Chapter 2

• Ruth's Point Of View
• It was too late. Moira's high heels mercilessly crushed the flowers I had prepared for my parents. One by one, each bloom was stomped into the ground, completely ruined.
• "This is the price for disrespecting me," Luna Moira said and smirked with satisfaction. I knew she always took pleasure in breaking my heart.
• "Clean up yourself and this mess, the Alpha of Irontusk pack and your brother are waiting for you." With that, Moira turned and left the dressing room with a victorious air.
• I stared at the destroyed flowers, furious to the point of tears.
• "How could she treat me like this! How dare she!"
• "Ruth, everything will be okay," Eleanor said softly, already crying. But her words felt hollow.
• I didn’t want to believe Silas would do this to me, but reality didn’t care what I believed.
• "No one is going to protect us now. We have to depend on ourselves," I said, wiping away my tears and helping Eleanor to her feet.
• "What are you going to do, Ruth? Please don’t do anything reckless,” she said, her eyes full of worry.
• I glanced in the direction of the closet, sneering as I spoke, "Don't worry. I'm not stupid, but I won’t let them control me, either.”
• As the banquet time approached, I walked to the venue with a cold expression. I had put on heavy makeup, dark circles around my eyes, my hair messily piled on top of my head, and dark green lipstick that made me look poisoned.
• God knows how long I searched the closet to find a pair of fishnet stockings. I even hid a small dagger in my boots. If that old man from the Irontusk pack dared to lay a hand on me, I would stab him without hesitation.
• Just as I was about to step into the banquet hall, someone grabbed my arm, making me jump.
• "Ruth, have you lost your mind? What are you trying to do dressed like this?" The person grabbing me was Silas, and he angrily pulled me into a corner.
• "Hey, you're hurting me!" I shouted, trying to shake free. His grip was so strong that my wrist turned red immediately.
• "I know you want to ruin the party tonight, but I'm warning you, you'd better behave." Silas lowered his voice. "I’ve already arranged the marriage, and there will be no changes. Don't think about causing trouble. Now go back to your room, wipe off that ridiculous makeup, and then I will personally take you to meet the Alpha of the Irontusk pack. Do you understand?"
• When I heard Silas' words, I felt like my blood had frozen. This was actually his decision!
• "There's no way I'm going to take my makeup off and meet that person!" I yelled at Silas angrily.
• "Shut up!" Silas snapped, then slapped me hard across the face.
• I fell to the ground, my mind going blank. Since I was a child, Silas had never hurt me.
• I saw Silas wave his hand, and two guards came in from outside. He ordered, "Take off her makeup! And get someone to redo it properly."
• The two guards immediately obeyed, grabbing my wrists and lifting me off the ground.
• I struggled with all my strength, but the guards were too strong. I lowered my head and bit one of them on the arm as hard as I could. The man cried out in pain and let go. I took the chance to run.
• Silas yelled behind me, "You brat! Bring her back to me!"
• I tried to run forward, silently shedding tears. Tears fell to the corners of my mouth, which Silas had injured, and I twitched in pain.
• The man who had just hurt me was no longer my brother, Silas. Now, he was just Moira's mate, the respected Alpha of the Frostscarred pack.
• There were no lights in the corridor on the second floor, so I ran using memory alone, all the while hearing the sound of footsteps chasing me.
• Silas's men were closing in, and I couldn’t let them catch me.
• Just as I was about to go downstairs, I heard one of the guards sneer behind me, "Where are you going to run to?"
• We were about to be caught.
• I froze in my tracks, closed my eyes, and waited for judgment.
• When I was panicking, someone grabbed my wrist, and a faint, cold fragrance reached my nose. Then, a pleasant male voice sounded. "Follow me."
• I didn’t resist. I followed the man without hesitation. I didn’t know why, but he made me feel safe.
• Eventually, he led me to an open space. The guards were gone; we had lost them.
• "Thank you," I said. In the dim moonlight, I looked up at the man who rescued me. His beautiful blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight.
• "You're welcome. It's just a piece of cake," he said with a small smile. His brown eyes were charming, and there was a blue stubble on his chin. The collar of his shirt was slightly open, revealing a hint of muscle, which made him look rugged and strong.
• But he looked at me as if he were looking at prey, which made me a little nervous, and my heart was beating violently.
• Lunette started to howl softly. The man’s scent was addictive. It was the smell of cashmere fabric that had been exposed to the sun all day in the summer, mixed with the smell of fir resin.
• I had never felt anything like this before. What was happening to me?
• I stepped back, trying to distance myself from him.
• He stepped closer, leaned in a little, and asked, "Are you okay?"
• I tried to stay calm. "I'm fine. Did it delay your work?"
• "I'm glad you're safe. You really shouldn't go to such an awful dinner," he said, smiling again.
• I looked at his profile and couldn't remember at all which pack's Alpha he was. Had he attended the Alpha meeting this morning?
• But he seemed very unhappy with the dinner. Of course, I also thought the dinner was terrible, so I asked curiously, "Why do you say that?"
• "The Alpha of the Frostscarred pack doesn't seem to be very smart. He actually chose a woman like this as Luna. It's ridiculous," he said, a mocking smile tugging at his lips.
• I frowned at his insult toward Silas, squinted at him, and said, "Are you secretly in love with Luna Moira? You slandered Frostscarred's Alpha because she rejected you."
• The man turned his head and looked at me, that same smirk still on his face. "What nonsense are you talking about? I was the one who rejected her. Silas is just her second choice. Believe it or not, if I go down and tell her that I want her now, she'll run away with me immediately."
• I burst out laughing. "Oh my god, I didn't realize you were so full of yourself."
• I could still smell his scent as he held my waist, and I felt the blood in my veins start to boil again.
• His warm breath was suddenly at my ear.
• "I'll prove it to you."
• This was the last sentence he said to me because the next second, he kissed me.
• The man's scent instantly filled all my senses, and when his tongue invaded me, I couldn't control myself and responded to him eagerly.
• Lunette, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke, "Mate."