Chapter 2

Alpha Ryan and I arrived—one after the other—at the place where we had once formed our bond.

Dressed in shabby, outdated clothes, I stood beside him in his impeccably tailored black suit, the contrast between us jarring enough to draw curious, judgmental glances from the onlookers. But I didn’t care. I just wanted to remove the bond between us.

It took less than ten minutes. In front of the Moon Goddess statue, we completed the ritual to dissolve our bond. Just like that, the heavy weight we’d carried was lifted, the connection severed.

As the remnants of the link between us slowly quieted, a strange daze washed over me.

Then came the pain—sharp, searing, both physical and mental. It felt as if a part of my soul had been violently torn away.

The Wolf inside me howled in anguish.

“Take care of yourself.”

A cold voice drifted from beside me. By the time I looked up, Alpha Ryan was already gone—vanished without a word, without a backward glance. As if the pain of breaking the bond meant absolutely nothing to him.

Fine.

I let out a short laugh and shook my head. As I stepped outside the ritual grounds, I noticed a commotion up ahead—a crowd gathering around someone who had apparently collapsed, coughing up blood.

Alpha Ryan?

Maybe. Maybe not. It didn’t matter anymore. From now on, if we crossed paths, we’d be nothing but strangers.

I pushed the thought aside and walked toward the roadside. The pain had already begun to fade. The Wolf was quiet again.

That’s when a long, sleek black Lincoln—limited edition—pulled up in front of me. On the side gleamed the silver insignia of the White Tree Pack.

I reached down and gently brushed my fingers over the bracelet on my wrist, then stood still.

The door opened.

A silver-haired middle-aged man stepped out, flanked by four bodyguards. When I saw his face clearly, I lifted my chin ever so slightly. In that moment, the noble blood running through me surfaced like muscle memory, unbidden and undeniable.

“Father really has eyes and ears everywhere,” I said quietly, my voice laced with irony. “I barely finished breaking the bond with Alpha Ryan, and you’ve already come knocking.”

Tate, the butler, offered a courteous smile as he bowed deeply. The Beta mark at the back of his neck shimmered with a dull gray light. When he straightened, he spoke with respectful precision.

“Miss Smith, the three-year period agreed upon between you and Alpha Carl has come due.”

He paused, eyes flicking to the side of my neck—where the mate mark had nearly faded.

With a hint of feigned regret, he added, “It seems the one chosen by the Moon Goddess never learned to love you. In that case, it’s time to fulfill your promise and return to New York… to take your rightful place.”

I frowned, silent for a long while.

I was fifteen when I first manifested as a white wolf—an event that should have been cause for celebration. Instead, it marked the beginning of my nightmare. I was hunted, my memory stolen, and I ended up in a Swiss orphanage. Years later, after I saved the aging Alpha of the Brown Moon Pack by sheer chance, he took me in.

It wasn’t until my coming-of-age ceremony that Alpha Ryan was forced to accept the mate bond with me.

But on the night of our bonding ceremony, something happened. Something small—but life-changing. I regained my memory.

Ironic, isn’t it? All I could care about was Alpha Ryan—who never loved me a little bit. I turned down Tate’s offer to return and made that foolish three-year agreement with my father instead.

Looking back now, I let out a bitter smile.

I had been so naïve… believing that whatever the Moon Goddess decided must be for the best.

“Alpha Carl misses you deeply, Miss Smith,” Tate said gently. “Please come back with me. Don’t stay angry at him—he—”

“Tate.”

I cut him off.

Just hearing the name pulled old memories to the surface, turning my voice colder by the second.

“He has that woman by his side. The White Tree Pack doesn’t need me—and I certainly have no interest in going back. I still have unfinished business here in Switzerland.”

My eyes narrowed, gaze fixed on the horizon.

For years, I’d been quietly investigating the truth behind my exile. The trail was long, but pieces had begun falling into place. I just needed absolute certainty—enough to strike when the time was right. But one thing I knew for sure: if I returned now, I may walk right into the lion’s den. The enemies lurking in the shadows… and her…

Tate studied my expression, which had grown distant and cold. After a beat, he sighed.

“So Alpha Carl was right. You still resent him. That’s why you refuse to come back.”

He spoke when he respectfully produced a sleek, jet-black Supreme credit card.

“This is your prepaid card. The 30 billion dollars on it—untouched.”

Then he gave a subtle wave to the bodyguard behind him. In an instant, a brand-new contract was placed in my hands.

“Alpha Carl’s instructions are clear,” he continued. “You’re free to stay here for now. But you must take over operations at the Anything branch of the White Tree Pack in Switzerland. And this year’s profit must exceed last year’s by at least five percent.”

He paused, then added coolly,

“Of course, you can decline. But if you do, the Brown Moon Pack may suffer the consequences.”

I clenched my jaw, fury simmering beneath the surface.

Before the old Alpha of Brown Moon Pack passed away, I made a promise to him—I swore I’d protect the Pack in his absence. I can’t allow anything to happen to them.

My father clearly knew my weakness. Yet this time, he didn’t use it to force me home. Instead, he was determined to make me take over the branch company of our family business.

What was he really after?

“Fine,” I said coldly. “Let him have it his way.”

I took the pen and signed my name with sweeping, elegant strokes. I also accepted the Supreme card loaded with 30 billion dollars.

As I looked down at the card—its matte black surface shimmering faintly with gold undertones—I couldn’t help but let out a quiet, ironic laugh.

Just minutes ago, I had ten bucks to my name—barely enough for a cab ride.

And now?

Is this what they call getting rich overnight… in disguise?

Because of the contract I’d signed with my father, my original prepaid account had been frozen. He’d also imposed a condition: I was forbidden from revealing my true identity—the Alpha’s daughter of the White Tree Pack, and the White Wolf of the Moon Temple. Any disclosure would be considered a breach of contract.

People like Mrs. Grant and Lena—shallow social climbers who worship the rich and belittle the poor—never gave me the time of day.

I wonder what faces they’d make if they found out I was Fiona Smith, heiress to the largest Pack in the north, the beloved little princess of the White Tree tribe, the White Wolf… and a billionaire in her own right.

I remember, back when I hadn’t yet recovered my memories, I had a close friend from the orphanage who was on the brink of death. Desperate, I knelt and begged Mrs. Grant to lend me some money.

She sneered and pulled out a platinum card—not to help, but to show off.

“Guess how much is on this card?” she said. “One million dollars. Bet you’ve never seen that much in your life.”

Then she smiled coldly.

“I would rather throw it into the river than give you a single cent. Your pathetic friends? In my eyes, they’re worth less than a mutt. A bunch of dirty, broke little Rogue.”

I curled my fingers into fists, the memory biting at me. A flicker of cold amusement passed through my eyes.

Someday, I will make people like her pay. I’ll make them choke on every smug word they’ve ever said.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, someone grabbed my arm from behind.

I turned around—to find Mrs. Grant.

She stood there, chin lifted high, eyes full of contempt. Behind her trailed a few other Pack ladies, all dripping in designer bags and fresh from a shopping spree.

I slipped the black card into my purse without flinching and said flatly,

“What do you want?”

She blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting such a cold tone. She was used to me flinching at the mere sight of her.

“Who said you could come out and embarrass us?” she snapped. “Is your work done? Is lunch ready? If my son Ryan goes hungry, you’ll pay for it!”

“And what are you even wearing? You’ve been Luna of the Brown Moon Pack for years and you are still reek of poverty. Absolutely disgraceful! Get out of my sight. Now.”

“I’m the embarrassment?”

I let out a short, humorless laugh.

“Since the day I arrived, you drove out every servant in the manor, forced me to quit my job, and made me wait on you and Alpha Ryan like some kind of obedient Luna. I did it all. And still, you weren’t satisfied.”

“You accused me of stealing your jewelry—just so you could seize the shares the old Alpha left me. You made me kneel in the pouring rain for hours as punishment. Have you forgotten all that?”

The ladies behind her gasped softly. They had known she wasn’t kind—but not that she was cruel.

Sensing the tension rising, the other women awkwardly excused themselves and began slipping away.

“Don’t you dare spread lies—” she began, but I cut her off, my voice steady and unrelenting.

“Lies? You know I’m telling the truth.”

I lifted my chin, gazing sharply as a blade.

“I tolerated you before out of respect—because you’re Alpha Ryan’s mother. But if you dare cross me again…”

A slow, icy smile spread across my face.

“I’ll collect every last debt. With interest.”

⸻