Chapter 1On the day I was supposed to be mated to him, Leon's so-called pack-sister wore my mating gown. For the views, apparently.
She pressed her mouth to his while the whole hall howled.
And me? I watched every damn second. On a livestream.
Daxton - the pack elder officiating, their childhood den-mate - grabbed the mic, eating it up.
"So when's the actual mate coming out, Leo? Keep stalling and she's gonna shift in anger."
Leon swirled his glass, grin all lazy fang.
"Let 'em have their fun. She'll get over it. I'll soothe her wolf later."
Next second, I walked into the ballroom pushing a display stand draped in red silk.
Silence.
"Alpha-to-be Havenly. Miss Winters. Congrats on your... special moon. Here's my gift - "
I ripped the fabric off.
Underneath? My spring haute couture collection. The designs I was supposed to hand over to Havenly Holdings as part of the mating contract.
I tore them apart right there, claws grazing the seams, eyes flashing amber.
"The partnership between Brennan Design and Havenly Holdings? Canceled. Every contract. Every alliance. Done. We're cutting pack ties. Now."
Now they'd see what happens when you fuck with the wrong she-wolf.
What they just destroyed? The only thing standing between Havenly Holdings and a full pack collapse.
...
"Alright, Leo - kiss your mate!"
Daxton's voice boomed, his wolf riding the high.
Leon Havenly smiled, leaned down, and brushed his lips over Daphne's knuckles.
But then - boom - Daphne Winters went for it. Grabbed his jaw with both hands and planted one right on his mouth.
The room froze.
Then chaos. Whistling, clapping, growls of approval.
"Damn, Leo, you really going there!"
"She went for it! Holy shit!"
"Yo, Daph - you handling the honeymoon moon too?"
Daphne pulled back, grinning, her tailbone practically wagging.
"Ugh, you're boring. I wanted you to freak out. Do it again!"
"Do it again! Do it again!" the pack chanted.
Then someone yelled, "Yo, chill - what if the real mate loses it and bails?"
Leon laughed it off.
"Loses it over what? Daphne and I basically grew up in the same den. We're just messing around."
Daphne looped her arm through his, stuck her tongue out at the crowd.
"Exactly. We've been den-mates since forever. We used to play mating games all the time as pups. Leo promised me this when I was seven. Can't back out now!"
More laughter. More chaos.
Daxton grabbed the mic again, playing it up.
"Damn, Daphne's more excited than the mate! But hey, we all know these two are ride-or-die wolves, right? It's all in good fun!"
He paused, grinning at the pack.
"And I'm sure Esther's cool with it. Right, everyone?"
"RIGHT!"
The place went nuts.
Daxton snapped his fingers. Someone handed him two champagne flutes.
He shoved them at Leon and Daphne.
"Cheers to a lifetime of pack loyalty! And Leo - don't forget your boys once you're mated, yeah?"
Daphne's eyes started tearing up. Her voice got shaky.
"Leo... don't just forget about me once you're mated, okay?"
He messed up her hair, fangs showing in a lazy smile.
"You know you're stuck with me forever."
They clinked glasses. Daphne stepped closer, her hand resting on his arm, and they locked eyes as they downed the champagne in one go.
Someone whistled. "Yo, they look more like a mated pair than the actual chosen one!"
Everyone went wild. Phones out, recording everything.
The DJ threw on "Lean on Me" and a few wolves started howling along.
Chapter 2
Leon led Daphne to the head table, people slapping his back the whole way, a few letting out approving growls.
"Yo, Leo - wrong she-wolf, man!"
"Forget the other one - just mate Daphne already!"
Leon shoved the guy's shoulder, fangs flashing in a laugh.
"Oh, fuck off."
But he kept holding Daphne's hand the whole time. Walked her straight to his mom's table, then leaned in close and whispered:
"Alright, you've had your fun. I gotta go deal with Esther. Just sit tight, okay?"
That table? His parents. His grandparents. His old pack mentors. Everyone who mattered to him.
And Daphne was right there with them.
Some elder squinted at her. Then asked his mom.
"Luna Havenly, who's this?"
Leon's mom lit up, her wolf practically preening. She shoved Daphne forward.
"This is Daphne. These two have been den-mates since they were pups. She's pack to us. Today wouldn't be the same without her."
Daphne raised her glass, playing the perfect little she-wolf.
"Hey, everyone! I'm so happy for Leo. Someone had to break the ice, right? Esther's on her way, promise."
She worked that table like she was angling for a beta position. By the end, everyone was wrapped around her finger, tails wagging in approval.
Then Leon's mom did something that made my wolf snarl low in my chest.
She slid off this emerald bracelet - an heirloom that's been in the Havenly pack for generations - and put it on Daphne's wrist.
"Honey, I don't know what we'd do without you."
That bracelet? Luna Havenly gave it to me last month. Said I should wear it at the mating ceremony.
I told her it was too precious, that I didn't wanna risk damaging it.
Really, I was saving it for the right moment.
Now it was on Daphne's arm. Glowing green against her skin like a claim mark.
Daphne gasped, all fake-modest, her ears flicking back.
"Luna Havenly, no - this is way too special..."
"Oh, hush. Just wear it."
Luna Havenly held her hand, her eyes practically glowing amber.
"I'll get Esther something later."
The whole table saw what just happened. Elders started exchanging glances, low rumbles of amusement.
One of the uncles let out a bark of a laugh.
"Wow, Luna - no favoritism at all, right?"
"I mean, why isn't Leo mating Daphne?"
Alpha Havenly threw his head back and howled with laughter.
"Hell, my wife's been hoping for that since these two were pups!"
Daphne grabbed Leon's arm, cheeks flushing, her tail no doubt wagging behind her gown. He pulled her behind him, shaking his head, claws briefly dimpling his palm.
"Guys, cut it out. Daphne's like my litter-sister - I don't see her that way. Esther's the one I'm bonding with. Period."
Oh, he said all the right things.
I checked my phone - forty-four minutes past the ceremony start time.
And not one wolf had asked where the chosen mate was.
Just then, my screen lit up. A message from Leon, sent five minutes ago.
[Esther, Daphne's just messing around. Don't take it personal.]
[I'll get them to restart everything rn.]
My phone was still on the counter in the dressing room, screen glowing.
Daphne's livestream was still running.
The camera was pointed right at the ballroom.
Comments were flying.
[wait shes not the mate?? shes gorgeous tho]
[hold up this is Leon Havenlys mating ceremony? hes hot as hell]
[they look perfect together omg]
[um wasnt today supposed to be Esther Brennans ceremony??]
[why is Daphne in the gown lol]
[oh i know them. she-wolf in the dress is his childhood pack-sister]
[its a prank for views. real mates backstage]
[this feels messed up tho. Esther is probably about to shift in rage]
[shift over what? Esther was literally the side she-wolf]
[she broke them up. if it wasnt for her Leo and Daphne wouldve been mates already]
Chapter 3
I stopped scrolling, my claws biting into the phone case.
On screen, Daphne was adjusting Leon's collar, her fingers lingering way too long.
The comments exploded.
[OKAY WAIT someone spill the tea what happened]
[back in college they were attached at the hip]
[Leo played basketball Daphne brought him water]
[Daphne had rehearsals Leo stayed with her till midnight]
[everyone thought they were mates]
[then Esther showed up idk how]
[she just latched onto him]
[i was in Esthers year she was broke as hell]
[ate the cheapest food wore the same 3 outfits]
[Leo probably felt bad and she manipulated that]
[classic gold digger move]
[look at her now that dress cost half a mil]
[shed never afford that without the Havenlys]
My wolf snarled. My claws extended further, pricking my palms.
The camera panned to the head table.
Some elder was complimenting the bracelet on Daphne's wrist.
Luna Havenly held her hand, smiling like she'd just sealed a pack alliance.
The comments went wild.
[thats Luna approval right there]
[she literally just gave her the family heirloom]
[THATS what a Havenly mate looks like]
[not Esther lmao]
[Daphne fits the pack way better]
[she looks like she belongs there]
[Esther is just... not it]
[wrong she-wolf fr]
I closed my eyes. My breath came out in a low growl.
Last month, when Luna Havenly handed me that bracelet, she said:
"Esther, sweetheart, this bracelet's been in our pack for generations. Usually, it goes to the bonded mate."
"But honey, you're still so young, and you've never been big on jewelry, have you? I wasn't sure if you'd even like emeralds. They're pretty... traditional."
I thought she was being considerate.
Turns out, she already had another she-wolf in mind.
The comments kept gushing about how perfect they looked together. How they were "fated."
Fated?
I laughed. The sound came out half-snarl, echoing off the empty dressing room walls.
Then my phone buzzed again. A message from my old college den-mate.
[Esther did you see the stream]
[dont listen to those trolls theyre lying]
[Leon chased YOU remember]
Yeah.
He did.
Sophomore year, this sculpture prof wanted me to switch majors.
I told him to shove it.
He got pissed and made me clean the studio. Total punishment bullshit.
I'm in there scrubbing, and Leon literally runs in and locks the door.
Some she-wolf was trailing him like a lost pup.
I dropped what I was doing and stared at him, my wolf already bristling.
He looked at me, then walked over.
"Yo, why's it so cold in here? You're doing all this alone?"
I didn't answer. Just kept moving these heavy-ass plaster blocks, claws scraping the edges.
He watched for a minute. Then just took the broom from me.
"Nah, I got it. Go chill."
After that he was everywhere.
"Why do you eat alone all the time? Sit with me."
"You're actually really talented. Let me see what you make."
"I got you this. Just take it."
I said no like a thousand times.
He did not care.
"Esther, I'm not stopping. You're the first she-wolf I've ever actually cared about."
The phone screen went dark, then lit up again.
Someone posted an old photo of me from college.
Plain white button-up. Blank expression.
[poverty vibes in this pic lmao]
[parents died she was raised by her grandpa]
[Havenlys were her only way up]
[they dont match at all]
[bet she got pregnant on purpose]
[pregnancy trap 100%]
[at least shes pretty hot]
The comments got worse from there.
My wolf paced under my skin, begging to break free and tear something apart.
I thought the Havenlys didn't care about bloodlines.
But now I got it.
Luna Havenly wasn't stupid. She knew exactly what Daphne was doing today.
She wanted this.
Wanted to use Daphne to put me in my place.
To remind me that compared to someone like Daphne Winters - old pack money, perfect pedigree - I was nothing but a stray.
And Leon?
He was counting on me not making a scene. Not calling off the bonding.
So he let Daphne do whatever she wanted.
Twenty years of den-mates?
Doesn't see her "like that"?
Please.
My wolf let out a silent snarl.
He just wanted both of us. Didn't wanna choose.
Coward.
