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"Alpha Silas, what does this name on your shirt mean to you?" I sat frozen in front of the TV at the Pack Headquarters. On the screen was an exclusive interview with Silas Vance, the most powerful Alpha in North America. The arrogant youth I once knew was gone, replaced by a renowned Alpha. Just moments ago, the host had accidentally opened his closet. Inside hung an old academy shirt, covered in faded signatures. As the host held it up, the camera zoomed in. Among all the messy black ink, one name stood out. It was carefully circled with a hand-drawn heart. My name. On the screen, Silas lowered his golden eyes. He spoke only one word. "Moon." My head spun. It felt unreal. Eight years ago, at our graduation, every young wolf had fought to sign that exact shirt. I was pushed to the edge of the crowd. I waited until the very end, using a dying pen to scribble my name in a tiny corner of his sleeve. I remembered holding that pen and forcing a smile. "Good luck, future Alpha." Silas just stared at me. His face was cold. "Good luck with what? Good luck never seeing you again?" My smile froze. The last bit of hope in my heart died that day. I had chased him since we were pups, but he never gave me a second glance. When he went to train with the Elite Warriors, I worked day and night to join the Headquarters staff just to be near him. When he became the Alpha, I gave up my chance to be a warrior so I could be his personal assistant. I handled his boring paperwork and blocked the annoying she-wolves he hated. Once, when he was severely injured during a brutal pack war, I threw myself in front of a silver blade just to keep him safe. The silver poison ruined my inner wolf forever. I lost the ability to shift. After he was rescued, I finally heard the words I had waited for. He looked at me with relief and said, "We should meet the Elders and set a date for our Mating Ceremony." But after years by his side, I saw the truth in his eyes. It was guilt. He wasn't choosing me because I was his fated mate. He was choosing me because he owed me his life. Still, I was pathetic enough to accept it. I took the empty title of his future Luna just to stay by his side. But two weeks before the Mating Ceremony, I decided I was done. "Elder Harris, I want to transfer to the Badlands Pack. Please process my transfer." I placed the application on the desk. My voice was flat. The old Elder looked up in shock. "Harper? I thought you and the Alpha were having your Mating Ceremony next month?" He leaned forward. "Everyone knows you sacrificed everything for him. You're finally getting what you want. Why would you go to the Badlands now? That place is full of rogues." I swallowed the bitterness in my throat. "Just approve it, please. And keep this confidential until I leave." Everyone knew how hard I worked to prove my worth to Alpha Silas without a wolf. If Chloe hadn't shown up, I might have kept lying to myself forever. I left the office and walked toward the training grounds. A group of pack members stood together, whispering. "Look! It's the Alpha and Chloe!" "They look so good together... I heard the Alpha personally taught her the new patrol routes." "The Ice King is personally mentoring someone? I guess even an Alpha melts for a sweet she-wolf like Chloe." My head throbbed. The whole pack was talking about how perfect Chloe and Silas were for each other. Even though I was his future Luna, I was invisible. I looked up. In the distance, Chloe was leaning in to whisper into Silas's ear. He tilted his head to listen. They were so close. This was the same Alpha who made me stay three meters away during work reports. I used to think his boundaries could not be broken. Then Chloe arrived, and Silas changed. I remembered the first time he said her name. He was looking at a messy report, but there was a faint smile on his face. "Chloe mixed up the border markers again," he had said. There was no anger in his voice. Only a strange softness. Chloe was Elder Miller's daughter. She was put on the elite team because of her father. She was bright and bold. She would snatch the pen out of Silas's hand to draw on his papers. She would hand him her half-finished coffee, and he would actually drink it. She would even slap his shoulder and laugh while he was thinking. I watched Silas go from freezing at her touch to letting her mess up his desk. He started drinking sweet coffee for her. He even smiled at her jokes. But the final blow came when I saw them in the pack office. Chloe stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. Silas, the man who would step back if my fingers even brushed his, just stood there. He looked a bit dazed. His ears turned red. But he didn't push her away. That was when I knew. Alpha Silas was capable of love. He could feel that clumsy, heart-racing crush just like anyone else. He just didn't feel it for me. I went back to the Alpha's house—the place we were supposed to share as mates. Silas hadn't stepped into the bedroom we decorated together since I moved in. I opened the closet and took down my clothes one by one. I packed the things I had bought to build a warm home. Now, they just looked like a joke. I taped up the boxes and scheduled a pack driver to pick them up. Two days later, I received a message from the Elder. My transfer to the Badlands Pack was approved. That was also when a message from Silas popped up: [My flight from the Werewolf Summit lands at 8:00 PM tomorrow. Pick me up.] I stared at the screen for a long time. Then, I typed back three words. [Find someone else.]### Chapter 2 I moved fast. Within a single day, I had scrubbed every trace of my existence—and my scent—from the estate we were supposed to share. When the Pack Housing Manager came to check the place, there was no sign I had ever lived there. It was just like my life with Alpha Silas. I had spent years by his side, yet I hadn't managed to leave a single mark on his world. "Harper, are you sure about this?" the manager asked, looking over the territory papers. "This estate is right next to the Alpha's main house. Giving it up is a huge loss." "I'm sure," I said. My voice was flat as I signed the paper. "Give it to someone else." I had chosen this house with such hope. Now that I was leaving the pack, there was no reason to keep it. The Elders required me to finish my work handover before I could leave. So, I still had to stay at the Headquarters for another two weeks. On the day Silas and Chloe returned from the summit, a heavy rain fell over the pack territory. I was in the pack office organizing border patrol logs when my phone lit up. It was a message from Silas: [Landed.] In the past, no matter how late it was, that one word would make me drop everything to rush to him. Because my wolf was broken, my immune system was weak. Once, I had a terrible fever. But I still forced myself to drive to the airport in a storm. I ended up passing out in the car while waiting for him. In the end, Silas just took a pack car back without me. When he found out later, he only said one thing. His voice was cold, "If you're sick, don't come next time." There was no concern. It was just a statement of fact. He didn't like weakness. I had spent a long time crying over that "don't come." I thought I had messed up and annoyed my Alpha. Now, I just locked my screen and went back to my logs. That evening, the pack held a welcome banquet for Silas and Chloe. I didn't want to go, but the Head Elder personally invited me. I couldn't find a reason to refuse. I arrived late and took a seat in a quiet corner of the dining hall. The dinner was already halfway through. Silas sat at the head of the long table. Chloe was sitting right next to him—in the seat reserved for the Luna. Chloe was happily sharing stories from the summit, making the whole table laugh. Even Silas, who was usually cold and quiet, sat there without showing any impatience. Sometimes, when Chloe got excited and touched his arm, he would only frown slightly. He didn't pull away. "Oh, yesterday was such a mess," Chloe said. Her eyes swept across the room until they landed on me in the corner. "Our flight was delayed, and it was pouring rain. Silas and I waited forever and couldn't get a ride. Our bags got completely soaked." She tilted her head, looking at me with fake innocence. "Harper, I remember you usually handle airport pickups for the Alpha. Why didn't you show up this time?" In an instant, the dining hall went quiet. Every wolf at the table turned to look at me. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and silent judgment. I put down my fork. I took a napkin to wipe my mouth, then looked up to meet Chloe's eyes. "I'm not the pack chauffeur." The smile on Chloe's face froze. Silas, sitting at the head of the table, finally looked at me. His face was expressionless, but I saw a flash of surprise in his golden eyes. Of course. He was used to it. He was used to me handling every tiny detail of his life. He was used to me acting like a servant just to please him. I was like the air around him. You don't notice it when it's there. You only feel uncomfortable when it's gone. The dinner ended in an awkward silence. As the pack members left the hall, Silas stopped me in the corridor. "What's wrong with you?" He spoke in his usual, cold tone. I stopped and looked at him. The wall lights cast shadows over his sharp, handsome face. There was a time when I thought looking at him like this for the rest of my life would be a blessing. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Chloe was just asking a question," Silas said. He paused, as if trying to find the right words. "She helped a lot with the pack business at the summit. You are my assistant. These administrative tasks should be..." I knew what he was thinking. He thought I was throwing a jealous tantrum over Chloe. He thought I was trying to embarrass her in public. "Alpha Silas Vance." It was the first time I had ever called him by his full title with such coldness. My voice wasn't loud, but it made him stop mid-sentence. He stared at me. He clearly didn't expect me to interrupt him. "I'm not throwing a tantrum." "And this isn't about who you went to the summit with." I looked right into his eyes. My chest ached, but my mind was clear. I took a deep breath and finally said the words I had kept in my heart. "Our Mating Ceremony—I'm calling it off." ### Chapter 3 Alpha Silas's brow furrowed. "What did you say?" While he stood there in shock, Chloe came running down the hall. "Alpha! There's a problem with the new border defenses!" Silas turned to her instantly. "What happened?" "The rogues triggered the traps. You need to come see!" Chloe grabbed his sleeve. She looked very worried. He cast a quick glance back at me. His voice was cold and commanding. "It's a pack emergency. We'll talk after I handle this." Without giving me a chance to reply, he turned and hurried down the hall with Chloe. I stood frozen in place, watching them leave. My face was blank. I wasn't surprised. To him, everything was more important than I was. And his "talk later" usually meant we would never talk at all. He had never cared about the Mating Ceremony details anyway. He just paid for it. I gave him the notice. My duty was done. I had already given up the estate meant for our mating. I suddenly realized I had nowhere to go. Half an hour later, I found myself standing in front of my parents' house in the pack territory. My mother, Linda, opened the door. The moment she saw me, a warm, eager smile spread across her face. "Harper? What are you doing here so late? Where's Alpha Silas? Didn't he come with you?" I walked past her into the living room. "He didn't come," I said flatly. My father, Robert, and my younger brother, Carter, were sitting on the sofa watching TV. Hearing my voice, Robert looked behind me. "Where is the Alpha? Is he parking the car?" "I canceled the Mating Ceremony. We're done." The air in the room froze. "What did you say?" The smile vanished from Robert's face. He jumped off the sofa, his voice rising to an angry roar. "Canceled? What the hell do you mean, canceled!" "The Mating Ceremony is off. I am leaving him," I repeated. My voice had no emotion. Robert kicked the glass coffee table over. The hot tea splashed all over my legs. A sharp, burning pain hit my skin. "You worthless brat!" Robert's face turned red with anger. He pointed a finger right at my face. "Do you have any idea who Alpha Silas is? He is the most powerful wolf in the Alliance! She-wolves would kill to be his Luna, and you just walk away?" Carter crossed his arms. His voice was full of mockery. "Harper, look at the facts. What is Alpha Silas's status? He is surrounded by elite, high-ranking wolves every day." He gave a cruel laugh. "Look at Chloe Miller—an Elder's daughter. A pure white wolf. THAT is a perfect match for an Alpha." He looked at me from head to toe with disgust. "You can't even shift into a wolf! Your inner wolf is broken. You should be thanking the Moon Goddess that he even looked at you. So what if he likes someone else?" He scoffed. "Alphas always have other females. It's normal. If you break up now, who's going to pay for my mating dowry? I need his money to secure a high-ranking mate! You're ruining my life!" I looked at the three faces in front of me. They looked ugly and angry. They were mad because they just lost their ticket to money and power. The burning pain on my legs was nothing compared to the ice-cold pain in my heart. This was my family. I used to beg for a little bit of love from this house. I gave them almost all the money I earned from working for the pack. I paid for Carter's training. I bought my parents a bigger house. I gave and gave, hoping they would finally love me. When Silas announced I would be his Luna, they suddenly treated me well. They called me often. They asked if I was tired. I was stupid enough to think they finally loved me. Now, the truth was out. They never cared about Harper Brooks. They only cared about what they could take from Alpha Silas. I didn't say another word. I didn't even try to clean the burns on my legs. I simply grabbed my bag and turned toward the door. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" Robert barked. "If you walk out that door, don't you ever come back! Let's see who else wants a broken wolf like you!" I walked out and slammed the door shut, cutting off his shouting. The night wind was cold. I leaned against the wall and took a long, shaky breath. The world was huge, but I had nowhere left to go. ### Chapter 4 I dragged my suitcase through the mud and picked up a key from the Pack Logistics Office. They gave me a room in the old Omega Dormitories. It was tucked away in a dark corner of the territory, but it was enough for me to get by for the next two weeks. I was carrying a heavy cardboard box filled with old books and some herbs I used for healing. Just as I was about to head up the stairs, I ran into Silas and Chloe coming down. Chloe was holding a folder. She tilted her head and laughed at something Silas said, nearly crashing into me. "Oh!" she gasped. She reached out her hands to catch the heavy box that was slipping from my arms. "Harper, sweetie? What are you moving? It looks so heavy. Let me help you carry it." Chloe's smile was bright. Her tone was too friendly. I quickly tightened my grip and stepped back to avoid her touch. "No, thank you." "It's fine! I'm an elite warrior; I'm stronger than I look!" Chloe reached out again. But then, Silas stepped forward. Without a word, he took the heavy box from my hands. Chloe laughed when she saw this. "Alpha, really! Your hands are meant for battle and leading the pack. How can you do such heavy labor?" When Silas looked at Chloe, his usually cold golden eyes had a faint trace of a smile. His tone was soft and teasing—a tone I had never heard him use with me. "Not as delicate as yours." The words were quiet, but they felt like a silver blade piercing my heart. Years ago, shortly after my inner wolf was broken, I had been carrying a stack of heavy defense logs. I lost my balance and dropped them all over the mud. Silas had happened to walk by. I was terrified he would think I was weak and useless. He just stopped, looked down at me, and said nothing. He didn't bend down to help me pick up a single paper. Later, he just told the Beta to give me a cart. He never said, "Let me help." He certainly never used that gentle tone to call me "precious." Chloe giggled at Silas's words. Her cheeks flushed red. "Alpha, you're teasing me again!" Silas didn't say anything else to her. He just looked at me and asked, "Which room?" "Room 402," I replied. My voice was dry. Silas and Chloe walked up the stairs together. Silas carried my box easily. They chatted and laughed like it was the most natural thing in the world. Chloe talked about funny things that happened during patrol, and Silas actually answered her. The air around them was light and happy. I followed silently behind them, keeping a few steps back. This scene was actually very familiar to me. For the past ten years, this was how I lived—following behind him like a shadow. I watched his back as he walked away alone, and lately, I watched Chloe walk beside him. I had always been just an extra piece in his life, trying my best to fit in, but never truly belonging in his world. At the door of 402, I pulled out my key to open it. The Omega dorm was tiny. It only had a small bed, a desk, and a tiny bathroom. It smelled like dust, but it was clean. Silas set the box down on the floor. It was only then that he seemed to realize where we were. He looked around the cramped, dark room. Then, his golden eyes fell on me. "Why are you staying in the Omega dorms?" I dragged my suitcase inside. My voice was completely flat. "I gave the mating estate back to the pack." I paused. I was waiting for something. Maybe he would ask why. Maybe he would show a little surprise. But there was only silence. Then, Silas spoke. His cold tone didn't change at all. "If you don't like it here, just buy another house in the upper territory. There's no need to rough it out here." I slowly stood up straight and looked at him. He didn't care at all. He didn't care that I gave up our mating home. He didn't care why I moved to the worst part of the territory. He probably didn't even believe me when I said I was canceling the Mating Ceremony. Chloe stood behind Silas. A faint smile curved her lips. "Harper, you get settled then. The Alpha and I have to head to the war room." Silas gave me a brief nod before turning to leave with Chloe. I stood there, staring at the empty doorway. Then I looked down at my hands. They were covered in red marks from carrying the heavy box. Suffer? Did he think sleeping in a small room was suffering? My true suffering was spending ten years giving him everything, only to be treated like I didn't exist. My suffering was nearly dying for him, only to get a mating promise made out of pity. My suffering was knowing I could never compare to a healthy, pure white wolf who could make him smile. A wave of sorrow hit me suddenly. It was heavy and violent. It drowned my heart and choked my throat until I couldn't breathe. ### Chapter 5 The next few days passed in a strange, empty calm. I had just finished organizing the pack's healing records and was packing up my things. Suddenly, the door to the healer's tent was thrown open. Sarah, a young Omega, rushed in. Her face was pale with fear. "Harper! Quick! Your father and brother are making a scene at the main training grounds. The pack guards can't hold them back!" My heart sank. I had completely cut off my family's allowance the day I left their house. I didn't expect them to come to the Pack Headquarters so quickly. I could hear Carter's angry shouting and my mother's loud wailing from a distance. A large crowd of pack members had already gathered around them. My mother, Linda, was sitting in the dirt, crying out to anyone who would listen. "Look at how she treats us! My daughter becomes the future Luna and then turns her back on her own family!" Meanwhile, Carter was pointing a finger at a guard's chest, growling. "Back off! I'm here to demand what is mine from my sister. It's my right!" I pushed through the crowd of wolves. "Mom, Carter, what are you doing?" "What am I doing?" Carter pushed the guard aside and lunged toward me. "Harper Brooks, you think you're so special now? I need thirty thousand dollars for the mating gift to get a high-ranking she-wolf, and you're going to give it to me today!" "The money I gave this family over the years was more than enough," I said. My voice was as cold as ice. "I don't have a single cent for your mating gift." "Liar!" Carter yelled. "You had plenty of money when you were sucking up to Alpha Silas! Now that he's tired of you, you act like you're broke?" Carter suddenly reached out and shoved me hard. "Who the hell do you think you are, you broken wolf?" Caught off guard, I went crashing to the ground. My elbows and knees slammed against the hard packed dirt. The sharp rocks cut my skin, and blood immediately began to seep out. The whole training ground went dead silent. Everyone was shocked. I tried to push myself up, but a sharp pain in my knee made it hard to move. The physical pain was bad, but the humiliation of being thrown to the ground by my own brother in front of the pack members was worse. I looked up at the people I had sacrificed a decade of my life for. My voice was hard. "I said, I don't have the money." "You bitch! You've got a lot of nerve!" Carter completely lost his mind. He grabbed a heavy spear from a weapon rack nearby. With a furious roar, he hurled it straight at me. Gasps and screams erupted from the crowd. In that split second, a massive shadow blurred past and stepped in front of me. The heavy silver spear slammed into the person's back with a sickening sound. It was Alpha Silas Vance. I don't know when he had arrived, but he was standing tall, using his own broad back to shield me from the deadly weapon. He let out a low, dangerous growl. His brows knit together in pain as the silver burned his skin, but he didn't move an inch. I stared at him in shock. A terrifying, heavy pressure filled the air. Silas released his Alpha Aura. The sheer power of it made everyone drop to their knees. Carter's legs turned to jelly, and he collapsed onto the dirt, shaking uncontrollably. My mother turned deathly pale. She looked like she was going to faint. Her son had just attacked the Alpha of the Ice Crown Pack. This wasn't just about money anymore—this was an act of treason that could get their entire bloodline exiled or killed! "Take them to the dungeon," Silas's commanding voice rang out for everyone to hear. "Assault on a pack official and breaking pack law. Strip them of their ranks." The elite guards moved quickly. Carter and Linda looked like they had been sentenced to death. As the guards dragged them away, Linda was still screaming at me. "Harper! I'm your mother! You can't do this to our family!" I watched them being dragged out of sight. The crowd began to step back, but their judging whispers and stares still felt like needles in my back. I tried to stand up, but my injured leg gave way, and I stumbled. Silas caught me by the arm. His golden eyes fell on my bleeding cuts. "Let's go to the medical tent." I looked up at him. I watched the way he looked down at me. That expression suddenly triggered an old memory. Back in the Pack Academy, Silas was already a natural-born prodigy. He was constantly winning combat trials, and his name was always praised by the Elders. Even with his cold personality, every young she-wolf wanted to be his mate. I was just a weak, human-blooded hybrid. My parents didn't care about me, and I was the most invisible person in the pack. Our lives were never supposed to cross. Until the day I had my first shift. It went horribly wrong. My body rejected the change, leaving me bleeding and half-shifted in the mud of the training ring. Paralyzed by a crushing sense of shame and pain, I lay there frozen long after everyone else had laughed and left. Just as I was drowning in despair, I heard heavy footsteps returning to the ring. It was Silas. He quietly dropped his warm Alpha cloak over my shivering body. He also left a rare healing herb next to my hand. "The others are gone," he had said, his tone flat. He politely looked away from my bloody, pathetic state. "It's raining hard; no one will see you cry." Outside, it was pouring. I looked at his soaked dark hair and broad shoulders. In that moment, the frantic thundering of my heart drowned out the sound of the rain. ### Chapter 6 I was an unwanted child in my family and a ghost in the pack. Yet, it was this young male—the one I didn't even dare to look at—who had protected my dignity when I was at my lowest. Silas Vance threw a bit of warmth my way out of pity, and I ran toward it like a moth to a flame. Later, I trained like my life depended on it just to become the best Healer in the pack. He was still the golden boy, becoming the youngest Alpha of the Ice Crown Pack. I stayed by his side, giving up any chance to have a normal life, just to be his personal assistant and Healer. "Harper?" His cold voice pulled me back to reality. The pack doctor was cleaning the cuts on my knees. Silas stood nearby, his tone flat. "Handle your family mess quickly. Don't let it affect your duties to the pack." Those words felt like a bucket of ice water. They put out the tiny flame that had started in my heart when he protected me from the spear. His protection wasn't about me; he just hated it when someone broke the rules and disturbed the peace of his territory. I lowered my eyes and gave a quiet, "Yes, Alpha." Once my wounds were bandaged, Silas checked the time. "There's a dinner with the Elders tonight. You should come." The atmosphere at the dinner was lively. The conversation was all about our recent victories against the rogues at the border. Chloe sat right next to Silas, happily talking about her time training with the Northern Clans. Elder Miller looked very proud. He smiled at his daughter and then looked at Silas. "Alpha Silas, Chloe has done very well since she returned. You two—one strong and steady, the other bright and full of energy—make a perfect match. Both in bloodline and personality." He leaned in slightly. "You need a Luna to rule by your side, Silas. You've been focused on pack wars for too long. Our Chloe might be a bit spirited, but she is a pure white wolf with a good heart..." What he meant was obvious to everyone. Several high-ranking wolves at the table who knew about Silas's promise to me went quiet. They quickly looked toward my corner. Chloe's cheeks turned bright red as she muttered a soft "Dad," but her eyes were fixed on Silas, full of hope. I kept my head down. I just sat in the corner, staring at the water in my glass. Silas remained silent for a few seconds. Then he spoke in his usual, calm tone. "Thank you for your concern, Elder Miller. However, my focus right now is on clearing the remaining rogues. I don't have time to think about taking a Luna." As the words fell, the color drained from Chloe's face. She turned pale and stared at Silas in shock. Tears filled her eyes. Suddenly, she stood up and ran out of the dining hall. "Chloe!" Elder Miller called out. Silas watched her leave, his brow frowning. He stood up as well. "Elder, I'll go check on her." An awkward silence fell over the room. Sarah, the young Omega from the medical tent, leaned close to me. Her voice was a soft whisper. "Harper, what's going on? Why didn't the Alpha just tell them you two are going to have the Mating Ceremony?" She paused. "Should I say something to Elder Miller?" I shook my head. "There's no need." If he won't claim me himself, having someone else announce it just makes me look pathetic. After a few minutes, my stomach felt sick. I quietly told Sarah I needed to use the restroom, and I left the hall. I didn't go to the restroom. Instead, I walked out to a quiet courtyard behind the main house. The cool night wind felt good after the stuffy, tense dinner. Then, I saw them. Under a large oak tree not far away, Chloe was crying. Her arms were wrapped tightly around Silas's waist. She buried her face in his chest. I could hear broken pieces of her voice. "Why not? Silas, I like you! I know I'm not quiet or serious like Harper..." She held his shirt tightly. "But I'll work hard! I can learn to heal and do everything she does!" Silas hated being touched. His inner wolf usually growled if anyone got too close to his personal space. But right now, although he didn't hug her back, he didn't push her away. He just let her hold him. His patience spoke louder than words. I remembered the few times I had tried to hold his hand or get close to him. He would always pull back, quick and cold. At that moment, Silas seemed to sense someone watching. He looked up. My face showed no emotion. I met his golden eyes calmly, as if I were watching two strangers. Only my hands betrayed me—my nails were digging deep into my palms. Silas's pupils shrank slightly. He looked surprised. Chloe, still crying into his chest, didn't notice anything. "I understand you better than she does. I know how to make you happy..." I didn't stay to listen. I turned and walked away. Back in the hall, I told them I was feeling unwell and left early. Sarah looked at me with worry but didn't say anything else. I walked back to the Omega dorms alone. The last bit of warmth in my heart was blown away by the cold wind, leaving me completely empty. I had just finished washing my face and was getting ready to sleep when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Silas standing there in the dim light of the hallway.