the link, she still found it hard to believe that her own mate was in bed with her sister. The door to the room was slightly ajar. Doing her best to hold herself together, she peeked through the slit and saw the room in disarray. Allison's golden hair was scattered all over the bed. Caught in the throes of passion, she was moving her slender waist with great eagerness. Her legs were curled around a large figure that Johanna was utterly familiar with. He was also thrusting into Allison with overwhelming desire. It was none other than Carlin, Johanna's mate, who had only just defended her earlier today. A chill gripped Johanna's heart as she stumbled backward, feeling an intense pain coursing through her. His promises were all lies, and his love for her was a pretense—everything was fake. That night, Johanna experienced the ultimate betrayal. Though it didn't kill her, it would become a pivotal turning point in her life, almost as if she had been reborn. As the most powerful of the northern wolf packs, the Silverplume pack should've embodied the rules and traditions of their werewolf ancestors. It was their responsibility to lead by example. It was a grave taboo to betray one's mate. The only exception was when the survival of the pack was at stake. Under such dire circumstances, those who held the most power in the pack, such as the matriarch and the elders, would beseech the Moon Goddess to make an exception and allow a mated Alpha to procreate with someone other than his mate. But even then, both the Alpha and his Luna had to agree to it as well. Johanna recalled what had happened earlier in the day. Carlin had stood alone against the pack's leaders and refused to betray his loyalty to her, regardless of their reasoning. Because of that, he had angered all of the elders, including Maria, the matriarch of the pack, and his mother. To force Carlin into compliance, they even locked him up inside the ancestral shrine. A record of the Silverplume pack's glorious history had been carved into all four walls of the shrine. Things weren't that bad during the day. Rays of sunlight came in through the cracks of the stained glass windows, illuminating the dimly lit ancestral shrine. The situation merely amounted to physical discomfort. However, once night fell, the real torment began. The icy stone floor was inscribed with the teachings of the pack's ancestors, each one etched with magic. The weight of these enchanted teachings, accumulated over the centuries, gnawed constantly at an Alpha's heart. "You can leave once you've come to your senses," Maria said coldly, her stern voice echoing in the shrine. Thinking that Carlin was still suffering from his punishment in the ancestral shrine, Johanna had been beside herself with concern. Alas, she was deluded for having believed all of that. Carlin merely didn't want Johanna to react in an extreme manner, which would've surely led to everyone in the pack finding out about the situation. That was why he had teamed up with the elders to put on a show for her that day. It was a sleepless night for Johanna. Meanwhile, Carlin had ended up mating with Allison 17 times. When dawn came, Johanna wiped her tears away. She'd made up her mind to leave.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Johanna went looking for Elspeth Sage, the sorceress who lived alone on the border of the Northern Wolflands. "I don't care what it costs me. Do whatever it takes to use the forbidden rites to help me break our mate bond," Johanna said. Johanna traded her betrothal pendant and her future happiness in exchange for Elspeth's spell that forcibly broke the mate bond while also temporarily ensuring that Carlin wouldn't notice it had been broken. With the lies and the betrayal, Johanna felt as if the entire Silverplume pack had taken her for a fool. There was no point in maintaining a bond built upon deceit and disloyalty. Of course, there was a reason why Johanna didn't cut off ties publicly. She knew full well she was powerless. Even if she exposed Carlin, it would only make it harder for her to get away. The Silverplume pack wasn't going to let a wolf who knew that much about their secrets leave. Once the mark had been removed, Johanna went along with the act. During the day, Carlin continued to behave as if he loved her desperately and refused to betray her, no matter what. He kept kneeling in the ancestral shrine, the punishment Maria had meted out, and spent his days repenting in front of his ancestors. But once the sky turned dark, he would leave the shrine from a secret exit and sneak into Allison's room, where the two indulged in their lust. Assuming that Johanna wouldn't notice a thing after having drunk the medicine that was supposed to cut off her ability to sense anything from her link with him, Carlin grew bolder in his illicit affair with Allison. He even mated with her right in the ancestral shrine for the thrill of it. Johanna had truly loved Carlin. Naturally, it was hard for her to abandon all feelings for him at the drop of a hat. Thus, she found herself tailing them a couple of times. She heard their moans. "My darling.""This is incredible!""Give me more, my Alpha." The repulsive sounds rang all the more clearly in the dead of the night. They felt like blades stabbing deep into Johanna's heart. But simultaneously, it helped her finally lose all feelings for the heartless, cruel Carlin. After putting up with it for a few months, Johanna finally got her chance to leave the Silverplume pack. Allison was pregnant, and Maria publicly called it a blessing from the Moon Goddess. She claimed that following Uriel's death, the Moon Goddess couldn't bear to see the Silverplume pack lose its pureblood lineage. Therefore, she had allowed Uriel's spirit to take physical form at night, thereby giving Allison and the entire Silverplume pack this pup. Johanna was also told this story, though she found it entirely laughable. She knew better than anyone else how the pup came to be. She tried to see if Carlin felt even the slightest bit of remorse toward her. "Carlin, ever since Uriel died and your mother suggested that you and Allison mate to carry on the pureblood lineage, I feel an intense pain every night. I've never heard of the Moon Goddess being so moved that she would allow a dead spirit to take physical form at night before. Is the pup actually yours?" Johanna asked. "How could you even think that, Jo? Mother and the elders want me to do it to carry on the pack's glory, but haven't you seen the way I refused to comply with their wishes? I've chosen to stay loyal to you, even if it means spending all my time kneeling in the ancestral shrine in suffering. Yet here you are, accusing me of something like this. How could you say something this hurtful to me?" Carlin protested. He looked genuinely saddened, as if Johanna were the heartless one making an outrageous claim—as if his love for her had been for nothing, for she didn't even trust him. Johanna wanted to laugh. She couldn't be bothered to argue with him about it. Instead, she continued to plot her escape. However, Carlin reached out and pulled her into his strong embrace, something he hadn't done in a long time now. "Jo, since Allison is with pup now, Mother and the elders won't force us any longer. You could say that Allison has helped us get through this. Moreover, it won't be easy for her to raise the pup alone. We should help her out more. "I hope you can forget all about the past. Once the pup is born, I hope you can treat her pup as if it were ours, just like I will." Upon hearing that, Johanna's disappointment reached its limit, and so did her resolve. She had to leave this heartless place that caused her nothing but sorrow as quickly as possible. This entire situation was a ridiculous mockery.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Johanna couldn't help but contemplate the situation. The Silverplume pack was undoubtedly the most prominent in the Northern Wolflands. They seemed invincible, but who knew how many dark, unspeakable secrets were hidden behind their strength? Even the pack Alpha not only betrayed his Luna but even teamed up with the entire pack in an attempt to play her for a fool. For the sake of their so-called glory and ensuring the survival of the pureblood lineage, they had the audacity to propose having him be the father of the pup instead. They even wanted her, the one who had been betrayed, to raise the offspring produced through his infidelity once the pup was born. It was nothing short of them cruelly trampling all over her dignity. Allison was now with pup. There was a unique duality to werewolves—while they were physically formidable and had extraordinary recovery rates, she-wolves were extremely weak when they were carrying a pup and required constant care from the males. That night, Carlin didn't pretend to be locked away in the ancestral shrine like he had the past few months. Instead, he conjured up an excuse for himself. He told Johanna that since Allison was pregnant, he had to check on her. He was worried something might happen to Allison and Uriel's pup. Johanna had long since been hurt and disillusioned by him. She no longer felt disappointed. Instead, her gaze was filled with nothing more than exhaustion and indifference. "Got it. Go ahead. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep," she said. She was no longer interested in seeing what Carlin and Allison got up to. They had done far too many unforgivable things already. She couldn't be bothered to care whether even more might happen tonight. It was nearly dawn when Carlin finally returned to their room. Although he hugged her from behind as affectionately as ever, his voice was clearly laced with the huskiness of someone who had just satisfied his physical lust. "Sorry, Jo. I ended up staying a little longer with Allison. Don't take it the wrong way. She was crying because she missed Uriel, so I had to keep her company. I tried talking to her and comforting her in the hopes of making her feel better." Johanna could smell Allison's scent on Carlin. Feeling repulsed, she forcefully struggled out of Carlin's arms. "Why did you come back then? You should just move into Allison's place. Since she's pregnant, she needs you to take care of her the way Uriel would've. I don't need that." Johanna couldn't keep the anger and disgust out of her eyes. "Why are you suddenly having a fit? Uriel died saving me, and Allison is carrying his pup. Isn't it my duty to console her in his place when she's upset?" Carlin retorted. "Jo, do you actually think something is going on between Allison and me? If you insist on thinking that… so be it. I won't ever get involved with Allison's matters anymore. If you want me to stay away from her, I'll do as you wish. I'm going to prove my innocence to you, even if it means bearing the brunt of Mother and the elders' reprimands." Despite saying that, he took his anger out on Johanna anyway. Shoving her aside roughly, he left in a huff, slamming the door behind him.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

For the next few days, Carlin seemed to keep his word. He purposely avoided all contact with Allison, even when the pack invited a healer over each month to check on the pup. "Carlin, Uriel's gone, and Allison is carrying his pup. You should be taking care of her on Uriel's behalf," Maria painstakingly scolded. Carlin took the hint and put on a show with Maria. "So what? Jo got pissed when I had to console Allison the other night. She doesn't like me paying attention to any other she-wolf besides her, even if it's Uriel's widow and her own older sister." In just a few sentences, he cast all the blame onto Johanna. Just then, the healer came out after having checked on Allison and the pup. She said, "Both the mother and the pup are doing well, but the mother seems to be in poor spirits. I suggest you all spend more time talking to her to keep her in a good mood.""Well? Why are you still standing there? Since you don't want Carlin to do it, you can do it yourself," Maria said to Johanna. "No other she-wolf in the Silverplume pack is as jealous and possessive as you are. You don't even trust your own mate and sister." Johanna had no choice but to enter Allison's room. However, the moment she approached the bed, a seemingly weak Allison abruptly reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly. Her instinctive reaction was to try and break free, but that was exactly what Allison wanted. She allowed herself to fall out of the bed just as Johanna pulled back before wailing, "My pup! My pup!" Her cries drew in everyone who had gathered outside, including Carlin, Maria, and other core members of the pack. Carlin was the quickest to react. He shot over to Allison and held her tightly. His voice trembled with concern as he said, "Allie! I'm here. Don't be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you or the pup.""I'm scared, Carl! Save the pup! I can't lose him!" Their display stirred up mixed emotions in Johanna. It still affected her, after all. It made her sad to see the truth blatantly presented before her. However, before she could compose herself, one of the members of the Silverplume pack shouted in anger, "It was Johanna's doing! She wants to destroy our pureblood lineage and ruin us all by killing the pup!"

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Once Maria and the elders gave the order, several young, formidable pack warriors surrounded Johanna. In her panic, Johanna shifted into her wolf to fight back, but how could she single-handedly take on the experienced warriors? Her dark gray fur flapped in the air, drenched red by her blood. "Don't bother showing her any mercy. She brought it upon herself. I refuse to acknowledge someone as vicious as her as my daughter," Carmen declared. Even though she was present, she didn't plead for them to go easy on Johanna. Instead, she growled, "You knew how important the pup is to Allison and the entire pack, but you still had the gall to try and harm the pup! You're just jealous because Allison is better than you in every way!" While werewolves quickly recovered from their injuries, Maria and the elders were determined to ensure Johanna suffered. They had her tormentors use whips that were covered in silver. Johanna was beaten to within an inch of her life. Her entire face and body were covered in blood. She was barely conscious when Carlin finally called out at leisure, "That's enough. Allison and the pup are more important. We mustn't frighten them." Ignoring the bloodied Johanna, he picked up Allison and covered her with a blanket. "How are you feeling, Allison? Are you hurt?" Carlin asked, still anxious about Allison's condition. In the end, Johanna was dumped in the ancestral shrine and expected to repent for her misdeeds. Meanwhile, back in the room, Carlin and Allison were wrapped up in each other's arms. "You've been so good to me, Carl. With Uriel gone, I don't know what I'd do if you weren't around to take care of me, dote on me, and give me this pup.""Uriel and I were twins. It's only natural for me to complete what he couldn't do on his behalf.""But this isn't the only thing Uriel has left undone. I'm only 20 years old. I still have my entire life ahead of me…""Well, for as long as it takes, I'll do everything in his place. What's the matter? Haven't I done a good job recently? Haven't I kept you satisfied, baby?""To be honest, Carl, you're actually better than Uriel. I still think about the other night when you took me 17 times…""You know, Uriel wasn't the only one who fell in love with you at first sight. But I was the younger brother. Between us, he was the one who had the final say. We had to be of one mind. I couldn't disregard the glory of the pack for my own selfishness. "That's why I was willing to mate with Jo. I figured that since she's your younger sister, treating her well would be akin to treating you well too. After all, once you became Uriel's mate, I could still see you every day." "Carl! We're in the middle of a conversation! What are you doing with your hands? You're so annoying!" At last, the truth was out. Johanna, who was passing by, overheard everything. She rejoiced over the fact that she had already broken her mate bond with Carlin. Once again, she approached Elspeth for help in treating her injuries. Perhaps she looked pitiful enough, for Elspeth tended to the wounds without asking for anything in return. "Was it your mate who hit you? Judging from your tears, you seem to be in great sorrow. It looks like your heart is hurting more than your body," Elspeth remarked. With a bitter chuckle, Johanna replied, "You're right. It hurts so much. I'm guessing no one can withstand the pain of being abandoned by both their mate and their family. We can recover from physical wounds, but the wounds in our hearts will remain forever. "Still, I'm used to being framed and set up the way I was today. I've been through it countless times all throughout my childhood.""You poor thing," Elspeth remarked. "If you ever need help, feel free to come to me." It had been a long time since Johanna had received such care from someone else. Ever since she was a young pup, she was bullied by everyone else—especially Allison.

Chapter 7 Chapter 7

Allison came across as a kind-hearted she-wolf who couldn't hurt a fly. However, in reality, her favorite pastime was bullying Johanna for entertainment. After bullying Johanna for eight years, she ran out of ideas to make it more fun. Moreover, Johanna had grown so accustomed to the abuse that she no longer reacted to it. Therefore, one day, she told Johanna she wanted to play a new game. It was simple. Allison would hurt herself. Then, she would tearfully twist the truth around to their parents and claim that Johanna bullied her. Johanna was free to defend herself before their parents decided who was in the right. Their parents had always doted on the gorgeous Allison more, so it went without saying that Allison won all the time. Johanna had no choice but to put up with the false accusations without protest. Her suffering only ended when she became Carlin's mate. At the time, she thought she would have the protection of a mate who loved her. Moreover, since both hers and Allison's mates were twin brothers, she figured that Allison would at least hold back a bit more out of consideration for Uriel. It never occurred to her that things would turn out as they did today. It wasn't just her parents who declared Allison victorious today. All the elders of the Silverplume pack, and even Carlin, who had liked Allison from the start, took Allison's side. When marking Johanna, Carlin had sworn to the Moon Goddess that he would love and cherish Johanna forever. But alas, Johanna couldn't forget the indifference in his eyes when he stood by and watched while she was brutally assaulted. From that moment onward, her tears finally ran dry. Although her heart continued to ache, she was determined to leave the Silverplume pack and Carlin for good. Johanna and Elspeth came to an agreement. At midnight tomorrow, Elspeth would use a teleportation spell to whisk Johanna out of the Northern Wolflands and to a place where it would be hard for the pack to find her. In the remaining time, Johanna would put an end to everything. Carlin had said he marked her and treated her well solely because she was Allison's younger sister, right? Carlin didn't think this counted as him being disloyal to his mate. After all, prior to Uriel's death, all he did was look at Allison. He didn't do anything that counted as betrayal. In fact, just like others, Carlin genuinely believed that the ordinary and unremarkable Johanna had no right to expect anything more. It was already a huge honor for her that she could become his mate because of Allison. Well, Johanna was going to personally inform Carlin that she was the one who broke their mate bond first. She was the one who discarded him. She didn't need the tainted so-called love he gave her. Upon returning to the Silverplume pack, Johanna headed straight for her room. "Oh, you little temptress. I can't keep my hands off you.""Are you saying that pitiful mate of yours can't satisfy you anymore?" Chuckling, Carlin replied brazenly, "She's like a block of ice, but you're the hottest flames.""You're terrible! You know full well I'm your brother's widow, but here you are lusting after me.""You should've been mine in the first place! You're driving me crazy, Allison.""Then ruin me, Alpha," Allison said in a sweet, coy voice. "Make me forget he ever existed." Carlin hastened his thrusts. The sounds of their moans mingled with the sounds of their bodies slamming against each other. "Shit—""Don't stop! Harder—" Their blissful cries and grunts rang on and on like an unstoppable farce. For Johanna, listening to them while standing next to the myrtle tree outside, a symbol of steadfast love, was a mockery. It also crushed the last of her dignity. She heard it all clearly, but she didn't cry. Her gaze was still. She simply murmured, "All of you will regret this." Johanna had made up her mind, and there was no turning back. She destroyed every gift Carlin had ever given her. In the past, they were like treasure to her, but now, they were as worthless as the one who had given them to her. Once she was done with that, she looked out the window and stared at the myrtle tree. It symbolized steadfast love, and she and Carlin had planted it together. At the time, Johanna looked forward to the future. She hoped that their love would grow strong and flourish like the tree. After staring in silence for a while, she stoically retrieved an ax from the room and headed toward the myrtle tree. She struck the tree once, and then again, using more force with each strike. Eventually, the trunk was chopped into two, and the top half fell to the ground. Using the ax, Johanna stuck the letter she had prepared into the remaining stump. The letter read, "It all ends now, Carlin. After seeing what you did with Allison, I asked a sorceress to break our mate bond. But you've been too busy to even notice. I can't accept my mate betraying me. In any case, you've never loved me anyway, so I've made my own decision. "I've decided to end it all myself and leave for a place where I won't have to see you again. Uriel's dead, and I won't ever come back. You and Allison are free to do whatever you want now."