r/mybothbook

"Listen, I make 50,000 dollars a year. That's more than enough to take care of you. At your age, you should be thinking about settling down while you still have the chance. In a couple of years, it'll be harder for you. You might not have many options left. Hey—are you even listening to what I'm saying?"
Robin jerked in surprise. Her eyes flew open as she stared at everything around her, stunned.
The air smelled strongly of fresh coffee. Warm sunlight poured through the bright windows and spread across the table in front of her.
The café was quiet and calm. Every now and then, someone tapped on a keyboard. Soft laughter and low conversations drifted through the room.
Everything felt peaceful. Normal.
But just moments ago, her best friend Zelda Field and Noah Goodman had pushed her straight into a swarm of zombies. Pain had ripped through her body. Rotting mouths had torn into her flesh. Blood had filled her vision...
Robin slowly looked away from the room and focused on the man sitting across from her. He wore a neat suit. His huge belly pressed against the table, and the hair on the top of his head was thinning.
"You are...?"
His face looked somewhat familiar. Robin moved her lips slightly. After surviving ten years in the apocalypse, she had learned how to stay calm no matter what happened. Even though this situation made no sense, she quietly picked up her phone and checked the screen.
August 14, 3026.
4:00 p.m.
Which meant—
Ten years ago! She had returned to ten years in the past.
Robin Neel forced herself to stay calm, despite her emotions running high. In her previous life, on August 24, 3023, Jeblea ignored warnings from the United Nations and dumped nuclear wastewater into the ocean. They confidently claimed it would cause no harm to Earth.
But three years later, on August 24, Earth fought back. Humanity faced Earth's retaliation for that reckless decision.
A zombie virus that only affected humans spread across the world. Animals and plants mutated and became highly aggressive. The weather turned extreme. Natural disasters followed one after another. The world humanity had built over thousands of years fell apart almost overnight.
And today was exactly ten days before the apocalypse.
Once Robin realized that, she couldn't sit still.
Ten days. That was all she had left.
"Sorry, I need to leave."
She stood up at once, not caring about anything else. The man across from her suddenly changed expression. He grabbed her wrist. "What's your problem? Was anything I said wrong? Do you know how popular an elite like me is in the dating market? You should appre—AH!"
Before he could finish, he let out a loud scream.
Robin could feel the warm, sticky touch on the back of her hand. Holding back her disgust, she twisted his wrist and pinned it firmly to the table. Her eyes turned sharp. "What do you think you're doing?"
It was pure instinct. Even though her current body was weak, she used a clever grip. The man couldn't break free.
The quiet café atmosphere shattered. People turned to stare.
Robin looked at the man's round face and then thought about the timing. Suddenly, it clicked. A cold smile slowly appeared on her lips.
Right. She remembered now.
His name was Jim Patton. He had originally been the blind date arranged for her "best friend." But Zelda claimed she felt sick and begged Robin to go in her place. She even reminded Robin that Jim had been introduced by her Aunt Mabel, so Robin needed to be polite.
Robin had followed that advice. During the whole meeting, she stayed polite. Jim said several ridiculous things; she kept smiling and remained respectful.
But Jim saw her politeness as encouragement.
That very night after the date, he tried to drag her to a hotel. When she refused, he wouldn't stop harassing her for days. On top of that, he secretly spread rumors that the two of them had slept together, which caused Robin a lot of trouble at the time.
The memories came rushing back. Robin slowly loosened her grip. A strange look flickered in her eyes.
She smiled softly and said, "Come to think of that, you know, I should thank you."
In her previous life, if Jim hadn't sneaked into her apartment on the very day the apocalypse began, trying to force himself on her, she wouldn't have panicked and accidentally stabbed him with a fruit knife. Later, when a massive group of zombies surrounded the building, she used Jim's body as bait to lure them away. That gave her, Noah, and Zelda the chance to escape.
In a way, if Jim hadn't been the unlucky sacrifice, Robin might have died during that first zombie siege.
So when it came to an old "benefactor," she should at least show a little courtesy.
Jim quickly pulled his hand back and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Everyone, look at this! This is unbelievable! I made time out of my busy schedule to come on this date, and she suddenly attacked me! I've never met someone like her before!"
"Didn't you grab me first?" Robin said darkly.
"Besides, I'm not interested in you. Isn't it normal for me to leave?"
Jim shouted angrily, spitting as he spoke. "You—you're not interested in me? Do you have any idea how rare it is to catch a man like me in the dating market?!"
Robin fell silent for a while before she asked evenly, "What, do you think you're some kind of rare prize?"
"Huh?"
People around them froze for a second. Then several of them burst out laughing.
Jim finally realized what she meant, and his face flushed red. "I'm warning you—don't look down on a young man like me just because I'm not rich yet!" he snapped. "If your aunt hadn't set this up, you'd never even have the chance to meet a guy like me!"
"Young man?" Robin's gaze slid slowly over his bald head.
"Are you sure you're not middle-aged?"
"So it starts with don't look down on a poor young man," Robin mocked lightly. "Then what—don't look down on a poor middle-aged man? And later, ‘don't look down on a poor old man?"
The thought seemed to amuse her, and she gave a small laugh.
She concluded sarcastically, "Guess some people are just destined to stay poor their whole lives."
"Y-you bitch!" Jim exploded with anger. Suddenly, he raised his hand.
"I'm going to teach you some manners on behalf of your parents today!"
No one expected him to lash out so suddenly. People in the coffee shop gasped and shouted, and the place instantly turned chaotic.
Seeing Jim's red, twisted face, a cold light flashed in Robin's eyes. Before his hand could come down, she moved first.
Smack! Her slap landed fast and hard.
Jim spun in place from the force before crashing down onto the floor. His head buzzed loudly, and the world seemed to spin around him.
After a few seconds, he finally snapped back to his senses and shouted hoarsely, "Y-you... what did you just do?! When I get home, I will tell your aunt everything! What kind of family raises a daughter as rude as you?!"
"Go ahead and say a few more things," Robin replied casually, shaking her slightly numb hand.
She didn't even bother looking at him. "You should complain to your mom too. Otherwise, who's going to stand up for you? I've already paid for my coffee," she added lightly. "Just helping you keep your pride. No one can say I bullied a poor middle-aged man."
With that, she picked up her bag and stood up.
Jim roared from the floor, "Stop her! This is outrageous! Somebody stop her!"
Robin paused slightly. "Are you sure you want to keep me here?"
When Jim met her icy gaze, he instinctively looked away. A strange fear rose in his chest.
For some reason, in that brief moment, the way Robin looked at him made him feel like she was staring at a dead man.
What Jim didn't know was that in her previous life, he had died by Robin's hand.
Seeing how cowardly he looked now, Robin let out a quiet scoff and walked away without even turning back.
...
Robin returned to the place she remembered from her previous life. She took a slow breath and pushed the door open.
It was a three-bedroom apartment in the heart of the city. The location was great, and transportation nearby made it easy to go anywhere.
But Robin didn't have time to dwell on the strange feeling of being back. She quickly reviewed everything she owned. Over the years, she had saved a little more than 2,000,000 dollars, along with this apartment and three percent of Neel Group's shares.
Of course, that money didn't come only from her paycheck from the zoo. Robin was the adopted daughter of the Neels. She didn't have much standing in the household, but every year she still received a decent amount of dividend money from the company.
After a moment of thought, she grabbed a piece of paper and started listing the supplies she needed.
When the apocalypse arrived, the biggest problem would be a lack of resources. In her last life, she had seen it many times—people fighting until their heads were bleeding just for a small amount of food. Once society collapsed, the darkest side of human nature came out without restraint.
Robin shook her head and opened the Amazon app on her phone. The first thing she looked for was instant noodles in different flavors.
Normally people called them junk food. But in the apocalypse, instant noodles easily beat rice and pasta and became one of the most practical survival foods.
If you had hot water, you could cook them. If you didn't, you could eat them dry. They filled your stomach quickly, came in many flavors, and soon turned into a rare luxury.
Robin had just chosen several boxes and was about to place the order when—Beep!
A sudden sound rang in her mind. Then a mechanical voice spoke.
"Greetings, honored host. System Assistant Bell is here to serve you.
"I have detected that you intend to spend money. Please feel free to spend as much as you like. For every 1,000 dollars you spend, you will receive 10 square feet of storage space. Once the ‘Big Spender' feature is unlocked, you will also receive one lottery draw as a reward.
"Countdown: 167:59:59."

I was holding the positive pregnancy test in one hand and trying to zip up my mating dress with the other when my Alpha walked into our cabin, looked me in the eye, and told me I had two minutes to leave before he marked my sister at the altar instead.

"You can't be serious." My voice came out flat.

The dress fell off one shoulder.

"Aiden. The whole pack is already in the ceremony hall."

"I know." He didn't look at the test in my hand. He didn't even look at the dress falling open.

He was looking at the door, like he was already late for something.

"Lyra is my true mate, Sera. The Goddess showed me three nights ago. I can't fight a true bond."

Three nights ago.

Three nights ago I had been at the lodge mending the ceremony cloak with my own hands, while he was supposedly at the border patrol.

"Lyra." I said her name slowly.

My half-sister. The one I had taught to shift. The one I had fed scraps to when our father drank through the winter stores.

"*That* Lyra."

"Don't make this ugly."

"How long."

"Sera—"

"How long, Aiden."

He picked up his coat from the bed.

The bed I had slept in alone for the last seven months because he kept saying his wolf was restless.

"Eight months," he said.

The pregnancy test slipped out of my hand and hit the floor.

He looked down at it. Both pink lines. Then he looked up at me.

I saw it — he hadn't known I was pregnant. He hadn't even suspected.

His face didn't change.

"Tell the healer it's not mine," he said. "I don't want a paternity claim against my Pack."

I couldn't make my mouth work.

"You can stay until the ceremony's over." He buttoned his coat. "Lyra wants you to watch. She thinks it'll give you closure."

He walked out. The cabin door swung shut behind him.

I stood in the half-zipped dress, in the cabin he had built for me, and listened to the drum start up in the ceremony hall across the field.

Three hundred wolves were already there. Every Alpha he had ever wanted to impress. Every elder who had ever called me a weak Omega and told me I was lucky any Alpha had picked me at all.

They were about to watch him mate my sister.

And he wanted me to be in the front row.

---

I went.

I don't know why I went.

I think I wanted to see if he would meet my eyes when he did it. I think I wanted to know if there was anything left of the boy I had grown up with, or if my sister had eaten that part of him too.

The ceremony hall went quiet when I walked in.

Lyra was already at the altar in *my* dress.

The dress my mother had been mated in. The dress I had hung up in the cabin closet last night.

She must have come for it while I was at the healer.

She was wearing it like it was hers. The silver thread along the bodice was let out over her stomach.

She was showing.

"Six weeks," she said sweetly, when she saw me looking.

The whole front row could hear her.

"Aiden's pup. A real Alpha pup. The Goddess gave us the bond and the heir at the same time."

A real Alpha pup.

Meaning *unlike whatever she thought I'd give him*.

Aiden didn't tell her to be quiet. He put his hand on her stomach in front of three hundred witnesses.

I didn't speak.

I walked the entire length of the hall to the front row, where they had set me a seat in the family pew, and I sat down.

The Alpha to my left scooted his chair away so we wouldn't touch.

The healer two rows behind me started to cry.

The drum kept going.

Aiden tilted Lyra's head to one side. He bared his teeth.

He bit.

The mark went in. Lyra's whole body shuddered. The hall let out a long, low howl of approval, the way wolves do when a true mate bond seals.

I felt the ceremony bond in my own chest. The phantom bond Aiden and I had been building for two years.

It snapped clean.

It didn't even hurt. It just went away, the way an electric light goes out when you cut the wire.

He pulled back from my sister's neck with my sister's blood on his mouth.

He looked at me.

He smiled.

"Sera." His voice carried the way an Alpha's voice carries when he wants it to. "You're released from the engagement. Pack a bag. The Crosshollow Pack thanks you for your years of service."

The hall laughed.

I stood up.

I had nothing to say. I had a dead bond in my chest, two pink lines in my pocket, and a sister wearing my mother's dress.

I was at the door when the messenger caught me.

She was old. Older than any wolf in the Pack. Her hood was up and her hands were shaking from age, but her eyes weren't shaking at all.

She put a folded letter in my hand.

The seal on it was three roots, twined together. I had never seen the symbol before, but my wolf went absolutely still when I looked at it.

"Read it tonight," the old woman whispered. "Not in this Pack. Get five miles past the border first. Then read it."

"Who are you."

She looked past me at Aiden, still at the altar, still smiling at my sister.

"I'm the woman who's about to ruin his life," she said.

"Now run, child."

The day our SAT scores went live, I had dinner with Leo Calloway's family to celebrate.

His mother Diane Calloway said, half-joking, “Sasha, any plans to date in college? If so, you two should coordinate your applications. And honestly, you could do a lot worse than our Leo, you know.”　　

　　The secret I’d buried deep inside me was suddenly dragged into the light.

　　My face flushed hot, and my eyes instinctively flicked toward Leo.

　　He didn’t look up.

　　But I caught it, an unmistakable flicker of disgust on his downturned face.

　　In eighteen years, it was the first time I’d ever seen that expression on him.

　　I stood there, frozen, completely at a loss for how to respond.

　　“Oh, come on, love is personal. Let’s not meddle with the kids.”

　　My mom smoothed things over and steered the conversation elsewhere.

　　Leo didn’t say another word for the rest of the meal.

　　That night, I went home, opened my list of target schools, and quietly crossed off the one I’d copied from the back wall of our classroom, Leo’s dream college.

　　***

　　That little incident didn’t leave a rift between the adults. 　　But for me, I couldn’t be around Leo the same way anymore. 　　I thought he felt the same.

　　Except the very next day, he messaged me first. 　　[Come over this afternoon. Let’s hang out.]

　　It looked no different from before.

　　But I agonized over how to reply. 　　Eventually, I typed back: [Okay.]

　　Then I asked what time he’d come. 　　He didn’t respond.

　　By lunch, I was a nervous wreck. 　　So anxious I couldn’t even settle down.

　　I waited until three o’clock before my phone finally rang.

　　“Are you home? I’m coming over now.”

　　I twisted the hem of my shirt and said quietly, “I’m home.”

　　After I hung up, I turned down my mom’s invite to the movies and told her I had plans with Leo.

　　We didn’t live far apart, just across the street, Maplewood subdivision to Maplewood subdivision.

　　I figured he’d be here any minute.

　　So I changed and went downstairs to wait.

　　That wait dragged on for another two hours.

　　I stared at the string of unanswered calls on my phone and debated whether to try again.

　　But would that make me look clingy?

　　What if he had a genuine emergency?

　　I was still editing a message when someone tapped my shoulder from behind. 　　“Sasha. Let’s go.”

　　Leo startled me so badly I clutched my phone to my chest, terrified he’d seen the draft.

　　Just as we were leaving, I ran into my mom coming home. 　　“Sasha, Leo, you two are heading out?”

　　Leo flashed her a polite smile. “Just dinner, Mrs. Hart. Not playing around.”

　　My mom nodded. “Don’t be out too late.”

　　When we got to the restaurant, I stopped dead.

　　A whole crowd of people I didn’t recognize swarmed Leo with familiar hellos.

　　Maya Vance glanced at me and squeezed in next to him.

　　“So Sasha’s the one you were waiting for. Why didn’t you just invite her to hang out this afternoon? Why wait until dinner?”

　　So he’d been with them all afternoon.

　　Then why drag me here?

　　I trailed behind him, waiting for an answer too.

　　“Let’s eat, aren’t you hungry?”

　　Leo didn’t take the bait. He just herded everyone inside.

　　They all laughed and settled into the booth.

　　Except there was no seat for me.

　　I stood in the doorway, unsure what to do. 　　I want to go home. 　　That was my first thought.

　　I practiced the words in my head a hundred times before I finally mustered the courage to step forward.

　　“Leo, I…”

　　“Why aren’t you sitting down?”

　　Leo cut me off, turning around.

　　Every conversation at the table stopped dead. Everyone stared.

　　He scanned the booth, saw it was full, and eventually flagged down a server for an extra stool, wedging it next to him.

　　“Sit.”

　　The words I hadn’t said caught in my throat, but I sat down anyway.

　　And the second I did, I regretted it.

　　I couldn’t wedge into a single one of their topics.

　　So I sat there stiffly, sipping soda after soda.

　　Halfway through the meal, Leo suddenly shoved his phone in my face. 　　“Hey Mom, yeah, I’m eating with Sasha. Be back soon.”

　　I barely got a smile ready before he yanked the phone back and hung up.

　　He hadn’t said one word to me the entire time.

　　And he didn’t introduce me to anyone else, either.

　　That was the moment I started to understand why he’d called me here.

"I will give Lylah's place to her sister, Cora," I heard my mate, Alpha Rowan, say coldly.

Today was the day I had been waiting for—the meeting that would decide my admission to the Academy of Lunar Grace, the pinnacle of werewolf education.

But when I stood outside the instructor’s door, I heard my beloved mate and my family discussing giving the admission spot I had worked so hard to earn to my sister.

“Finally you gave Lylah’s spot at Lunar Grace to Cora, Alpha Rowan. Thank you!" That's my father's voice. “My daughter is brilliant. She will not fail you.”

“Glad to help." Alpha Rowan, my mate, or the man I had believed was mine, replied.

“But... are you certain?” My mentor, a Pack's Gamma named Stone, asked. “Lylah has fought for this spot since last year. How could you do this to her, Alpha?"

“This is final,” My father, Alpha Eldric of Ironcrest Pack, snapped. “Alpha Rowan promised this spot to my precious Cora long ago. We had a deal. He took that useless mongrel Lylah off my hands, kept her from tainting my true family. In return, I poured gold and warriors when his pack was ready to collapse. Isn’t that right, Alpha?”

“But-"

“I’m the Alpha, so the decision is mine. That spot belongs to Cora." Rowan cut in coldly. "About Lylah, I’ll handle it."

I endured every word my father spat—until Rowan spoke.

The ground seemed to shift. I staggered back.

Selestine, my wolf who rarely stirred, howled now—her pain ripping my chest apart.

'What of his promises? Of the dream he knew I bled for to become a female Master Healer?'

Crying, I fled the building, barely making it into the car before I saw Cora through the window—her pale hair gleaming like moonlight.

Rowan had left before dawn for a conference that ended hours ago. I hadn’t imagined he would come here instead. My father, Cora, and Rowan together.

The manor doors burst open when I finally returned.

Rowan stood there, his cane polished to a mirror shine. His smile suggested nothing had happened at all.

“Where have you been, my little moon? I miss you," he said, striding toward me.

His cold pine and musk's scent fouled with cloying Rose. Cora's scent.

“Rowan,” I said, pushing him away.

“The conference was chaos. Reporters everywhere, all asking about Corlis Prime. I finished far later than expected.” He kissed my cheek, my forehead.

How could he lie that easily to me?

“Sorry I’ve been so busy lately, but it was to ensure you would never lack anything again,” he added.

Alpha Rowan of the Blackfang Pack was a genius, the mind behind the program that lifted his pack to legendary status, raising it from ash to the most loaded and renowned pack of the era.

“I understand, Rowan,” I said dully. “I can handle things on my own. You’ve done enough for me. I’m an adult now, I have my wolf and a job. I don’t want to depend on you forever.”

I will never rest my life on anyone again. Not my parents. Not him.

I was once the cherished daughter of the Ironcrest Pack for fifteen years. My parents loved me even as everyone whispered about my flaws, how my physique was frail, how I might not truly be their child. Then came the night of the Pearl Moon Festival and everything changed.

A mysterious white wolf appeared in the sacred clearing, perfect in every way.

Their family bond clicked instantly. Coraline 'Cora', was my parents' real daughter. Finally, they had found the missing piece of their perfect family. And just as easily, they cast me aside.

While Ironcrest celebrated Cora, I was cast into the wild forest, near the Rogues’ den, left to die.

There, I meet my savior. Alpha Rowan of Blackfang Paack finds me shivering, frozen with fear, my wolf still silent.

That night, we shared a silent pain—his leg mangled by a silver trap set by his enemies, mine buried deep inside.

Instead of hurting me like everyone else, Rowan carried me on his back and took me to his pack.

The injury left him limping and one by one, his pack members betrayed him. But I always stayed by his side.

I spent days and nights honing my mind so I could be worthy of an Alpha’s side—standing beside him in councils of rival packs, drafting treaties and diplomatic letters sealed with his authority. I carried him mentally and emotionally, all because I loved him.

I believed he loved me too, until today.

“Stop saying nonsense,” Rowan's fingers grazing my neck. “Soon I'll put my mark here, and you will become mine. Forever.”

Another lie.

I ask anyway,

“What do you mean?”

“Shh,” he murmured. “I know you’re upset that you didn’t get into the Academy of Lunar Grace. It’s alright, don’t blame yourself for submitting the form late. Because even the most prestigious academy is nothing compared to what’s waiting for you as my Luna. I’ll give you everything that you won’t even remember your dreams anymore.”

Dreams he had once sworn to protect.

Now he crushed them. He stole my right and handed it to Cora.

Rowan stood triumphant on the future I had bled to build for him, and this was my reward?

I would not accept it.

Chapter 2

Lylah’s POV

Pale morning light bled slowly into Blackfang territory, washing the land in silver and ash. I left the manor before the pack fully stirred, heading toward the pack post office.

Tiara, my best friend, was already there, leaning against the wooden beam.

“This is our meeting spot, Birthday girl? How chic.” She teased, then grinned. “Still, Happiest birthday to you, Lylah darling.”

“Thank you. And thanks for agreeing to help me.”

She tilted her head, “You’re alone? I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you without your brooding Alpha shadow.”

She meant Rowan.

It wasn’t a secret anymore how I’d followed Alpha Rowan like a pup, bound to him by more than habit, by something raw and aching that everyone could see. Heat crawled up my neck.

“He has nothing to do with today. Let’s not talk about him.”

“Oh, Selene! Did I hear that right?”

“I need your help,” I cut in, “Tell me how to submit my name to the Mate-market.”

Her jaw dropped dramatically.

The Mate-market was half tradition, half gamble—a system unmated wolves used to send their profiles across packs, letting fate, scent, and the Moon decide. Tiara was infamous for navigating it. I wanted my name there. Open. Available.

“Lylah, you can’t do that unless you’re completely unmated. And unless you don’t have a terrifying Alpha who might rip my throat out for helping you.” She hissed.

I met her eyes. “Oh, Tiara. Rowan, and I are Done.”

She gasped.

Done.

The word felt foreign, as if it belonged to another love story, not mine. Not after the night Rowan had found us, when Selestine, my timid wolf, had surged awake for the first time.

His presence was an intoxicating, dangerous current. Strong enough to pull us under. We knew the risk, yet we still dove in, forgetting how fragile we truly were.

Naive little wolf, caught in a trap we mistook for Moon Goddess' fate.

After we finished at the post office, Tiara and I crossed into the Pack’s square.

The scent of damp earth filled my lungs, followed by the sharp rose scent cut through it.

“Isn’t that Alpha Eldric’s daughter?” Someone shouted.

“Which one?”

“The beautiful one! Lady Cora of Ironcrest Pack!"

Tiara stiffened beside me. “What is that bitch doing in our Pack?”

I didn’t react. I’d known since yesterday that Cora was here.

Cora stood at the center of the square, her dress flowing like silk caught in the wind, her hair shining as though the sun favored her alone.

“Lady Cora, your necklace is stunning!” A girl gushed. “That must’ve cost a fortune.”

Cora touched the diamond at her throat, eyes glowing. “This is from someone special, given as a birthday gift today."

Yes. We shared the same birthday.

“Someone special? Your mate? Is he from Blackfang Pack? We’d be so honored to welcome you here!”

Cora laughed softly, covering her lips. “You’ll find out soon. It’s meant to be a surprise.”

I remember how Rowan had left before dawn.

How there's no cake, no candle, no kiss pressed to my brow like last year. He hadn’t remembered my birthday at all.

But he remembered hers.

For years, when everyone else chose Cora and dismissed me, when they wounded me, I believed Rowan was different.

How foolish I’d been.

As the day wore on, Tiara went home. I couldn’t return to Rowan’s mansion—the place we’d shared everything for five years—so I went to my mentor’s office instead.

“Lylah?” He rose to his feet as I stepped into the room, surprise flickering across his face. “I didn’t expect to see you today. Are you here to discuss your failed admission?

“No," I said, steadying my voice.

"Last month you offered me a position as a junior assistant at Lunar Grace, Mr Stone. I turned it down.” I swallowed. “Is the offer still open?”

His eyes widened.

Then he smiled. “Of course! It’s always been open. You can go whenever you’re ready."

Footsteps echoed in the corridor.

Mr. Stone stiffened.

"Wait here,” he said quickly. “I have important guests. Don’t leave until I return.”

He snatched up a glossy black box etched with a familiar sigil and rushed out, the door slamming shut behind him.

A familiar scent drifted through the crack, cold pine.

My heart sank.

I moved closer and peeked through the glass.

Rowan stood there. Holding Cora's waist.

Mr. Stone handed her the box. “Happy birthday, Lady Cora. This is your uniform. You’ve been officially accepted into the Academy of Lunar Grace."

Cora’s face lit up. “Thank you!”

“It arrived early because Alpha Rowan requested it. He wanted you to receive it on your special day.”

She turned to Rowan and rose onto her toes to kiss his cheek.

“After the necklace, another gift?” she teased. “You’re so thoughtful, Alpha.”

Rowan didn’t reply.

But his lips curved into a soft smile. His gaze warmed as it rested on her, the kind of look he’d never given lightly.

“May I ask one more thing?” Cora said.

“Of course.”

“Run with me. Let our wolves loose beneath the trees, just the two of us.”

Rowan nodded without hesitation.

My fingers curled into my palms.

I’d begged him once to do that with me. To run together, to deepen what we had. He’d refused, claiming his leg injury made it impossible.

Yet for Cora, he agreed instantly.

Chapter 3

Lylah's POV

I returned to the manor and shut myself inside my room.

The space reeked of Alpha indulgence, luxuries Rowan had claimed for me after Blackwood Pack rose to dominance. Velvet-lined boxes of diamonds and enchanted gems. Robes spun from pure winter fur.

None of it felt like mine anymore.

I dragged my suitcase from beneath the bed and began packing the few simple clothes I’d bought myself over the years.

Just as I folded the last shirt, my phone buzzed to life.

Tiara:

'Lylah, the Mate-market is buzzing! Your profile has drawn more than fifty unmated males already! Mentioning Lunar Grace was a brilliant move, but are you really leaving? How about Alpha Rowan? I never believed he’d allow you that much distance.'

A bitter smile curved my lips.

Once, I would have waited for permission. Once, my feeling for him would have tightened around my ribs at the thought of disobedience.

But that girl was gone.

Suddenly, a knock struck the door.

I sighed. I was too exhausted to face anyone.

“Lylah,” Rowan’s voice carried through the wood, “Open up. I have something for you.”

I crossed the room and slid the door open.

A chorus of voices burst forth at once.

“Surprise! Happy birthday, Lylah!”

Rowan stood at the center, smiling as if nothing in the world was amiss. In his hand rested a small velvet box. Behind him were Gavriel, his Beta, and Rosella—Gavriel’s mate—both wearing practiced smiles.

“What is this?” I asked.

“What else?” Gavriel laughed. “A surprise. Alpha's been driving us mad preparing this since morning.”

Morning.

The same morning he’d spent with Cora at my mentor’s office.

I smiled anyway.

“Go on, Alpha,” Rosella urged brightly. “Give her the special gift you’ve been planning all week.”

Rowan stepped closer and opened the box.

His scent, and the unmistakable trace of the deep wood, rolled over me. Telling me exactly where he’d been moments ago.

“I’ll put this gift on you,” Rowan said.

Inside lay a tiny bracelet set with a small amethyst. Pretty. Modest.

A diminished echo of the elaborate necklace he’d given Cora.

Rowan fastened it around my wrist.

“Thank you,” I managed.

His brows knit. “You sound distant, little moon. Aren’t you happy? You used to light up whenever I gave you gifts. You’d jump into my arms. Where did that go?”

“I’m just tired, Rowan.”

Rosella tilted her head, her lips curving into a poisonous smile. “Perhaps the bracelet disappointed her, Alpha. Too simple."

“No,” Rowan said quickly, cupping my cheek. “I know my Lylah. She prefers simple things. Anything extravagant wouldn’t suit her.”

I caught the amused glance Gavriel and Rosella exchanged.

“You smell like the woods,” I said lightly. “Did you just finish a run? I thought you’d stopped doing that.”

He stiffened for half a heartbeat.

“Of course not. I was at my office.” The answer came too fast. “Actually, I just remembered I have unfinished work. I should go.”

Of course.

He kissed my cheek and left, his presence fading down the hall.

The familiar flutter in my chest never came.

Selestine remained silent, the bond unmoved, as if something vital had already snapped.

Night fell.

I stood behind the counter of the small restaurant where I’d been working part-time for six months. Rowan knew I worked, but he’d never once asked where. I’d wanted savings, something that belonged to me alone. Tonight, I was grateful for that foresight.

The door opened.

And whispers rippled through the room like wind through tall grass.

“That’s Alpha Rowan!"

“And Lady Cora.”

“They look like they were paired by Selene herself.”

I froze.

At the far end of the room, Rowan entered with Cora at his side. Gavriel and Rosella followed. Rowan’s hand never left Cora’s waist, his touch openly possessive, his power flaring softly around her in a way he no longer bothered to hide.

“I hope I’m not inconveniencing anyone,” Cora said demurely.

“Of course not, Lady Cora,” Rosella replied warmly, so different from the honeyed venom she used on me. “It’s your birthday. Alpha Rowan wants everything perfect.”

A server placed a cake before them, candles flickering.

“Go on,” Rowan said gently. “Make a wish.”

“A-a wish?”

“Yes. Anything."

She glanced at him through her lashes. “Would it be all right if I prayed to Selene to bind me to you, Alpha?"

Rowan flushed.

Gavriel sucked in a breath. “Alpha, that’s a signal.”

Rosella clapped her hands softly. “It means you should mark her. Make her your Luna!"

Their table glowed with warmth and laughter, promise thick in the air.

Behind the counter, my wolf finally stirred. Not in pain, but aching rage.