My sister poisoned me. All because her mate was a pale shadow next to mine. Now, I'm back where it all began. The Mating Ceremony, five years ago.

In my last life, Sarah and I chose our mates at the Pack Alliance gala.

She chose the most powerful Alpha, the future Alliance leader, Damon. But she could never bear him a pup.

Damon despised her. He abused her. He even went feral during his curse and nearly killed her.

She shoved me toward Liam, the Alpha of a failing pack.

She never guessed Liam’s power would explode, that he’d one day tear the title of High Alpha from Damon’s grasp.

Then, on the day of Liam's coronation, Sarah poisoned me out of jealousy.

I opened my eyes again. We were back at the mate selection ceremony.

Sarah announced to everyone she was choosing Liam, and I was shoved toward her ex-mate, Damon.

But I suddenly heard her inner scream: [Die, Elena. Just die! You and that rabid wolf Damon can go to hell together. Liam will still be High Alpha, and I will be the ultimate Luna!]

But I just smirked as I stumbled into Damon’s arms.

Sarah had no idea. The “perfect mate” she’d chosen was already plotting to consume her very soul.

My sister Sarah poisoned me. Now, I'm back where it all began five years ago: the day we chose our mates.

“I choose Liam! I want the Alpha of the Alder Pack!”

My eyes shot open.

A ghost of a pain stabbed through my heart. Liam. Twisting a silver knife in my chest.

But there was no blood, no cold altar.

I wasn't dead. I was back. Thrown back five years to the Mating Ceremony.

In the center of the great hall, my sister Sarah was clinging to Alpha Liam’s arm like he was a priceless treasure.

The room erupted.

“Is Sarah insane?”

“She’s passing on Alpha Damon for him? For the Alpha of some backwater pack?”

“But Damon’s from the Dark Moon Pack! He’s the strongest Alpha in the entire Alliance! He’s basically already the next High Alpha.”

His pack's territory was vast, its wealth beyond measure. He commanded the most powerful Alphas in North America.

Every she-wolf dreamed of climbing into his bed, of becoming the most revered Luna in the Alliance.

Last time, Sarah snatched him up without a second thought. I was shoved off on Liam and his pathetic, failing pack.

Liam eventually rose to lead all four packs.

But I never got to see it. A jealous Sarah killed me right before he took his throne.

My thoughts were cut short.

“Sarah, that’s Alpha Damon…” Elder Vivian reminded her, her voice laced with disbelief.

“I don’t care about power!” Sarah cut her off, her face a mask of false nobility. “I see true love only with Alpha Liam.”

But I heard another voice.

Sharp, vicious, and exploding in my mind:

[Love? Screw that. Last life, that psycho Damon made my life a living hell. I was just a broodmare to him! And when I couldn't get pregnant, his curse flared and he tried to kill me. Elena, you idiot. This time, I won't even have to poison you myself. You can just die with that feral beast!]

My blood ran cold.

Was that… Sarah’s thoughts?

Has she been reborn too?

My wolf spirit had awakened a new power. The ability to hear thoughts.

I knew that after Damon and Sarah mated, his curse made him unfit for the High Alpha’s seat.

But I never knew he almost killed her.

Before I could process it, Sarah spun around and shoved me toward Damon’s throne.

“Elena, since I’ve found my one true love, I will graciously grant you the most powerful Alpha, Damon.”

She smiled like a saint, but her eyes were dripping with malicious glee.

Her push sent me stumbling toward him.

Damon sat there, an unlit cigar pinched between his fingers.

He was devastatingly handsome.

His sharp features were a masterwork of sculpture, but a terrifying storm brewed in his black eyes.

The raw power rolling off him carved out a ten-foot circle of silence around his throne.

He watched the whole drama unfold with cold indifference, as if he were looking at a room full of corpses.

I crashed against his leg.

Dead silence.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Damon to explode.

Being passed around by two she-wolves was the ultimate insult to a prime Alpha.

“My sister’s castoff?”

Damon spoke.

His voice was deep, magnetic, but laced with a bone-deep chill.

He wasn’t looking at me. His gaze was fixed on Sarah and Liam, a faint, predatory scarlet glowing in his eyes.

The first sign of his curse flaring.

A wave of fear washed over me.

But the smiling man across the room terrified me more.

Liam wrapped a gentle arm around Sarah. “If that is Sarah's wish, then I am honored to accept.”

The second my eyes met Liam’s, his cold, slimy thoughts slithered into my head:

[That fool Sarah actually ditched Damon for me? Heh. Perfect. Her bloodline is purer than Elena’s. She’ll be the perfect sacrifice for the forbidden ritual, saving me a decade of work. Once I drain her dry, I can kill Damon.]

The coldness froze the blood in my veins.

Liam had been planning this from the start. He was never the gentle Alpha he pretended to be.

If I didn’t choose Damon, my pack would force me to be Liam's backup sacrifice.

I had no other choice.

I took a deep breath. As everyone watched in horror, I didn’t back away. Instead, I reached out and grabbed the large hand resting on his knee.

It was cold, rigid.

“You’re not leftovers.” I looked up, meeting his crimson eyes. My voice trembled, but every word was clear. “You’re my salvation. Please, choose me.”

Damon’s fingers flinched.

The moment our skin touched, a miracle happened.

The violent red in his eyes vanished.

Damon froze.

He shot his head down, staring at me as if seeing the world for the first time.

The splitting headache, the killing intent… it had vanished at this woman’s touch.

But I couldn’t hear his thoughts.

He was the only one in the room I couldn’t read.

Suddenly, Damon’s cold fingers snapped up and seized my chin, his grip hard enough to hurt.

I didn’t flinch.

Because I’d caught a glimpse of Liam, staring at the pale skin of Sarah’s neck.

And I heard his horrifying thought:

[What a plump little lamb… Once I’m done playing with you two sisters, the entire Alliance will be mine.]

A chill shot down my spine. I threw my arms around Damon’s waist, burying my face in his chest, in that aura of danger.

Compared to the demon plotting to devour me, this “rabid wolf” was, for now, a predictable and powerful shield.

His mind was silent to me. But for some reason, I felt at peace.

The Mating Ceremony was the next day.

It should have been the most glorious moment of the Alliance’s strongest Luna’s life.

But I stood at the sacred altar alone, a complete joke.

The space beside me was empty.

Damon didn't show.

The whispers below buzzed like flies in my ears.

“See? I told you Damon was just toying with her.”

“Why would the Alpha of the Dark Moon Pack ever actually mate a she-wolf with a weak spirit?”

“So pathetic. Abandoned before she’s even bonded.”

But I kept my back ramrod straight.

I knew where Damon was.

Having lived this day once before, I knew what was coming. The largest Rogue invasion in history was about to break out on the border.

Last time, Sarah’s drama delayed Damon. Three villages were slaughtered.

This time, thanks to my hint, he’d left early.

“Oh, Elena. Where’s your Alpha?”

A sickeningly sweet voice cut through the awkward silence.

The doors swung open. Sarah walked in, arm-in-arm with Liam.

She wore a red dress with a neckline that plunged scandalously low, her hair swept to one side.

A crude, red bite mark marred her pale neck. The proof of a fresh mating.

All eyes snapped to her.

“Gods, Liam must have been rough last night.”

“Looks like the Alder Pack Alpha is really in love with Sarah.”

Sarah basked in the attention, then walked up to me and sighed with fake sympathy.

“Elena, darling, I told you Damon was all growl and no bite. He abandoned you at your own Mating Ceremony. If I were you, I’d be digging a hole to crawl into and die.”

But I heard the wild laughter in her head:

[Hahahaha! Looks like Damon couldn't make it! Maybe his curse acted up early. Elena, you’ll be torn to shreds by him tonight!]

She was counting on Damon going feral.

“Worry about yourself, Sarah,” I said coldly.

Liam stroked Sarah’s back gently, smiling at me. “Elena, don’t mind Sarah. She’s just blunt. If you’re feeling lonely, Sarah and I wouldn’t mind sharing a drink with you.”

Such a considerate mate.

If only I couldn’t hear his thoughts:

[Damon is a no-show? Good. I’ve heard the whispers about his curse. Once I’ve built my power, I can seize his territory... and his mate.]

Disgusting.

Sarah clearly thought I wasn't humiliated enough.

She suddenly stood on her toes, wrapped her arms around Liam's neck, and gave him a wet, passionate kiss in front of hundreds of guests.

“Liam, you’re so good to me,” Sarah purred, shooting me a defiant look. “Not like some Alphas, who don't even leave their mates a shadow.”

My wolf spirit let out a low, furious growl inside me.

Enough.

I was done tolerating this.

I turned to face the altar and the crowd below.

“Quiet.”

My voice, though quiet, cut through the noise and silenced the hall.

“My Alpha did not abandon me.”

My gaze swept over the hall, finally landing on Sarah’s gloating face.

“You all stand here, sipping your champagne and laughing at my expense. Meanwhile, my Alpha is leading the Dark Moon warriors against a three-thousand-strong Rogue invasion on the northern border.”

A wave of shocked gasps swept through the crowd.

No one knew the border was in trouble.

“He missed this ceremony so you could all stand here and run your mouths,” I said with a cold smirk. “He is out there spilling blood to protect every single one of you. Unlike some rutting mutt, good for nothing but sinking his teeth into the nearest female’s neck.”

Dead silence.

Then, looks of awe replaced the mockery.

“Oh, my gods, he’s protecting us…”

“Alpha Damon is a true leader!”

The tide had turned.

Sarah’s smile froze on her face. That red love bite now looked cheap and vulgar.

“You…” Sarah’s face flushed with anger, trying to retort.

But I didn’t give her the chance.

“Continue the ceremony,” I ordered, my gaze firm. “The pact stands. My bond with Damon will hold.”

I had won.

For now, at least. I had protected Damon’s honor and secured my own position.

The banquet continued.

I held my wine glass, watching them from across the room.

Sarah was nestled in Liam’s arms, giggling and flirting.

But I caught a small detail.

The hand Liam had wrapped around her waist was squeezing. Hard. So hard his knuckles were white.

He was digging into the softest part of her side.

Sarah’s face twisted in pain for a split second before she forced another smile.

I heard her thoughts, a mix of pain and self-delusion:

[That hurts… but he just loves me so much. All Alphas are this possessive. He’s just punishing me for embarrassing him.]

Fool.

That wasn’t love.

My eyes shifted to Liam’s face.

He was still smiling, his gaze so gentle it could melt steel.

But the voice I heard in his head was colder than hell itself:

[Take it, you stupid bitch. You think this hurts? This is just foreplay. Tonight, I’ll teach you what real pain is when I feast on my prey.]

As I dripped the sacred blood of my oath into my wine glass, I felt dozens of gazes shift.

Especially Elder Vivian, who sat at the head table.

She was the Alliance’s most impartial judge.

In my last life, she never gave me the time of day.

To her, I was just the Luna of a worthless, weak pack.

But now, she slowly walked over to me.

“I thought Damon had chosen a fragile mate.”

Vivian’s gaze swept over me, sharp and assessing. The disdain in her voice was gone, replaced by something else. Respect.

“But it seems your presence is strong enough to be the Luna of the most powerful pack in the Alliance.”

She even gave a slight nod, a sign of true respect in Alliance etiquette.

The guests around us immediately changed their tune, raising their glasses to me in salute.

I smiled and nodded back, but my mind was cold and clear.

This was just the beginning.

Vivian’s approval wasn't enough to survive. I needed to make my enemies tear each other apart.

Just then, a sickly sweet scent drifted near.

Sarah approached, holding two glasses of wine.

Her makeup was fixed, her mask of sisterly affection back in place.

“Elena, I was out of line earlier.” Sarah’s eyes were red-rimmed as she held up a glass. “I apologize. This drink is to you and Damon… may you have a lifetime of happiness.”

She deliberately offered me the glass in her left hand.

The wine was a deep scarlet, looking perfectly normal.

But my wolf spirit suddenly went on high alert. A prickling sense of danger shot up my spine.

Then, her vicious thought drilled into my ear:

[Drink it, bitch. This wine is laced with concentrated liquid silver. One sip will sear your vocal cords and wither your wolf spirit to ash. Let’s see if that old hag Vivian still respects you when you’re a mute, broken thing!]

Liquid silver.

The most violent poison to a werewolf.

She didn’t just want to ruin my ceremony; she wanted to destroy me completely.

I looked at Sarah’s expectant eyes and let a cold smile touch my lips.

I drank too much bitter wine in my last life.

This time, it was her turn.

I reached out, pretending to take the glass.

Just as my fingers brushed the glass, I “accidentally” hooked the hem of her dress with my foot. In the same fluid motion, I stepped back.

“Ah!”

Sarah shrieked, lost her balance, and pitched forward.

The poisoned wine didn't touch me. It flew in a perfect, damning arc through the air, drenching the sacred altar behind me.

SPLAASH!

The crimson liquid splashed across the pure white statue of the Moon Goddess. The glass shattered, sending shards flying everywhere.

The entire hall fell silent.

More silent than when Damon was a no-show.

That was the altar.

The sacred ground for worshiping the Moon Goddess, for praying for the packs’ prosperity.

To spill an offering and defile the statue during a Mating Ceremony was the highest form of blasphemy. A terrible omen.

“Insolent fool!”

A roar broke the silence.

Elder Vivian was trembling with rage, her Alpha-class presence slamming down on the room.

“The Luna of the Alder Pack! How dare you cause a scene at the Dark Moon Pack’s sacred altar!”

Sarah lay in a pathetic heap on the floor, her dress stained with wine and littered with glass.

She looked up in a panic, her face ghostly white. “No… it wasn’t me! Elena pushed me! It was her—”

“Silence!” Vivian barked. “I saw it with my own two eyes! Elena didn’t even touch you! Your own guilty feet made you stumble!”

The guests pointed and whispered, their faces filled with disgust.

“What bad luck.”

“To desecrate the Goddess at a Mating Ceremony… the Alder Pack is doomed.”

Sarah trembled, looking desperately toward Liam in the crowd.

Liam’s expression was thunderous.

But he had to act.

He strode to Sarah’s side, taking off his suit jacket and draping it over her shoulders with impeccable tenderness.

“I apologize, Elder Vivian. Sarah is not used to drinking. I will repent to the Goddess on her behalf.”

Liam helped the trembling Sarah to her feet, his face a mask of apology and concern. “Sarah, are you hurt? Does it hurt?”

Such a perfect, devoted Alpha.

If only I couldn’t hear the violent, cold voice in his head:

[Useless thing. Pissed off that old bat Vivian. You’ve shamed me before the entire Alliance Council.]

Liam’s hand gently stroked Sarah’s back, as if calming a frightened kitten.

But I saw Sarah’s body go rigid.

A physiological reaction of pure terror.

Liam looked up at me, a standard smile on his face. “My apologies for ruining the mood, Elena. I’ll take Sarah to have her wounds tended to.”

I watched the two-faced couple, raised my empty glass, and made a gesture for them to leave.

“Go on, Liam. I do hope Sarah’s wounds… heal properly.”

Liam walked away, his arm around Sarah.

As they passed me, I caught the last flicker of a thought from Sarah’s mind.

The voice was chillingly calm, and it made my skin crawl:

[Elena, you bitch.... Your time is up. Damon's curse is surfacing. And I'm going to love watching you get shredded.]