Annamarie Whitmore POV: After being rejected by my fated Alpha, I fled into the Forbidden Forest, where I nearly lost my life before a powerful stranger marked me. Warmth spread through my body as something sharp pierced the side of my neck. A strange current of energy rushed beneath my skin, spreading from the wound and slowly pushing back the cold that had settled deep inside me. I could barely move, but I could feel strong arms holding me firmly against a solid chest, keeping my weakened body from slipping away. A cool, unfamiliar scent seemed to cling to the air around me, like cedar after rain. I couldn't identify where it came from, but the clean, damp freshness eased the panic lingering in my mind. Beneath my cheek, a steady heartbeat sounded close and calm, completely at odds with the chaos still raging inside me. Then the pressure at my neck deepened, and another sharp sting traveled through my body. My fingers curled weakly against the unfamiliar fabric beneath me as the stranger's hand tightened around my waist, holding me steady while that strange warmth flowed through the wound. I should have been afraid of a stranger touching me like this. Yet my exhausted body responded before my mind could resist. The warmth spreading through my veins gradually dulled the pain, easing the crushing weakness that had nearly dragged me into unconsciousness. My breathing slowly steadied. I sank deeper into the heat surrounding me, half-conscious as the unfamiliar presence remained close. Every time I tried to pull away, I felt the firm support around my waist keeping me from falling, and the energy flowing through my neck drew me further from the darkness. I could no longer tell whether I was awake or dreaming. With the stranger's steady heartbeat beneath my cheek, the warmth of his breath against my skin, and the strange energy slowly restoring the strength I had almost lost, I gradually sank into a deeper dream. Then memories returned. The grand hall of the Blackwood Pack had been filled with the scent of pine and the solemn atmosphere of the mate ceremony. I had stood on the dais in a simple white dress, surrounded by powerful werewolves dressed in their finest attire. The Hayes family was one of the most respected bloodlines within the Blackwood Pack, and Jared was its only heir. We had known each other since we were young, and as we grew older, the Moon Goddess chose us as fated mates. For years, I had believed that bond would eventually lead us to stand together as Alpha and Luna. That was why, despite everything I had endured as a wolfless female, I had never questioned whether Jared would accept me. To me, the bond between us was something sacred, something even the Hayes family would never casually cast aside. The whispers had followed me for years. Some looked at me with pity, while others considered me a weakness that brought shame to the Whitmore name. I had learned to ignore those voices, but standing in front of the entire pack that day, I could still feel every gaze on me. The Elder stepped forward and raised his voice. "In the witness of the Moon Goddess, Jared Hayes, do you accept Annamarie Whitmore as your one, your only, your lifelong mate?" The entire hall fell silent. All eyes turned toward Jared. I looked at him and tried to calm the uneasiness in my chest. The Moon Goddess had chosen our bond. A fated mate was a blessing that no werewolf could question. Jared had never shown open disgust toward me before. Even though I was wolfless, he had always maintained the appearance of acceptance, responded to my feelings, and treated me with the courtesy expected from the future Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. I believed the Hayes family's teachings had given him enough honor and responsibility to respect the bond chosen by the Moon Goddess. More importantly, I didn't want to be rejected. Because I knew what would happen after Jared rejected me. Without the future Alpha's bond, I would lose my value in the Whitmore family. I would become nothing more than an abandoned piece, a burden they could discard or trade away whenever it benefited them. I couldn't let that happen. My fingers tightened around the fabric of my dress as I looked at Jared. For a moment, I waited for him to speak the words that would change my life. Then Jared smiled. The expression on his face made the uneasiness in my chest grow heavier. He didn't look at me. He turned toward the crowd and spoke in a clear, steady voice loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear. "I, Jared Hayes, reject you, Annamarie Whitmore, as my mate." The moment Jared's words fell, my mind went blank. The hall around me seemed to spin, and the voices of the crowd blurred into a distant noise. The pain from the broken mate bond surged through my body, forcing me to take a step back. Jared narrowed his eyes and looked at me, his expression cold and distant. "You are wolfless, Annamarie. You cannot shift, you cannot sense the emotions of our wolves, and you cannot carry the responsibilities expected of the future Luna. I refuse to bind the Blackwood Pack to a mate who can never truly stand beside its Alpha." A murmur swept through the hall. Some guests lowered their eyes, while others exchanged knowing glances. A few even nodded in agreement, as if Jared had finally said aloud what everyone had already been thinking. My legs almost gave out. I pressed my fingers against the edge of my dress, using the fabric to keep myself standing. No one came forward to defend me. The whispers grew louder, and every word carried the same conclusion: a wolfless female had no place beside the future Alpha. At that moment, Carrie rushed toward me. "Annamarie..." Her voice was soft and worried. "I know this hurts. Seeing my sister treated this way... it breaks my heart." For years, I had lived under their roof knowing that I would never truly be their daughter. But after Carrie learned that Jared and I had been chosen as fated mates, something in her changed. She had always been the Whitmores' precious biological daughter, yet she could not accept that I, the adopted daughter she had always looked down on, had been chosen by the future Alpha. From that day on, she had found every opportunity to come between Jared and me, quietly turning small misunderstandings into conflicts and making sure our relationship never had a chance to grow stronger. I had tolerated it because I believed our bond was chosen by the Moon Goddess and would eventually overcome anything she tried to do. Now, after Jared had rejected me in front of the entire pack, I finally saw the satisfaction hidden beneath Carrie's worried expression. She had waited for this moment for a long time. And now that the bond between Jared and me was broken, she had finally found the opening she had been looking for. The disgust rising in my chest made me take a step back. I looked at Carrie coldly and said nothing. Carrie's eyes immediately turned red. "Annamarie... I was only trying to comfort you. Why are you looking at me like that?" Her voice trembled, loud enough for everyone around us to hear. The people nearby immediately looked at me with disapproval. "She rejected her sister's kindness?" "Carrie was only trying to help." "Maybe this is why Jared made his choice." The whispers grew louder. I stood there silently, watching the same people who had just witnessed my rejection now judge me for refusing Carrie's performance. She had always been good at this. Whenever she wanted something, she would put on that innocent, wounded expression and let everyone else see her as the kind, considerate sister while making me look cold and cruel. Over the years, she had used the same trick again and again, and somehow, I was always the one who ended up looking like the villain. Before I could respond, the Elder's voice sounded again. "Annamarie Whitmore, you must accept his rejection." I lowered my eyes, but before I could speak, I caught sight of Jared. His gaze was no longer on me. His eyes were fixed on Carrie, filled with a warmth I had never seen when he looked at me. The way he watched her made something inside me go completely still. I suddenly understood that his rejection was not only because I was wolfless. His heart had already turned toward someone else, and in his eyes, perhaps I was the one standing between him and the person he truly wanted. The last trace of hope I had for Jared disappeared completely. I had spent years believing that our bond meant we were meant to be together, yet at that moment, I felt as though I had become the person he blamed for standing in the way of his happiness. My fingers slowly loosened around the fabric of my dress. There was nothing left for me to hold on to. My voice was quiet but steady. "I, Annamarie Whitmore, accept your rejection." The moment I spoke those words, the final connection between Jared and me disappeared. Pain spread through my entire body. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, but I swallowed it. I refused to collapse in front of them and become the entertainment of this hall. Jared turned away from me and walked toward Carrie. The crowd surrounded them with congratulations and smiles. I stepped down from the dais and headed toward the exit. But before I could leave the hall, Cornelius appeared in front of me. Beside him stood a wealthy older man I had never seen before. My foster father's eyes fell on me with open greed, as if he were looking at a valuable possession that had finally become available. "Annamarie," Cornelius said, smiling. "Come here. I have someone you need to meet." I looked past him at the unfamiliar man standing beside him. The man's eyes lingered on me with undisguised interest, making my skin crawl. I understood instantly. This was the future Cornelius had prepared for me. In his eyes, I was no longer a daughter, but a resource that could be exchanged for his own benefit. The moment his hand reached for my arm, I stepped back and pulled away. "No." The smile on Cornelius's face faded. "Don't make this difficult, Annamarie." His voice was no longer gentle. "You should be grateful. After losing the future Alpha's protection, this is the only value you have left." His words cut deeper than I expected. I saw the greed in his eyes and the man's undisguised desire beside him. After everything that had happened tonight, after Jared had publicly rejected me, I refused to let another person decide my life and turn me into something they could control. When Cornelius reached for me again, I turned and ran. "Stop her!" The shout erupted behind me. Heavy footsteps followed immediately, closing the distance with every second. I lifted my dress and pushed through the crowd, ignoring the shocked voices around me. I didn't look back. I already knew what would happen if they caught me. I pushed through the side door and ran into the cold night. The Forbidden Forest was ahead. A place even Rogues avoided. But I no longer cared. If I stayed, I would become someone's possession. If I ran, at least my fate would still belong to me. I lifted my dress and disappeared into the darkness. Behind me, the people chasing me stopped at the edge of the forest. "Forget it. That woman is crazy. She actually ran into the Forbidden Forest." The footsteps behind me suddenly stopped. Their voices faded into the distance as the people chasing me finally gave up. "I'm not going in there to die." I kept running deeper into the Forbidden Forest. The trees closed around me, and the path behind me vanished completely. Branches scratched my skin, and roots caught my feet. My white dress became torn and stained with dirt and blood. My body grew weaker with every step, but I kept moving. Survival was the only thing left in my mind. I didn't know how long I ran before the sounds of the Blackwood Pack's celebration faded completely. The laughter, music, and cheers from the ceremony disappeared behind me, replaced by the silence of the forest and my own heavy breathing. Then a powerful scent reached me. Blood and a deep sandalwood scent mixed with something cold and dangerous. I stopped. A moment later, the sound of metal clashing echoed through the trees. I followed the sound and hid behind a massive oak tree. In the moonlit clearing, several figures surrounded a tall man. Their weapons reflected a silver glow. Silver blades, weapons designed to kill werewolves. The moment I saw them, I realized I had walked into an assassination. I wanted to leave, but my exhausted body refused to move. The man in the center noticed every attack before it reached him. He moved instantly, his strikes precise and powerful. One attacker after another fell before him, unable to resist. Then one of them was thrown through the air and crashed into the oak tree behind me. The impact forced me out of hiding and into the center of the clearing. The entire area fell silent. Every gaze turned toward me. Including his. Amber eyes locked onto mine. The man finished the remaining attacker within seconds before walking toward me. His expression remained cold as his gaze fell on my pale face and torn white dress. When he realized I was wolfless and had appeared in the middle of the Forbidden Forest during an assassination, a trace of disbelief flashed through his eyes. How could someone without a wolf appear in a place even ordinary werewolves avoided? His voice was low and powerful. "A wolfless?" He looked at me carefully. "Why are you here?" I wanted to answer and explain everything, but the rejection, betrayal, and fear I had endured finally overwhelmed me. My vision blurred, and my body lost its strength. Before darkness took over, I felt a pair of strong arms catch me, their touch cold and steady as they held me while I finally lost consciousness.

Cyrus Montgomery POV: I looked down at the woman lying unconscious in my arms. Her body was still trembling faintly from the effects of the Forbidden Forest. I could feel how little strength remained in her, yet the moment I held her closer, the oppressive energy surrounding us seemed to settle again. I remembered what had happened when she first appeared. The Forbidden Forest had been pressing against my Lycan ever since I entered its territory, restricting the full force of my power and making every movement more difficult. Then she stumbled into the clearing. The moment she appeared, I felt my strength return. The oppressive force weighing on my Lycan suddenly vanished, and my power surged freely through my body. The change was so sudden that I unleashed my full strength. Within moments, every threat surrounding me had been brought down. The forest fell unnaturally quiet, and the invisible restraint that had bound my Lycan was completely gone. But the same force that had reacted to her was now turning against her. The longer she remained in the Forbidden Forest, the more rapidly it drained the little energy left in her body. My eyes narrowed as I looked at her pale, weakened face. Whatever connection existed between her and me was clearly more complicated than I had first assumed. Yet the woman in my arms was becoming colder by the second. I had no intention of letting the answer disappear before I found it. I tightened my hold around her waist and felt her head shift against my chest. Her breathing was so faint that I could barely feel it. There was only one way to give her enough energy to survive. Marking her. My fingers brushed against her cold cheek before sliding down to her jaw. Her skin was softer than I expected. I lowered my head toward her neck, and a faint scent reached me. White tea and winter frost. Clean and delicate, with a cool sweetness beneath it. It did nothing to awaken my wolf, yet something about it eased the restless pressure building inside me. My canines extended, and I bit into the side of her neck. Her body arched faintly in my arms as my teeth pierced her skin. A soft sound escaped her lips, and warmth touched my tongue as my energy flowed through the mark. The connection opened. Her fear brushed against my mind first. I pushed more of my energy through the mark. Her trembling gradually eased beneath my arms. Her breathing steadied, and the coldness beneath my palm slowly disappeared. When I lifted my head, the fresh mark stood out against her pale skin. My gaze lingered there before returning to her face. Her lashes remained still, her lips slightly parted, completely unaware of what I had just done. A faint sound escaped her. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye. Before I could think, I lowered my head and brushed it away with the tip of my nose. Her skin was warm beneath the brief touch. I paused for a moment before lifting my head. Through the faint connection between us, I could feel that her life was no longer slipping away. The Forbidden Forest had gone quiet. Whatever secret this woman carried, I needed to uncover it. Footsteps sounded through the trees. Dax and the guards emerged from the darkness. I straightened, my expression returning to its usual coldness, and adjusted my clothes to cover the wound left by the silver blade. Dax stopped when he saw the unconscious woman in my arms. His eyes dropped to the fresh mark on her neck. Surprise flashed across his face before he lowered his gaze and knelt. "Alpha King. What are your orders?" "Clean everything. Leave no evidence behind." I glanced down at the woman in my arms. "As for her, she's my new attendant. That's all anyone needs to know." Dax hesitated for half a second before answering. "Yes, my King." I carried her to the black armored vehicle and settled her carefully against the seat. As Dax gave me his report, I finally learned her name. "Annamarie." The vehicle started moving. Her weakened body shifted with the motion, and her head fell against my shoulder. I looked down at her. She should have been pushed away. Instead, I let her remain there. Her hair brushed against my neck, carrying that same faint scent that had quieted the forest. Through the mark, I could feel the fragile rhythm of her breathing. For the first time tonight, my attention settled on the real problem. Her. The moment she entered the clearing, the Forbidden Forest had gone quiet, and the restriction on my Lycan had disappeared. Now, through the faint mark between us, I could still feel the strange energy moving around her. I needed to know why. That mystery mattered far more than the Elders' demands. Their voices came through the mental link again, pressing me about alliances, bloodlines, and the need for an Alpha King to have a mate. They wanted a political marriage. They wanted a Luna they could use to strengthen their influence. Fine. If they needed me to have a mate, I would give them one. My gaze dropped to the woman sleeping against me. She had restored my power simply by appearing, and now my mark was keeping her alive. Too many questions surrounded her. I would take her back to Bloodmoon Pack, not for the Elders, but because I needed to uncover the secret connecting her to me. Outside the window, the lights of Bloodmoon Pack drew closer. I looked down at her again, my gaze lingering on the fresh mark at her neck. For some reason, I found myself wanting to lean closer, drawn toward the warmth of her skin and the faint trace of her scent. I resisted the impulse and remained where I was, my eyes fixed on the mark I had left behind. Whatever she was, I had no intention of letting this mystery disappear before I uncovered the truth.

Annamarie Whitmore POV: I woke up in a bed so soft that my body sank into the mattress. Above me hung a crystal chandelier, its cold light reflecting across the unfamiliar room. The air carried a faint scent of sandalwood, deep and warm enough to make my body tense. I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling for several seconds before the memories returned all at once: Jared's rejection, my escape from Blackwood Pack, the Forbidden Forest, the assassins, and the cold, powerful man who had caught me just before I lost consciousness. This wasn't my room, and I was no longer in the Blackwood Pack. I sat up quickly, but a sharp pain shot through my neck. My hand immediately covered the injured area as I rushed toward the full-length mirror across the room. The moment I saw my reflection, my entire body froze. A dark bite mark stood out against the pale skin of my neck, unmistakably left by an Alpha. My fingers hovered over it as the memory of strong arms holding me in the forest surfaced again, along with the strange warmth that had spread through my body and pulled me back from the edge of death. My torn dress had been replaced with a clean silk nightgown, and the wounds from my escape through the forest had been carefully treated. Someone had saved me, but that realization did little to ease my uneasiness. I checked myself carefully, afraid of what I might find, yet aside from the mark on my neck and the injuries I already knew about, there were no other signs that anyone had harmed me. A small sense of relief finally surfaced beneath the fear, although the memory of that man's cold eyes still made my body instinctively tense. Before I could make sense of everything, a knock sounded at the door. I immediately stepped back as a man in a black suit entered. His presence was calm and powerful, carrying the distinct scent of a Beta. He stopped when he saw that I was awake, his expression unreadable as he gave me a slight nod. "Miss Whitmore. I am Dax, the Alpha's Beta. The Alpha ordered me to give you this once you woke up." He placed a black folder on the table between us. My fingers tightened as I opened it, and the title on the first page immediately caught my attention: Personal Attendant Service Agreement. I read through the contents slowly, and the more I read, the colder my expression became. The agreement required me to remain within Bloodmoon Pack territory, follow the Alpha's work arrangements, keep his affairs confidential, and obey the rules governing his personal attendant. In exchange, I would be given a place to live, medical care, food, and protection under the Alpha's authority. It was still a contract that restricted my freedom, but at least I wasn't being sold or forced into a mate bond. Still, I couldn't ignore the mark on my neck or the question of why a powerful Alpha had saved a wolfless woman he barely knew. My fingers tightened around the paper. "What is this? And what does the mark on my neck mean?" Dax's expression remained calm. "The Alpha marked you because your condition was critical. The mark allowed him to transfer his energy into your body and stabilize your life. It does not make you his mate." His explanation did little to ease my unease. I had spent years being treated as worthless, and now a stranger had marked me when I was at my most helpless. Even if the mark had saved my life, I still couldn't forget that feeling. I looked at Dax. "And if I refuse to sign?" He was silent for a moment before answering. "You are currently on Bloodmoon Pack territory. Without the Alpha's permission, you are considered an outsider. Until your identity and circumstances are clarified, leaving the territory without authorization would put you at risk. If you return to Blackwood Pack now, I doubt your situation will improve." His words struck the weakest part of me. There was no family waiting for me, no pack willing to protect me, and no safe place I could return to. Cornelius had already decided to trade me away after Jared rejected me. Going back would mean walking straight into the same fate I had just escaped. I lowered my eyes to the contract and took a slow breath. Survival came first. I didn't know why the Alpha had saved me or why he wanted me to stay, but at least this agreement gave me a safe place to live. As long as I stayed alive, I could find a way out. I picked up the pen Dax offered and signed the bottom of the contract. Annamarie Whitmore. Dax took the document back and gave a brief nod. "Good. Follow me. I'll show you where you'll be staying." I followed him out of the luxurious guest room and through the cold, modern corridors of the building. We passed several guarded areas before entering a staff elevator that carried us downward. With every floor we descended, the expensive surroundings slowly disappeared, and I realized that the guest room had been nothing more than a temporary place for me to recover. When the elevator finally stopped, Dax led me through a quieter corridor and stopped in front of a narrow room. Inside was a single bed, a wardrobe, a small desk, and one narrow window. Compared with the luxurious guest room upstairs, it felt plain and almost cramped, but everything was clean and functional. Dax handed me a key card and looked at me seriously. "This is your room. Your duties begin tomorrow. The Alpha's schedule will be sent to your terminal. If you need medical assistance or anything related to your work, contact the staff on this floor. Remember that you are now an attendant of the Bloodmoon Pack." He turned and left without another word. I stood alone in the small room for several seconds before slowly walking toward the window. The view outside wasn't the city skyline I had seen from the guest room. Instead, I could only see the cold, empty wall of another building. I rested my hand against the glass, suddenly aware of how far I was from everything I had once known. Then my fingers moved unconsciously to the mark on my neck. A faint warmth spread beneath my fingertips. My breath caught. For a brief moment, I remembered the forest again. The strong arms around me. The steady heartbeat beneath my cheek. The warmth that had flowed through my body when I was certain I was going to die. I quickly pulled my hand away and forced myself to look at the contract still resting on the desk. That man had saved me, but I couldn't assume he had done it out of kindness. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the unfamiliar room. I had escaped Jared's rejection and Cornelius's plan to sell me, only to end up under the control of another powerful man. I still didn't know why he had saved me or why he wanted me to stay. But he could have left me to die in the forest. He hadn't. For now, that was enough. I was alive, and as long as I was alive, I still had a chance to change my fate. Yet when I closed my eyes, I could still remember his arms around me in the forest, the steady beat of his heart beneath my cheek, and the warmth that had pulled me back from the darkness. I didn't understand why I couldn't forget it.