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.

As the days passed, I put on an act that I had no idea Alpha Damon devised a plan for me, his mate. The wolf in me couldn't wait for our bond to be shattered in one swoop.

Lunar Crest itself had many secrets buried deep down that I had to uncover. Aiden offered to lend a hand to me and map out a scheme to avenge and embarrass Olivia and Alpha Damon.

At first, I was skeptical. Knowing Aiden as Alpha Damon's trusted lead warrior, I didn't believe him.

It might be part of his plan—to make me put my trust in Aiden, only to end my life and be betrayed in the end.

My sole intention was to reject him and abandon the pack, but Aiden halted me. He wanted me to stay and see how he would embarrass them in front of the Pack's neighboring Alphas.

Even when I was on duty as Luna, Aiden was always there, quietly sharing his plans with me. "For seven long years, you have sought Alpha Damon's affection. Now, I'm on cloud nine. Moon Goddess has heard my plea to reveal the truth. It's the perfect time to lend a hand."

All of Aiden's actions clouded me with confusion. However, when I asked, he told me time was the ultimate truth teller. Alpha Damon once introduced him as the lead warrior, but how he lent a hand hinted a strong connection before I needed to piece it together.

When the Lunar Crest hosted a gathering, I attended as Luna, with the urge of Aiden.

In the Pack Hall, Alpha Damon accompanied Olivia as if the two were real mates, while I, a displayed one, was bound to be replaced.

Out of the blue, I got a mind link from Aiden informing me beforehand. For him, the pack's gathering was the perfect opportunity to humiliate them, which I didn't mind.

Glancing at them, I play-pretend I had zero knowledge of everything, letting him and Olivia on cloud nine during the event.

When Alpha Damon came with his hand on my waist, he was puzzled, seeing me change.

That made me laugh my ass out loud. "Don't look at me like that, Alpha. When you gave me the mateship ring, I was assured you were true to your word. If you treat Olivia as a sister, she's my sister too."

It was all a little white lie to conceal what I had known.

While Alpha Damon had to entertain Alphas and Lunas from other packs attending the gathering, Aiden came to introduce us to the other visitors, which was part of his plan.

Olivia wanted to break free, but with Alpha Damon's serious gaze turned to us, she did not dare to offend me, considering I acted kind to her.

Meanwhile, Aiden was a well-known figure. He had the same story as mine, and he also came from the pack that had been attacked and now banished. It was Damon who saved him, the reason he was with the pack, being the lead warrior.

His entire existence was still unknown to me. Nonetheless, I didn't investigate further but waited for his devised plan to transpire that night to test how truthful he was about lending a hand.

After Aiden introduced Olivia and me, he made excuses, saying he had to keep an eye on the Pack Hall as the lead warrior.

Unbeknownst to Olivia, it was the signal. Everyone praised me then and there, but after I left, they gave Olivia the cold shoulder. None of them wanted to speak with her.

While observing Olivia from afar, she stood by the drinks table. At the same time, some of Alpha's daughters around the circle gathered and held a grudge against her.

One from the circle went over to get a drink, purposely shaking her hand, and another also pushed her. Red wine spilled in an instant into Olivia's chest.

That lady in a red dress that spilled over the wine yelled, attracting everyone's attention.

Everyone started talking, watching the scene unfold.

"Oh dear, I didn't mean to spill over the wine in your dress. How much is it? I'll pay you for it," said the woman, mocking her to the bone.

Olivia moved her gaze down into her rented dress worth ten thousand, feeling distressed. The gossip around made her cheeks turn red in embarrassment.

"It is you who bumped me. It's your fault, but I am willing to pay you for it," she still mocked.

As soon as Alpha Damon witnessed his true fated mate humiliated, in the blink of an eye, he pushed the girl who spilled the wine into Olivia and rescued Olivia from humiliation.

With Alpha Damon's unpredictable actions, everyone was caught off guard. Gossip spread like wildfire, with speculations on their minds.

Out of the blue, one of the Alphas asked, baffled, "Alpha Damon, why do you seem affected when you treat Olivia as your sister, but the way you react makes it feel like you treat her as a mate?"

Not only one but everyone was dumbfounded. All were concerned, but I kept my chin up.

With speculations around, Alpha Damon stood his ground, still insisting everyone halted thinking he had in favor of Olivia.

"How often do I have to tell you all Olivia is a sister? I have already planned to marry Aurora!" Alpha Damon roared, echoing in the four corners of the Pack Hall.

That cursed Alpha Damon still had the nerve to lie in front of everyone.

With the Pack Hall full of speculations, I put an end to the scene by sending Olivia upstairs to change, and Aiden let Damon keep a level head.

Aiden's unpredictable plans left me dumbfounded.

Everything that transpired was related to his scheme, making me believe he was against Alpha Damon and secretly devising a plan to take him down.

Alpha Damon usually wouldn't lift a finger in that tense moment, especially with other Alphas and Lunas watching. But he couldn't stand by any longer and saved Olivia, even if it meant tarnishing his and Lunar Crest's reputation.

As time ticked by, Olivia emerged in my signature blue gown, bearing the SilverFang logo—anyone familiar with our pack could spot it was mine in a heartbeat.

And yet, I ain't wrong when someone from the crowd roared, "That's Luna Aurora's dress! How dare you wear it during the gathering if you don't belong there?!"

Upon seeing Aurora, everyone concluded that Olivia tried to snatch my title as Luna.

With the guests' speculations, Olivia's eyes darkened, blaming the housekeeper for insisting on wearing it.

The housekeeper was scared stiff as she explained, "Luna Aurora, even if I end up being punished, I am telling the truth. She insisted on wearing it herself. She even said what's yours is hers and made up excuses to get me out of the way to wear it secretly!"

Before I could deliver my verdict, Aiden shot me a look that meant to be good as all eyes were glued to me.

To play the perfect Luna, I smiled and said, "She can wear whatever pleases. If it suits her, it's fine by me."

All the guests started to chatter around.

That one guest spilled wine over her exclaimed, "She bumped into me on purpose and wants me to take the blame so she can wear Luna Aurora's dress to be the center of attention. It's a shame that Aurora has to experience all this in the pack!"

With no one, not even Alpha Damon, in her corner, Olivia drew her conclusions and pinned the blame on me.

"It's you! It's all you, Luna Aurora! You did all of this to embarrass me!" Olivia said in an accusing tone.

"Olivia, you're out of line! Stop blaming everything on my mate!" Damon roared, silencing the hall.

In no time, Alpha Damon pulled Olivia out of the Pack Hall and shut the door behind us, leaving us all dumbfounded and speechless.

Since then, Lunar Crest disappointed all the guests, and they have all vowed not to attend any events hosted by the pack.

Right there and then, I ended up distancing myself from Alpha Damon and Olivia, giving myself time to think of breaking our bond once I cherished it.

If I could turn back the time and change the decisions I would regret, I would have done so.

While away from the pack house, Aiden secretly vowed to be my knight in shining armor despite Alpha Damon's refusal to give me any backup.

Every night, my duties ended, and I headed straight into my rented apartment within the pack. Aiden would tail me from behind, ensuring my safety as the Luna.

With the threat, he always mentioned to me, "Olivia isn't easy to deal with. She always mentions killing you, but Alpha urges you not to do anything, knowing you are the key to ending his hardships."

Olivia's threat scared the living daylights of me. But I knew Alpha Damon wouldn't let Olivia's intrusive thoughts win over.

And I was right. After each duty, Aiden couldn't get near me as Damon sent a swarm of spy warriors to keep me under wraps and ensure I didn't break free from the pack.

Alpha Damon's spy warriors were a real nuisance for the next few days. My mind kept wandering with their presence, and I ended up with no choice but to confront Alpha Damon back in the pack house.

"What is up to you, Alpha?! I did all my duties as Luna, yet you send spy warriors! Are you afraid I'll escape the pack and still can't satisfy your needs?" I fired him with questions.

"I vowed to marry you during the full moon. It's about to happen, and rogues start messing with us again," Alpha Damon reasoned, calm and composed, adding, "And I don't want my mate to be hurt. If you choose to stay here, no more spy warriors are around you."

Shaking my head, I reasoned, "Alpha, you are making our situation worse."

Just as Aiden always said, "Cut your ties with the Alpha before things go from bad to worse, and it's too late to turn back."

Whenever Alpha Damon wanted to patch things up, I would accept it wholeheartedly and act as if nothing transpired.

However, I was no longer taken in by this old trick. Not anymore.

Before he could use me to break Alpha Damon's curse, I decided, "Alpha, it is because of you I broke free, but I, Luna of Lunar Crest, didn't want to marry you in the full moon."

With my sudden decision, Alpha Damon laughed his ass out loud.

"No way! As the Alpha, I won't grant your rejection—you're stuck with me as my Luna, bound to marry under the full moon."