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Because I'm a scentless wolf, I can never find my fated mate. My bestie Lydia, claiming she fears I'll be deceived and betrayed, subjects every wolf who approaches me to a "love test." She seduces my suitors in every way possible, then sends me photos of them together after sleeping with them. "See? He can't be faithful to you at all. Don't let him fool you," she always tells me. I always believed her persuasion. After enduring twenty disastrous and short-lived relationships, I finally agreed to the arranged marriage my father set up for me, becoming the mate of Alpha Damon. And Lydia never stopped her testing. In my past life, I discovered Damon and Lydia's betrayal after our marriage, and was ultimately pushed off a cliff by Lydia to my death. The Moon Goddess granted me rebirth, bringing me back to right after the mating ceremony. This time, I will have my revenge. Today is my mating ceremony with Damon Blackwood, the Alpha heir of the Blackwood pack. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light as I stand in the corner wearing a silver gown, watching Damon and Father discuss future cooperation between our two packs. My thoughts are tangled, planning how to break the bond with Damon. I've been reborn. And in my past life, the ones who killed me were my mate Damon and my best friend Lydia. "Selene!" A saccharine voice interrupts my thoughts. Lydia sashays toward Damon holding half a slice of chocolate cake, her slender waist swaying with each step. She's wearing a pink dress tonight, looking like the picture of innocent girlhood. "Damon," she bats those big eyes of hers, "this cake is too sweet for me. I can't finish it. Could you help me eat it?" I know this expression all too well. In my past life, she used this exact look to steal my suitors one after another. Every time she claimed she was just "testing them for me," and those foolish wolves believed her lies. I set down my wine glass. "Lydia, enough." She freezes for a second, turning to look at me, a flash of panic in her eyes. But quickly, she recovers that wounded expression, pouting. "Selene, why are you being so mean? I'm just helping you test your future alpha mate's character. Why are you getting so worked up?" "We've been best friends for over ten years," her voice carries a tremor, "you don't think I'm interested in him, do you?" If I were my old self, I might have actually believed her. But I've been reborn. I take the cake from her hands and, under her shocked gaze, smash it hard into her face. Chocolate frosting instantly covers her delicate makeup. "What right do you have to test anyone's character?" "I bet you've not only set your sights on my Alpha mate, you've already planned how to climb into his bed!" Lydia's face flushes crimson. She wipes the cake from her face with trembling hands, shrieking, "Selene! How could you do this to me!" The guests around us stop their conversations, all eyes turning toward us. "If I hadn't helped you drive away those twenty exes all these years, would you even have the chance to marry Damon?!" Lydia's tears mix with chocolate sauce running down her face, making her look even more pitiful. Damon's brow furrows. I see a flash of displeasure in his amber eyes. I know what he's thinking—no alpha wants his luna to have had too many previous partners. But this time, I won't explain or try to please him like I did in my past life. I smile, my gaze fixed directly on Lydia. "Those 'exes' of mine? You probably know them far more intimately. After all, you felt each of them in your bed." Lydia's eyes instantly redden. She bites her lip, looking at Damon with pitiful innocence. "I didn't... Damon, I've had a curfew since childhood. How could I possibly do such things..." "I've never even had a boyfriend..." Her voice grows smaller and smaller. What a perfectly innocent victim. I stand to leave this hypocritical gathering, but Damon grabs my wrist. His hand is large, his grip heavy, clamping around me like an iron shackle. "Selene," his voice is low, carrying an alpha's pressure, "Lydia means well. Let this go. She's just joking." Those words pierce my heart like silver needles, twisting viciously. Because in my past life, every one of my so-called suitors said the exact same thing. "She's just concerned about you." "Don't overthink it." And then what? Then they climbed into Lydia's bed one after another, betraying me when I needed them most. And Lydia would innocently say each time, "I didn't want to, but he was so aggressive, I couldn't refuse..." I wrench my hand free, staring at him coldly. Damon is the future alpha of the Blackwood pack—hands0me, powerful, and proud. But right now, he's blinded by Lydia's pitiful act, just like all those foolish wolves in my past life. "Since you trust her so much," I say, my voice terrifyingly calm, "let's see who the real liar is." A gleam of triumph flashes in the depths of Lydia's eyes. She won. At least, that's what she thinks. But she doesn't know that in this life, I hold her fate in my hands. Damon thought he'd resolved our conflict and quickly left with the other wolves to discuss business. Lydia sat down beside me like she'd just won a battle, deliberately dropping a moonstone pendant on the table with a loud "thunk." It was crafted from rare moonstone ore—supposedly only three existed in all of North America. The surrounding wolves immediately erupted in gasps: "Oh my god! Lydia! You actually have that pendant!" "That's the Bloodmoon Pack Alpha's heirloom. Does this mean you're..." Lydia clearly hadn't expected this thing to have such significance. She covered her panic poorly: "It's nothing. My family has plenty of these." I nearly laughed out loud. This was clearly my mother's possession—proof of her status as Bloodmoon Pack Luna. How did it end up in Lydia's hands? In my past life, she'd stolen my mother's jewelry to rent out to other she-wolves for profit. This pendant probably came the same way. One of the girls looked between me and Lydia suspiciously: "But... isn't Selene an only child? If the real heirloom is with Lydia, then Selene must be..." She paused, her tone suggestive: "Could it be true what they say outside—that Selene is just an adopted daughter?" Another immediately chimed in: "Right, I heard Bloodmoon Pack adopted their fallen Beta's daughter out of gratitude and treated her like their own. Looks like that's Selene." "Giving up both the birthright and mate to someone else out of gratitude—isn't that strange?" "I think Lydia and Alpha Damon are a better match!" Lydia's expression shifted. She knew I was Bloodmoon Pack's true heir, but clearly hadn't expected these people to take me for the adopted one. Damon returned just then and heard that last comment. His face darkened. As an alpha's son, he couldn't tolerate having his future mate's bloodline questioned. I pulled out my phone, leisurely scrolling through the pack's internal forum: "Hmm, this pendant... I think I've seen it in several different packs." I paused deliberately, looking at Lydia: "But they all claim on their profiles to be from Bloodmoon Pack... Don't tell me you're all taking turns renting these pendants?" Lydia's face flushed red then white—she clearly hadn't expected me to expose her so directly. The old me had been foolishly trusting and would never have called her out publicly. But things were different now. The surrounding girls' expressions changed. Seeing Damon's face darken as well, Lydia flew into an embarrassed rage and snatched a silver knife from a server—originally meant for cutting food. She stabbed at the pendant frantically. "This IS mine! How dare you slander me! My possession—I'll destroy it if I want to!" The entire room gasped. That was a moonstone pendant worth a fortune. Because only silver could corrode moonstone ore, she'd actually ruined it. Clearly, she didn't know this and thought she'd only leave a few scratches. I clicked my tongue: "Enjoyed that stabbing? Figured out how you'll explain this to my mother?" The moment I finished speaking, Lydia's hand trembled and the knife sliced her finger. Blood welled up. She shrieked in pain, looking at me with teary eyes: "Selene, if this makes you happy..." Hearing that, Damon abandoned his suspicions entirely, his face full of concern as he led her toward the exit, ordering me in passing: "To the hospital. After Lydia's bandaged up, you'll apologize to her!" Seeing me standing still, he grew even more furious: "Selene! Lydia is your sister! How can you treat her so rudely? Don't act shamelessly like rogues!" "You're about to become Blackwood Pack's Luna. I'm doing this to protect the pack's honor! Blackwood Pack doesn't need a shameless Luna like you! I'll report this to the Council of Elders. If you don't repent, you'll face the consequences!" He helped Lydia into the passenger seat and drove off with a roar of the engine. I stood at the entrance, watching the taillights disappear into the night, a cold smile curving my lips. Repent? Fine. I'd like to see who should really be repenting when I laid the truth bare. I didn't rush back. Instead, I took my time browsing through the mall, picking out a few new outfits. It lifted my spirits considerably. By the time I returned to the Blackwood Pack territory, evening had fallen. The last rays of sunset streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the living room in a warm golden glow. But the moment I pushed open the door, that warmth plummeted to freezing. Lydia was curled up on the living room sofa, looking perfectly at home. She'd changed into loungewear—my sleepwear, the robe I'd just bought last week. She clutched a throw pillow, a few golden strands falling lazily over her shoulders. The picture of ease, as if she were the lady of the house. Seeing me, she rubbed her temples and said sweetly, "Selene, Damon said I could stay here for a while. You don't mind, do you?" I set my shopping bags by the door. "Your curfew's been lifted?" Her expression froze for an instant, but she quickly recovered. "Yes, my father said I'm grown now. I should have more freedom." "Interesting." I smiled. "Last night you said you've had a curfew since childhood, couldn't go out at night. Today it's suddenly lifted? Your father's timing is impeccable." Lydia's face flushed slightly. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, Damon's voice cut in from behind. "Selene! Why are you here again?" I turned. He stood at the foot of the stairs, fury written across his face. Those amber eyes stared at me coldly, as if I were the unreasonable one. "If you hadn't frightened her, she wouldn't have gotten hurt!" he continued, his voice laced with undeniable accusation. I raised an eyebrow. "I frightened her?" "Last night you smashed that cake in her face. She was so traumatized she couldn't sleep all night, and this morning she was so dizzy she nearly fell down the stairs!" Damon descended the stairs, each step feeling like it landed on my heart. "She'll be staying here to recover, and since you're responsible, you'll personally take care of her!" If I stayed here, I'd be playing maid to this master manipulator? Not happening. I picked up my handbag and headed for the door. "Fine then. I won't disturb you two. I'll go back to the Bloodmoon Pack." "You!" Damon was left speechless. Lydia gripped the armrest and stood, shaking her head weakly with exaggerated magnanimity. "Selene, forget it. It's not a big deal. I don't need your apology." "Damon is a wonderful mate. I only hope you'll cherish him." A flicker of tenderness crossed Damon's face—an expression I'd never seen before. Even in our most intimate moments in my past life, he'd never looked at me that way. He quickly moved to Lydia's side, gently supporting her shoulder as if she might collapse at any moment. "Are you alright? Should I call the doctor?" he asked softly. "I'm fine..." Lydia shook her head but leaned into his embrace. "Just a little tired." Damon looked up at the butler standing nearby. "Give her that south-facing room. Good natural light, perfect for recovery." The butler hesitated. "Alpha, that room was prepared for Miss Selene..." "That one!" Damon waved his hand impatiently. Then he turned to me, eyes full of irritation. "You're not going to make a scene again, are you?" I couldn't help but laugh. This scene was too familiar, reminding me of every argument in my past life. Every time, he'd taken Lydia's side, accusing me of being "oversensitive" or "jealous." And I'd compromised again and again, telling myself "he's just been deceived" or "he'll see the truth eventually." But the truth was, he never had. Or rather, he simply didn't want to. "Since you like Lydia so much, I'll have my father make you two official." Lydia's body swayed, her face instantly draining of color. She clutched Damon's sleeve, eyes brimming with tears. "Selene, I know you're still angry with me, but I truly see you as a sister..." "Even if you don't understand me, you shouldn't slander me like this..." Her voice broke. "Enough!" Damon interrupted protectively, turning on me. "Selene, do you have no conscience? After everything Lydia's done for you, you still want to smear her?!" "What has she done for me?" I countered. "Help me 'test' the sexual prowess of twenty suitors?" "You—" Damon was struck speechless. Lydia finally snapped. She broke free from Damon's embrace, sobbing loudly. "Selene Hunter! What will it take for you to leave me alone?!" "Weren't we best friends? Now that you're getting married, you're starting to despise me, is that it?! You think I'm not good enough to appear at your wedding, not worthy of being your bridesmaid, so you want to drive me away?!" She spoke through tears, her entire body trembling. If I hadn't witnessed her true nature firsthand, I might have actually been moved by this performance.