After My Mate Threw Me to Snakes, I Chose His Rival

The Alpha King of the South Pack declared me as their future Luna, and my mentor, seeing I had come of age, suggested I choose a mate during the ceremony by drawing from the four arranged mate contracts he had prepared for me.

In my past, I had chosen Hugo Carroll, the Beta of the Northern Pack, whom I had adored since childhood.

But after our mate bond was formed, I discovered he had a white moonlight—a girl named Norah Franklin, who was an Omega from a distant pack. When she learned Hugo was to be my mate, she was heartbroken and chose to end her life by drowning herself.

For years after our marking ceremony, Hugo resented being bound to me, pining for Norah’s gentleness and warmth, convinced I had forced his hand with the mate contract.

To punish me, he drugged me when I was at my weakest after giving birth and threw me into a pit of venomous snakes. I was torn apart, my body ravaged by poison, and I died in agony.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the ceremony, holding the four mate contracts in my hand.

This time, I drew the contract of Enzo Ross, the Alpha of the South Pack, whose family, once renowned healers, had fallen into obscurity.

But on the day of the ceremony, Hugo lost his mind.

…

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“Gwendolyn, you must think carefully. The Ross family may have been healers, but they’ve fallen from grace. Their status is far beneath what’s fitting for a Luna like you.”

I tightened my grip on the mate contract and knelt. “The Moon Goddess has spoken. Please, Alpha King, grant me your blessing.”

The elders exchanged uneasy glances, sighing in unison.

As I walked out of the ceremonial hall, the four men who had been waiting outside knelt in respect.

They had all been saved by me in their youth—each of them had been on the brink of death when I healed them with my unique abilities. It was then that my mentor arranged these mate contracts for me.

Kannon Moreno, the Alpha of the Eastern Rogue Alliance, glanced at me lazily. “Gwendolyn, whose contract are you holding?”

My eyes flicked toward Hugo, who was standing by the fountain with Norah, laughing softly as they fed the fish. The tenderness in his gaze was unmistakable—anyone could see they were deeply enamored with each other.

Murphy Lopez, the Gamma of the South Pack and a prominent businessman, followed my gaze and chuckled. “Kannon, don’t embarrass yourself. We’ve all known since we were kids that Gwendolyn has always been in love with Hugo.”

Hearing this, Hugo turned to me, his expression hardening the moment our eyes met. “Gwendolyn, I’ve told you before—this mate contract was never my choice. Don’t think you can force me into this.”

“A Luna must be gentle and devoted, putting her mate above all else, willing to sacrifice everything for him,” he added coldly.

In my past, I had lowered myself to please him—cooking for him, tending to his needs—but he never appreciated it. Instead, he mocked me, telling everyone that I, the future Luna of the South Pack, was nothing more than a dog he could command at will.

“Hugo, you seem to have forgotten. Today is about choosing a mate, not marking you,” I said, my voice icy.

Murphy quickly intervened, trying to lighten the tension. “We’ve been waiting for hours. So, Gwendolyn, whose contract did you choose?”

I looked at Hugo, his face twisted with anger, and smiled faintly. “You’ll find out at the ceremony.”

Without another word, I walked past him, my head held high.

Murphy was right. I had loved Hugo since I was a child, drawn to his scent and presence from the moment I first met him.

But he never wanted to be bound to me, and he had already found someone he truly loved. Yet, because of the mate contract, he was forced to give her up.

As the future Luna, I had no desire to force him into a bond he didn’t want. If he had only been honest with me sooner, I would never have stood in their way.

I was heading to the pack’s medical wing when someone called my name.

“Gwendolyn.”

I turned to see Hugo jogging toward me. He stopped, catching his breath, before regaining his usual composed demeanor.

“What is it?” I asked.

“About the ceremony today,” he began, his voice steady. “There’s something I need to say to you.”