Before Andrew and I formed our mate bond, I overheard him and his Wolven Clan brothers mocking me:

"My Moon Queen must serve my family and dedicate herself to the Blood Moon Pack."

"Lina is obedient and devoted—she loves me with all her heart, keeps the pack running smoothly, and takes care of my mother. She works tirelessly, giving her all to my family."

"However, Louise? She cherishes her dreams and craves freedom. She's a carefree spirit, meant for the vast open plains, not to be tied down and become a dull housewife."

I did not argue or shed tears.

Instead, I left the Blood Moon Pack without a word.

Andrew assumed I was just sulking nearby, unaware that I had traveled far to the Northland.

In the Northland, I not only rekindled my dreams but also found my true mate—the one who truly loves me. Now, I am his Moon Queen.

Moonlight spilled across the scene like a cascade of silver.

"Ouch..."

"Just a moment longer, be brave..."

Andrew paid no mind to my whimpers, his large hand cradling my neck, firmly seating me atop his lap, his fingers dancing along my waist.

"Lina, you'll soon be mine officially."

As the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, Andrew had desires that were as untamed as his nature.

His labored breaths caused his partially unbuttoned shirt to flutter with each heave.

He nuzzled into the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply. When he lifted his gaze, his eyes were thick with longing, as if he wished to devour me whole.

"Your vanilla scent is intoxicating. I'm itching to claim you, to have you as my Moon Queen."

The remnants of my shredded red dress lay around us. I caressed the flushed skin around his eyes, my look one of profound affection.

"My heart is yours, my Alpha."

With a primal growl, Andrew grasped my chin, his lips stifling my gasps, pulling me closer into the heat of his embrace.

The tempest subsided to a whisper. Andrew, believing me to still be lost in slumber, stepped out onto the balcony to speak with his Wolven Clan pack brothers.

"My Moon Queen will be the epitome of obedience, caring for my parents, selflessly devoted to our pack."

His laughter rang out, carefree and oblivious to my awakened state.

"Louise cherishes her dreams and her freedom. I couldn't bear to cage her spirit. Lina is different. Her hefty inheritance will bolster our pack. She's the picture of compliance with my mother, and in my arms, she's the outlet for my deepest urges, the ideal mate."

I traced the fiery claw marks etched into my skin. Those were the emblems of Andrew's ardor, the indelible signs he had etched upon me in a moment of fervent possession.

My parents were renowned healers in Southland, both lost to the ravages of war.

Andrew's mother, convinced of my healing touch, would nightly challenge me, demanding foot massages to keep her spry and well.

However, tonight, Andrew did something unexpected. He stood up for me, yanking me from his mother's grasp.

I mistook it for tenderness.

It turned out, he was just haunted by memories of Louise and needed an outlet.

Louise, his first flame, was a free spirit, always searching for medicinal herbs. She was not about to tie herself down to any packmate too soon, not with so many options around.

Rejected, Andrew turned to me, the compliant one. I did not make a fuss when I learned the truth. Instead, I sought out the tribal healer the very next day. "Teacher, you've always dreamed of studying Northland herbs, right? How about I go in your stead?"

The tribal healer was taken aback. "Lina, you're a natural, and I'd be thrilled for you to study herbs. However, you're set to become Moon Queen in a few weeks. Northland is far and dangerous. Will Andrew agree?" he asked.

"He doesn't have to," I said, meeting the tribal healer's astonished gaze with a resolute nod. "Because I'm going to reject him."

Andrew was clueless about my own dreams.

Unlike Louise, who gallivanted under the guise of healing, flirting with those from every pack, my dream was always to heal and save lives. However, blinded by love, I abandoned that dream to the harsh Northland for Andrew and his family.

I had not even made it home when I spotted Andrew and Louise just outside.

Louise, always the wanderer, made an unexpected return to the Blood Moon Pack.

Her first move was to corner Andrew right at our doorstep, her face a mix of pride and defiance. "After all these years, you couldn't even bother to tell me about the imprinting ceremony? Scared I'd swoop in and take you from her?"

"It wouldn't matter, you'll never be my Moon Queen."

Tears sprang to Louise's eyes. "Oh, I see how it is! You've moved up in the world and found your true love? Well, hear this: being a Moon Queen is nothing but chains and frustration, not to mention dealing with your impossible mother. I don't want any part of it! I crave dreams and the thrill of the world beyond, not you!"

With a heavy sigh, Andrew drew Louise into a hug. "I know, and I couldn't stand to put you through that. That's why I had no choice but to choose Lina—she's docile and agreeable."

'Could not stand it'? He used the excuse of pack duty to strip me of my inheritance.

His mother, ever so picky, had once thrown a basin of scalding foot water at my back. He claimed I was his mate, meant to serve him body and soul, suggesting I would be better off learning bedroom tricks than medical knowledge to keep him entertained.

Did he ever truly care about my well-being?

Catching my eye, Louise's lips twisted into a sly smile. "You even had Lina quit her job as a healer for me. Aren't you worried she'll fight back?"

"Not a chance. She's head over heels for me. Besides, she'd rather be my Moon Queen than a healer any day." Andrew's embrace tightened around Louise. "Without her, you're free to chase your dreams and become the most renowned healer in Southland."

I could not help but scoff.

The day I met Andrew, he was sprawled out by Twin Shores Lake, a victim of wolfsbane poisoning, his life hanging by a thread. I brought him back from the brink with my healing touch and a handful of herbs, but it knocked me out cold for three days straight. He stayed by my side the whole time.

"Lina, you're the best healer I've ever seen," he told me then.

When I finally came to, Andrew was there, looking at me with eyes so soft and warm that I could have sworn he felt the same instant spark I did. I was all in, ready to ditch my healer's path to be his rock, his Moon Queen.

It turned out that he was seeing someone else's ghost in me—Louise. All that warmth was for Louise, and he wanted me to give up my dreams for Louise, too.

However, then I got the truth, and I headed back up to Northland. I went back to chase my dreams, to dive into the herbs I loved, for whatever time I had left.

I packed up fast. Andrew had swiped my inheritance, leaving me with nothing but a few medical tomes. Those books were stuffed with my notes on Northland's herbs, a treasure trove of knowledge.

Northland had it all. Food, herbs—you name it. Southland packs do not hold a candle to it. They all started in Northland but got kicked out by the big guys after a scrap over the land.

Southland's Wolven Clan dreamed of Northland but were scared stiff of it. Even a free spirit like Louise stuck to the Southland packs.

Me? I snuck off to Northland once, just to get my hands on those herbs, not caring what my parents would think.

Would Andrew still have seen me as a yes-woman with no dreams after finding my notes?

I could not waste time wondering what was in his head. I just wished I had not run into him, all poisoned, on my way back. Saving him felt like a waste then, especially of those magical herbs I gathered in Northland.

No worries. By tomorrow, I would be back on the road to Northland, gathering the herbs I loved.

That evening, I got a text from Andrew. There was a pack dinner, and he wanted me at the restaurant.

When I walked in, Andrew and Louise had already claimed the head table.

Louise gave me a haughty look like she owned the place, then turned back to her animated storytelling about the Southland packs' oddities.

All eyes from the Wolven Clan were on me, including Andrew's, which held a clear warning: 'Don't stir up trouble.'

Was that all to make Louise happy, to see me bite my tongue and smile?

'Alright, I'll play your game one last time before I go,' I mused.

I quietly took a seat in the back, not making a sound.

Andrew looked pleased, a smug lift to his brow.

Someone asked Louise why she had come back to the pack all of a sudden. She threw a challenging look my way. "It's Andrew's imprinting ceremony. I had to be here. However, I never expected his choice to be so... tame."

She giggled at Andrew. "She's as lively as a log. Won't she bore you to death?"

I just rubbed my nose and kept my eyes on the medical book I was flipping through, acting as if I were just an observer.

Andrew did not like my act one bit. He glared at me, his frown deepening. "Lina, Louise is speaking to you! What's with the attitude?"

Seeing the medical book in my hand, his annoyance grew. "Weren't you supposed to be devoted to helping me? Why waste time on this nonsense?"

Before I could even respond, one of Louise's friends, a female from the Wolven Clan, jumped in with a taunt.

"Your parents have been gone for ages, and you're still playing the healer? Such a pretender. You know you're out of Andrew's league, right?"

"Don't worry, with Louise handling the healing, you just need to be Moon Queen. Focus on the finances and the flirting—that's plenty!"