Chapter 1

I was reborn on the exact day I was supposed to sign the contract marriage.

In my previous life, I died at my wedding to Alpha Kael. Now, I opened my eyes to find the very same contract sitting right in front of me.

My father pushed the document across the desk, a pen resting right by my hand. Last time, I signed my name and spent the rest of my miserable life proving it was the biggest mistake I could've made.

This time, without a second of hesitation, I wrote down Seraphine Vale, my stepsister's name.

He stared in shock for a few seconds before snatching the contract, folding it, and shoving it into his pocket. He moved so fast, terrified I might change my mind.

"You're finally being sensible."

"We both know how many pack resources you've dumped on your mistress's daughter over the years," I said, leaning back in my chair. "The territory I got assigned isn't even worth one of her necklaces."

His smile stretched practically from ear to ear. "Don't say that, Raven. Kael is the Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack. He's the most powerful wolf on the West Coast. He and Seraphine are a match made in heaven."

"And stop calling Seraphine that way. She's your sister."

"She's not," I replied, meeting his gaze dead-on. "You were mated to my mother for twenty years, and you cheated on her for nineteen of them."

He choked on his own spit, quickly scrambling to change the subject. "Since you're insisting on giving up the Luna position, I'll head over to the Silvermoon territory to renegotiate right now."

"Wait."

He whipped around, a flash of panic in his eyes. "Are you backing out?"

"I never said I was giving it up for free."

He stared at me for two long seconds.

"Give me back the Moonlight Estate. It belonged to my mom."

"You—"

"You don't have to agree," I said, standing up. "But I'll go straight to Silvermoon Pack right now and tell Kael exactly how you faked the bloodline documents to trick him. How do you think he'll handle you?"

Marcus just glared at me. His lips moved, but no sound came out.

He dug into his pocket, pulled out the badge that symbolized ownership of Moonlight Estate, and tossed it onto the desk.

I picked it up. The metal felt cold against my palm, engraved with the moonlight crest. When I was a kid, every time he threw one of his rages, my mother would take me there to hide.

Marcus stormed out with the contract and slammed the door.

Turning back to my room, I caught my reflection in the mirror and froze.

A streak of silver-white cut through my pitch-black hair. My left eye was sapphire blue; my right was striking gold.

My mother always said it was the mark of the Moon Goddess. But the people of Silvermoon called it a curse.

In my last life, I believed them. I dyed my hair black, wore colored contacts, memorized their laws, learned their suffocating rules, and ground myself down into the exact mold of what Kael wanted.

Yet, he still thought I wasn't good enough to be his Luna.

This life? I wasn't changing for anyone.

I slipped into a tight leather skirt, grabbed my pass, and headed straight for the Neutral Zone.

The bass in the underground shifter bar vibrated through the floorboards. Flashes of neon light sliced through the thick, smoky air.

I slapped a thick wad of cash onto the bar. "Bring me the hottest wolf warriors you've got. All of them."

The bartender's face went completely pale.

"No, no, absolutely not. The entire Neutral Zone knows you're supposed to mate with the Alpha Kael."

"You know exactly who Kael Silvermoon is. His rules are lethal. If he finds out you came to a place like this, let alone ordered up other wolves, he'll burn my bar to the ground."

I downed a shot of hard liquor. The burn trailed a line of fire all the way down my throat, and I laughed.

"I've already handed him to someone else. As of today, I'm just a regular paying customer."

"You... gave it up?" He stammered. Then he chuckled, clearly thinking I was joking. "Please. Everyone knows you've only got eyes for Kael. At the full moon gala, you took one look at him and declared that only a man like that was worthy of you."

I smiled along with him, but inside, I was ice cold.

"We're done." I narrowed my eyes, tapping the bar. "Take the money. Bring the drinks."

Beside me stood a young wolf warrior. The neon lights played across his broad shoulders and bare chest, though his eyes carried a hint of shyness.

I hooked a finger under his chin. He flushed instantly.

I smirked.

"These younger ones... really do have great bodies."

But suddenly, the air in the room shifted violently.

Every single wolf in the club instantly bowed their heads in absolute submission. An overwhelming, suffocating aura flooded the space.

"Tainted with the stench of other mutts... Are you trying to get all of them buried with you, my mate?"