Alice POV

“Alice, have you really decided?” Beta Owen looked at me in disbelief.

I said calmly, surprising even myself, “Yes, I have decided to apply to join the Without Borders Organization this time.”

"The border is not like here. There are roaming werewolves there and the environment there is extremely harsh. It may even... threaten your life!" Owen said worriedly, "By staying in Green Track Falls, you'll be safer."

I knew Owen was saying that for my own good. But if I continue to stay there, my heart would die before my body. 

I was tired.

"I'm ready. Owen, here's my application, please sign it. If I miss this time, I'll have to wait until next year." 

I looked directly at Owen, who looked troubled, hoping he could help.

"You and Leander’s wedding will be next month. After becoming Luna, you only need to help him manage the wolf pack. You don't have to rely on military exploits to gain social status."

Owen’s expression was full of confusion because he could not understand how I felt.

After all, becoming Luna was what many female wolves dreamed of.

And three years ago, when I was just a wandering Omega, that was my dream too.

During that accident, I was attacked by other stray werewolves and nearly died.

It was Leander who appeared like a God and pulled me back from the brink of death.

Our eyes met in the moonlight and at that moment, I felt the bond of fate, that we were each other's partners.

After joining the Green Track Falls wolf pack, I established strict training standards with the help of Beta Owen.

I learned fighting, shooting, horsemanship and basic medicine, all in order to become a qualified partner for Leander.

However, even though I had trained to become a Gamma, the rest of the pack still mocked my lowly bloodline and questioned my abilities.

He even told me to leave the pack in front of me, telling me that Leander should marry the elder's daughter and produce an heir with a strong bloodline.

But as long as Leander loved me, I did not care what other people thought.

During these three years, I also hoped to marry Leander as soon as possible.

However, all that changed when his delicate childhood sweetheart, Rosalyn, returned to his life.

Leander began to ignore everything about me and only Rosalyn was in his eyes.

"As a Beta, I still cannot disobey the orders of Alpha Leander. Alice, you'd better ask Leander’s consent.” Owen finally rejected my request.

"Don't worry, Leander will definitely agree.” I pretended to be relaxed, but the clenched fists behind my back still revealed my uneasiness.

I had to get Leander to agree.

Maybe, before I even opened my mouth, he would scold me and put me in solitary confinement.

I walked out of the training camp with the application form for the Without Borders Organization, sighing as I walked.

The wedding was only a month away, but we were still arguing about it a few days ago. That was not the first time.

Leander said, “The wedding doesn't need to be too formal. We can just take the oath together under the moon. Rosalyn will be our witness."

It was Rosalyn again! 

During the last wedding ceremony, she fainted and had a heart attack, which resulted in the wedding being cancelled before it even started.

I watched Leander carry her away, leaving me alone at the wedding and eventually being treated as a joke by the entire wolf pack.

Every time Leander and I were together, Rosalyn would use these tricks to keep us apart.

I had had enough of the drama between the two of them.

It was indeed me who was his mate, but I was sure everyone would even think that Rosalyn was Leander’s true partner if he continued acting like that.

“This is my only wedding in a lifetime and I hope it can at least be done the way I want it to be. Also, I don't want Rosalyn to be my witness!" I roared angrily.

"Alice, stop being unreasonable!"

Leander slammed the door and walked out.

Every time we had an argument, I was the one who took the initiative to admit my mistakes, even if the fault was not mine.

That night, I was about to apologize to him, but I heard Leander calling Rosalyn in the study, “Rosalyn, don't worry, I won't make you sad. The wedding won't take place. No one can disobey Alpha's orders."

Only then did I realize that Leander did not want to get married because of Rosalyn.

He did not want Rosalyn to be sad because of me, but he never cared that I would be heartbroken because of him.

So, escaping from the pack might be the best way to end a marriage that was over from the beginning.

Leander would surely thank me for the choice I made for them.

Alice POV

My brows were furrowed until I walked home.

In the kitchen, I started preparing dinner for Leander and me.

If I had the opportunity to serve as a warrior, I would help those who had been harmed by wandering werewolves.

That was also a dream I had when I was hurt in the same way.

But if Leander loved me, I would stay, right?

My heart ached when I thought of Leander’s indifference towards me.

In a trance, my hand was accidentally cut by the knife and bright red blood gushed out instantly.

"Hiss.” I took a breath.

At that moment, a pair of strong arms hugged me from behind and the familiar scent of pine wood instantly surrounded me.

It was Leander.

Three years later, his hug still made my heart beat faster.

I tried to pull out of his arms, but he held me tighter.

“Why are you so careless?” His voice was reproachful yet extremely gentle.

The burning body temperature was transmitted to me through the thin skirt and my body stiffened for a moment.

He turned my body around and picked me up.

Subconsciously, I put my arms around his neck.

Leander laid me gently on the sofa.

Watching him pick up my hand and carefully examine the wound with such a serious look, I was in a trance and realized how gentle he had always been.

The warm fingers touched my skin and made me shiver. It was the taste and irrepressible emotion between partners.

He took out the medicine box and treated my wound with skillful movements.

The disinfectant stung my wound and I felt a little guilty. I was just thinking about how to get Leander to agree to let me join the border warrior recruitment.

I did not expect that he was taking such careful care of me at that moment.

While applying the medicine, he scolded, “How many times have I told you to be careful with sharp knives?”

I looked at his serious expression and a warm feeling welled up in my heart.

“Okay, the servants are on leave today, so don't cook. Let's go out to eat.” He packed up the medicine box, his tone full of unquestionable dominance.

I protested, “But I….”

The ingredients were all ready and I did not want to waste them.

“Listen to me,” he interrupted me.

I opened my mouth, but eventually swallowed the rest of the words.

But there was a sweetness in my heart.

Leander wanted to take me out to dinner, which was a rare occasion.

Just as I was immersed in this brief happiness, Leander’s mobile phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and his eyes instantly became gentle.

“Hello, Rosalyn.”

“Leander, I'm feeling a little sick, can you come pick me up?"

“Okay, I'll be there right away.” There was a hint of urgency in his tone.

After hanging up the phone, his expression became cold.

I began to think silently in my heart that he would definitely not accompany me tonight.

But I did not expect it to really happen.

“I need to take care of some things. You can have dinner by yourself tonight.”

His expression was cold and there was no apology in his tone, as if the person who just said he wanted to take me out for dinner was not the same Leander.

He stood up and prepared to leave.

“Leander.”

He stopped and looked back at me; his face full of impatience.

“What's her business this time?”

I tried to keep my expression calm, but anger was boiling inside me and my wolf began to scratch.

"Rosalyn is not feeling well and needs my care.” His tone was so calm, as if all this was as it should be.

Rosalyn again and again. She would always be his top priority.

However, I did not want to argue about either of them anymore.

"Go ahead."

The little care and tenderness Leander showed me completely disappeared in that sentence.

It seemed that he was finally relieved. “I will take you to eat your favorite sushi and desserts next time.”

Leander kissed me on the lips and turned away.

Looking at his hurried back, my eyes gradually became moist.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and counted the number of times Leander had left me because of Rosalyn.

Every time, I watched him leave like that.

Two days ago, I replaced Beta Owen in training in the remote base.

After the training, I stayed until the end because I had to collect data.

The person in charge of the pick-up left me behind and I could not get a taxi.

In the end, I had no choice but to call Leander.

“Leander, I've been left at the field training base. Can you come pick me up?"

At that time, he was drinking in the bar with Rosalyn.

“Rosalyn is drunk. It's not safe for her to go home alone. Wait for me for a while, or take a taxi back."

He really did not care about me enough, even though he knew that no cars passed by the remote wilderness base.

Leander was concerned about Rosalyn’s safety, but he did not consider that I was also a woman who needed protection.

I waited for a long time, but he did not come to pick me up.

It was not until I had been running for more than two hours that Leander showed up in the car.

“Alice, are you kidding me? I drove around the campground looking for you for a long time. Get in the car!” Leander yelled and without waiting for me to explain, he roughly pulled me into the car.

One of the earphones he gave me was damaged because he forced the car door shut, but I did not dare tell him because he was furious.

If only he could treat me the same way he treated Rosalyn.

Leander’s preference for Rosalyn was like a poison that always made him obsessed.

It was obvious that I was his destined partner, but he abandoned me time and time again.

What kind of expression would he have after I left?

Maybe he would not care.

Thinking of that, my heart was once again filled with endless sadness.

Just then, my mobile phone rang.

I picked up the phone and it was Owen.

"Alice, thank you so much for helping me educate those kids at the training camp last time.” 

Owen's voice came from the other end of the phone, with a hint of gratitude.

“Are you free tonight? I'd like to treat you to a meal to express my gratitude.”

I hesitated.

However, when I saw the empty house and Leander not being here, I did not feel like cooking for myself.

As a result, I accepted Owen's invitation. “Okay, then send me the address.”

After changing my clothes, I walked to the mirror.

The woman in the mirror has red hair and blue crystal eyes. Thick lips, soft contours and elegant facial lines.

Compared to sick Rosalyn, I was much healthier.

At that time, the timidity I felt when I first met Leander had also faded away.

But it was not the look Leander liked best.

I sighed, picked up my bag and walked out of the house.

Moonlight Restaurant was one of the most popular restaurants in Green Track Falls.

Before I opened the door, I saw Leander.

He sat by the window and Rosalyn snuggled up to him.

The two of them were talking and laughing, behaving intimately, like a loving couple.

Soon, a sour taste spread from my throat.

I pulled out my mobile phone and called Leander.

“Where are you?” I tried to sound calm.

“I'm processing some documents in the office.” His voice sounded relaxed and happy.

Office? The corners of my mouth curled up and I sneered unconsciously.

“Alice, he is deceiving us, we should expose them!" My wolf howled in my head, wanting to tear Rosalyn apart.

Alice POV

While Leander, not far away, was gently wiping the corners of Rosalyn's mouth.

My heart hurt as if it was being pricked by needles.

“Oh, I see. Sorry to disturb you.”

I hung up the phone and could not hold back my tears anymore.

I staggered out of the restaurant and walked around the corner. I quickly typed a text message to Owen, [Sorry, I have something urgent to do and can't make it tonight.]

I did not want anyone I knew to see my embarrassment at that moment, I just wanted to be alone.

Walking aimlessly on the street, the cold night wind blew on my face, cutting my skin like a knife.

The scene at the wedding kept appearing in my mind.

All the members of the wolf pack were present, except Leander.

I thought he would give me a surprise when he showed up, as usual.

Finally, Leander arrived late, looking flustered.

He said Rosalyn had a heart attack and he had to be with her, so he had to take care of her at that time.

Then, he left me and carried Rosalyn away from the wedding.

I stood there alone like an abandoned doll.

All the blessings turned into endless irony.

That day, I became the laughing stock of the entire Green Track Falls wolf pack.

Eventually, I walked to a bar alone and ordered the strongest whiskey I could find.

Drink after drink, I tried to numb myself with alcohol. 

However, alcohol did not make me feel better. Instead, it made my thoughts even more confused.

I wanted to forget Leander, forget the bond of companionship, forget Rosalyn and everything.

My body was getting hotter and hotter and my head was getting more and more dizzy.

I took out my cell phone, stared blankly at the address book and finally dialed Leander’s number.

I wanted him to pick me up.

I wanted him to know that I was sad.

After the phone rang a few times, it was finally answered.

“Hello?” It was Rosalyn's sweet voice.

“Where's Leander?” I asked while suppressing my anger.

Rosalyn’s tone was calm and sweet as she answered, “He went to look at the documents.”

But then it changed into a cunning sly fox tone, "But Alice, it's so late, don't you have a man with you?”

She started to taunt me. “And you pretended to be drunk and called Leander to get his sympathy?”

My hands were clenched around the phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

I took a deep breath and hung up the phone.

I was stumbling on the way home. But the cold wind blowing on my face woke me up completely.

I looked at the night sky and began to think about the future.

‘Moon Goddess, how can I get Leander to agree to my application to join Werewolves Without Borders?’ I wondered in my heart.

My mind was in a mess and my body was starting to get tired.