Chapter 1

My Alpha, Kaelen, was grievously wounded by rogue wolves in a bloody battle; it was Seraphina, the heiress of the Wind Howl Pack, who "risked her life" to drag him back from the battlefield.

To repay this debt of gratitude, and also for the alliance between the two packs, Kaelen kept Seraphina by his side, appointing her as his special advisor.

He personally taught her how to wield her powers, soothed her with his Alpha aura when her wolf spirit was damaged, and even allowed her to sleep beside his den.

Kaelen repeatedly assured me:

"This is just duty, Ella. She saved my life, after all, and I must solidify this alliance. There's absolutely no possibility between us."

But later, in the Alpha's den, I saw the two of them, entangled.

Kaelen knelt on the ground, his eyes bloodshot, begging me.

"Ella, her wolf spirit is about to shatter! I can't just stand by and watch an ally die. I had no choice!"

Not long after, I heard rumors that a new life stirred within Seraphina's bloodline.

I closed my eyes, fighting back the searing pain from our mate bond, and wiped away my tears.

That night, I used an ancient, secret method to contact his sworn enemy.

"Does your previous offer still stand?"I agree, to change who I belong to.

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1

Pushing open the massive, stone-carved door to the Alpha's den, my mind went utterly blank for a moment at the sight of two naked bodies on the bed.

I had never, ever imagined such a scene could unfold.

My Alpha, my destined mate, and the woman he constantly professed to be his benefactor, were in our den, engaged in the most intimate energy communion known to our kind.

Kaelen whirled around, his eyes widening in panic when he saw me. He hastily snatched an animal hide to cover the woman beneath him.

"Ella..."

Tears streamed down my cheeks, my voice trembling, ragged from the stabbing pain that shot through our mate bond.

"Kaelen, is this what you called 'responsibility'?"

Kaelen made to get off the bed, to come towards me.

But Seraphina, on the bed, let out a soft, pained whimper, her body curling in on itself as if in agony.

Kaelen froze mid-movement. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face, then he turned and growled lowly at me,

"Ella, get out! I'll explain later!"

I stared at them, utterly incredulous, my stomach heaving. Clapping a hand over my mouth, I turned and fled.

Kaelen and I... we had been personally guided by the Moon Goddess herself, on the night of a full moon, to forge our sacred mate bond.

The entire pack knew: our Alpha deeply loved his quiet, unassuming mate. And I... I had believed it with all my heart.

Yet here he was, before my very eyes, betraying the sacred will of the Moon Goddess.

So this was how his so-called "responsibility" was to be fulfilled. A laugh threatened to escape me, but my tears only fell harder.

After what felt like an eternity, I wiped away my tears and dragged my numb body from this suffocating core area.

Just as I was about to leave the territory, Kaelen caught up to me, his hand clamping around my arm.

"Ella, please, let me explain..."

The instant he touched me, the scent of his pheromones, mingled with the cloyingly sweet aroma of another woman, made me recoil, nearly flinging his hand off me by reflex.

"Don't touch me!"

His body, his neck… they were all tainted with marks that weren't mine.

The image of what I’d just seen flashed in my mind, and my stomach clenched painfully again.

Kaelen stepped back, looking utterly lost.

"Ella, please don't be like this. I know I was wrong, but I had no choice."

"Seraphina's wolf spirit was critically injured by a rogue wolf's dark magic. Only my Alpha energy could save her. It was an emergency; I couldn't just stand by and watch her die."

What a fine "I had no choice" that was.

I wiped my face. "You're right. Her wolf spirit probably isn't stable yet. You should go back to her."

Seeing my detached demeanor, Kaelen panicked.

He kept trying to explain, his words tumbling out, until finally, he dropped to his knees, his eyes red as he looked up at me.

"Ella, I swear, this is the last time! Please, forgive me! We're mates, destined by the Moon Goddess! Are you really going to sever our bond over this?""She saved my life, I truly have no other choice!"

"Ella, with her, it's only a matter of duty. My one true mate is you!"

I looked at him, and the memory of the full moon night surfaced—he had knelt before me, piously kissing the back of my hand, vowing an eternal loyalty to me, to our bond, for lifetimes to come.

Now, a single debt of life saved had made him forget his vows.

Seraphina, wrapped in Kaelen’s shirt, ran over, her eyes brimming with tears as she knelt before me.

"Ella, I'm so sorry, please don't blame the Alpha. It was me... I couldn't control my wolf spirit’s breakdown. It has nothing to do with him. If you must blame someone, blame me!"

She dropped to her knees to me.

A pang of distress flickered in Kaelen’s eyes, and he reached out to pull her up.

"Get up, quickly. You still have old wounds."

Seraphina struggled free. “No, I can’t let you two become estranged because of me! The guilt would kill me!”

I watched them, as if I were the heartless one, the villain intent on tearing apart our sacred covenant.

I laughed silently, but the bond in my heart felt as though it were being repeatedly stabbed by a sharp blade.

Kaelen, there's no going back for us.

I turned to leave, but Seraphina scrambled up from the ground and grabbed my arm.

"Ella, don't go... Ah!"

I only intended to shake her off, yet she fell straight to the ground.Her elbow struck a sharp rock, and blood began to seep from the wound.

Kaelen rushed forward anxiously, scooping her up in his arms.

"Ella, her condition is unique, she has a bleeding disorder. I need to get her medical attention immediately!"

He said this hurriedly and then left, carrying Seraphina.

I stared blankly at his retreating figure, a sharp sting in my eyes.

It was such a familiar scene, only the leading lady was different now.

I closed my eyes, the shoulder I'd bumped earlier throbbing with a dull ache.

After a long moment, I turned and returned to my own small cabin. I contacted our pack's herbalist and requested herbs to induce an abortion.