Giselle froze, her smile faltering. Her throat tightened. She couldn’t tell them the truth. She answered softly, “I’m a freelancer.”

The little boy tilted his head. “What’s that?”

Before she could say more, his mother gently pulled him back and said, “Don’t ask too much, just be thankful, okay?”

The boy looked up at Giselle and said, “Thank you, Miss Giselle.”

Giselle bent down and gave him a quick hug. “You're welcome. I’ll be back soon, I promise. Stay strong, alright?”

The crowd of omega villagers clapped and cheered softly. “Come back soon, Luna Giselle!”

“I’m not a Luna,” she chuckled, shaking her head.

“You’re better than one!” someone shouted, and others agreed with heartfelt nods.

As she drove off, Giselle's smile faded slowly. Her next stop was the cemetery. Wearing a long black dress and a lace veil that covered her face, she walked silently between the graves. She stopped at one with her mother’s name engraved. She placed a bouquet of flowers, lit a small white candle, and knelt down.

“Mom,” she whispered, her voice cracking, “I miss you every day.”

She paused and pressed her hand to her chest.

“Will I always be just… a breeder?” Her voice trembled. “Will I ever be something more?”

Tears fell from her eyes, soaking her veil. “Is it too late for someone like me to live a normal life?”

She stood and turned, wiping her face—only to bump into a muscular chest. She stumbled, but strong arms caught her.

“I’m so sorry,” the man said, steadying her.

Giselle looked up—and gasped.

He was tall, handsome, with stormy eyes and a face that looked carved by the gods. Her heart pounded wildly. Her wolf whispered, He’s the one. He’s our mate.

He stared at her, clearly unable to see her face under the veil—but his voice was kind. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she breathed, but her voice shook.

Suddenly, men rushed toward them. “Alpha, the enemy ran that way!”

The man glanced at them, then looked back at her. For a moment, neither moved.

Then he nodded once and turned. “Take care,” he said, before running off with his warriors.

Giselle stood frozen, her hand still tingling from his touch.

Back in her apartment, she dropped her bag, entered the bathroom, and stripped off her clothes. She slid into the bathtub and began scrubbing herself hard.

She clenched her jaw. “No matter how many times I clean myself, I still feel… used.”

Her tears mixed with the water. “I chose this path. I chose to survive. But sometimes... I just want to be normal.”

And yet, her thoughts drifted back to the Alpha's voice.

Who was he? Why did my heart race like that?

Even in her pain, his face lingered.

For the first time in years, Giselle didn’t feel numb.

She felt alive.

Her fingers gripped the edge of the tub as her heart thudded in her chest, the memory of his touch refusing to fade.

“Can a breeder like me… really have a mate?” she whispered to herself, voice trembling. “Would anyone ever truly choose someone like me?”

*****

Alpha Jake Thomson raced through the thick forest, his powerful legs pounding the ground as his senses followed the scent trail ahead. His Beta, Leo, and a group of expert warriors followed closely behind. They had chased the rogues from the cemetery’s edge into the bushy forest.

“Split to the left! They’re scattering!” Beta Leo shouted.

With a growl, Alpha Jake leapt forward and shifted mid-air into a massive grey wolf, larger than any other. His silver eyes glinted with determination as his claws dug into the earth. Up ahead, five rogue wolves, desperate and cornered, shifted to their wolf forms, trying to outrun the inevitable.

But Alpha Jake was faster. And stronger.

He lunged at the first rogue, slamming him down and sinking his fangs into his shoulder, causing the rogue to yelp and shift back into his human form. Two more rogues tried to ambush him from the side, but Alpha Jake spun and snapped his powerful jaws, sending them tumbling to the ground. Within minutes, all five rogues lay on the forest floor in their human forms, bloodied and defeated.

“Please! Don’t kill us!” one of them cried, clutching his injured arm. “We were just trying to survive!”

Alpha Jake stood tall, shifting back into his human form with nothing but control and power in his eyes. “Survive?” he growled. “You killed an innocent wolf from the Moon Light Pack.”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen—”

“No excuses,” Alpha Jake cut him off coldly. “I’m not a murderer like you, but justice will be served. You’ll be punished and imprisoned. That’s mercy.”

His warriors, shifting back into human form, came forward and bound the rogues. Then a few members of the Moon Light Pack came, who had followed behind, bowed to Alpha Jake in gratitude.

“Thank you, Alpha,” one of the elders said. “You’re not only brave—you’re fair. You truly are worthy to be the next King of all Packs.”

Alpha Jake nodded silently and signaled to his warriors. “Let’s go.”

Back at Red Moon Pack, one the largest and strongest pack in the kingdom, the warriors returned victorious. The pack’s fortress-like mansion stood proudly in the middle of their territory, its grand walls guarded by trained wolves day and night.

Alpha Jake and Beta Leo entered the mansion’s spacious hallway, greeted by respectful bows from the guards and omegas.

“Good work today,” Beta Leo said, removing his coat. “So… are you ready? The throne is waiting, Alpha.”

Alpha Jake sighed deeply, walking toward the tall window that overlooked their training field. “I need a mate first, Leo. You know my parents, King Shane and Queen Amelia, won’t step down and pass me the crown until I meet that requirement.”

Beta Leo groaned. “There are literally hundreds of she-wolves dying to be your mate. You could choose one tomorrow.”

“I don’t want just any she-wolf,” Alpha Jake said firmly. “I want her… someone who give me a feeling, someone I’ll actually want to spend my life with.”

Beta Leo narrowed his eyes. “Her? Who? You mean… the woman from the cemetery? I saw you and that woman looking like hit with the lightning earlier.”

Alpha Jake nodded slowly, running a hand through his tousled hair. “I didn’t even see her face clearly. She wore a black lace veil… but I felt something the moment I touched her. My wolf, Jerome—he whispered to me… ‘She could be our mate.’”

Beta Leo blinked. “What? You’re serious?”

Alpha Jake leaned on the window frame. “I’ve never felt something like that. It wasn’t just a spark—it was like my whole soul paused the moment our eyes met. Even if I couldn’t see her fully… I felt her.”

Beta Leo scratched his head. “Okay, but how the hell are we supposed to find a woman we’ve never seen? No name. No face. Nothing.”

Alpha Jake exhaled heavily. “I don’t know. But I need to find her. My wolf hasn’t stopped pacing since. I regret not asking who she was.”

Beta Leo raised a brow. “You’re really into this mystery woman, huh? What if she’s… I don’t know, old, or not what you imagined under that veil? You know not pretty.”

Alpha Jake chuckled faintly, but his gaze was serious. “I don’t care. It’s not about looks. It’s about that feeling. That connection. And I’ve never felt it before.”

Beta Leo stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. “Alright, Alpha. We’ll find her. Somehow. If she’s really your mate… the Moon Goddess will lead her back to you.”

Alpha Jake turned away from the window, eyes burning with quiet determination.

“I’ll wait,” he said.

*****

Inside a quiet corner of a small coffee shop far from the usual werewolf patrols, Luna Beatrice sat disguised in thick eyeglasses and a black cap pulled low. She stirred her untouched coffee while her eyes scanned the place nervously.

Moments later, a man with a scar on his cheek and sharp eyes entered and calmly sat across from her.

“Frank Simon,” she greeted in a low voice.

“Luna Beatrice,” he nodded back, his voice steady.

Without a word, she reached into her handbag and pulled out a sealed envelope and a photo. She slid both across the table to him.

“She needs to be eliminated. Clean. No one must know.”

Frank looked at the photo. A beautiful young woman with sad eyes stared back at him—Giselle.

“She’s a breeder, isn’t she?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you want her dead?”

“That bitch is stealing Alpha Nathan’s attention,” Beatrice hissed, gripping her cup tightly. “I’ve been Luna for years, and now he dares suggest making her his second official mate? I won’t allow it.”

Frank leaned back. “From what I know, she only serves Alphas and officials. She isn’t allowed to have real relationships. So maybe she will not agree to be just a second mate of some alpha.”

“Shut up,” Beatrice snapped. “I said eliminate her. Alpha Nathan’s planning to name her as his second Luna. That will not happen. Not while I’m breathing.”

Frank nodded slowly. “Alright… but it won’t be easy. She’s surrounded by powerful men. Getting to her won’t be simple.”

Beatrice reached back into her bag, pulled out her checkbook, and scribbled down a figure.

She slid it over.

“Fifty million,” she said. “She charges a hundred thousand per meeting. She won’t resist that much. Contact her. Set a meeting. Then make sure she never walks out of it.”

Frank whistled. “You’re really serious.”

“I don’t make idle threats. Call me once she agrees.” Beatrice stood and walked out without another word. Frank stared at the check, then at the photo of Giselle, his mind already planning the next move.

*****

Giselle stood in front of a mirror brushing her long hair. She wore a simple white dress, elegant yet modest, the kind she usually wore when called to service an Alpha. Tonight, she was scheduled to go to the Silver Sky Pack—Alpha Keith had booked her again.

She was almost done when her phone, lying beside the hairbrush on the dresser, vibrated with a call. The number was unregistered.

Her brows knitted in confusion, but something inside her urged her to pick it up. Without pausing her brushing, she tapped the answer button and put it on loudspeaker.

“Hello?” she said softly.

A calm male voice answered, smooth and composed. “I want to book your services. Immediately.”

Giselle’s hand paused mid-brush. “I’m sorry,” she said politely. “My schedule is full. The next available opening is next month.”

“I’ll transfer fifty million to your account right now,” the man replied without hesitation.

Giselle’s heart jumped. “What?” she whispered, eyes wide.

A soft chime rang from her phone—bank transfer confirmed.

Her breath hitched. She dropped her brush.

“Do we have a deal, Giselle?” Frank’s voice asked calmly.