Chapter 1

Last week, my father—the Supreme Alpha ruling all North American wolf packs, Marcus Nightshade—had a dream.

He dreamed of my late mother.

In the dream, she wept and accused him of obsessing over territorial expansion while leaving me—a daughter who had never even experienced romance—completely isolated, doomed to die alone.

To appease his late wife's spirit, my father dug up a decades-old pact and arranged a mating ceremony for me.

My arranged mate was the current Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, Kane Bloodmoon. In my father's words, Kane was powerful and ruthless, perfectly fitting his criteria for a son-in-law.

My father ordered me to retrieve a silver moonstone ring—designed by my mother before her death—to serve as the token for the mating ceremony.

I didn't bring any guards. Wearing a plain gray hoodie and faded jeans, I pushed open the doors of the most luxurious jewelry store in the Bloodmoon territory.

"Hello, ma'am. Here is your custom-made ring."

The clerk respectfully handed over an exquisitely crafted pure silver ring. A flawless moonstone was set into the band, radiating a soft, pale glow under the lights.

I picked up the ring, gently slipping it onto my ring finger.

It was the last gift my mother ever gave me.

Just as I was lost in the memories of her, a shrill female voice abruptly shattered my thoughts.

"That's a nice ring. I want it."

Before I could even react, a hand with bright red fingernails darted out and violently snatched the ring right off my fingertips.

"I custom-ordered this ring," I said. Turning my head, I forced myself to remain calm, staring coldly at the woman.

"And I said, I want it." She didn't even bother to look at me. Braggingly waving the ring in the air, she smirked. "Do you have any idea who I am? I'm Briar Grey, Kane Bloodmoon's presumed mate. We grew up together. In this territory, there's nothing I want that I can't have."

Hearing that name, a wave of pure irony washed over me.

Kane Bloodmoon—wasn't that the exact arranged mate my father had picked out for me?

I pulled out my phone and dialed the number my father had given me.

"Your childhood sweetheart, Briar Grey, is currently stealing the ring meant for my mating ceremony. How do you plan to handle this?"

...

Briar Grey.

Before I came here, the subordinates in charge of intelligence mentioned that Kane Bloodmoon had a childhood sweetheart he was endlessly entangled with.

If Kane couldn't provide a reasonable explanation for what was happening today, then this mating ceremony might as well be called off.

There were two seconds of dead silence on the other end of the line, followed by an unbelievable response.

"Who is this? What gives you the right to interfere with what Briar wants? On this territory, Briar gets whatever she desires. You have absolutely no right to stop her."

Right?

I am your arranged mate, Selena Nightshade.

I was just about to reveal my identity when a busy signal blared from the speaker. He had hung up.

Gripping my phone, I felt a familiar anger burning in my chest.

My so-called mate hadn't even saved my number, and he couldn't even give me the chance to finish a single sentence.

"Oh, how pathetic," Briar said, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with laughter. "I don't know what kind of dirty trick you used to get Kane's number, but did you honestly think a random phone call would make him take the side of a lowly stray over mine?"

The smirk on her lips grew cruel with a sickening sense of superiority. Her malicious gaze swept over my clothes like a razor.

"Look at the rags you're wearing—even the street sweepers in our territory dress better than you. With your cheap, low-class look, you really think you're worthy of Kane's attention? Worthy of a ring this exquisite?"

I shot back coldly, "I don't use clothes to prove my worth. That's usually what the weak do to compensate. If Kane chooses to associate with someone like you, his taste must be absolute garbage."

I snatched the ring right back out of her hand. I turned to the clerk. "Wrap it up. I'm paying now."

But the clerk's face went completely pale. Hands shaking, he stammered, "Ma'am... please, just give it to Miss Grey... I can't afford to offend her... The Alphas of the Bloodmoon Pack will make it impossible for me to survive in this territory..."

Briar smugly paraded the authority of the Bloodmoon Pack. "I have the strongest Alpha on this land standing right behind me. Getting rid of a lowly outsider like you would be as easy as breathing."

This ring was personally designed by my mother before she passed away. It was her final gift to me. There was absolutely no way I was surrendering it.

I took a deep breath.

The supreme Alpha aura coursing through my veins swept out like a silent hurricane.

The store's overhead lights began to violently flicker, and the jewelry on the display shelves vibrated against the glass.

A flash of primal terror crossed Briar's eyes. Her body involuntarily hunched forward just a fraction—the instinctual submission of a lower-ranked wolf yielding to a superior Alpha.

But she quickly snapped out of it, masking her internal panic with pure venom. She turned and shrieked at the clerk, "What are you staring at?! Box up the ring for me! Right now! Immediately!"

Desperate, the clerk tried to plead with me. "Ma'am... maybe you should just let Miss Grey have it... You might be a high-ranking wolf yourself, but on this territory, nobody dares to cross the Bloodmoon Pack..."

A crowd of customers had slowly gathered around us, and a chorus of whispers broke out.

"Oh my god, isn't that Briar Grey? Kane Bloodmoon's childhood sweetheart. I heard Alpha Kane spoils her rotten. Last month, a rogue accidentally bumped into her. The very next day, the guy had all his limbs brutally broken and was tossed into the wilderness..."

"Yeah, lady," someone whispered. "Just give her the ring, apologize, and beg for mercy. Piss off the Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, and you won't leave this territory alive."

"Look at how you're dressed—you don't exactly look like someone with power. Why throw your life away over a ring?"

The crowd's fear-driven submission and betrayal served as the perfect fertilizer for Briar's bloated ego.

Leaning forward condescendingly, her eyes glinted with a sadistic thrill. "Did you hear them? This is reality. What the hell are you? You really think you're worthy of competing with me?"

She held out her hand, snapping an arrogant command. "Now, get on your knees. Hand me the ring with both hands."

"If you do exactly as I say, and if I'm in a good mood, I might just consider letting you leave this territory alive. Otherwise..."