After my rebirth, I secretly changed my intended mate from the childhood friend who betrayed me in my past life to our Alpha's rebellious son.

As the leader of the Argent clan, my dad was surprised by this change, but he still accepted my choice.

In my previous life, when my dad asked who I most wanted to bond with, I had blushed and whispered Caleb Thorne's name.

My dad had nodded. "Caleb grew up with you. You're both from pure bloodlines, well-matched in power. I'm sure he will treat you well."

Later, Caleb and I held our bonding ceremony. The ritual was grand and solemn; even Alpha Alaric himself came to offer his blessings.

But less than half a year after our bonding, Caleb applied for patrol duty on the border, claiming he wanted to contribute to the pack's safety.

Not only did he abandon me to face his parents alone, but he also severed our mind-link after my dad was framed for treason against the pack.

Just when I thought I couldn't bear the pain of my dad's imprisonment, I received the devastating news of Caleb's death in a bloody battle with rogue wolves.

Under the double blow, my will to live shattered. I walked into a silver trap, letting the poison end my life.

I never expected that, 40 years after my death, an elderly werewolf couple would visit the Moon Goddess Altar.

Caleb, who was supposed to be dead, stood before my memorial, holding my cousin, Lila Vance.

"Brandy, I'm sorry I deceived you. I only bonded with you to meet the clan's expectations. Lila is the one I've always loved."

"Brandy, this is all my fault. I'm just asking you to stop tormenting Lila. If you have any resentment, direct it at me."

So their love was that deep...

To spend the rest of his life with Lila, Caleb had faked his own death to escape. He was even superstitious enough to believe that the curse afflicting Lila was my vengeful spirit.

Once I learned the truth, my lingering obsession finally shattered, and I let myself dissolve into nothingness.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my dad asked me who I wanted as my mate.

————————

1

"Brandy Argent, of all the young wolves in the pack, who do you most want to bond with?"

Seeing my dad standing before me, so alive and dignified, tears instantly welled in my eyes, and I threw myself into his arms.

In my past life, Caleb's mother, Rowena Thorne, had placed me under house arrest, terrified that my dad's treason charge would implicate the Thorne clan. She didn't let me out until my dad was taken to Silvermoon Prison.

I never even got to see him one last time. All I could do was clutch his belongings and cry until I passed out.

I quickly wiped my eyes and declared, "I want to bond with Rhys."

My dad blinked in surprise. "Are you sure? Didn't you always swear you'd marry no one but that Thorne boy?"

Though he clearly didn't understand why I was crying, my dad saw my firm nod and relented.

"Alright, alright. In a couple of days, I'll go talk to Alaric and see what he thinks. Okay? Don't cry, sweetheart."

I dried my tears and stepped out of the courtyard, just in time to see my friend Freya Corbin rushing toward me.

She grabbed my arm, griping, "You were supposed to preside over the full moon purification ceremony today! Why did you listen to Lila and do that ridiculous wish-stone nonsense?"

"Can't you see? She's always trying to steal your spotlight."

Freya had often said she didn't like my cousin, Lila Vance, but I'd never paid it any mind. Thinking back now, she was right.

When I was 13, Lila tore my moonlight necklace off in front of all the pups in the pack, then feigned concern. "Brandy, your necklace is so old. You should have your dad buy you a new one."

She knew perfectly well it was the only memento my mother had left me.

When I was 18, the pack organized a coming-of-age hunt at the border for the young wolves and their families.

During a break, Caleb and a few Betas announced they were going to the river to catch fish. I happily tagged along, and Lila came too.

My wolf hadn't awakened yet, so I stayed obediently on the bank, only to be shoved from behind. I plunged into the bone-chilling winter river and nearly drowned.

Thinking back, it had to have been Lila.

Today, during the full moon purification ceremony, Lila had interrupted to suggest we bury wish stones. We were to write the name of our crush inside, only digging them up when the wish came true so everyone could bask in the Moon Goddess's grace.

I thought it sounded fun at the time, so I agreed.

This time, I started to write the letter "C" out of habit, but quickly stopped. I grabbed a new piece of paper and firmly wrote Rhys Valerius's name.

Just as Freya was about to launch into another tirade, Caleb approached. She shot me a quick wink and scurried away.

Caleb glared at me, his voice cold and resolute. "Give it up, Brandy. We're not going to bond. I won't choose you."

I was stunned. Just as I was about to protest, he cut me off. "I have always loved Lila. If you step aside, out of respect for our past, I might even invite you to our bonding ceremony."

Then, his face darkened. "But if you fight this, we can't even be friends anymore."

He'd never said anything like this in my past life.

His expression was… complicated. A thought struck me like a physical blow.

Could it be... he was reborn too?

...

He fell silent, but his gaze was a clear warning.

Even knowing his true colors, that guarded look still stung.

I swear, in this life or the last, I had never done a single thing to hurt him. When he insisted on going to the border, I was the one who stayed behind to care for his parents.

His father, Marcus Thorne, appeared composed but was a firm believer that might makes right, while Rowena was acerbic and materialistic. Before my dad's fall from grace, they were polite enough, but the moment trouble hit, they couldn't even be bothered to feign civility.

I had knelt and cried, begging them that even if they wouldn't help, to at least let me see my dad one last time. But they ignored my pleas completely.

If Rhys hadn't secretly shifted into his wolf to guard my window, bringing me news from the outside, I might have lost the will to live long ago.

And so, I waited for Caleb, year after year, missing my father's final moments. In the end, all I got was the sight of him and Lila, hand in hand, standing before my memorial, telling my spirit to rest in peace and not disturb the living.

I had given him everything, and this was my reward? Hostility and suspicion.

A bitter smile curved my lips. "Instead of wasting your breath warning me, you should be figuring out how to convince your parents."

"After all, between the daughter of a clan leader and a girl from a minor family line, you know damn well who they'll choose."

Having once been the future Luna of the Thorne clan, no one knew Rowena's snobbery better than I did. If Caleb thought he could easily bond with Lila by severing ties with me early in this life, he was dreaming.

Caleb's face darkened, and he scowled at me. "Lila saved my life. For that reason alone, my parents will agree!"

My breath caught, and a bitter laugh escaped my lips.

What a coincidence. I had saved him too. But why, in both lifetimes, did he choose to betray me?

Seeing I had nothing more to say, he turned and strode toward Lila.

Watching his retreating back, memories I had deliberately buried in my past life began to flood my mind.

I don't know when it started, but his visits to my house slowly became visits for Lila. At his coming-of-age ceremony, his first dance was always with Lila, no matter how far away she stood.

But when I came of age, he just gave me an ordinary moonstone and told me to focus on my training. I, of course, was ecstatic and treasured it like a precious jewel.

Yet that very night, he presented Lila with a beautifully wrapped silver box containing a delicate moonlight bracelet. He claimed it was an early birthday gift, as he would be away on her actual birthday.

...

Back then, I naively thought he was only nice to her because she was my cousin. Only now did I understand that I was just the obstacle he had to tolerate to be near his true love, Lila.

"What are you thinking about? I've been calling your name."

Rhys waved a hand in front of my face, pulling me back to reality.

He followed my gaze to Caleb and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"You care about him that much?"

"What?"

He mumbled something under his breath that I couldn't quite catch.

"Nothing," he said, changing the subject with a grin as he nudged me forward. "Someone's off in la-la land. Don't make me call you out."

He deliberately led me near Caleb, but his own expression grew grim.

I sighed. As I looked up, my eyes met Caleb's. He was handing Lila a purification potion, and he shot me a quick, dismissive glance before turning away.

"Lila, I'll go get you some other colors of moonstone."

He looked up, his voice gentle as she arranged the ceremonial altar.

"If you're tired, take a break. Wait for me to come back and help you."

She smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, I'm fine. You go on."

I couldn't be bothered to care if he was deliberately keeping his distance or just playing the part of a considerate suitor. I simply squatted down to focus on mixing a purification potion when, suddenly, Lila let out a cry from above me.

...

Then, a bottle of foul-smelling black liquid came flying toward me.

I instinctively shut my eyes and threw my arms up as the pungent stench enveloped me. When I opened my eyes, Rhys had already rushed over to steady me.

But the bottle of "Traitor's Breath"—a forbidden potion used to torture traitors—had already drenched me from head to toe. I must have been a horrifying sight, like some cursed demon clawing its way out of the abyss.

Lila had crumpled to the ground. Since she hadn't fallen from a great height, she only suffered a sprained ankle and a scraped palm.

Not far away, Caleb spun around. His face went pale, and he sprinted over.

"Lila!"

He didn't even glance at me as he knelt to help her up. She leaned weakly against him, her tear-filled eyes fixed on me with wounded accusation.

Her voice was thick with disbelief. "Brandy... why did you push me? Why would you do that?"

The potion dripped from the ends of my hair. I was stunned speechless by her baseless accusation.

Caleb frowned, glaring at me with rising fury, and let out a low, dominant growl. "You've gone too far, Brandy! That was a deliberate attack!"

That growl carried the crushing pressure of his Alpha bloodline, making my inner wolf tremble. An icy dread washed over me. So this was what he was like when he blindly defended someone.

I remembered how, a few days after our bonding in my past life, I was attacked by rogue wolves on my way home. Someone threw a silver net over me and beat me mercilessly.

When I was lying in the healer's room, crying and demanding Caleb find the culprit, he just calmly peeled a moonfruit and said impatiently, "You should keep a lower profile. They didn't kill you. It was probably just someone blowing off steam."

"You're fine, aren't you? Stop thinking about revenge and stay home more. My parents might need your help with something."

I stared at him in disbelief.

I had multiple broken bones, and my face was so swollen I could barely speak, but in his eyes, I was "fine."

All I had wanted was justice, but now, without even asking, he was rushing to defend Lila.

All eyes were on me.

I let the foul potion drip down my cheek and stared straight into Caleb's eyes. "Do you really think I'm that despicable?"

He stiffened, his resolve wavering for a split second, but Lila stumbled in his arms and whimpered, "Caleb, my ankle hurts so much..."

The hesitation in his eyes vanished, replaced by an annoyed disgust at having been almost swayed.

He swept Lila into his arms and said coldly, "I wish I could believe you weren't capable of this, Brandy. You'd better watch yourself."

Then, he strode toward the healer's room without a backward glance.

I lowered my head and let out a soft, humorless chuckle. I had foolishly thought that even if we couldn't be mates, we still had the bond of growing up together.

It seemed now it was a good thing my love for him had already died.

Caleb took a step toward me, then hesitated and stopped.

...

Back home, I washed my hair several times to finally get the stench of the potion out. I sat on my bed and let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief.

In two more days, I could finally cut all ties with the Thorne clan for good.

But the next morning, Caleb came pounding on my door, his face a mask of fury. "Brandy! Did you tell Lila's father to call her home for an arranged bonding?"

In two lifetimes, this was the first time I had seen him so completely unhinged.

"It wasn't me."

I couldn't be bothered to argue and was about to shut the door when Lila rushed forward and dropped to her knees at my feet with a thud, wailing.

"Brandy, I know you're still mad at me! You can hit me or curse me, I don't care! Yesterday was my fault; it had nothing to do with you!"

"I'm begging you... I don't want to be a second mate to a widower in his forties. Please, have mercy!"

She started banging her head on the stone floor. I frowned and took a step to the side. "What proof do you have that I did this?"

I couldn't stand her theatrics and was about to defend myself, but suddenly, my ears rang.

The world spun, and a searing pain erupted on my left cheek. Caleb had slapped me with all his might.

"I never knew you were so malicious, Brandy. I only ever saw you as a sister, and just because I didn't choose you, you decided to ruin Lila's life!"

I clutched my stinging face, staring up at him with cold, hard eyes.

What right did Caleb have to call me malicious?

He used clan duty to hide his betrayal, playing the victim. He enjoyed the benefits of our mate bond while despising me for standing in the way of his "true love," ultimately building his new life with Lila over my dead body and abandoning his home for decades.