My mate fell in love with the mute Omega who saved his life and wanted to call off our engagement.

I kindly advised him, "The position of Luna is not an easy one. She may not be able to bear the responsibility."

The mute Omega felt insulted and committed suicide by taking Wolfsbane.

Eight years later, when Ryan became the Alpha King, the first thing he did was destroy the Snowfang Pack and come for my life.

"This is what all of you owe Saya."

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my 18th birthday banquet.

Ryan's father, the former Alpha King, had once asked me what my wish was.

"Since Ryan and Saya are each other's fated ones, let them be together. Let them complete their bond under the moonlight and receive the blessing of the Moon Goddess."

I died on an unbearably cold winter night.

There was no moonlight, only the suffocating darkness of a mountain cave. I thought I could hold on until dawn, until my people came to rescue me.

But Ryan had other plans.

Without ceremony, he drove a silver blade straight into my chest, and blood poured out relentlessly.

Even that wasn't enough for him.

He raised his arm and plunged the icy blade into my heart.

The searing pain shattered my consciousness. I was dying, but I forced myself to ask him a question.

"Why?"

We grew up together, and we were inseparable since childhood. Our families had been allies for generations. He was my fated mate, and my family was the cornerstone of his path to becoming the Alpha King.

My father bolstered his forces, clearing obstacles for him and paving the way to the throne when he was at his weakest. Even after Ryan became the Alpha King, my family never sought power or demanded favors. We were content to guard our pack's lands and live in peace.

Yet he imprisoned my father, spread lies to smear my family's name, and orchestrated scandals about me. He drove the Snowfang Pack to ruin, leaving us with nothing but ashes.

"Why, Ryan?" I clung tightly to his collar, refusing to let go.

Ryan stared into my eyes with hatred, as if I had betrayed him, even though it was his blade that was ending my life.

Leaning down, his voice cut colder than the darkness around us.

"This is for what all of you owe Saya."

Saya?

That mute girl?

The name felt distant, buried in memories so old I had to dig deep to recall it. And then, from the depths of my mind, I saw her timid, frightened eyes.

I couldn't help but laugh coldly.

It had been eight years.

So, Ryan never forgot her.

"Ryan, you're such a—stubborn, idiotic…"

Madman.

Before I could finish, he viciously drove the silver blade deeper, ripping my heart out. Blood poured out from my wound, and my vision blurred.

The pain was unbearable.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was a full moon hanging in the sky, its silvery light blanketing the earth.

"Welcome back to the embrace of the Moon Goddess, Princess of the Snowfang Pack."

A familiar voice echoed in my ears, and I shot upright, my eyes snapping open.

There was no freezing cave or biting winds.

Instead, I was greeted by the dazzling glow of a crystal chandelier, so brilliant it made my head spin. The room was warm and filled with the hum of celebration—the clinking of glasses and lively chatter.

Outside the window, neon lights flickered. The city bustled with life, and endless streams of cars moved through the night.

I stood on a hotel balcony, gazing down at the city that never slept.

A servant's quiet voice pulled me back. "Your Highness, are you having one of your headaches again?"

I looked down at my hands—slender, unscathed, and faintly scented with an expensive perfume.

This was my 18th birthday party—my coming-of-age ceremony.

I… had been reborn.

That year, the Snowfang Pack had just annexed several smaller wolf packs in the surrounding regions, expanding its territory and prestige.

That year, I had not yet officially become Ryan's mate, nor had we held the Moonlit Ceremony that symbolized an eternal bond.

"It's not surprising she'd have a headache," came a sharp whisper behind me. "Prince Ryan has been making public statements on all the major networks for three days now, announcing he's breaking off the engagement with the Snowfang Pack!"

I stopped Annie, my maid, from snapping back in my defense.

The situation was far more complicated than just a broken engagement.

A few days ago, Ryan was ambushed by rival packs while inspecting the newly annexed borderlands. Gravely injured, he fell off a cliff and was rescued by a young she-wolf living in seclusion deep in the forest.

She was delicate and beautiful. In a desperate attempt to save him, she used a forbidden herb to heal his wounds, which ultimately cost her the ability to speak.

Ryan was deeply moved by her sacrifice and brought her back to the main castle of the Alpha King's territory.

From that day forward, he declared to the entire pack that she was the only one he would marry. He even went as far as to vow that this nameless, mute she-wolf would one day become the future Luna—the queen of all wolves.

"They're just talking nonsense, Your Highness! You and Prince Ryan grew up together, and after all these years…"

I gently shook my head, cutting off Annie's attempt to comfort me. I knew exactly what she was going to say.

Three days ago, I woke up in the Snowfang Pack's palace. Three days was all it took for me to untangle the truth of both my past and present lives.

"Your Highness," Annie suddenly whispered excitedly, "Prince Ryan is here."

I turned around and saw Ryan striding into the banquet hall. He wore a black battle robe, his shoulders draped in the silver-embroidered cloak symbolizing the wolf kingdom's honor. Surrounded by his retinue of warriors, he moved with the authority and presence of a leader.

The murmurs around the room instantly fell silent.

Ryan and I had grown up together, and our bond had been forged from the time we were children. Our engagement had been arranged early on by the elders of our two packs, a pact meant to solidify the alliance between them.

When we were young, if anyone dared to say a single bad word about me, Ryan would be the first to step in and defend me. And when he got himself into trouble and faced punishment from the elders, I was always the one to plead on his behalf.

Until now, no one in either pack had ever doubted that I was Ryan's one true love and the future Luna.

But on my coming-of-age ceremony today, he brought another woman.

Saya.

The young she-wolf who had saved his life was dressed in an expensive gown. Despite her elegant attire and carefully styled appearance, she looked like a small, skittish animal that had wandered into a palace of predators.

She clung tightly to Ryan's arm, seemingly unable to stand without his support.

Ryan leaned down, whispering something in her ear, his eyes filled with tenderness. Saya's gaze shifted to me, and panic flashed across her face. Then, she stepped forward.

Thunk!

Suddenly, she dropped to her knees in front of me.

What a familiar scene.

Even the tear hanging precariously at the corner of her eye was exactly the same as in my past life.

Back then, I had been utterly deceived by this fragile, helpless act of hers. When she knelt before me, I actually felt pity. I found myself helping her and Ryan, doing everything I could to help them achieve their "true love".

As the Snowfang Pack's princess, I was destined to shoulder the responsibilities of my people. My future didn't have to revolve around Ryan. Even though Saya's arrival left a bad taste in my mouth, it wasn't enough to shake my dignity.

When Ryan had wanted to break off the engagement, I didn't throw a tantrum. Instead, I earnestly offered him advice out of the respect and history we shared.

"Saya comes from a lower-ranked wolf pack and is mute. While she saved your life, the elders or the clans may never accept her as your Queen, no matter how hard you try to convince them. It'll only bring her trouble.

"Why not take a step back? Settle her in my territory as a servant for now. In the future..."

I left the implication hanging—In the future, he could do as he pleased.

Those few words resolved her immediate crisis but set me up for disaster.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

The crisp sound of slaps echoed in the banquet hall.

In my past life, I rushed forward to help Saya up the moment she knelt.

This time, I merely watched coldly as she slapped herself, hard and without hesitation.

One strike after another, the sound echoed through the room.

Annie tugged gently at my sleeve, whispering, "Your Highness, today is your coming-of-age ceremony. The hall is full of guests—if this continues..."

The banquet hall was packed with guests today, many of whom were already reaching for their phones, eager to capture the drama.

Annie made a move to step forward, but I placed a hand on her arm.

"What's the rush?"

"Saya!" Ryan's voice was low and dangerous now, his expression darkening.

In just a few seconds, Saya's cheeks were red and swollen. Tears pooled in her eyes, making her look pitifully fragile.

She glanced at Ryan, then at me, biting her lip as she continued her self-inflicted punishment.

I took a slow sip of my wine, completely at ease.

I was suddenly curious—how far was she willing to take this performance?