Chapter 1After I was reborn, I could hear everyone's thoughts.
Including my sister's—who'd also been reborn.
On mate selection day, she snatched up Griffin—the guy who was all sweet and gentle in my past life.
Then she shoved Ronan straight at me. You know, the one with a reputation for beating his mates.
In her head, she was laughing like crazy:
[Ronan's fists, Thornhill's hatred—it's all yours now, dear little sister!]
I was laughing too.
Poor thing still had no idea who the real nightmare was.
You wanted Griffin that badly?
Fine. Enjoy every bit of his "gentleness."
---
"This time, I'm picking first! No way I'm getting kicked to the curb again! And this time, I'll make sure she ends up with the nightmare—not me!"
A sharp thought sliced straight into my head.
I turned to look at my sister Adeline beside me. Her lips were pressed tight, but her eyes? Locked dead on those two men across from us.
*Griffin's a softie. Easy to handle. He'll worship the ground I walk on. Ronan? Yeah, whoever wants that disaster can have him. Let Cora deal with that mess.*
My head went blank for a second.
That wasn't my thought. That was hers. Clear as day. Word for word.
And that tone? Not something she should be thinking—not in this lifetime.
She's been reborn too. Just like me.
Back to the Bonding Ceremony—the day we each pick our mates.
Only difference? I didn't just get a second chance.
I got something extra: I can read minds now.
"Cora, what are you spacing out for?" Adeline leaned in, hooking her arm through mine with that sweet, innocent smile. "Don't you think Griffin is, like, totally gorgeous?"
I looked up at the two men standing across from us.
First one: Ronan Thornhill. Next Alpha of the Thornhill Pack, no question. The guy's colder than ice, and just sitting there, he makes the whole room feel heavy. When he looks at you? No warmth. Just sharp. Like a blade.
Second one: Griffin Thornhill. Ronan's half-brother—same dad, different mom. He's not weak by any means, but his mom was some omega wolf, so the pack never really respected him. Right now, he's got this soft, harmless smile going. Real "nice guy" energy.
"So which one do you want?" Adeline tilted her head at me, eyes all bright and sparkly.
Her thoughts drifted over again: *Come on, say Griffin. Just say it. Then I can swoop in and take him, easy.*
I looked at that innocent little face of hers and almost laughed.
Oh, you want him that bad? Perfect. Be my guest.
I smiled. "Okay. If you like Griffin, he's all yours."
Adeline's whole body relaxed. She grabbed her skirt, practically skipped over to Griffin, and gave this shy little curtsy.
"Griffin, I'm Adeline. I'd like to choose you as my mate."
"The honor's mine, Miss Adeline." Griffin took her hand, all smooth and gentle.
"Cora." My father Camden's voice rumbled from the head of the table—low, commanding.
"Your sister chose Griffin. That means you're pairing with Ronan."
Before I could even respond, Adeline turned to look at me.
A little smile curled at the corner of her mouth. But her thoughts? They hit like a knife: *Ronan's fists, Thornhill's hatred—it's all yours now. Enjoy that miserable life for me, little sister.*
Memories from my past life slammed into me all at once.
Back then, Adeline was the one who married Ronan.
The heir was a total control freak. All he cared about was pack politics and territory expansion. Romance? He didn't give a damn. Adeline's clingy, spoiled behavior only pissed him off.
She kept pushing him, trying to force him to mark her. All she got in return was his rage. He beat her black and blue, over and over. Eventually, she crossed a line he couldn't forgive. He banished her from Thornhill Pack for good.
In the end, the Old Luna declared she had no right to be the Alpha's mate because she was never marked and never gave them an heir. She was cast out. Left to fend for herself. It didn't end well.
As for me? I married Griffin.
His mixed-blood status meant he had no real power in the Thornhill Pack—just a title, nothing more. But he was with me every single day. Gave me everything I wanted. Spoiled me rotten. I was the happiest woman in the whole pack.
Everyone in Thornhill knew how much we loved each other.
Then one day, out of nowhere, Ronan died. Wolfsbane poisoning. Griffin took over as Alpha, and just like that, I became the Luna of the Thornhill Pack.
Adeline lost her mind with jealousy. While I was out on patrol, she snuck up behind me and shoved a silver dagger straight into my heart. Dragged me down to hell with her.
I let a small smile tug at my lips, then looked up at Ronan. My voice came out calm.
"Alright, Father. I'm happy with that. Ronan's exactly who I want."
I walked over and sat down beside him.
The second I got close, this insane pressure rolled off him—like the weight of a top-tier Alpha crushing down on me. I could barely breathe.
No wonder Adeline got beaten to a pulp in the last life. An aura like this? A normal wolf couldn't handle it.
I tried reading Ronan's mind. Weird. Nothing. His head was like a solid wall. Completely sealed off.
But Griffin? His thoughts drifted right over: *Not bad-looking. Could be fun to play around with.*
A chill ran down my spine. I clenched my fingers without thinking.
"Hand."
A low voice pulled me back.
I blinked and realized I'd grabbed onto Ronan's sleeve without meaning to.
He glanced down at my fingers. No expression.
I let go fast. "Sorry."
He didn't say anything. But that suffocating pressure? It seemed to lighten. Just a little.
---
The Mating Ceremony was scheduled for the same day.
They said it was "to showcase the unity between the Thornhill brothers and the Ravenwood sisters."
Really, it was just for show. Whoever looked good in front of the Old Luna would have an easier life afterward.
Last time, Adeline had a complete meltdown because Ronan didn't show up.
She smashed the altar right in front of everyone.
The Old Luna tore into her so bad she couldn't lift her head.
From that day on, her life in the Thornhill Pack went downhill fast.
This time? She married Griffin. He showed up early, held her hand, and turned her into the center of attention.
And me? I stood at the entrance of the ceremony hall. Alone.
Ronan didn't come.
"Oh, Cora." Adeline walked over with Griffin on her arm, chin tilted up high. "Where's your mate? Can't even show up to his own Mating Ceremony? Guess you're not that important to him, huh?"
A few young she-wolves nearby covered their mouths and giggled.
I looked at Adeline's smug face. The memory of her stabbing me through the heart in my past life flared up again—sharp and painful.
But I just smiled. "He's got important business. I get it. Unlike some people who spend all day clinging to their men."
Adeline's face darkened.
Her thoughts exploded: *Keep pretending, bitch. Once Ronan beats the hell out of you, let's see if you're still smiling.*
She didn't say another word. Just pulled Griffin into the main hall, her back practically radiating smugness.
I stood there at the entrance, feeling eyes on me from every direction—pity, curiosity, but mostly people waiting to see me fail.
"The Alpha's second daughter paired with Thornhill's most emotionally distant heir? Yeah, she's not lasting long."
I ignored the whispers.
I lived my last life biting my tongue. This time? Nobody's getting a laugh at my expense.
I straightened my collar and walked into the hall.
Adeline was standing in the center, laughing and chatting with Griffin. The second she saw me, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him—right in front of everyone.
Then she turned and looked straight at me, that smug little smile still on her face.
Her expression screamed: *I win.*
I looked back at her, letting my own smile slowly spread.
You win?
Oh, sister. We're just getting started.
Chapter 2
I knew exactly what Adeline was trying to pull.
She wanted to see me lose it in front of everyone—just like she did in my past life.
But I'm not her.
I walked up to the ceremony platform, picked up the Alpha's horn, brought it to my lips, and blew.
The sound cut through every whisper in the room. The whole hall went silent.
I looked up, letting my gaze sweep across every face in the room. My voice came out calm and steady:
"Ronan's handling a border treaty with a neighboring pack today. It's about Thornhill's safety and interests, so he couldn't get away. I'll complete the toast and ceremony on his behalf. I hope you all understand."
The hall was so quiet you could hear the candles crackling.
Old Luna Magnolia Dewmist sat at the head of the room. She looked at me, and a flicker of approval crossed her face. She gave a small nod.
The Thornhill Pack was the strongest pack for miles around, and what they valued most was reputation and order.
At an event like this, the future Alpha's mate had to keep it together, hold her ground, and put the pack first. That's what a future Luna should look like.
Adeline must've seen the Old Luna's expression too, because her thoughts exploded with bitterness: *Keep acting. Let's see how you pull off the toast. I'm tripping her. I'll make her eat dirt in front of everyone. Let's see her play the good girl then!*
Being able to read minds? Best gift the Moon Goddess ever gave me.
Soon enough, it was time to toast the Old Luna.
I smoothed out my dress and walked toward her at an easy pace.
Adeline followed right behind me. Her thoughts counted down in my head: *One, two, three—now!*
I sidestepped, grabbed my glass without missing a beat, and presented it to the Old Luna.
Adeline wasn't so lucky.
She lunged too hard and couldn't stop herself. She hit the floor with a loud smack. Her glass shattered, wine splashing all over her dress.
"Adeline! Are you okay?" Griffin rushed over, all concern on his face.
But his thoughts? Not concerned at all: *Useless! Can't even handle something this simple. Embarrassing.*
Every eye in the room turned to Adeline, filled with nothing but disdain. The Old Luna's face darkened. She tapped her cane on the floor—once. Hard. The whole room went silent again.
"Clumsy. Disgraceful. Is this how a future mate of the Thornhill family behaves?"
"Luna Magnolia, I—I didn't mean to, I just slipped—" Adeline scrambled to her feet, stammering out excuses.
But the venom in her eyes? She couldn't hide it. She stared at me like she wanted to skin me alive.
If this were my past life, I might've softened and spoken up for her.
Not this time.
If she wasn't going to let me live in peace, why should I do her any favors?
After Adeline's little scene, the Mating Ceremony wrapped up pretty quickly.
The Old Luna didn't look at her again for the rest of the night. But when she passed by me, her expression softened noticeably. She reached out and patted the back of my hand.
"Cora, you're a sensible one. Tonight, I'll have Ronan come back and keep you company. Consider it making up for his absence today."
I lowered my head respectfully. "Thank you, Luna Magnolia."
Sure enough, not long after dark, Ronan came back.
When he pushed the door open, he still had the chill of the outside air clinging to him. My eyes followed him without thinking.
His face was as cold as ever, but there was a tiredness to it now. That crushing pressure from earlier? Dialed way down.
I walked over, took his coat as he shrugged it off, folded it neatly, and set it aside. Then I poured him a glass of water. "Busy day, huh?"
He glanced at me. Didn't take the water. Didn't say anything. Just gave a small nod and headed into the bathroom.
In my past life, I'd heard servants gossiping about Adeline's wedding night.
Ronan never came back. She sat alone in that empty bedroom all night and became the laughingstock of the whole pack.
She ran to the Old Luna crying about it, only to get chewed out. The Old Luna told her she was useless—couldn't even keep her own mate around.
While Ronan was in the shower, I made up his bed. Then I set up my own bedding on the low couch nearby.
When he came out, he was only wearing a black robe, the belt tied loosely. It hung open just enough to show a whole lot of chest and abs. Water droplets still clung to his skin, trailing downward.
It wasn't deliberate, but it was impossible to look away.
His gaze landed on the two separate beds. He paused. Then he looked at me, eyes questioning.
I spoke up quickly before things got awkward.
"You take the bed, Ronan. I'll sleep on the couch."
He narrowed his eyes, stared at me for a few seconds. His voice came out flat.
"What's this? Playing hard to get?"
That look—heavy and intense—made me instinctively turn my face away. My heart was beating a little too fast, but I kept my voice steady.
"That's not it. We only got tied together because of a pack alliance. We didn't choose each other. There's no feelings here. Sleeping in the same bed would just be awkward."
I took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. Laid it all out. "If you're okay with it, I want to make a deal with you."
"A deal?" He raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.
"In public, we're the perfect couple. We protect the pack's reputation and keep your heir image intact. Behind closed doors, we live our own lives. No interference."
I paused, then kept going. "I agreed to this alliance not because I want to latch onto you or chase some fantasy. I just want a place to stand in the Thornhill Pack. I want to stand on my own."
I said every word clearly.
He went quiet for a moment. Then the corner of his mouth curved up—just a little. That slight shift made him look less cold. Almost approachable.
"You're smart. Not like the others who'd kill to cling to the Alpha and never let go." He said, "Fine. I agree."
I let out a long breath.
Even though I'm the daughter of the Ravenwood Alpha, I've never been taken seriously my whole life.
This time around, the only cards I've got are my past life memories and my mind-reading ability.
As someone handed over for a political marriage, I didn't think I could control an Alpha.
In the Thornhill Pack, whether he treated me well or not depended entirely on whether the Old Luna liked me.
I wasn't about to be like Adeline—groveling to win over a man, only to get beaten half to death anyway.
Keeping the peace? That was good enough.
Chapter 3
Just like we agreed, I had Ronan post a photo on the pack's social platform—two hands clasped together.
His face in profile, cold and sharp. Me with my head lowered, eyes soft. Caption: just one word. "Mate."
The goal was simple. Let the whole pack know we were doing fine. Shut down the gossip. Put the Old Luna's mind at ease.
I scrolled through his profile while I was at it. Painfully empty. Aside from the post we just put up, there was nothing. He hadn't even shared any pack announcements.
But thinking about it, that made sense. A guy who's busy from dawn to dusk probably thought scrolling social media was a waste of time compared to reading reports.
That night, we stuck to the deal. He slept in the bed. I slept on the couch.
The couch was a little small, sure, but it was comfortable enough. I had nothing to complain about.
Getting an Alpha to agree to this kind of arrangement? I was already lucky.
The next morning, I woke up to some faint sounds.
I tiptoed over, following the noise—it was Ronan.
He was already working out. Push-ups, one after another. Clean, sharp movements. Pure strength.
Eight-pack abs, neat as a grid. Calves solid and strong. The kind of build you only get from years of training.
Way better than Griffin.
"Stop staring. I'm not interested."
He got up from the floor. His voice had no warmth in it.
"Get dressed. We're going to breakfast."
The message was clear. In front of others, we had to play the part.
Honestly, after spending just a little time with him, I realized he wasn't as unapproachable as everyone said.
So why was he so brutal to Adeline in my past life? Beating her all the time?
After getting ready, we headed out together.
The second we stepped outside, we ran into Adeline and Griffin walking hand in hand.
Adeline was wearing a tight, off-shoulder leather dress. Her neck and shoulders were covered in kiss marks.
She deliberately pushed her shoulders forward, practically shoving those marks in my face.
She looked me up and down, her face full of smugness.
*Covered from neck to wrist. Ronan definitely beat her up! She's too scared to show it. A woman who hasn't been marked? She's nothing to an Alpha.*
She laughed to herself, convinced she'd figured it all out.
"Cora, how was your wedding night?"
I glanced down at my clothes. High collar. Long sleeves down to my wrists. This was the traditional dress for the future Luna of Thornhill Pack.
Adeline had clearly forgotten that the Old Luna hated flashy, revealing outfits. Even makeup had to be subtle and elegant. No heavy looks allowed.
But I wasn't about to remind her.
I just smiled. "Adeline, according to pack rules, you're supposed to call me future Luna, not by my name."
Her face fell instantly. She bit her lip, defiant. "Ronan didn't tell me to call you that. Who do you think you are?"
Then she turned to Ronan. "Ronan, say something!"
Ronan didn't speak.
But I felt it—the pressure rolling off him, building slowly. Like the heavy, suffocating air before a storm.
Griffin's thoughts cursed: *Shit. This idiot. I'll deal with her tonight!* He tugged on Adeline's hand, trying to get her to shut up.
Adeline didn't get the hint.
"Griffin, what's the first rule of the pack?" Ronan's voice was quiet, almost casual.
Griffin immediately lowered his head. "I'm sorry, brother. I'll teach her."
A sharp crack. Griffin slapped Adeline across the face.
"Address the Alpha heir and the future Luna. Now!"
Adeline's cheek turned red instantly. She was shaking with anger, but she knew better than to push back against Ronan.
Through gritted teeth, she forced out the words: "Good morning, Alpha heir. Good morning, future Luna."
Griffin grabbed her arm and dragged her away, half-pulling, half-shoving.
The Thornhill Pack's first rule: No one is allowed to disrespect the future Alpha and his mate. Not even addressing them by name. Violators get thirty lashes. With a silver whip.
Ronan was the undisputed choice for the next Alpha.
In my past life, I memorized every single pack rule. Back then, Adeline had married Ronan and bullied me constantly. But because I knew the rules, I never dared talk back.
I thought she knew them too.
Turns out she never learned them at all.
She still thought she could push me around like before.
By the time we got to the dining hall, Adeline had already been "taught a lesson."
