Chapter 2

Damon thought he'd resolved our conflict and quickly left with the other wolves to discuss business.

Lydia sat down beside me like she'd just won a battle, deliberately dropping a moonstone pendant on the table with a loud "thunk."

It was crafted from rare moonstone ore—supposedly only three existed in all of North America.

The surrounding wolves immediately erupted in gasps: "Oh my god! Lydia! You actually have that pendant!"

"That's the Bloodmoon Pack Alpha's heirloom. Does this mean you're..."

Lydia clearly hadn't expected this thing to have such significance. She covered her panic poorly: "It's nothing. My family has plenty of these."

I nearly laughed out loud.

This was clearly my mother's possession—proof of her status as Bloodmoon Pack Luna. How did it end up in Lydia's hands?

In my past life, she'd stolen my mother's jewelry to rent out to other she-wolves for profit. This pendant probably came the same way.

One of the girls looked between me and Lydia suspiciously: "But... isn't Selene an only child? If the real heirloom is with Lydia, then Selene must be..."

She paused, her tone suggestive: "Could it be true what they say outside—that Selene is just an adopted daughter?"

Another immediately chimed in: "Right, I heard Bloodmoon Pack adopted their fallen Beta's daughter out of gratitude and treated her like their own. Looks like that's Selene."

"Giving up both the birthright and mate to someone else out of gratitude—isn't that strange?"

"I think Lydia and Alpha Damon are a better match!"

Lydia's expression shifted. She knew I was Bloodmoon Pack's true heir, but clearly hadn't expected these people to take me for the adopted one.

Damon returned just then and heard that last comment. His face darkened.

As an alpha's son, he couldn't tolerate having his future mate's bloodline questioned.

I pulled out my phone, leisurely scrolling through the pack's internal forum: "Hmm, this pendant... I think I've seen it in several different packs."

I paused deliberately, looking at Lydia: "But they all claim on their profiles to be from Bloodmoon Pack... Don't tell me you're all taking turns renting these pendants?"

Lydia's face flushed red then white—she clearly hadn't expected me to expose her so directly.

The old me had been foolishly trusting and would never have called her out publicly.

But things were different now.

The surrounding girls' expressions changed. Seeing Damon's face darken as well, Lydia flew into an embarrassed rage and snatched a silver knife from a server—originally meant for cutting food.

She stabbed at the pendant frantically.

"This IS mine! How dare you slander me! My possession—I'll destroy it if I want to!"

The entire room gasped.

That was a moonstone pendant worth a fortune. Because only silver could corrode moonstone ore, she'd actually ruined it.

Clearly, she didn't know this and thought she'd only leave a few scratches.

I clicked my tongue: "Enjoyed that stabbing? Figured out how you'll explain this to my mother?"

The moment I finished speaking, Lydia's hand trembled and the knife sliced her finger.

Blood welled up. She shrieked in pain, looking at me with teary eyes: "Selene, if this makes you happy..."

Hearing that, Damon abandoned his suspicions entirely, his face full of concern as he led her toward the exit, ordering me in passing: "To the hospital. After Lydia's bandaged up, you'll apologize to her!"

Seeing me standing still, he grew even more furious: "Selene! Lydia is your sister! How can you treat her so rudely? Don't act shamelessly like rogues!"

"You're about to become Blackwood Pack's Luna. I'm doing this to protect the pack's honor! Blackwood Pack doesn't need a shameless Luna like you! I'll report this to the Council of Elders. If you don't repent, you'll face the consequences!"

He helped Lydia into the passenger seat and drove off with a roar of the engine.

I stood at the entrance, watching the taillights disappear into the night, a cold smile curving my lips.

Repent?

Fine.

I'd like to see who should really be repenting when I laid the truth bare.