Marry the Alpha, Ditching My Mate of Ten Years

I'm about to get married under the witness of the Goddess of the Moon. However, Carl Erickson, my partner of ten years, doesn't know it yet.

Carl has recently hired a new assistant—Ivy Keating. Everyone in the wolf pack knows something amorous is going on between them; they frequently "discuss work" until the wee hours of the night.

A celebration that's supposed to be for our anniversary turns into Ivy's birthday celebration. Carl orders a ten-layer mango cream cake for the celebration—it's Ivy's favorite.

They get cream everywhere, but they've forgotten I'm seriously allergic to mangoes. A regular mango is as lethal to me as wolf venom is.

I'm taken away by an ambulance to be rescued, and I'm alone when I wake up. Carl is still at the party, celebrating Ivy's birthday.

My wolf growls unhappily, and my love for Carl dies. It's then that I agree to the marriage my family has arranged for me. I'm going to marry a true Alpha.

Mom wasted no time arranging the wedding.

I had just returned home from the hospital and barely had time to take off my shoes when she sent over a dozen wedding plans for me to choose from.

Scrolling through the options on my phone, I felt a swirl of emotions.

I didn't want to make any decisions.

As I hesitated, Mom called me directly.

"My dear Blaire, if Carl truly wanted to marry you, he wouldn't have delayed it for so many years. Everyone knows he's only using you to secure his position as the pack's leader. You deserve better. It's not too late to change your mind now.

"The marriage alliance with the Darknight Pack has been finalized, and I've prepared everything for the wedding. It's set for three days from now. Take your time packing; there's no rush."

Her tone was calm and commanding.

It turned out everything had been so obvious to everyone else all along. Meanwhile, I had been hopelessly ensnared by Carl Erickson's empty promises.

"Mom, just pick one for me. I like them all, but I prefer to keep the wedding simple."

At that moment, my mate, Carl, suddenly appeared behind me. Hearing the word "wedding," he immediately asked, "Wedding? What wedding?"

Then, he held my waist and tried to lean into the phone.

Startled, I quickly put it away.

Carl reached out to grab it from me, but his phone started ringing before he could. When he answered the call, I could hear a woman's delicate and distressed voice on the other end.

"Carl, I just left the office, and I think someone's following me! Do you think it's someone from a rival company? What should I do? I'm so scared! I've been circling the parking lot, but I can't shake him!"

Something primal seemed to awaken in Carl instantly. His eyes glimmered with urgency and anger as he replied, "Don't worry. Find somewhere safe. I'll be right there."

As soon as the call ended, any mention of the wedding had completely slipped from his mind. Once again, he left me without hesitation and rushed into the night to rescue his secretary.

What he failed to consider, however, was that in this pack where wealth determined everything, my parents' considerable fortune was the only reason he'd been able to claim the title of alpha.

After Carl left, I called Aunt Selma to tell her goodbye.

When my parents left the Moonstone Pack over a decade ago to pursue business opportunities elsewhere, they had entrusted me to Aunt Selma, who cared for me throughout my years in the pack.

Carl had lived next door, and that was how we'd met.

Years later, Aunt Selma had found her mate, got married, and sold her house to move away.

Not wanting to disrupt her new life, I'd stayed behind and moved in with Carl temporarily. Somehow, that temporary arrangement stretched into ten years.

When Aunt Selma heard about the wedding, she was stunned. "You're getting married? To Carl? Well, that's good. It's about time anyway. You've been together for ten years."

I pursed my lips and corrected her. "No, it's an arranged marriage. I don't even know who I'm marrying."

Aunt Selma fell silent momentarily before asking, "Are you sure about this? Carl is your mate, after all. And from what I've seen, he seems to care for you genuinely. I'm not sure why he hasn't proposed to you yet, but I can talk to him if you want."

I chuckled softly and said, "There's no need, Aunt Selma. Carl has never marked me. I've asked him to multiple times, but he's always refused. I used to hope he'd change his mind, but now I understand.

"His refusal to mark me or marry me means he's never actually seen me as his mate. I'm already 24. If I don't end this now, I'll waste the rest of my youth waiting for something that will never happen."

Aunt Selma sighed after a brief pause. "Alright then. Whatever you decide, I'll always be here for you."

After hanging up, I started counting down the three days until my new life would begin.

The next day, I asked Mom to send over some limited-edition, high-end designer handbags. I wanted to thank Aunt Selma for her years of care, and it was also my way of saying goodbye.

As night fell, the packages finally arrived, and I was ready to leave the Moonstone Pack.

I directed the driver to deliver the things to Aunt Selma's house.

But to my surprise, when I got downstairs, I ran into Carl.