Chapter 1I'd been secretly mated to my brother's best friend for a whole year.
Still figuring out how to tell my brother when he suddenly dragged me into the pack's corner store.
"Erick's mystery mate? Yeah, she's getting EXPOSED today."
I froze.
Wait.
I'M his MATE.
Before I could say anything - Jaylen shoved me forward like a stone shield.
My wolf went rigid.
Because Erick wasn't alone.
Some female was wrapped around MY mate's arm, laughing, touching him. Her scent all over his skin.
I forced a smile and choked out.
"Oh. Hey, Erick."
"And nice to meet you... Luna."
Erick Lee.
Call me 'little sister' in front of the pack, whisper 'my Luna' in our den - then cheat?
HELL NO.
So yeah - I rejected his bond, stole his ruthless rival instead.
Karma's a bitch. So am I.
...
I spotted that familiar frame in the distance.
My vision blurred. My wolf whimpered.
Jaylen didn't notice anything wrong. He ruffled my hair and snorted.
"Daphne, mind-link Erick and ask what he's up to."
"This pup told us he had pack business this weekend."
"Turns out he's here playing lovebirds with his little girlfriend!"
I gripped my phone tight. Didn't say a word. Just hit call.
Erick was standing by the shelves picking something out when his screen lit up. His jaw tensed.
He smiled softly at the female next to him, then switched the call to audio only.
When he answered, his Alpha tone was cold.
"What? I'm busy. I'll call you back later."
I stayed silent.
I wanted to say something.
But I was scared if I opened my mouth, I'd start howling in pain.
The call ended, and Erick happened to turn his head.
Jaylen shoved me forward before I could react while he slipped behind me, pretending we'd just caught their scent by chance.
I stared at the she-wolf clinging to MY mate's arm.
I forced a smile and choked out.
"Oh. Hey, Erick."
"And nice to meet you... sister-in-law."
Erick panicked.
He stared at me, jaw tight, his Alpha pheromones spiking cold.
"What are you doing here? Did you just call to test my loyalty on purpose?"
Before I could answer his accusation -
Jaylen popped out from behind me, grinning like an idiot.
He held up his phone, leaned in next to Erick, and flipped the camera to front-facing for the pack group chat.
"Our boy Erick's officially claimed! I knew it!"
"Guys, he's gotta treat the whole pack to a hunt now, right? Let us meet his mate properly!"
The second Jaylen appeared, Erick's icy dominance softened.
He looked at the female next to him with so much affection.
"No problem. Once Raya's free, I'll introduce her to the pack properly."
Then he leaned down. Gently brushed her bangs out of her eyes.
That gesture stabbed me right in the chest.
Is this really Erick?
Just this morning, he'd still been nuzzling my neck, calling me "my Luna."
How did he turn into someone else's mate in just a few hours?
Just then, a message popped up on my phone.
"Don't blow this. I'll explain later. Keep your wolf quiet."
I looked up at him.
He avoided my eyes, chatting like nothing was wrong.
The female next to Erick smiled sweetly at us.
She glanced at me, then at Erick.
"Is this the chubby little sister you always talk about?"
"But she's actually really pretty! You totally exaggerated."
Erick's eyes flickered. He answered stiffly.
"Yeah. That's her."
Like he was scared she'd get the wrong idea, he quickly added.
"She was a chubby pup back then. Always followed our pack runs, super clingy and annoying."
"We used to pull all kinds of tricks just to lose her scent."
The girl laughed. "You're terrible!"
"Tricking a little she-wolf like that - you should be ashamed."
Watching them flirt, my wolf howled inside me.
I quickly lowered my head.
Chubby. Clingy. Annoying.
So that was what I really was to Erick.
A stray to be shaken off.
Chapter 2
Before Erick and I became mates, I never imagined he'd want me.
Especially after I realized how much his wolf despised me as pups.
I avoided his scent like the plague.
Two years ago, we somehow ended up in the same pack territory for college. I still kept my distance.
But he changed.
At some point, he started tracking me down constantly.
If I refused, he'd use Jaylen's name to trick me into pack runs.
Designer clothes. Plushies. Luxury stuff.
Things she-wolves my age had to save up forever to afford - he just kept leaving them at my den.
Every time I returned them, he'd find another way to get them back to me.
Then came that pack dorm dinner.
I drank too much wolfsbane-laced punch and mind-linked my brother to come get me.
Erick showed up instead.
When he arrived, I was crouched on the ground feeling dizzy. My wolf was whining.
Some male who had a crush on me was holding a water bottle, keeping me company.
Erick's Alpha glare scared him off with a low growl.
I heard footsteps and looked up. Erick was crouched next to me.
His eyes were soft, his voice a gentle rumble. "Little drunk."
"You know it's dangerous for an unclaimed she-wolf to be this vulnerable?"
I swatted his hand away and staggered to my feet.
This male's a rogue.
He was just playing with me again. I couldn't fall for it.
Even drunk, I kept repeating that warning in my head.
Behind me, Erick seemed to sigh helplessly.
He caught up, grabbed my arm before I could shift and run.
He was strong. His Alpha strength made me lose my balance and stumble.
Fell right into his arms. His scent wrapped around me.
He smirked. "Damn. You really hold a grudge, little wolf."
I ignored him. So he leaned in closer, his handsome face inches from mine.
Our breaths mixed. My wolf howled.
"Be my mate. I'll let you get your revenge. Deal?"
My foggy brain cleared for a second.
The word revenge was too tempting. I nodded without thinking.
"Goddess, you're adorable."
Erick laughed again, pinched my cheek, then pressed a warm kiss to my forehead. Right where a claiming mark would go.
"Sealed. No take-backs. The bond is set."
Honestly, this past year with him - he really was a good mate.
Patient. Gentle. Nothing like how his wolf treated me as pups.
He remembered every little thing I mentioned.
I hated morning hunts.
So he'd wake up early every day, catch fresh prey, leave it outside my den, and have someone bring it up.
He even ditched pack gaming nights with Jaylen, just because my wolf was sad.
Jaylen complained to me once.
"Erick's definitely got a mate."
"I'm telling you, his scent's been all weird lately. Keeps dodging questions too."
"One of these days, I'm gonna catch him mid-claim."
I ducked my head, my ears burning.
I asked Erick when we should tell Jaylen the truth. Tell him we were bonded.
He shook his head dramatically.
"Can't even imagine how bad your brother's gonna claw my throat out."
"But whatever. I claimed his precious baby sister. I'll take the mauling."
I tilted my head. "You didn't claim me. I agreed."
He grinned, then lunged at me, tickling my sides. His wolf rumbling with playful dominance.
"Didn't I? Didn't I? You sure about that, little mate?"
Even though we were just playing, my heart felt so warm.
My wolf was finally at peace.
But now - this male who swore a blood oath to love me forever -
Was holding a napkin, gently wiping another female's mouth. Her scent clinging to his fingers.
Chapter 3
I stared at the scene in front of me. My wolf recoiled.
The table was piled with prey and dishes, yet I hadn't taken a single bite.
Jaylen, though, rolled his eyes and spoke teasingly.
"Dude, I knew your scent was off lately."
"Every time the pack asked, you denied being mated."
"Ran solo all through academy, then suddenly you're all claimed during senior year? You've been hiding your mate this whole time, huh?"
Then he turned to Raya and gave her a thumbs-up.
"Hey, you have no idea. This male's usually ice cold."
"So many she-wolves offered themselves to him - he wouldn't even scent them."
"Never thought I'd see the day someone got an Alpha this whipped."
Raya rested her chin on her hand, smiling sweetly at Erick.
"So you're that desired, huh?"
Jaylen quickly changed the subject.
"Alright, Erick, spill. How'd you land a female this gorgeous?"
"I'm still running solo over here. Gotta learn from the mated Alpha."
Erick lowered his gaze and glanced at me for a split second.
All he saw was my blank face. No reaction left.
He didn't know - after everything - my wolf had gone completely silent.
Rejection.
That was the only word howling in my head.
"Erick's wanted me for a long time."
When Erick didn't answer, Raya jumped in.
Erick stiffened, turned his head awkwardly.
Raya placed her hand over his other one on the table.
"We've actually known each other forever. Our packs ran together as pups. I used to think what I felt for him was just pack loyalty."
"But then last December, that huge blizzard..."
My wolf froze.
My heart plummeted.
Despair. Sadness. Helplessness.
All of it tangled together - then dissolved into cold nothing.
Raya's voice kept going.
"That day, I got betrayed by my intended mate. Erick drove through the blizzard, crossed two pack territories just to reach me."
"He stayed by my side all night. Let me cry into his fur."
"He even hunted my favorite prey and brought me everything I wanted."
"It made me feel like I was his Luna."
"Eventually, all that devotion spilling over made me fall for him too."
Right then, I interrupted.
"Last December. Was it the 13th?"
Raya blinked. "I think so? I don't really remember the exact date."
Jaylen immediately looked at me.
"Wait, that's insane. Your mating anniversary is my sister's birth moon!"
Suddenly, I laughed. A bitter, hollow sound.
But when Erick saw me smiling -
The blood drained from his face in an instant.
