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!"

The room erupted with laughter.

Louise, hearing the jest, was overjoyed, playfully grabbing Andrew's arm. "Hey, don't be so tough on Lina. She's not like me; she hasn't traveled much or met many people. The fact that she's willing to bury her nose in books shows she's got ambition!"

She craned her neck to peek at the book in my hand. "Is that a medical text? Lina, to be a healer, reading alone won't cut it. You need real-world experience and wisdom! You've got to be bold, travel between packs like I do—that's how you learn the good stuff!"

Louise went on bragging about her adventures, and everyone looked on with admiration and awe.

Andrew's gaze, which had been filled with irritation because of me, softened into tenderness and affection when he turned to her. "You're incredibly brave for a girl, Louise! I wouldn't even dare dream of doing what you do."

"Obviously, I'm not one of those women who just orbits around home and their mate! My goal is to master the art of healing, to be a true support to my Alpha."

Louise shot me a scornful look. She puckered her red lips and slumped against Andrew, whispering hotly in his ear, "And let's not forget, when it comes to the bedroom, I can hold my own against any woman."

Andrew's pale ears blushed a delicate pink.

Louise, seeing his reaction, taunted me with even more glee, "Looks like our Alpha's got needs that aren't being met, Lina. Seems you're falling short in your duties.

"You know, there are these wild magical herbs up in Northland that bloom right before the full moon. Eat them, and even the most indifferent male will spend the night with you. Sounds like they're made for you!"

I noticed a flicker of recognition cross Andrew's face as if the name of the herb struck a chord.

"You're mistaken." I snapped the medical book closed and faced Louise head-on. "The magical herbs bloom the day after a full moon, known for their detoxifying properties. It's said to induce a hallucination of love, but only with one's destined partner. Otherwise, it's as good as useless.

"You got the effects and the harvest time all wrong. Looks like your expertise isn't that impressive, Louise," I said with a hint of mockery.

Louise went pale instantly, and Andrew, standing beside him, froze, his eyes flickering with a mix of reproach and curiosity.

I did not care about his reaction.

The female friend, defending her, snapped at me, "Stop putting on airs! Everyone knows you're just cooking and washing feet all day, flipping through a couple of pages, and then you think you're some kind of herbalist from Northland? Why not claim you've been there too?"

I met her gaze steadily. "I have, indeed."

The table burst into laughter. "Oh please, you can't even tell a convincing lie. You've never left our pack, right?"

"Yeah, what else do you know besides the kitchen, the bathroom, and Andrew's big bed?"

"Lina, you look so grumpy today. Did Andrew's mom splash you with foot water again?"

Ignoring their taunts, I reached for the book on the table, ready to leave, when I noticed Louise, tears brimming in her eyes, clutching at Andrew's sleeve, looking utterly wronged.

"Andrew, I came back just to wish you well. I didn't expect your mate to be so unwelcoming!

"Magical herb is an aphrodisiac, plain and simple. Her lies are just a way to bully and discredit me! If she doesn't welcome me, then I'll just go..."

Louise tried to rise, but Andrew forced her back down, his face a stormy shade of blue as he hissed a warning at me, "Apologize to Louise for your lies."

I gripped my medical text, defiant. "And what if I refuse?"

"Don't even think about leaving this restaurant without the Alpha's say-so."

The guy next to me, seeing I was not talking, snatched the medical tome I was gripping. Sheets of herbal notes fluttered to the floor, and one I missed was scooped up by Andrew, his brow furrowed in confusion.

The man beside him peered over with a mix of curiosity and surprise, blurting out, "Is this stuff from Northland? Lina, did you actually go there?"