Elara had been instantly overjoyed,accepting the highest honor a human could receive.But the sickening truth emerged soon after:Ryder only needed a hidden mate,a contractual bond to appease the Pack Elders.If either of them found their true Fated Mate in the future,the bond would be severed.
Her fragile happiness shattered.Yet,she was too weak to resist the temptation of being permanently in the Alpha’s life.She signed the agreement,and used her human charm to help him convince his parents that the match was divinely chosen.
After the claiming,Elara worked relentlessly,handling negotiations and protecting the Pack’s wealth.She hoped that if she proved her utility and strength,he would finally see her differently—not as the small girl he felt responsible for,but as a strong,capable woman worthy of his Alpha’s respect.
But Ryder remained perpetually distant.Even when they performed the intimacy ritual,it felt like nothing more than a routine—a necessary action to quiet the suspicions of the guards outside the chamber.
Later,she discovered the wound that led to her claim.
The only reason Ryder had initiated the bond that night was because his heart was shredded.The woman he truly desired,Lyra,a wolf from a rival Southern Pack,had mated with someone else.
Lyra Thorne was once an adopted wolf pup in his household.Ryder couldn’t endure her mating.He almost lost control and Shifted in public,so to calm the Elder’s concerns about his instability,he hastily claimed Elara.
At first,Elara had been devastated.But she still clung to the belief that,over time,she could win his Alpha’s devotion.Then,just a few days ago,she saw a message on his comm-link that crushed that fragile hope completely.
Lyra had filed for severance from her Mate.She had nowhere to go,and she was turning to Ryder.
Ryder,without a second thought,was arranging everything for Lyra.He was booking her a hideout within the territory,taking her to isolated pack dinners,walking the moonlit perimeter with her,and even helping her with the legal severance lawsuit.
A month ago,Elara had been ambushed and captured by a rival company's security detail while negotiating a deal deep in human territory.She’d called Ryder for help,but his comm-link had been off.She was left alone,truly desperate,the terror of her human form overwhelming her.