Chapter 1First thing my sister and I did after coming back to life?
We swapped fiancés.
Last time around, she married Corvax Wintermaw.
Coldest Alpha in the north. Forty years, and he never marked her once. She lived on his turf like a piece of furniture—had the title, zero respect.
Me? I got stuck with Hadrian Forgeborn.
An Alpha who thought women should sit pretty and keep their mouths shut.
I taught him how to shut his once—with my fist.
Eight months later he fucked off to some eastern outpost, and I cracked open a bottle to celebrate.
But then we blinked—and boom.
Twenty-two years old. Morning of the engagement ceremony.
Second chance, same bullshit contracts.
But this time?
I'm taking the contract she couldn't handle.
And the Alpha who broke her?
I'm gonna knock him on his ass—and make him beg me for more.
---
Avelina pushed the door open and found me with my duffel already on my shoulder.
"What are you doing?" She stared at my bag.
"Switching." I yanked the zipper shut. "You go east. I'll take the north."
"Thera, you can't—"
"Why not?" I hoisted the bag higher. "Father's contract says a Nightveil daughter marries a Wintermaw son. Didn't specify which daughter." I looked her dead in the eye. "What, you wanna waste another forty years?"
She went quiet. Eyes turned red. She remembered. So did I.
"He's an Alpha." Her voice dropped low. "His crew will eat you alive."
"Let 'em try. I've got teeth too."
"And Auriel—" She couldn't finish.
"I know about her." I ripped the car keys off the wall. "That's exactly why I gotta go. You're too soft—she'll walk all over you. I'm not."
She grabbed my wrist. "Thera…"
"Enough. If it works out, great. If not, I'll tear up the contract and drive home. I won't die."
She held it in for a while. Then pulled out her phone.
"What are you doing?"
"Transferring you money." Her fingers flew across the screen before I could stop her. "All of it."
"Avelina, I don't need—"
"You're driving halfway across the country alone to marry that lunatic in my place." She looked up at me. Eyes red, voice steady. "Don't refuse. It's the only thing I can do for you."
My throat went tight. I tried to shove the phone back, but the money was already in my account.
"…You cry easy, but you move fast when it counts."
She laughed. Looked relieved.
That was two days ago.
I left in the middle of the night. Truck loaded with everything I owned. Eastern pines in the rearview getting smaller and smaller.
Phone rang for the seventh time. My mom.
"Thera Nightveil, you turn that car around right now or I swear I'll—"
"Mom, I left a note on the fridge."
"You steal your sister's engagement and run off, and think a scrap of paper covers it? Are you sick in the head? After everything I did to raise you—"
"Mom, I love you. Signal's bad in the mountains. Gotta go."
"Don't you dare—"
I hung up.
Felt like shit. She'd forgive me. Probably. Worst case, I'd mail her some premium cigarettes later.
But I wasn't turning back. Not this time.
Three days on the road. Highway turned to mountain road, mountain road to dirt track, dirt track to forest. Thirty miles out from Wintermaw territory, the radiator hose blew.
No signal. No cars passing by. Just me and a pile of busted metal rotting in the middle of nowhere.
Took two hours to get it running again. By then my arms were slick with oil, hair reeked of diesel, two nails split clean down the middle. Everything hurt. Smelled like I crawled out of a junkyard.
If this were Avelina, she'd be panicking by now. That's why she belonged in the east—her guy probably wrapped her in blankets if she sneezed.
Me? Covered in engine grease, about to meet the scariest Alpha in the entire north.
Cool. Nailed that first impression.
I sat perched on the hood, legs dangling, both arms black as coal. Two guards at the border checkpoint stared at me forever. Didn't say a word.
Can't blame them. I looked like I'd just fistfought an engine block.
My wolf was grinding her teeth, muscles coiled tight. New territory. Someone was definitely gonna have a problem with me.
Bring it.
I was wiping my arms with a rag when a voice drifted over from the main gate. High-pitched. Nasal. Like someone pinching their nose.
"Corvax, what is that smell? Smells like oil—oh my God, is that sweat?"
I looked up.
Chapter 2
A woman stood by the gate, fingers pinching her nose, leaning into the guy next to her like I carried the plague or something.
I glanced at the man she was pressed against. Tall. Built. Good-looking face, but cold as hell.
That's him. The Wintermaw Alpha. The guy who wasted forty years of my sister's life.
I hopped off the hood, grabbed my duffel, and walked straight past that Omega like she didn't exist.
"Wintermaw." I stopped in front of him and held out the contract. "Thera Nightveil. From the east. Take a look, sign it, then tell me where the bathroom is. I've been driving three days straight. Smell worse than a tire."
He took the contract. Didn't say a word. Eyes moved from the paper to my face.
Still nothing.
Behind me, the Omega's voice trembled. "Corvax… is she always this rude?"
I didn't turn around. "Sweetheart, I haven't even started yet."
I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the gate. Follow or don't. If he didn't, I'd find the bathroom myself.
Ten seconds later, footsteps behind me. I glanced back—Corvax carrying my second bag, face blank, not a word.
Fine. A walking wall. No wonder Avelina suffocated for forty years.
That Omega played the victim 24/7, and this guy played mute. My sister was too proud to live like that.
But I'm not Avelina. I don't hold it in. Someone pisses me off, I blow up right then and there.
Can't blow up? I throw hands.
The contract had been filed before I even arrived. Wintermaw's old man set it all up ahead of time.
Two days later, we had a ceremony.
His parents were long gone. My side was still pissed—nobody showed. Everyone there was a wolf I didn't know. But they still hung lights and roasted a whole deer.
Looked decent enough.
"I really envy Thera."
A voice drifted over from the crowd. Soft. Shaky. Perfectly timed.
"Family contract, and just like that, she became Corvax's Luna. So lucky." The voice paused. "Not like me…"
The laughter stopped. Everyone shut up. Every person in the room turned—first to her, then to me.
Auriel stood there, face buried in her hands, shoulders trembling. Textbook heartbroken.
Last time, this exact act destroyed Avelina. Crying, performing, making everyone think my sister stole what should've been hers.
Not this time.
Before I could think twice, I was already moving. I stepped right up, grabbed Corvax by the collar, and kissed him hard.
Then I pulled back just a little—and sank my teeth straight into the side of his neck.
The whole place went dead silent.
Everyone stared at me. An outsider she-wolf who just marked the strongest Alpha in the north without asking.
I let go, licked the blood off my lips, and turned to look at Auriel. She stood frozen, tears still on her face, mouth hanging open.
"Marks aren't something someone gives you." I tapped the fresh bite on Corvax's neck. "You take them yourself. I just did."
I leaned into Corvax, rested one hand on his chest, and smiled at her real sweet.
"Cry all you want, babe. But crying over someone else's man at their engagement party? At least bring a tissue."
Corvax's face stayed blank. But his ears turned red.
The crowd exploded into whispers. I didn't care. Let them talk. They all saw me bite him. That's all that mattered.
Auriel wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked at Corvax. Those eyes were huge and wet, like a startled deer.
"I'm truly happy for you." She clasped her hands together. "It's just… tomorrow's the anniversary. My parents'. And my birthday. The day we go together every year." She swallowed. "I already got everything ready. If… if your mate doesn't want you to go, you don't have to. I can go alone."
Every eye in the room landed on me again.
Corvax's jaw tightened. "I'll be there."
The hand I had on his waist slowly curled into a fist. I took a step back, pivoted on my heel—
Then I threw him.
Chapter 3
His back hit the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Nobody moved.
I stood over him, breathing hard.
"You haven't marked me yet. This bite won't hold. You wanna go spend some anniversary with her? Fine—we can still undo this. I didn't bite that deep."
Last time, this was it—the anniversary, the tears, the guilt trip—the start of Avelina's forty-year downfall. Corvax chose to comfort Auriel instead of his own mate, and after that, he never came back.
I'm not Avelina. She could swallow that kind of thing and smile through forty years of it. I can't. Not even once.
Auriel's voice cut through the crowd.
"You marked him without even asking if he wanted it! And now you're just deciding you don't want him anymore?" She stepped forward, chin trembling, eyes blazing. "What kind of mate does that? You're an outsider—who the hell do you think you are?"
A few wolves in the crowd murmured in agreement. The tide was starting to turn.
Then Corvax stood up. Brushed the dust off his shoulder. Walked right past Auriel without a glance.
He stopped in front of me and took my hand.
"She marked me because I wanted her to." His voice wasn't loud, but the whole room heard it. "And I'm planning to mark her too."
He looked at Auriel. "Tomorrow, you come with us."
Auriel covered her mouth and ran.
Corvax squeezed my fingers. He leaned in closer, voice dropping so only I could hear: "Let's finish the ceremony first. I'll explain tonight."
I didn't pull my hand away. But I didn't lean in either.
The rest of the ceremony blurred by. People came up to congratulate us—some genuine, some just going through the motions. I didn't smile once.
When the door finally shut behind us, I slammed my hand on the table.
"Let me make this clear. I just bit you in front of your entire pack. That wasn't a joke."
I turned to face him. "If you're the kind of Alpha who carries one woman's mark on his neck while running after another woman in his heart—tell me now. The bite's fresh. It'll fade in a week. The contract's not locked in yet. I can still drive back east."
"You can't leave."
"Excuse me?"
"I said you can't leave." He sat on the edge of the bed, hand reaching up to touch the back of his neck—right where I bit him. "I'm just a guy who knows how to fight, Thera. I can give orders. I'm not great at… talking about feelings."
He looked up at me. "But tonight, I let you bite me because I wanted to. Not because of duty. Not because of some arranged marriage. When I look at you, the wolf inside me says—MINE."
My heart slammed against my ribs. I crossed my arms tighter.
"Well, your wolf's instincts suck. Ten minutes ago I threw you on the ground."
The corner of his mouth twitched. Almost a smile. "I know. That's when I was sure."
I bit back a grin. "…I've got a temper. A bad one. And I don't do hints. If something's wrong, I won't beat around the bush—I'll kick the door down. You sure you want someone like that as your Luna?"
"Positive."
He said it so fast. My face felt hot. Annoying.
I don't remember who moved first. One second I was standing there with my arms crossed, the next his hand was on my waist and my fingers were gripping his collar.
His teeth grazed my neck. Sharp. Pressed against my pulse.
"Tell me to stop," his voice dropped low, "and I'll stop."
I pulled him closer. "Did I say stop?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Alpha! Auriel left a note—she says she went to Silverveil Falls!"
Corvax froze completely. His teeth lifted off my skin.
Five more seconds and that mark would've been permanent.
She stole those five seconds.
"You were about to mark me." My voice went flat. Hard. "And now you're leaving again. For her?"
He braced his hand on the doorframe, back to me, and paused. I saw his shoulders tense.
"Silverveil Falls, Thera. If she really jumps—"
"Then send someone else. You're the Alpha. You can't order a search and rescue team?"
