Chapter 1
Everyone in the Blood Moon Pack knew that our Alpha, Ethan Black, was devoted to his Luna, Elena Mourn.
Until he met his fated mate, Celine.
He wanted to sever our bond to be with her, but I refused. We became the pack's toxic couple—he resented me for not letting go, and I despised him for his betrayal.
To get rid of me without looking like the villain, this asshole staged a pity party—claiming a dark witch cursed him in battle, trapping his memories at eighteen, and now his wolf only responded to Celine as his "true mate."
"Elena, I'm stuck at eighteen... I still love you, but our bond is gone." His voice broke. "I'm so sorry for hurting you all these years. Maybe we're both better off apart."
Watching his fake performance, I said yes.
He thought he'd won, never knowing I went along because three years ago, I took a hunter's wolfsbane bullet meant for him. The poison had been killing me ever since. One week—that's all I had left.
Before I died, I wanted one last look at his eighteen-year-old self, even knowing it was all fake.
Elena's POV
"Elena, I've lost all memories of our bond."
I watched Ethan standing in the main hall doorway, spinning his amnesia bullshit like it was gospel.
He looked at me with those guilt-ridden dark eyes, hesitantly reaching for my shoulder like some guilty eighteen-year-old.
I leaned back against the couch, forcing down the metallic taste of blood rising in my throat as the wolfsbane spread through my system. Two hours ago, the doctor had delivered my final verdict—the poison had reached my heart. Seven days left.
"I know I've been cold to you all these years, but the shaman said the curse devoured my feelings for you." He stepped closer, voice breaking with fake pain. "My wolf only recognizes Celine now."
I exhaled a puff of mint smoke and laughed silently. "Ethan, I believe you. Eighteen-year-old you was pure—he'd never lie to me."
His Adam's apple bobbed, triumph flashing in his eyes. He thought his pathetic performance could easily fool his dying mate.
The hall doors burst open.
Celine bounced in with a tray. "Ethan, the sweet soup is ready. You've been traumatized in battle—you need my soup to soothe you..."
She purred sweetly, but her smile died when she saw me.
My gaze locked onto her neck.
Around her pale collarbone hung the sapphire necklace that should have been MINE—the symbol of my Luna coronation. Three years ago, after I lost our baby and went insane, I attacked this bitch with my claws. Ethan ripped the necklace from my neck and gave it to her as compensation for what I'd done.
"Oh, Elena's here too? Sorry, my bad. I just saw Ethan couldn't sleep because of this curse, so I made him some soup..." She melted against Ethan's shoulder, fake concern dripping from her voice. "You look like hell lately. Since you're breaking the bond with Ethan and can finally relax, why not hand over the treasury and logistics keys now? I need to learn the duties early to become a proper Luna."
She lifted her chin smugly, shoving out her chest to flaunt the sapphire.
"You want the keys?" I said slowly, glaring at that necklace. "I'm not DEAD yet, and the Luna position is still mine. That desperate to play Luna?"
Ethan's face went stiff. "Elena, Celine screwed up and crossed a line, but I gave her that necklace. Blame me if anyone. I'll make her give it back. Don't do this to me."
"ENOUGH." I cut him off and stood up.
I turned to Celine. "Since you want to take over, you should remember Blood Moon Pack law. An unbonded low-ranking Omega wearing a Luna's totem and openly challenging me—what do we call that?"
Ethan's mouth clamped shut.
I stepped closer, unleashing my high-ranking warrior bloodline pressure. The aura exploded outward—glasses rattled, servants hit their knees like dominoes.
Celine went ghost-white, death-gripping Ethan. "Ethan! Her pressure is crushing me! Save me!"
I locked eyes with Ethan's panicked stare. "Pack law says challengers get thirty lashes. Should I call the enforcers, or are you gonna handle this?"
Ethan's face darkened. Other pack members whispered in the side hall—if he refused, his amnesia charade would crumble.
He dropped his voice. "Elena, Celine messed up and pissed you off, but I'm the one who gave her that necklace. Blame the old me. I'll make her return it. Please don't do this to me."
Don't do this to me?
Eighteen-year-old Ethan would've torn apart any foreign wolf who so much as showed teeth at me. He never negotiated—only destroyed threats to what was his. And what he protected was ME.
"Eighteen-year-old you would NEVER talk like this," I sneered.
Ethan went stone-still, trapped. The confusion in his eyes flipped to cold rage.
He spun around and stalked toward Celine.
"Ethan? What are you—"
CRACK!
A bone-crushing slap launched her into the wine cabinet.
Celine clutched her gushing mouth, shrieking. "Ethan! Are you INSANE? How could you hit me—"
"Shut up," I interrupted. "Keep going, Alpha. One slap doesn't equal thirty lashes."
Ethan's temples pulsed. He squeezed his eyes shut—I knew it was killing him, but he'd cornered himself.
When he opened them, he unleashed hell.
CRACK! CRACK!
Two more savage strikes. Celine crashed into glass and wine, half her face ballooning, a bloody tooth skittering across the floor. The sapphire necklace exploded, gems flying everywhere.
"Ethan... please, stop... I was WRONG!" Celine belly-crawled through blood and glass, all smugness shattered.
Ethan fisted her hair and jabbed toward the door. "You STUPID BITCH! Who gave you permission to strut around in the Luna's jewels? Crawl back to your hole!"
Celine scrambled away like a beaten dog.
Dead silence. Only Ethan's ragged breathing.
He whipped around to face me.
"Happy now?" His teeth ground together. "Elena, when did you become such a goddamn MONSTER?"
