Chapter 1

"Hannah, I need you to fake a private plane crash for me. So I can leave Julian Wright for good."

At my request, Hannah's jaw nearly hit the floor. She doubted her own ears—just like when she'd first heard we were getting married.

A lone wolf wandering the mountains and the heir to the ancient pure-blood Blackthorn Pack—two people from completely different worlds. No one could have imagined we'd end up together.

The Blackthorn Pack was one of the oldest pure-blood wolf lines on the continent. Every member could perfectly control their shift between wolf and human form, their bloodline so pure that under the full moon, their fur displayed an almost jet-black sheen.

And me? A defective lone wolf who couldn't even complete a full shift. In wolf society, my status ranked lower than even the omegas of ordinary packs.

People had talked endlessly. Some speculated Julian was just looking for novelty. Others guessed he pined for some unattainable first love, and I was merely a substitute. Still others bet he'd married me on a dare.

But over three years of marriage, Julian proved through his actions that there was only one reason for our union: he loved me. Loved me to the point of madness.

Back then, Julian had fallen for me at first sight and immediately launched an aggressive pursuit.

Beyond showering me with gifts, he donated billions to national charities in my name. He built training academies across the country, all named "Collins Academy," dedicated to training defective wolves like me—those without pack protection who couldn't fully shift.

He wanted every wolf in the world to know me, to be grateful to me, so that if I ever faced trouble, someone would reach out to help me wherever I went.

To spend more time with me, this pure-blood Alpha who could complete his shift in three seconds forced himself to work part-time jobs alongside me for two years.

Food service, handing out flyers, sorting packages... Those hands that could tear apart prey in wolf form became callused.

With that kind of devotion, he finally won me over. But the vast gap in our bloodlines meant the Blackthorn Pack adamantly opposed our union. In wolf tradition, a pure-blood Alpha bonding with a defective lone wolf was seen as a stain on the bloodline.

To gain approval from the Pack Alpha and the Council of Elders, he endured pack law sixteen times. Blackthorn pack law was brutal and ancient—on the night of the full moon in the hunting grounds, three elder wolves would lash his wolf form with silver whips. Each strike negated the self-healing ability wolves took such pride in, leaving permanent scars.

I'll never forget that night. Moonlight pooled like water as Julian shifted into a massive black wolf under the pack's watchful eyes, his amber gaze fixed steadily on me. The silver whip fell, accompanied by heart-wrenching howls, blood staining the moonlit grass.

When that proved useless, he did something that shocked the entire wolf community—before the Moon Temple, he sliced open his wrist and swore a blood oath, renouncing all inheritance rights to the Blackthorn Pack to establish his own line.

Once a wolf's blood oath was sworn, it could never be revoked. Those who broke it would lose the Moon Goddess's protection and never find peace.

Wolves in our circles thought he'd lost his mind—such a shrewd Alpha, now giving up everything an ancient pack offered for a defective lone wolf.

The Blackthorn Pack had no choice but to acknowledge our bond at the marking ceremony.

After the ceremony, he replaced all his staff with males.

Though I'd never asked, he still reported his schedule meticulously, even giving up the pack's full moon hunts to stay home with me, unable to fully shift as I was.

But no one except me knew that this perfect Alpha had fathered twin cubs with another she-wolf behind my back, building an entire other family.

When I discovered this, the heartbreak made me vomit blood and pass out.

Hearing the news, Julian abandoned a multi-billion dollar deal and rushed home, caring for me around the clock for two days.

When I woke, he sat by the bed, his amber eyes flashing blood-red from extreme worry—the sign of a wolf losing control, about to lose all reason.

"You're awake? You scared me to death." He pressed my hand to his face, his voice hoarse like a growl from a wolf's throat.

He'd once faced a gun to his head during negotiations without flinching, but hearing I'd coughed up blood, he'd nearly lost control of his shift.

Looking into his eyes full of concern, my heart felt torn apart. Eyes couldn't lie about love—he truly loved me. But had this man, so genuine and sincere, said the same sweet words to Nina?

Nina Potter. His adopted sister. His affair.

I closed my eyes as tears soaked the pillow.

Julian didn't see my tears. Thinking I was tired, he said, "Lydia, the healer says you're two months pregnant! We're having our own cub!"

Normally cold and reserved, he was now as excited as a young pup. "Five days from now is our marking ceremony anniversary, and now you're pregnant—double the joy!"

My eyes flew open.

As a child, my father had kicked me into an icy river where I'd nearly drowned, damaging my foundation. The wolf healing ability didn't work on me. Many healers had said I'd struggle to bear cubs in this lifetime.

In wolf society, inability to reproduce was a tremendous shame. The Blackthorn Pack's Alpha and Luna were extremely displeased with me because of it.

But Julian wouldn't let anyone make things difficult for me. He said coldly, "Lydia is the one I love. That she's willing to be with me is my fortune. If you hurt her over cubs, we'll sever ties."

I stroked my belly, sobbing. This child—why did it have to come at such a terrible time!

Julian held me, gently soothing. "Why the sudden tears? Who upset you?"

But in that moment, my sharp wolf senses caught an unfamiliar perfume on him, mixed with the sweet scent of infant formula—every wolf cub had a unique milk-scent, and this was the smell of Nina's children.

I shoved him away and leaned over the bed, retching.

Julian thought it was morning sickness and instinctively raised his hands to catch it, not caring at all.

He had severe germaphobia, yet he'd do this for me. He personally washed every piece of my clothing and shoes.

He'd given me three years of wholehearted love. And I'd done the same. I truly couldn't leave him anymore.

In that moment, I even considered abandoning my principles—as long as Julian would end things with Nina, we could be like before.

But the next moment, he received a message and hurried away, saying work needed him.

Half an hour later, I received photos from Nina.

In them, Julian held the twin cubs, lowering his head to kiss their foreheads.

Those two children had the Blackthorn Pack's distinctive dark brown hair and amber eyes. Around their necks hung crescent-shaped silver talismans—bloodline marks personally bestowed by the Pack Alpha when cubs reached their full moon. Only legitimate descendants recognized by the pack could wear them.

That photo shattered all my illusions.

After leaving the hospital, I went to find Hannah and asked her to fake a plane crash.

Because I knew Julian—he would never agree to divorce, never let me go. Once I suggested separating, this Blackthorn wolf would completely lose control.

He would go insane.