When I was three months pregnant, Kolton Ferguson, the Alpha of the Silverfang Pack, asked me to sever our mate bond. The reason? Marceline Hart, his widowed sister-in-law and an Omega in the pack, was also expecting a pup. Kolton claimed he wanted to care for Marceline and her unborn pup by bringing her into his household. He assured me the rejection was temporary—once Marceline had the pup and could care for it, he promised we would reestablish our bond.

In my previous life, I had refused his request, clinging desperately to the mate bond. Marceline, determined to secure her place by Kolton’s side, ended up in the healer’s den after an abortion that tragically led to complications and her death. Kolton blamed me bitterly for it.

When I was six months pregnant, Kolton orchestrated a setup where I was caught in a compromising situation with Benicio Rice, a Delta known for his troublemaking ways. My reputation was ruined, and I was shunned by the pack. This led to our mate bond being formally severed, and I was cast out to live as a rogue. Life as a rogue was unbearable. At eight months pregnant, I went into premature labor due to exhaustion and died during childbirth.

I hadn’t fully processed the despair and pain of that life-ending moment when I suddenly found myself facing Kolton again. He was pleading with sincerity to reject our bond. This time, I agreed without hesitation.

"Why wait? Let’s reject it now!"

I agreed to the rejection on one condition: Kolton had to provide me with a territory of my own to ensure our pup’s safety. Kolton readily agreed, and we went straight to the pack’s council hall to formalize the rejection. As he spoke the words, his voice carried the weight of an Alpha’s command, cold and unyielding.

"I, Kolton Ferguson, Alpha of the Silverfang Pack, reject you, Alaina Harvey, as my mate."

The council hall fell silent, the air thick with tension. I could feel the bond between us fraying, the pain sharp and immediate. But I stood tall, refusing to let him see my weakness. Once the rejection was finalized, Kolton visibly relaxed. It seemed he hadn’t expected me to agree so easily, and his relief was palpable, though he tried to soften his tone.

"Alaina, don’t worry. This is only temporary. Once I ensure Marceline and the pup are settled, I’ll come back to you."

His words carried the same poison I remembered from my previous life, where he relentlessly manipulated me for Marceline’s sake. I knew I couldn’t trust him. Even though a wolf may protect its own, Kolton’s cruelty toward me and my unborn pup had no limits. In this new life, my only wish was to stay as far away from him as possible.

Ignoring Kolton, I clutched the official rejection papers as I descended the steps of the council hall. My indifference prompted him to hurry after me, his tone unusually gentle.

"Alaina, take care of yourself and the pup while I’m gone. Let me know if you need anything."

As Kolton spoke to me so kindly, Marceline, who had been waiting outside, was displeased. Her eyes flickered with malice as she clutched her belly and dramatically bent over in pain.

"Oh, my stomach hurts!"

Kolton’s worry for Marceline was apparent as he rushed over to scoop her up and carry her to the waiting car. Over his shoulder, Marceline shot me a triumphant smile, asserting her position as more important to Kolton than I ever was.

In my last life, I never realized how deep Kolton’s feelings for Marceline went. Despite his request to care for her, I had refused the rejection with everything I had. Kolton, as Alpha, didn’t know Marceline as well as I did, having lived with her day in and day out. Marceline was beautiful and loved dressing up, catching the attention of many males even before she mated Kolton’s brother, Jayceon Ferguson. After their mating, the admirers never really went away.

In my previous life, I saw Marceline bring other males into the packhouse when Jayceon was away more than once. So when Jayceon died under mysterious circumstances and Kolton wanted to care for Marceline and her unborn pup, I warned him. I told him the pup couldn’t possibly be Jayceon’s but likely belonged to some other male.

Kolton didn’t believe me, accusing me of spreading baseless rumors and tarnishing Marceline’s reputation. I felt wronged, unable to understand why he refused to accept the truth. It was only later, after Kolton’s betrayal, that I realized he was one of Marceline’s secret lovers. Kolton had long been involved with Marceline, and he had assumed the pup she carried was his, thus feeling obligated to give her and the pup legitimacy.

In that previous life, I was foolish, unable to see the truth and unknowingly led myself to ruin. In this new life, I would step aside and watch as Kolton and Marceline faced the consequences of their actions.

It took me two hours to walk back from the pack’s meeting hall. The crisp night air carried the faint scent of pine and damp earth, a reminder of the forest that bordered our territory. As I neared my house, I noticed a figure lurking near the entrance, his posture tense and furtive. One glance was all it took to recognize him—Benicio Rice, the Delta who had once been tangled in Kolton Ferguson’s web of deceit.

What was he doing here, skulking around my home like a rogue? What could he possibly want?

Memories of my past life surged forward, unbidden. I’d often seen Benicio sneaking around at night with Marceline Hart, the Omega who had wrapped Kolton around her finger. At one point, I’d even suspected that the pup Marceline carried was Benicio’s. I’d tried to warn Kolton, but he’d dismissed my concerns with a cold laugh, brushing me aside as though I were nothing more than a nuisance.

Later, after Marceline had lost the pup and bled out, Benicio had come to me, his eyes blazing with fury. He’d sworn a blood debt against me, accusing me of orchestrating her death. Not long after, Kolton and Benicio had framed me, staging a scene that made it look as though I’d been caught in a compromising position. They’d plotted together to avenge Marceline’s death, and I’d been their pawn.

It was almost laughable, the way they’d both been so blind to Marceline’s manipulations. Did they even realize they’d been played? Did they know how deeply she’d entangled them in her schemes?

A cold smile tugged at my lips. If Kolton and Benicio ever discovered the truth—that they’d both been mere pawns in Marceline’s game—I’d give anything to see the look on their faces.

As I approached, Benicio straightened, plastering a sycophantic grin across his face. “Alaina,” he called, his voice overly cheerful. “What brings you out so late?”

I raised an eyebrow, my expression icy. “What do you think? I’ve just come from the meeting hall. I’ve rejected the mate bond with Kolton.”

His eyes flicked to the papers in my hand, and his grin widened. “You actually did it?”

“Of course I did,” I said, my voice sharp. “Kolton’s too busy playing nursemaid to Marceline’s unborn pup to care about me. He thinks I don’t see what he’s doing, but I know exactly what’s going on.”

Benicio’s grin faltered, replaced by a look of confusion. “What do you mean?”

“What do you think I mean?” I laughed, the sound brittle and humorless. “Kolton and that Omega, Marceline, are carrying on like fools. But Marceline isn’t just fooling around with Kolton—she’s got her claws in half the males in the pack. The warriors, the hunters, even the laborers—she’s juggling them all.”

I counted them off on my fingers, watching as Benicio’s expression darkened. “That woman’s got more nerve than sense. She’s got at least seven or eight males wrapped around her finger, and who knows whose pup she’s carrying.”

The look on Benicio’s face was almost comical. He’d always thought he was Marceline’s one and only, that the pup she carried was his. But Benicio was a Delta, with little to his name and even less ambition. When Marceline had gotten pregnant, he hadn’t been able to support her. So, they’d hatched a plan to have Kolton raise the pup, believing him too blind to see the truth.

Now, realizing that Marceline had been playing him just as she’d played Kolton, Benicio must have been reeling.

In my past life, Benicio and Kolton had blamed me for Marceline’s death and plotted against me. But in this life, I’d let these wretched souls tear each other apart. I’d watch as their schemes unraveled and their lives crumbled around them.

“You should be careful, Benicio,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “Marceline’s not the woman you think she is. And Kolton—well, he’s not the Alpha he pretends to be.”

With that, I turned and walked into my house, leaving Benicio standing in the shadows, his expression a mix of anger and confusion. Let them destroy each other. I had a new life to build—one where I was no longer their pawn.

Benicio stormed off in a huff, leaving me smirking as I stepped back into the house. Now that the mate bond rejection with Kolton was finalized, it was time to think about my future. I needed to deal with the pregnancy soon; keeping the Alpha’s pup wasn’t part of my plan. Kolton and Marceline were nothing but treacherous villains, heartless to the core. I had to plan ahead to prevent history from repeating itself.

I went into the bedroom and opened the box where I kept my savings. Taking out the few hundred dollars I'd managed to save, I carefully stitched the bills into the lining of my jacket. Just as I finished, Kolton returned with Marceline draped over him like she couldn’t stand on her own. She clung to him, her voice sickeningly sweet as she noticed me coming out. “I can’t walk any further. You have to carry me to the bedroom!”

Kolton, the Alpha, had completely abandoned any shred of dignity. Right there in front of me, he scooped Marceline up and carried her off to the bedroom. Soon, the room was filled with her giggling, which went on for quite a while. Eventually, Kolton emerged, shamelessly asking me, “Marceline’s anemic and needs something nourishing. Go buy a turkey and make her some soup.”

Throughout our mate bond, I hadn’t spent a dime of Kolton’s money. Everything he earned went to his mother and brother, and I foolishly thought he was just being a good son. Little did I know it was because he didn’t care for me at all, treating me like free labor for his family. In what felt like a previous lifetime, I realized Kolton’s cruelty only on my deathbed. Not this time. He wouldn’t take advantage of me again.

“Alright,” I said calmly, extending my hand. “Give me the money, and I’ll get a turkey to nourish Marceline.”

Kolton was used to barking orders and never paying a cent for what he demanded. My request for money took him by surprise, his expression souring. “Can’t you pay and I’ll reimburse you later?”

“I don’t have any money,” I replied.

“What about your salary?”

“I’ve spent it all. We’ve been mated for three years without me seeing a penny from you. Do you think I don’t need to eat or drink? Besides, your mother constantly demands money and food from me. I’m not a magician.”

I leveled my gaze at Kolton, reminding him slowly, “You promised me five hundred dollars for the mate bond rejection to support me and the pup. Give me the money now.”

Kolton’s face darkened. “I don’t have that much right now.”

“Are you trying to back out? Alpha, I’ve been more than generous by letting you take care of Marceline, but you have to be fair. I’m carrying your pup, so you have to pay up, or else…”

I let the sentence hang, knowing Kolton was fully aware of the consequences. If news got out about his affair with Marceline, it wouldn’t bode well for his position as Alpha or his reputation. To keep his comforts, he needed to keep me quiet.

Reluctantly, Kolton handed me five hundred dollars, his jaw clenched as he decided to buy the turkey himself. Once Marceline heard about Kolton giving me the money to silence me, she was livid. She dropped her weak act and stormed over to confront me, “Alaina, what makes you think you have the right to the Alpha’s money?”