Chapter 1
We both married the wrong men. It killed us both.
My past life was hell—my violent temper disgusted gentle Alpha Ashen, his weakness suffocated me. We were toxic together. Meanwhile, my sweet sister Elena married brutal Alpha Karl of Dark Moon Pack, only to get slowly tortured by his manipulative childhood sweetheart until she couldn't take it anymore and jumped.
Now I'm back. Wedding day. White dress. Same disasters waiting.
I tear off the veil and storm to Elena's room: "We're switching places."
She gets the gentle Alpha who'll worship her kindness. I get the ruthless bastard and his scheming little princess.
Let's see how that scheming bitch handles a Luna who fights back.
Ember's POV
"What did you just say?" Elena's mascara wand clattered to the floor. "You want to SWITCH husbands?"
I kicked the door shut. "Damn right. Today, at the Moon Blessing ceremony, you marry Ashen, and I marry Kieran."
Elena's eyes went wide. "Ember, are you insane? This is impossible—Mom and Dad will never—"
"Look, Mom and Dad arranged for two Nightwind daughters to marry two Alphas." I cut her off, dropping onto her bed. "They never said which one of us gets which guy."
I studied my sister's face. Beautiful and kind as always. Even after dropping this bomb, she hadn't kicked me out.
But I knew that kindness had killed her last time.
When I was reborn, all the memories came flooding back. Last life, I'd married Ashen—two miserable years of constant fighting. He needed a gentle, submissive Luna; I was born to fight. We divorced, bitter and broken.
Elena married Kieran and got slowly destroyed by that bitch Raven. The woman used her father's life debt—he'd saved Kieran—to terrorize everyone in Darkmoon territory. Faked illnesses, framed Elena, turned people against her. Every dirty trick in the book.
And Kieran—that blind bastard—never saw through it.
When Elena threw herself off a cliff, I went after Kieran for revenge. Rogue wolves killed me on the way.
Not this time. Never again.
"Listen," I leaned forward, "Ashen doesn't need someone who can take down three bears. He needs gentle. Someone who makes him feel like a protector instead of questioning why he won't fight back."
"But he's not weak—"
"Okay, fine, last month his cousin started a brawl with me in front of everyone." My voice was sharp as knives. "And he just stood there."
Elena frowned. "Well yeah, because you threw the first punch! He was trying to avoid conflict—"
"Exactly my point. See? We're completely wrong for each other." I looked at her seriously. "And don't you dare deny you're terrified of Kieran."
Kieran Darkmoon—most ruthless Alpha in the west. Ten years ruling Darkmoon pack. His name meant power and danger. Killed his first challenger at sixteen, never lost since.
Elena's shoulders sagged. "I mean... it's not that simple, Em. The contracts are already signed. Mom picked Ashen specifically for you—"
"Oh, screw the contracts."
"Oh my GOD, Ember!"
"No, I'm dead serious. Screw all of them." I grabbed her hands. "Elena, listen to me. There's a woman in Kieran's pack named Raven. Her father saved Kieran's life, so she walks all over everyone. That snake will destroy you."
Elena frowned. "Wait, I've never heard of any Raven—"
"Because she's smart. Plays sweet in public, turns into a total bitch behind closed doors." I squeezed tighter. "Kieran can't see through it because she plays the perfect victim when he's around."
Elena still looked confused but was listening.
"Trust me on this—you belong with Ashen. He'll treasure your kindness, protect you from those bitches."
"But what about you?" she asked softly.
I grinned. "Me? Hell, Kieran needs someone who won't buy his shit. Someone who'll see through Raven's games and make her wish she'd never been born."
Elena stared. "Jesus, Ember, you're talking about destroying the alliance between two packs, making Mom and Dad look like complete idiots—"
"Yep. Just another Tuesday for me."
She actually laughed. "God, you really are crazy."
"Yeah, but I'm right."
Long silence. I watched her weighing options. Sweet Elena, always trying not to hurt anyone.
"But what if they force the original plan?"
"Then we refuse. Simple as that. We're adult Alphas." I stood, pulling her up. "Elena, you don't owe anyone anything. You're my sister. I'd rather burn in hell than watch you sacrifice yourself again."
Elena's voice broke. "I... I really don't want to marry Kieran. But Mom worked so hard on these arrangements—"
"Hey, she'll understand. Eventually." I gripped her hands. "Trust me?"
She looked at me for a long moment, then nodded hard.
"Okay. Alright. Let's do this crazy thing."
Fifteen minutes later at the ceremony grounds.
Three hundred wolves packed the clearing under the full moon, waiting to witness the union of two bloodlines.
Ashen stood at the left altar—refined, golden-haired, radiating warmth and safety.
Then there was Kieran.
Even across the clearing, his presence hit like a truck. Six-foot-four of pure dominance, black hair and cold blue eyes surveying the crowd, completely confident everything would go his way.
Think again, asshole.
The drums began. Elena squeezed my hand, then we separated. I watched her walk toward Ashen, satisfaction flooding my chest. This was right.
My turn.
I should've glided gracefully toward Kieran, the blushing bride. Instead, I kicked off my heels, made a sharp turn, and cut straight through the crowd toward Ashen.
Gasps rippled everywhere.
"EMBER! What the hell are you doing?" Mom bellowed from the front.
I ignored her. Ashen's face went from confusion to hope, especially when Elena appeared beside him instead of heading to Kieran.
"Well," he said, voice shaking slightly, "this is... unexpected."
"Good unexpected?" Elena asked softly.
"The BEST kind," he assured her, already reaching for her hand.
Chaos erupted behind me. Dad's voice boomed, trying to restore order while three hundred wolves tried to figure out what the hell was happening.
But I had one more move.
I spun to face the crowd, my voice carrying across the clearing: "I, Ember Nightwind, REJECT the arranged mating with Ashen Silverpaw!"
Dead silence.
Then I looked at the other altar. Kieran stood there, face unreadable.
"Instead," I announced loudly, "I claim Kieran Darkmoon as MY mate!"
Even deeper silence.
Kieran froze for exactly one second. Then started walking toward me. The crowd parted automatically.
When he reached me:
"Little wolf," his voice was low and rough, "you better damn well know what you just did."
The challenge in his tone sent electricity through me. THIS. This was what I'd been missing—someone who could match me instead of backing down.
I grinned, eyes starting to glow. "Oh, bring it on, Alpha. Let's see if you can handle me."
He went quiet for a beat, then laughed—dangerous as thunder. Suddenly grabbed my waist and yanked me against him.
"You're on," he growled in my ear, then bit down hard on my neck.
