##INTRODUCTION:

Damian, my destined partner, is the alpha that all wolf girls dream of.

For him, I went alone to the North, his pack.

But for three years after we signed the contract, he remained chaste, staying at least three feet away from me, refusing to mate with me.

I thought he was just busy with the affairs of the wolf pack and had no time to care about me.

Until I stumbled upon Damian pinning Lyra, his sister, against a rough tree trunk, his mouth savagely devouring her lips like a wild beast.

"You know I long for you, Lyra!" he roared.

"Why did you force that boring Selena on me?!"

At last I understood. The only person he truly loved was Lyra.

He hurt me again and again for Lyra, and even when we were trapped in the forest and almost swallowed by the shadow plague, he ran away with Lyra in his arms without looking back.

"Whether Selena can escape or not has nothing to do with me. You are the most important person in my world!"

I was heartbroken, but he wanted to complete the final mark with me because of guilt.

He didn't know that I had already dripped my heart's blood on the moonstone the day I found out about his affair with Lyra.

Our mate bond had been completely broken long ago.

###CONTENT

####CHAPTER-NAME:

Damian Alpha and I have been married for three years without mating.

And now, he is kissing his sister, my bestie, and forgetting everything.

The thick scent of their mingling pheromones filled the air, stinging my eyes.

"You know it's you I want, Lyra!" he growled, his voice hoarse. "But the Moon Goddess tied me to that nobody, Selena! And you want me to mark her? Claim her? Are you trying to make me betray my own heart, drive me insane?!"

Lyra trembled in his arms, her eyes red from crying. "Damien... I love you too... But the pack laws are strict, the elders... they'd never allow us..."

"I'll only ever go crazy for you, Lyra!"

His fingers tangled deep in her hair, his eyes blazing like fire. "Forming that damn bond with Selena was the biggest compromise I could make! I don't love her. My wolf, my body, everything in me rejects her!"

Every word he said felt like it was tearing my heart apart.

So that was it.

His frozen desire only thawed for Lyra.

I was just a joke, a tool he used to deal with the elders and keep the pack calm.

That night, like every other night for the past three years, I shivered alone in my empty room, but this time, there was no hope left in my heart.

I’d chased him for seven years, then waited another three, empty-handed. And just like that, my loyal heart shattered.

When morning came, I went straight to the pack's wise woman and got the Moonstone of Separation.

I’d barely let a drop of my heart's blood fall onto the stone when the curtain to the cave was yanked open.

It was Damien.

He burst in, grabbing my wrist so hard it hurt.

For the first time, I saw a flicker of panic on his usually cool face.

"Selena! Lyra... she was attacked by a Shadow Spider last night. She’s been poisoned, she’s unconscious!"

He was breathing hard, a hint of fear I’d never seen before in his voice. "Only your pure moon energy can cleanse that damn toxin! The pack healer said your power is the best match!"

I hadn't slept all night; my soul felt hollowed out, and I was slow to react.

He must have thought I was refusing, because he actually got down on his knees and begged me, his voice raw.

"If my power didn’t clash with the poison, I'd never ask you!"

"You and Lyra grew up together... I know you wouldn't just let her die. If you agree, I'll do anything!"

I looked at him, my eyes dull, but a pathetic sliver of hope still flickered deep inside.

"Anything?"

A moment later, I heard myself hiss through gritted teeth.

"Does that include... completing the final marking?"

"Yes!" he said, without a moment's hesitation. Firm.

Even though I had my answer, I couldn't stop shaking.

He’d do anything for Lyra.

The marking he’d resisted countless times, the symbol of the deepest bond between mates, was now just a bargaining chip to save the woman he loved.

And me? What was I?

A pack messenger rushed in, reporting Lyra’s condition was critical.

That powerful Alpha, for the first time, looked vulnerable in front of me. "Selena... I'm... begging you."

All hope died in me then, but I still got on his wind wolf mount and agreed to save Lyra.

The ritual took place on the forbidden Blood Moon night. My moon energy flowed through him, as a conduit, to Lyra.

I could feel his body tense, his pheromones wild with worry for her.

And me, I felt like an empty shell.

After the ritual, I lay in my own hut for three days. Damien never showed up.

When I went to the sacred spring to recover my strength, as arranged by the elders, I’d always pass Lyra’s healing cave. I’d see Lyra in bed, and Damien, never leaving her side.

He’d gently trace her face with his fingertips while she slept, his eyes filled with a devotion and tenderness I’d never seen.

He’d brew moon-energy-infused herbal soup himself, even holding it in his mouth to feed her bit by bit when she was unconscious, just hoping she’d recover.

Worried she’d get cold, he covered her with his most prized snow-wolf king pelt. When she needed to be moved, he’d carry her in that heart-stopping bridal carry, as if Lyra was made of fragile glass.

Every move, every look, screamed how much he loved that woman.

I watched in silence. I didn't disturb them.

Only on full moon nights, alone, I’d nurse the ache in my soul for that final bond.

Even though he'd promised, I chose to give up.

The last time I passed her cave, Lyra’s voice, weak but smug, drifted out: "Damien, you should go back and be with Selena. She’s your Luna, yet you don’t care about her feelings at all, refusing to leave my side for even a second."

Damien tucked her in, his tone cool. "Lyra, you know I only care about you. As for Selena, she can't leave me. Don't worry about her."

True, people in love don’t need to care about others' feelings.

But Damien, it’s not that I can’t leave you. I’ve already decided to give up.

Back in my hut, the Moonstone lay quietly in a corner.

Damien happened to come back then and looked surprised to see me.

"You're recovered? Why didn't you say so? I would've had the wolf guards send you some nourishing prey." His voice was flat, like nothing had happened.

He hadn’t even bothered with me when I was injured and recovering, let alone now that I was better.

"I know you're busy taking care of Lyra. I wouldn't want to bother the Alpha with such small things," I said, my voice calm.

The air instantly froze.

He was silent, his deep eyes unreadable. He reached up and untied the leather cord at his collar, revealing his sexy throat and collarbone.

A strong wave of Alpha pheromones, heavy and demanding, washed over me.

He wrapped an arm around my waist, his hot breath fanning my neck. His lips pressed down on mine, hard, without any feeling or desire.

I jerked away.

Seeing that, he stepped back, annoyance clear in his eyes that I’d interrupted him. He frowned, staring at me as if he was really seeing me for the first time.

"The marking ritual. The condition you set, remember?" His voice was low and hoarse, laced with anger.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, and forced a smile.

"I was just kidding, Alpha. Don't take it seriously. Can I... change my request?"

The tension in his face suddenly eased, like he’d just shrugged off a huge, ugly burden. His tone lightened.

"Of course."

I saw it all but didn't call him out.

I took out the Moonstone and turned it over. There was an ancient groove on the back that needed both our energies at the same time to officially break the bond.

"Then, Alpha, please leave your decision on this."

"This is what I want most right now."

It was the first time Damien had seen me so eager for something. Surprise, and a barely hidden disdain, flashed in his eyes.

"The thing you want most? Did you spot some rich hunting ground, or a mine full of moon crystals that’s got you so pleased?" he asked, reaching to take a closer look at the Moonstone.

The next second, the communication crystal on his belt lit up.

It was Lyra’s delicate voice, a little whiny. "Damien, is the moon-energy soup you’re making for me ready? When are you bringing it? I’m starving..."

Only then did I realize he’d just stopped by on his way to deliver soup to Lyra.

"Be right there," Damien's voice was gentle, completely different from the coldness he showed me.

He didn't delay. Without even glancing at the Moonstone, he casually infused his "agreement" energy into it.

To him, it was just a small thing to get rid of me, as simple as tossing a piece of meat to a cat.

Then, holding the communication crystal, he turned and went into the kitchen next door. An hour later, the rich aroma of herbs wafted out.

He strode out with the pot of medicine.

From start to finish, he didn't say another word to me.

The first crack finally appeared in the bond the Moonstone represented.

Watching his retreating back, I quietly answered his earlier question.

"What I want isn't a hunting ground, nor a mine."

"What I want is freedom."

"Damien, I wish us... separate peace, and may we never meet again."

####CHAPTER-NAME:

For the next few days, Damien didn't come back to my hut.

I didn't care where he went. I just quietly emptied the hut of my things.

The fancy furs he’d "graciously" given me, symbols of his Alpha's mate; the moon-grass bracelet I’d woven for him, hoping to keep him safe; the cold, meaningless tokens we’d exchanged under the elders' watch when the Moon Goddess "mistakenly" linked us... and all the things I’d carefully prepared for him that he’d never even glanced at.

I left nothing, throwing it all into the abyss behind the hut.

I watched as the small, cold hut grew emptier and emptier.

I felt like I was finally free.

After tossing out the last bundle of my pathetic, one-sided love, I turned and saw Damien.

He was standing at the doorway, staring at the edge of the now-empty abyss, a look of surprise on his face.

"Why... did you throw all that away?"

"Didn't need them anymore, so I cleared them out," I said vaguely, not wanting to talk much. "What brings the Alpha back?"

Damien didn't seem to want to dig deeper. He just lifted his wrist and looked at the sunstone embedded there.

"There's an important full moon gathering tonight. All core members have to be there. I'm here to get you."

The Blood Moon Pack’s biannual full moon gathering decided the pack's future.

For the past three years, as his "mate in name only," I’d never missed one.

But this time, I refused.

"I haven't been feeling well lately, so I won't attend," I said, my voice distant.

"What's wrong? Want me to get the pack healer to check on you?"

His tone was gentle, which made me uncomfortable, even a little sick.

I shook my head lightly. "It's nothing. Just want to rest."

"Then you just stay home..." Damien was about to agree.

Suddenly, Lyra burst in like a gust of wind, giggling as she threw herself at Damien, naturally linking her arm through his, her body pressed tight against him.

Her eyes, full of challenge, met mine.

"Selena, just come with me! If you’re not there, I’ll be so bored! Right, Damien?" She blinked her seemingly innocent eyes, her voice sickly sweet.

Damien’s heart instantly softened.

He swallowed the rest of his words, nodded, and even personally lifted the fur curtain leading to the gathering place.

"Since it's a gathering, if you're not feeling well, just sit and rest. You don't have to join the discussions. Lyra's just recovered, so it’d be good for you to keep her company."

Watching his attitude change in a split second, I should have felt nothing, but my heart still ached.

Yeah, Damien would agree to anything Lyra asked.

I didn't say anything else, just bent down and got into the beast-drawn carriage that symbolized the Alpha's authority.

Lyra sat next to me, her warm body brushing against mine intentionally or not, chattering non-stop, her voice low enough for both me and Damien in the front to hear clearly.

"Selena, you purified the Shadow Spider venom for me, so your body should be recovered, right? You have no idea how much I suffered in the healing cave because of the rejection symptoms. My head was spinning, I had nightmares all the time. Luckily, Damien was there with me, or I wouldn't have made it. He hasn't been able to take good care of you because of me lately, so please don't be angry, okay?"

I looked up and saw her undisguised probing and showing off.

I said lightly, "I won't. He's your Alpha, I'm his pack member. It's his duty to take care of you. Why would I be angry?"

Lyra seemed relieved then, taking my hand like she always did, chatting casually, but every word stabbed at my heart.

"I knew you wouldn't mind! Damien gave me this moonstone claw bracelet today, isn't it pretty? I just casually mentioned once that I liked stones that sparkle in the moonlight, and he remembered! He went through a lot of trouble to get it from a dangerous crystal mine! And these fluffy wolf cub dolls, Damien specially traded for them at the human market for me yesterday. Damien's carriage is too dull, so these are perfect decorations, cute, right?"

Looking at the claw bracelet on her wrist, clearly pulsating with powerful moon energy, and the pile of wolf cub dolls on the seat, I could barely breathe.

Damien always favored simplicity and practicality. His cave and carriage had almost no extra decorations but necessities and weapon totems symbolizing power.

But because Lyra loved these "useless trinkets," as he would have called them, he had no objections, letting her decorate his carriage like a wolf cub's den.

I remembered a long time ago, I’d once painted a cute moon and wolf totem on one of his frequently used stone cups with colorful berry juice, hoping to bring him a little joy.

The next day, he’d replaced the cup.

He’d said, "Selena, I don't like these flashy things. Don't take it upon yourself to decorate my personal items anymore."

So, this was the difference between being loved and not loved.

I stayed silent, closing my eyes tightly, not wanting to see her smug face anymore.

Lyra thought I was tired and stopped bothering me, turning instead to chat non-stop with Damien.

From the weather in the territory today to some small affiliated pack, from embarrassing stories of them raiding bird nests as kids to the special roasted meat they might have at tonight's gathering.

No matter what she said, Damien had a reply, a smile always on his lips, looking at her dotingly.

I listened quietly, but my heart felt like an invisible hand was squeezing it, sending pangs of pain through me.

I remembered how, when I’d mustered the courage to share something interesting happening in the pack, he’d always respond with short, dismissive words like "Mm," "Okay," "Got it," "Fine," as if saying one more word to me was a waste of time.

But with Lyra, he was always so engaging, so patient.

Even when we were in the same small space, his gaze would drift, intentionally or not, to Lyra in the back, his eyes full of undisguised love.

His love was so blatant.

Why, for the past three years, had I been so blind, completely unaware of it?

No, maybe I had noticed, but I’d just been lying to myself.

I turned my head to the window, telling myself over and over:

It's okay, Selena, just a little longer.

Once the full moon gathering is over, once the energy in that Moonstone fully merges, our bond will be completely broken.

Everything will be over.

####CHAPTER-NAME:

At six in the evening, the Blood Moon Pack's full moon gathering officially began.

Bonfires blazed, and the moonlight was bright.

Damien sat in the main seat. Traditionally, as his destined mate, I should have been on his right.

Lyra, as Damien's "most trusted companion" and "future key supporter of the pack," sat on Damien's left, a position even more prominent than some of the older elders.

Damien was the first to raise his moon-wine cup, toasting the elders and leaders of the affiliated packs.

I also stood up, picking up the cup in front of me, which reeked of strong alcohol.

Lyra reached for her cup too, but Damien quickly stopped her.

"You haven't fully recovered. You can't drink such strong liquor."

Lyra looked at the stern-faced elders and leaders around us, nervously lowering her voice so only the three of us could hear, "But... Selena's strength hasn't fully recovered either, and she's toasting. If I don't, isn't that... against our Blood Moon Pack's rules?"

Damien frowned, took her cup without hesitation, then turned to the elders, his voice booming, "Esteemed elders, leaders. Lyra was recently severely injured defending the pack. The pack healer has advised her against strong moon-wine for now. However, the ancient traditions of our Blood Moon Pack must not be broken. I, as her Alpha, and as her closest companion, will drink this toast on her behalf!"

With that, he downed both Lyra's cup and his own.

A bold move, awe-inspiring.

It drew murmurs of admiration and praise for Lyra's bravery.

I looked at my own half-empty cup, then at Damien, who was already helping Lyra sit back down and carefully adjusting her seat cushion. A bitter taste filled my mouth.

I took a deep breath, fighting the nausea that came with drinking this strong moon-wine when my lunar energy was still weak. I tilted my head back and drained the rest of the cup.

The fiery liquid burned its way down my throat and into my stomach.

Under the intense stimulation of the alcohol, my already weak body reacted violently.

An unbearable pain shot through my stomach. I bit my lip so hard it bled, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead, soaking my bangs.

But I couldn't make a sound, couldn't show any weakness, because the etiquette at Blood Moon Pack gatherings was incredibly strict.

Before the elders and the Alpha signaled the end of the gathering, no core member could leave their seat without permission, much less show any discomfort or weakness.

So I could only grip the edge of the stone bench beneath me, my knuckles white from the pressure, and force myself to endure the excruciating pain.

All the wolves were drinking merrily, cheering for the Alpha's "wisdom" and Lyra's "courage."

No one noticed anything was wrong with me.

Even if they had, no wolf would dare to defy the Alpha's wishes at that moment for me, his out-of-favor Luna.

Damien effortlessly handled the leaders toasting, while keeping a close eye on Lyra out of the corner of his eye.

He kept piling the most tender, juicy roasted meat and the sweetest, rarest berries onto the stone plate in front of Lyra, which soon became a small mountain.

My plate, however, remained empty.

Damien's mother, an older she-wolf once renowned for her beauty and wisdom, still regal, narrowed her eyes at my empty plate.

"Damien," her voice was low but carried an undeniable authority, "don't just focus on Lyra. Selena is here too. She is your mate, chosen by the Moon Goddess. She hasn't eaten anything. Is the food not to her liking?"

Only then did Damien turn his head. His gaze rested on my deathly pale face for a second, then, as if completing a task, he casually picked a piece of foul-smelling Fire-Scale Lizard meat from the pile in front of him and put it on my plate.

That Fire-Scale Lizard meat was tough and carried a special fire-type energy. My lunar energy leaned towards the yin, inherently clashing with this fire energy.

Eating it wouldn't kill me instantly, but it would cause chaos and intense discomfort within my body.

I had mentioned this to him once when we were alone.

He’d just given a faint "Mm," and I didn't know if he'd listened or just hadn't cared.

Now, it seemed it was the latter.

Facing the concerned gazes from all around, tinged with various meanings, I was silent for a moment.

Then, I picked up my stone knife, emotionlessly cut the lizard meat, and ate it, bite by tiny bite.

Chewing the tough meat felt like gnawing on a red-hot iron.

The strong fire energy surged down my esophagus into my stomach, instantly clashing violently with my already weak lunar energy.

An even more intense pain quickly spread throughout my body.

Lyra happened to see me eat the meat. Her eyes widened in surprise, and maybe... a little bit of schadenfreude?

But she quickly lowered her head, hiding her expression.

Damien's mother nodded, satisfied. Her gaze then fell back on Lyra, and she spoke earnestly.

"Lyra, next month will be your third Pack Contribution Day after your coming-of-age ceremony. According to Blood Moon Pack rules, it's time to find a suitable mate for you. I plan to hold a grand mate-selection ceremony, inviting all outstanding unmated Alpha and Beta males from powerful neighboring packs. You can see if there's anyone you like. Settling your mating anjo sooner rather than later is good for you, and for the pack."

The color drained from Lyra's face instantly.

She looked at Damien in panic, like a frightened fawn, practically begging him with her eyes.

Damien's expression changed abruptly. He tried to maintain his composure and find a way to politely refuse.

"Mother, Elders. Lyra is still young by our pack's standards. Her choice of mate concerns her entire life's happiness and our pack's future alliances. It can't be so rushed. I will personally select for her, ensuring I find a male who can truly match her and cherish her."

Hearing this, the elders on the platform began to persuade him.

"Damien! We know you've cared deeply for Lyra since childhood, but finding a mate is guided by the Moon Goddess and is the right and duty of every pack member! You already have Selena as your destined mate; Lyra should have her own! And you're so picky, who knows how long this selection process will drag on!" one hot-tempered elder couldn't help saying.

"Ever since your bond with Selena was confirmed, the council of elders has been looking for suitable mates for Lyra. We've selected dozens of outstanding young talents from major packs. But you? You either say their strength isn't enough, their bloodline isn't pure enough, or their personality doesn't suit Lyra! You haven't approved a single one!" another elder chimed in.

"Exactly! Lyra and Selena are around the same age, and this year they're about to go through their second heat! They're not that young anymore! You, as her older brother, already have a destined mate. She must also hope to find her other half soon, to have her own warm den and a strong protector!"

Lyra panicked.

For the first time, she mustered the courage to whisper, "I... I'm not in a hurry to find a mate... waiting... waiting a few more years is fine..."

"Lyra!" Damien's mother's tone became sterner. "Although you are not and the former Alpha's biological child with me, we have always treated you as our own, investing more in your upbringing and care than even some distant relatives! We naturally hope you find a good match, marry a truly strong and responsible Alpha, bringing honor and support to our Blood Moon Pack! Now, Damien's mate has been designated by the Moon Goddess. It is both reasonable and right for us to plan for your future! This mate-selection ceremony is settled! Go back and prepare yourself, show the grace of a Blood Moon Pack she-wolf!"

Amidst the chorus of agreement from the elders, Damien's father, the quiet former Alpha who held the ultimate decision-making power, finally spoke slowly, "Do as your mother says."

Lyra trembled, her beautiful eyes instantly filling with tears, ready to fall.

Damien's face darkened completely, veins bulging on the back of the hand gripping his wine cup.

He couldn't take it anymore!

Suddenly, he shot up from his seat, his powerful Alpha aura exploding outwards.

"I said! Lyra's mate! I'll decide! It's none of your business!"

The young Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, usually calm, collected, and diplomatic in front of the elders, was actually confronting the entire council, even defying his own parents, all for Lyra!

Every wolf present, whether elder, leader, or ordinary pack member, was stunned by Damien's earth-shattering declaration, their faces turning incredibly grim.

"What do you mean, none of our business?! Damien, you're too insolent!" One of the oldest elders was so angry his whiskers trembled. "Lyra is at the prime age for choosing a mate! If we don't find one for her now and keep delaying, do you want her to become the laughingstock of the entire werewolf world?! How can we, the elders who watched her grow up, not care!"

"Exactly, Damien! We know you and Lyra have been close since childhood, but don't forget, you already have Selena, your mate designated by the Moon Goddess! You and Selena will have your pups, and you will jointly lead the Blood Moon Pack! In the future, your focus will inevitably be on your own mate and offspring! Even if you dote on Lyra, you can't put her first in everything like you do now! And you certainly can't... take the place of her future mate!"

Another elder tried to reason with him.

Damien was completely enraged by these harsh words.

Without thinking, he retorted coldly, almost roaring,

"I will never have pups with Selena in my life! As long as Lyra doesn't want to find a mate, I will absolutely not force her! As long as I'm here, the Blood Moon Pack will always be her home! Even if she never wants to find one, I can support her for a lifetime! With my Alpha status, with the entire strength of the Blood Moon Pack, I will protect her, worry-free, for her entire life!"

####CHAPTER-NAME: