I was eight years old when I was taken in by the Wagner family, becoming Eren Wagner’s chosen mate. He told me he needed to focus on his training, promising that once he ascended to his rightful role as Beta, he would formally mark me as his mate. I waited for that promise, year after year, for a decade. But Eren always had an excuse—his duties in the Silver Fang Pack kept him too busy, he said. I traveled to the city to find him, and Eren entrusted me to his close friend, a notorious Alpha named Wayne Kelley, with the words, “I’m at a critical point in my career. Don’t interfere.”
Then came the day the Lycan Prince, Massimo Bishop, arranged a mate bond for Eren with another Beta, Amora Morrison. I was twenty years old by then, an unmated Omega in the eyes of the pack. Eren handed me a stack of cash, calling it compensation. “Lilian,” he said, “we can’t be together anymore. It’s better if we part ways.”
I sighed softly, pulling the curtains closed to hide the sight of Wayne Kelley, bare-shouldered and lounging in my bed. Well, at least Eren wouldn’t have to worry about his friend’s loyalty anymore.
---
Finally, I was going to see Eren again. I clutched my bundle of belongings, my heart pounding. The pack members had warned me—Eren was now a high-ranking Beta, a rising star in the pack. He wouldn’t want me anymore. But I refused to believe it. I had been taken in by his family at eight, raised as his chosen mate. He had taught me to read and write, promising to mark me once he ascended. Even if he didn’t want me, I needed to see him, to hear it from his lips. I had waited ten years, while others my age were already raising pups. I couldn’t remember my original family—Eren was my only anchor in this world. I clung to him like a drowning woman to a lifeline.
As I stood there, lost in thought, I spotted a tall, lean figure approaching. My heart leaped. Eren looked different now, no longer the boy from our humble beginnings. He wore tailored clothes, his demeanor refined and commanding. He still stood out in a crowd, as striking as ever. “Eren!” I called out, my voice filled with joy.
But Eren’s expression darkened. He glanced around, as if afraid someone might see us. He strode over, his height forcing me to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. “Why are you here?” he asked, his voice cold. He didn’t even ask if I was tired from the journey.
I bit my lip, my confidence waning. He was a Beta, a man I had always admired. “The house back home collapsed,” I murmured. “I came to see you.” What I really wanted to say was, “I came to ask when you’ll mark me as your mate.” But the words stuck in my throat.
Eren’s frown deepened. Another man approached, dressed in fine clothes, and greeted Eren with a respectful nod. “Eren, who’s this?” he asked, glancing at me.
Before I could answer, Eren spoke first. “A distant relative.” The man gave me a cursory look, then turned back to Eren. “Don’t forget—the pack meeting tonight at the Moonlit Tavern. Don’t be late.”
Eren nodded. “I’ll be there.”
A distant relative? I blinked, my heart sinking. I wanted to ask about the Moonlit Tavern, but Eren’s piercing gaze silenced me. He had always been decisive. After his father passed, Eren had supported us both by taking on odd jobs. He had raised me, and I had always deferred to him. Even when I started baking to contribute, I never felt equal to him.
I pulled out a box of pastries I’d saved for him. “Eren, I brought your favorite peach cakes.” I hadn’t eaten all day, but I didn’t dare touch them.
Eren pushed the box back into my bag, his tone icy. “I’ll take you to someone who can look after you for now.”
I froze. “W-why?”
“I don’t have a place of my own yet,” he said curtly. “I can’t take you in.”
I didn’t argue, afraid he’d see me as a burden. But when I met his “friend,” my stomach churned. Wayne Kelley was everything Eren wasn’t—flamboyant, confident, and unnervingly attractive. He wore a deep blue shirt, a silver pendant at his neck, and his hair fell in careless waves. His scent carried a faint, earthy tone, like a walking temptation. He was the kind of man mothers warned their daughters about.
“Lilian,” Eren said, “this is Wayne Kelley, the Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack. He’s agreed to look after you for now.”
I grabbed Eren’s sleeve, desperate not to be left with this man. Eren sighed, prying my fingers loose. “I’m at a critical point in my career. Don’t interfere. Wayne’s a good man. You’ll be safe with him.”
Wayne chuckled, his voice dripping with amusement. “Oh, I’m a very good man. Especially when it comes to taking care of women.”
In that moment, I couldn’t help but think of the man who had taken me in all those years ago. He, too, had called himself a “good man.”
