Moonlit Betrayal: Kiss of My Knight

As the fated mate of the future Alpha of the Silvermoon pack, I've been waiting for Ethan Ford for three whole years. When he gets close to me, my wolf howls obnoxiously because of the mate bond between us. Despite that, he refuses to complete the marking ceremony on the night of the full moon. After that, Ethan shows signs of obsessive infatuation with Ella Turner, my stepsister. He claims that Ella is his true love and goes as far as to release his possessive pheromones all over the pack territory while completely disregarding the pack's rules just so he can woo her. This time, my wolf no longer howls in sorrow, nor do I attempt to get him to stay with me via our mind-link. Instead, I just watch Ethan and Ella's lovey-dovey interactions calmly. At that moment, I've already taken the initiative to block Ethan out of my mind forever. Chapter 1 I got rid of every item that carried Ethan Ford's scent, and I threw the pure white lace gown I had secretly sewn for the marking ceremony into the blazing flames of the fireplace. On the day he was about to first shift at the full moon ceremony, I severed my mind-link to the Silvermoon pack and headed to the airport. Before I boarded the plane, Ethan sent me a text. "Why aren't you here yet? All the pack members and Elders are waiting for you." As I stared at the screen, my lips curled into a mocking smile. I didn't bother responding to him. Instead, I just blocked him and the other members of the Silvermoon pack. What he didn't know was that just half a month earlier, I agreed to be the mate of Lucas Knight, the Alpha of the most powerful pack in the North—the Nightblood pack. Soon after the plane landed in the North, I would be marked by him and become his Luna. … "Lucas, my wolf is ready," I said as I stood in front of the mirror. I looked at my pale and thin reflection. This was the result of enduring the pain of being a "rejected mate" for far too long. It turned out that defying the Moon Goddess's original plan wasn't so difficult after all. "Ivy… Are you sure you want to accept my mark?" On the other end of the phone, Lucas's voice was deep and husky. It carried the magnetism and authority unique to a powerful Alpha, yet he sounded extremely gentle toward me. My nose stung—an instinctive reaction to being cared for by someone powerful. As tears fell, I softly responded, "I accept." "Ivy, did you know? From the moment we first caught each other's scent at the Werewolf Academy, my wolf has been waiting for this day." Without my noticing, my reflection in the mirror was already wearing a faint smile. "Give me half a month. I'll get the Elder Council to release all alliance obligations with the Silvermoon pack," I said. "Okay. My wolf and I will be waiting for you." Right after the call ended, my door was pushed open. "Ivy." My father, Marcus Turner, entered. He was the Beta of the Silvermoon pack. He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly and said, "Ella just went through her first shift, and she had a very intense physical reaction. She has a weak wolf with a frail constitution, and your bedroom is optimally positioned to absorb moonlight energy for recovery. "The Elder Council believes that, for the future of the pack, you two should exchange rooms." I didn't respond. My gaze simply fell on the faces of the mother-daughter duo behind him. My stepmother, Linda Sutton, quickly spoke up. "Marcus, there's no need to trouble Ivy." Ella Turner—my stepsister—also shrank back, radiating a sickening sense of fragility. "Really, Dad, I'm fine. Please don't let this become a problem for the pack." "This is the Council's decision," Dad said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Ivy, you're a pure-blooded werewolf who's strong and healthy. You should make concessions for the benefit of the pack." I stared blankly at Dad. I thought my wolf would go mad from being betrayed by a close family member. I thought my heart would break because Dad favored a stepdaughter of a mixed bloodline over me. However, I didn't shed a single tear. My wolf simply acted indifferent and let out a scornful, low snort. "Fine. I'll swap with her," I said. In just half a month, I would completely sever my ties to this rotten pack. Therefore, in this place riddled with power plays, it no longer mattered which room I lived in. Chapter 2 Dad looked very pleased with my "compliance". After all, openly challenging the Council's decision was a major taboo among werewolves, even for a pure-blood like me. Linda also smiled with satisfaction. After they left, Ella stayed behind. "Ivy, let me help you pack your things," she said. She stood meekly before me, releasing an artificial, overly sweet scent. But as her gaze swept around the room, they held an unconcealable greed—the kind a lesser wolf had for resources above their reach. "I also didn't expect the Council to make us swap rooms." Ella looked up with a challenging glint flashing in her eyes. "Ivy, doesn't your wolf really feel like tearing me apart now? After all, I just stole your fated mate, and now I'm taking the room you've lived in for ten years." I suppressed the urge inside me to teach her a lesson and turned to get my suitcase. Suddenly, Ella let out an exaggerated scream and fell hard onto the floor. "Ivy…" When she fell, her arm happened to hit the corner of the desk inlaid with silver wire. Silver had a strong burning effect on werewolves, so her skin instantly turned a burned purplish hue. "Ivy, what are you doing?" someone yelled. Ethan, relying on his keen hearing as an Alpha, instantly burst through the door. His expression was dark—a sign of his rising anger—as he carefully picked Ella up. "Ethan, I'm fine. Ivy didn't mean to do it," Ella cried while forcing a pained, light laugh. "It doesn't hurt at all." "You're burned, and you say it doesn't hurt?" Ethan looked at the wound on her arm, his eyes filled with pain. When he turned to look at me, his golden pupils abruptly contracted, and a cold chill emanated from him. "Ivy, if you have any grievances, take them out on me. Don't hurt Ella. She's a fragile she-wolf who just shifted—unlike you, who was born a noble pure-blood werewolf and lacks nothing." I thought my emotions would no longer be swayed by the mate bond. I also thought I would never shed another tear over Ethan. But in the end, I was still just a she-wolf whose bond wasn't fully broken. I didn't have a body made of steel, nor a heart that was unbreakable. Ethan was an ally who grew up with me. He was also my fated mate, an arrangement blessed by the Moon Goddess herself, for three years. However, in just a few short days, he fell in love with a young she-wolf who just completed her first shift, all because it was "a novel feeling". Now, he saw me as a vicious and heartless werewolf. I didn't want to cry. If anything, I wanted to laugh. Yet my tear ducts ached, swollen and ready to burst. "Ethan, has your nose stopped working? Can't you smell what kind of person I am, or the stench of lies coming off her?" I sneered. Ethan's brow furrowed slightly. He looked at me with the scrutinizing eyes of an Alpha, though his expression seemed to soften slightly. Chapter 3 Ella suddenly let out a whimper, sounding like an injured pup. "Ethan, don't fight with Ivy because of me. It's okay. She has every right to be angry with me…" Ella cried softly, acting as if she had been wronged in the worst way. The sight stirred the overflowing protective instincts within Ethan. His gaze upon me finally froze over completely as he said, "You're jealous that my wolf chose Ella, jealous that I treat her well, and jealous that all the pack members adore her. "Ivy, you've changed. Now, your heart has been twisted by jealousy, just like those depraved Rogues." After he said this, he turned and left, carrying Ella. He left behind a room mixed with the scent of his angry pheromones. I watched their retreating figures and suddenly realized my tears had dried up at some point. I suppose that was a good thing. These past days, I had cried many times because of the mate bond that was about to break. From now on, I wouldn't feel sad over him or shed a single tear anymore. … That evening, our group chat for the younger members of several families within the pack—"Wolf Den"—suddenly became lively. Ethan had posted a message in the group, saying, "I suddenly feel like completing the marking ceremony. What should I do?" The group instantly erupted into a commotion. "Ethan, are you finally going to officially become mates with Ivy under the Moon Goddess's witness?" "Time to start calling her the Luna, right?" People in the group started tagging me one after another. "Congratulations, Ivy! Why not treat us to some moonlight wine?" "Ethan, when is your and Ivy's grand marking ceremony?" The group chat was chaotic, with many messages starting to flood the screen. I was just about to post a message to clarify that I wasn't the future Luna, and that the one Ethan wanted to mark wasn't me. However, Ethan beat me to it. "You've all got it wrong. I never said the mate my wolf chose was Ivy." After saying that, he added Ella to the group. Then he tagged everyone and said, "Take a good look. This is the future Luna of the Silvermoon pack." The clamoring group chat suddenly fell silent, as if an Alpha had cast a silencing command. For a long while, no one spoke. That was when Ethan sent another message. "Why is everyone silent? Greet your future Luna. That's an Alpha's order." The people in the chat began greeting Ella sparsely, carrying a clearly awkward and submissive tone. After thinking about it, I sent over a message as well. "Congratulations. May the Moon Goddess bless you both." Following that, I immediately left the group chat, thus severing my contact with them. Chapter 4 I had just left the group when Ethan's call came through. As he was an Alpha, I couldn't refuse him. "Ivy, come over right now," he demanded. "Where?" "You know where. The pack house." I scoffed. "What for?" "To apologize to Ella." "Why should I apologize?" "You leaving the group like that is an open provocation. Do you realize how the other families will see her now?" Ethan's tone was harsh, carrying the usual forcefulness of an Alpha. "I don't want others to slander her. My wolf chose her as my mate, and I need to give her the rightful status. She's innocent. She shouldn't bear the reputation of a homewrecker because of your recklessness." Even though I no longer let his actions rattle my emotions, the phantom ache of being rejected now spread through my chest. My fingers trembled slightly as I gripped the phone, and my nails nearly transformed into claws, threatening to pierce my palms. When I spoke, my voice trembled too. "Ethan, you can't use your Alpha authority to bully someone like this. What right do you have to treat me this way? You were the one who first abandoned our fated bond. I felt your rejection, yet I did nothing. I even congratulated you. Isn't that enough?" I stubbornly refused to cry or show weakness to him, but my voice still carried a sob. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. It was as if the wolf inside him felt unsettled in that instant. "Ivy, I can let your disrespect slide this time, but I hope you remember—Ella is innocent. Don't take your anger out on her or hurt her." He then ended the call. I sat on the carpet as my whole body shook. On the nightstand was a photo of my mother. In the picture, she was looking at me gently and lovingly. My mother had been a highly respected and high-ranking healer of the previous generation. Suddenly, I burst into tears and threw myself over, hugging the photo frame tightly. Through a layer of cold glass, I lightly pressed my face against my mother's. My tears kept falling, and in the photo, my mother seemed to grieve for me too. I didn't want to cry anymore. I didn't want to worry Mom, who had already returned to the Moon Goddess's embrace. Once the anniversary of Mom's passing was over, I would take the moonstone necklace she left me and leave the Silvermoon pack forever—whether it was to become a lone wolf with freedom, or the Luna of another pack. Chapter 5 Ella soon moved into my bedroom. Meanwhile, I didn't choose to live in her small, dark room. Instead, I temporarily stayed in a guest room I picked at random. The maids, after judging who was the current favorite, prepared bedding for me that was damp and musty-smelling. It was pure torture for a werewolf with a keen sense of smell. I simply decided to sleep in my going-out clothes. It was only for a few more days, after all. I just had to endure it, and everything would be completely over soon. But the next morning, as soon as I got up and went downstairs, I found the side hall—where a memorial altar had been dedicated to Mom—in utter chaos. Mom's photo had been thrown on the floor, the frame shattered, and the picture smudged with muddy footprints. My once-smiling mother appeared to be gazing at me, now weeping in anguish. The evening primroses meant for the altar—flowers of great significance to my mother—were scattered across the floor, while the mutt Ella kept was tearing at the petals. Ella stood to the side, clapping and cheering with a malicious gleam in her eyes. As I took in the scene, I felt my blood boil and rush to the top of my head. All my rationale and thoughts of restraint vanished in an instant. I felt my nails lengthening and my fangs itching. I snapped and grabbed the crystal candlestick nearby before throwing it at the dog. The little dog, terrified, tucked its tail and ran. Ella screamed as shards from the candlestick cut her arm. "Ivy! What are you doing? How could you hit someone!" Dad's voice rang out, carrying the roar of a Beta and an Elder. Ella had already tearfully thrown herself into his arms. "Dad, save me! Ivy's wolf is losing control! She wants to kill me…" "Ivy, you're going too far!" Dad yelled. "Are you blind? She destroyed my mother's memorial and ruined her photo…" My whole body shook as tears streamed down uncontrollably. I felt aggrieved and heartbroken for Mom. But Dad only glanced at the mess on the floor and frowned. "That doesn't give you the right to hurt someone! In the pack, we have our rules!" I opened my mouth to speak up. "Dad…" "Ivy, your mother has been gone a long time. The dead aren't as important as the living! And anyway, Ella is the one Ethan cares about now." As a pale-faced and timid Ella spoke, she emitted submissive pheromones. "Dad, it was my dog who accidentally knocked things over. I was going to apologize to Ivy, but as soon as she came downstairs, she unleashed her dominance and charged over to hit me. I didn't even get a chance to say anything…" She raised her bleeding arm, looking pitifully at Dad. "Dad, maybe Mom and I should just move out of the pack…" I scoffed. "Even if the mutt doesn't know better, shouldn't you?" Dad glared at me, suddenly raised his hand, and delivered a heavy slap. I forgot to dodge—or rather, I didn't bother to. The crisp sound echoed through the hall. Dad seemed to freeze for a moment, but in the end, he said nothing. He turned away and led Ella off to call a healer for her wound. I watched their backs as they walked away. Only after a long while did I feel the burning pain on my face. The humiliation I felt ran deeper than any physical hurt could within me. I raised my hand to cover my slightly swollen face. As tears fell, I let out a mocking laugh. I knew that this pack and the Turner family no longer had a place for me. … That afternoon, I accidentally overheard Dad's conversation with the pack's Elder Council. "Yes, Ella's bloodline may be mixed, but her bond with Ethan could bring new genetic advantages. As for Ivy… Her mother's lineage is indeed noble, but our alliance with the Nightblood pack has been precarious in recent years. We need new ties." I leaned against the wall and dug my nails deep into my palms. It turned out to be more than an emotional betrayal—it was a meticulously planned political maneuver. To them, I was worth no more than a bargaining chip. That same night, I contacted a diplomatic envoy of the northern Nightblood pack through an encrypted channel. "Tell Lucas Knight that I'm willing to accept his offer to bond as mates, but on one condition. I want the Silvermoon pack to pay for their betrayal." Chapter 6 In the middle of the night, I was suddenly awakened by crying and screaming. My heightened hearing as a werewolf even allowed me to hear the frantic footsteps downstairs. I had just sat up when my door was kicked open from the outside. Linda rushed in crying. Before I could even gather my thoughts, several heavy slaps landed on my face. "How could you be so cruel? Where's your conscience? Wasn't hurting her during the day enough? Now you even want to kill her?" Linda threw herself into Dad's arms, wailing. "She knew very well that Ella—despite being a werewolf—has an extremely weak constitution and is severely allergic to high concentrations of evening primrose pollen. And yet, she deliberately sprinkled that pollen on Ella's bed and pillow. "She wanted to take our daughter's life! This is murder! Just because Ella accidentally allowed the dog to ruin her mother's evening primrose, she has to take revenge like this!" "Alright, don't cry. Luckily, Ella took the antidote in time and is fine." Dad soothed her gently while looking at me with disgust. "Ivy, you've disappointed me too much. "Move out of the manor tomorrow. Keeping you here will only bring chaos to the whole family. I can't let a dangerous being like you harm the future Luna." Linda's crying stopped immediately at those words. I looked at the man before me. He used to be my closest family member in this world and an Elder of the Turner family. He once loved me immensely—I was his only pure-blood descendant and was treasured like a gem. But later, everything changed. I was like a protagonist in a drama who had all her glory stolen away, gradually becoming left with nothing. At first, I couldn't understand why things turned out that way. I cried, I made scenes, and I fought back. But now, I finally understood—the father-and-daughter bond between us had completely run its course. … On the day I moved out of Turner Manor, Dad said to me, "Once your mother's memorial is over, I'll bring you back home. You need to reflect on yourself and learn to control your wolf." I didn't respond to him. Once they left, I took all the photos from over the years—the ones of Ethan and me, of Dad and me—and cut them into pieces before throwing them into the fireplace. Finally, I burned the white gown that I had sewn three years ago. I had it secretly made from the most precious lunar silk after Ethan's family proposed our mating. It was the sacred gown I had imagined countless times since I was a pup, the one I would wear during the marking ceremony on a full moon night. But now, I burned it with my own hands, along with my last bit of attachment to this pack. Chapter 7 What remained were the various items Ethan had given me over three years—the pack's unique rune talismans, valuable gems, and deeds to territories. I picked out the expensive ones and planned to have my best friend hold onto them for now. After I left the Silvermoon pack, she could return them anonymously to the Ford family, who led the pack. This was the only way to settle things completely, leaving nothing behind—not even a trace of my scent. As for the cheap trinkets Ethan gave just to make me happy, I didn't hesitate to pack them up and throw them away. Once, I even treasured an unremarkable crescent pendant, all because it carried his scent. But now, when it was time to discard the trinkets, I felt indifferent. Even my wolf couldn't be bothered to glance at them. After I was done, I meticulously wrapped my mother's photograph along with the moonstone necklace brimming with power, and gently placed them in a secret compartment of my suitcase. Then, I left the place I had lived in for ten years without looking back. As I walked out of the manor gates, Ethan's black SUV happened to drive up. I didn't even bother glancing at it, but the vehicle suddenly stopped beside me. The window rolled down, revealing Ethan's handsome face. His Alpha presence washed over me. My gaze merely skimmed over it, and my steps didn't falter. "Ivy." Ethan's brow furrowed slightly, seeming displeased by my coldness. "Where are you going? What's with all this stuff?" I was hauling two large suitcases, so walking was already a bit of a struggle. I had even less desire to stop and exchange pleasantries with him. Thus, I ignored him and kept walking forward. However, Ethan suddenly opened the car door and got out, walking over to me in large strides. "Do you need a ride?" he asked. "No, thank you." I avoided his hand and continued walking away. Ethan suddenly grabbed my wrist, and his strength as an Alpha made it impossible for me to break free. "Ivy, why are you so stubborn this time? Just cry for me like you used to and bare your neck in submission. Maybe I'll soften up again." I forcefully shook off his hand and looked at him with a calmness I had never shown before. "That won't be necessary, Ethan." I had no need to cry, nor did I have any need for him to grow soft on him. Time after time, my wolf had grown weary. Eventually, we lost all desire for him. "Fine. Suit yourself," Ethan said with a sneer, although disbelief was written in his eyes. No wolf could easily leave their fated mate, after all. Chapter 8 In the past, no matter how heartbroken I was, I was always willing to wait silently for Ethan to turn back. He had long grown accustomed to me always following behind him. Everyone around him said that I would never leave him, that she couldn't survive without the protection of an Alpha. He truly believed that too. I pulled my suitcases, preparing to leave. Just then, Ella's gentle voice rang out, carrying a smug tone. "Ethan, you're here!" She rushed over and tightly linked her arm with Ethan's, pressing most of her body against him. She brazenly rubbed her scent onto him as a way to stake her claim. "Has the rash gotten better?" Ethan asked. He brushed aside the stray hair on her forehead and carefully checked her over, his gaze gentle as if he was looking at something precious. "Much better." Ella looked up and smiled. "Ethan, don't be mad at Ivy." As she spoke, she hugged his arm and gave it a light shake. "Actually, it's my own fault for being so weak. If I weren't so frail just after my first shifting and allergic to a common herb like evening primrose, the Council wouldn't have made me swap rooms with Ivy. "Ivy wouldn't have taken her anger out on me then…" "How can you blame yourself? She's just narrow-minded, like some savage Rogue." Ethan glanced at me and deliberately pulled Ella into his embrace, releasing calming pheromones. "Let's go inside. You just recovered. We can't have you catching a chill," he said gently. Ella nodded happily. "Okay." I watched the two of them leave, holding each other like they were joined at the hip. My heart didn't stir, feeling as dead and calm as still water. Even my wolf turned away, not wanting to witness this disgusting scene any longer. … After Mom's memorial passed, Dad didn't return to bring me back. And in the blink of an eye, Ethan's full-moon shifting had arrived. In previous years, I would've long prepared the herbs and rituals to help soothe the frenzy during an Alpha's shifting. I also would've gone to great lengths to arrange the grandest banquet for the full moon, meticulously setting up the traditional ceremony for werewolves. But this time, I prepared nothing. Neither was I going to the celebrations for him again. At five in the afternoon, I was in a car on the way to the airport. New messages started pouring in on my phone one after another. Dad asked, "Why aren't you here yet? Linda, Ella, and I are already at the pack house. Ivy, you need to be magnanimous. Ethan will be the future Alpha, and we're allies. If you don't come, what will outsiders think? They'll think you two are at odds, and it'll hurt the family's image." I found it utterly laughable. I didn't reply to him at all and simply blocked him. When I was about to board the plane, I suddenly received a text message from Ethan. "Why aren't you here yet? All the pack members are waiting for you. My wolf is also restless, and he needs you to calm him." I smiled at the text. Without replying to his text, I blocked all his contacts everywhere as well as the contacts of all the pack members. Then, I walked through the boarding gate and never looked back.