As the daughter of the intimidating Alpha of Silverfang, everyone knew I had a stormy past, which I've now left behind as the mate of Damon Coleman, the current Alpha of the Lunar Crest Pack.

When Alpha Damon claimed me as his mate, few believed it.

But I agreed, as he and his lead warrior, Aiden Hudson, came to my rescue, bidding the highest the time I was auctioned and setting me free from the chains of captivity. From that moment, I was bound to him.

After seven years of mateship, Alpha Damon cared too much for me at first until he neglected me. He changed a lot and wasn't as affectionate as before, with all his attention focused on his ex-mate and childhood sweetheart, Olivia Brown.

At the Pack Summit, I met Olivia and the elders for the first time. She was supposed to refrain but insisted, observing me.

"She's the mate you replaced me with after we took an oath of rejection? Well, she's pretty average," Olivia commented, judging me from her perspective.

Olivia was caught off guard and quickly apologized to Alpha Damon for being too blunt.

Before the rival besieged our Silverfang Pack, my goddess-like beauty and Luna was well-known. Many pursued, but none made a strong bond with me.

In the moment of difficulty, those who once pursued ripped on me, except for Alpha Damon.

With the elder's presence, I was supposed to hear Alpha Damon stand up for me, but no. Instead, Alpha Damon stood his ground for Olivia, which broke my spirit.

Every time my mate heard one of his pack members speak ill of me before, his temper flared. Olivia was the only exception; he reasoned she was still young and that, as Luna, I needed to be more forgiving.

In a fit of rage, I was at a loss for words. However, Alpha Damon gave me a death stare, mind-linking me wrathfully, "Olivia is still young. How many times do I need to tell you this? Don't throw a tantrum in front of the elders who regarded you as their Luna! Don't end up disappointing them."

It was bizarre, but I expected that Alpha Damon showed more care to Olivia than me, his mate. And if I argued, my status as Luna might be ripped off me.

During my sophomore year's annual pack retreat, I returned to Moonlight Institute, an all-werewolf school in town, for a semester.

Even while still in college, I had a flat near the institute, funded by my work earnings and being a Luna. I gave Alpha Damon a spare key and let him drop by whenever he had a break from his Alpha duties.

Every time on my way home, it wasn't on my radar to cross paths with Aiden, the lead warrior, affirming my security in the town and no rogues could launch an assault on me.

Whenever we saw each other around, he would mind-link calmly, "Alpha wants to assure your safety, Luna Aurora. Don't be offended when you see me around tailing you."

It was not a big deal to me, and I just let him do his duties, as usual.

Upon arriving at the flat, I was taken aback to see many women's shoes. Even my bag, which I kept in a closet, was hanging outside.

As I walked in, I heard a familiar voice crack up and saw Alpha Damon sitting in the kitchen with a cake. Olivia was beside him, wearing my clothes, and they both had cream on their faces.

None of them caught a sniff of my presence, with my wolf in me growling in a fit of rage.

Seeing my mate having fun with his childhood sweetheart made it feel like my world had collapsed and our bond had been shattered.

Alpha Damon and Olivia were on cloud nine, almost forgetting my existence.

Yet, when Alpha Damon finally caught wind of me, his stare darkened as if it was at fault for disturbing them.

"With due respect, Alpha, I purchased this flat and things you let Olivia use without me knowing. You owe me an explanation!" I roared and let my frustration burst out.

Alpha Damon heaved a sigh, his tensed jaw. "I treat Olivia as a sister, and she'll stay here temporarily and move out if she can find a suitable place. Besides, she got those clothes you won't use anymore. I let her have it instead," he explained, cold and composed.

The wolf in me was in violent outbursts, almost reaching its limit to take over. But I halted, seeking to take control of the situation.

"It is out of your jurisdiction as an Alpha to decide for me! It is my possession, not from you!" I snapped, feeling deceived.

Olivia grabbed my hand out of the blue, "Luna Aurora, please don't let Alpha blame me for this. Blame me instead."

Knowing Olivia as a manipulative she-wolf, I shook her hand away. Despite not using my wolf's strength, she fell back, breaking the glass on the table. Her hand landed on the shards, cutting her skin and causing blood to spill.

Olivia screamed at the top of her lungs. "My hand, my hand!"

As much as I wanted to help, Alpha Damon brushed me off, tripped over the sofa, and hit my head on the table, feeling dizzy, while he rushed to save his so-called sister, who was treated like his destined mate.

Clouded with confusion, Alpha Damon darted a furious gaze on me as he heard, "If something happens, her future will be ruined, and I will blame you!"

Olivia's blistering cries were the last time I heard before I was unconscious, oblivious of what would transpire to me.

It was weeks since I stayed in the pack's infirmary.

Aiden, the lead warrior, rushed to contact his healer friend from town as almost all assigned pack healers focused on treating Olivia more than I, the injured Luna.

The healer informed me I had a severe head injury and was in a coma for days.

In times of healing, Alpha Damon never dared check on me, and he didn't even inquire if I, his mate, was still alive. He fretted over Olivia more than I did.

Whenever I encountered a mishap, Aiden was there to lend a hand. With Alpha Damon's absence, it wasn't the first time I had to lean on him.

"Upon checking, Olivia wasn't heavily injured, but Alpha Damon insisted on the healer assisting her at all times," Aiden reported as he visited me and continued, "The healer bandages her up, and she will be fine in a week."

Without him giving me a heads-up, I was oblivious to everything that transpired within the pack.

As soon as the healers permitted me to return to the pack house, I went back to the house, as usual, and met my mate, who left me out in the cold.

My mate didn't pry into what happened during my absence or lapse in Luna's duties. Instead, Alpha Damon insisted I make amends for Olivia missing her pack training.

"Alpha, it's you who pushed me and put me in a coma. Where were you when I needed you?" I demanded, fuming with rage.

Alpha Damon furrowed his brows and exclaimed, "It was an accident, and that's between us! You need to do things right with Olivia and compensate for her! If you don't, I'll call it quits on our mate bond."

I had him thrown out, but Alpha Damon never came for me again. As perturbed as I was, I considered apologizing to Olivia so our bond wouldn't be shattered.

When I searched for Olivia around the pack house, I caught sight of her with Alpha Damon and his mother in the living room. Never in my life had I seen them apart.

With everyone's eyes on me, I apologized, offered her money as compensation, swallowed my pride, and let go of grudges over what she got from me.

Even Alpha Damon's mother, who witnessed my apology for hurting Olivia, didn't like how I expressed my regret. She had held a grudge against me ever since Alpha Damon claimed me as his mate and made me the pack's Luna.

And now, she despised me to the core. "Is this how Luna should apologize—giving money to put Olivia down? She has no one, no money, even her parents, as they both died in rogue attacks, so you have no right to humiliate her!"

Even Alpha Damon cast a dark look my way, misinterpreting my attempt at reconciliation. "It's been a month, and I thought you came here to apologize sincerely. Why are you putting her to shame?"

Olivia, putting in an act, sobbed and said, "Luna Aurora, I know what transpires is by accident. You don't have to apologize, but you can't just pay to humiliate me!"

Everything I said was taken the wrong way, so I left. I walked out of the pack house despite it being raining.

As days rolled over, I concentrated hard on my Luna duties, burying the pain Alpha Damon had given me.

However, all I heard from the pack members was their confusion about Alpha Damon and Olivia's real score. In their eyes, they were more like mates, while I, only a displayed Luna, was bound to be replaced.

It was agonizing for me and my wolf, but once I regained consciousness, I recalled how I was indebted to him—my mate—for this freedom I had.

Flashback.

When the rival pack bandits treated me as an enslaved person and sent me to town to be auctioned, a lot was offered from the lowest to the highest bid.

All I did was shed tears in front of everyone and plead with the Moon Goddess for someone to lend a hand until someone exclaimed, "One million, and I'll take that slave as mine!"

"Going once, going twice! Sold! This slave is yours to take!"

I was scared stiff that being claimed would mean I'd be treated like a pawn. But the first time I saw him, the first word he said was, "Mate."

Alpha Damon and Aiden discerned me as the respected Luna of Silverfang and came to set me free.

Not only did he set me free, but I found my destined mate—Alpha Damon.

Right there and then, I vowed to accept him, whatever it cost.

"I, Aurora Grant, accept you as my mate and pledge to serve the pack through thick and thin as Luna. Unless told otherwise by the Alpha of Lunar Crest, I will uphold my duties."

End of flashback.

As I came back to my senses, tears escaped my eyes.

With those seven years of mateship, I realized it was a big mistake to be mated to Alpha Damon only to be neglected.

All set and ready, I heaved a sigh and mind-linked my mate: "Your kindness of setting me free made our mateship reach this far. But Alpha, let's end our bond."

When I returned to the pack house to take an oath of rejection, I became sick.

Only Aiden was around the pack, welcoming me back and the first to sense I was under the weather.

Once again, he insisted I stay at the pack's infirmary for healer's treatment. I wanted to refuse, but I gradually weakened until I lost consciousness.

The last thing I saw was myself collapsing into his arms as he murmured, "Too late, Luna Aurora. You've suffered a lot for the Alpha who only used you. When will you wake up?"

I was baffled beyond belief. What did Aiden mean?

It had been days since I woke up, lying in bed with Aiden by my side and the healer insisting I rest, putting my Luna duties on hold.

I obliged, but the next day, the first one I saw was Alpha Damon, sitting at the edge of the bed, face full of wounds.

My mate lowered his ego and apologized for the first time, explaining, "Olivia isn't my concubine, but a sister. Her parents died both of rogue attacks. She has no pack to settle. If I let her be a wandering rogue, she'll have the same fate as you."

Right. He came to dredge up my dark past and remind me of the debt I owed him, just as he felt bound by gratitude to Olivia and her parents.

It was well-known that Olivia's parents ended the war between Lunar Crest and the rival. Yet, in the end, the rogues besieged them, following the rival's order.

One of the reasons Alpha Damon couldn't brush Olivia aside the same way he neglected me. He mentioned he had to repay all his debts and asked to understand him.

Alpha Damon shed tears in front of me for the first time, pleading on bended knee not to break the Moon Goddess' blessed bond with us, not to waste seven years of mateship.

It was just that Alpha Damon was hot under the collar and didn't mean to scold me at times to defend his childhood sweetheart.

When Alpha Damon pleaded, my heart always softened. He was my mate, whatever happened. In the end, I had to reconcile with him.

Although things got settled for us, Olivia was still there to destroy every moment.

In the choices between Olivia and me, my mate still chose Olivia. She mattered most.

With the reconciliation, Alpha Damon was attentive to me. Still, when it came to his childhood sweetheart, he set aside all his duties, including me, to prioritize her. Every time I felt left out, Alpha Damon came to explain again that he owed Olivia much more than me, his rescued Luna.

But I didn't owe Olivia anything. Why should my mate let me endure all of this? I didn't deserve this punishment.

As naive as I was, I kept bending backward to reconcile with him for abandoning me.

We fought and argued, but I softened every time Alpha Damon shed tears and pleaded with me to understand.

On the day Olivia finished her training with the pack, she packed up and moved into her rented apartment.

Everything was looking up, especially when Alpha Damon made a surprise for me on my birthday and proposed to marry me during the full moon.

I fantasized about a promising future. He had once said that having pups was too dangerous and too painful, and since he didn't want me to suffer, we wouldn't have pups.

Looking at the mate's ring Alpha Damon had given to me, I was on cloud nine and couldn't wait for the wedding to transpire.

But the night after my swamped Luna duties, I was about to surprise Alpha Damon when, out of the blue, I heard two familiar voices inside the bathroom of our shared room.

From that moment on, my perfect future with my mate shattered into pieces.

As soon as the sounds of pleasure echoed at the four corners of the bathroom, my heart felt stabbed a thousand times, with the wolf in me urged to take over and about to go on the offensive to reclaim my mate.

The conversation I heard inside struck me like lightning.

"Alpha, proposing to that slave isn't in our plan, remember? You're ruining over it," said Olivia, fuming with rage.

"Marrying my fake Luna doesn't affect our secret mateship. You are my true fated mate, not that slave. I am using her to escape the curse that trapped me forever."

The next thing I heard made my blood run cold. When Alpha Damon added, "A curse that can kill me anytime soon, that's why the curse will be lifted in the full moon on our wedding day, and my fake mate will die."

What a good line.

Right there and then, it was my mate who spilled the beans, leaving me dumbfounded. But I ended up in tears as I left the room, rushed outside, and the pain stuck within me.

Out of the blue, Aiden tailed to the garden. When he inquired what happened, I did not tell him everything. One thing I was certain of was to end our bond after knowing everything that Alpha Damon had done.

"I know everything Alpha hides, Luna Aurora. Since the time Alpha finds out you are the key to his lifelong survival, he made you his mate, by force, not bound by the Moon Goddess," he admitted.

Alpha Damon didn't just neglect me; he used me as a pawn to escape the curse, even at the cost of my life.