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.

Chapters

Chapter 3

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the two of them. “A good healer either comes from a family of healers or works tirelessly to master their craft. With Norah’s barely-there education and a quick ‘study abroad’ stint, she wouldn’t even qualify as a nurse in any pack’s medical center, let alone earn respect as a healer.”

“You!” Hugo snapped, his eyes blazing with anger as he glared at me. “Gwendolyn, don’t act like you’re so far above everyone else. Just because our parents arranged a betrothal doesn’t mean I’ll ever love you. My heart belongs to someone like Norah—gentle, kind, and not obsessed with status like you.”

I sighed deeply, feeling the last remnants of the girl who had once admired him wither away. He wasn’t the boy I’d fallen for all those years ago. “Love whoever you want, Hugo. It’s not my concern anymore.” I just wished I’d never healed him in the first place.

Hugo let out a cold laugh, a smug look spreading across his face. “Stop pretending, Gwendolyn. You’ve been chasing me since the day we met, bending over backward to please me. You even fought your pack’s traditions to change the marking ceremony so I could mark you instead of you finding your mate through the usual process. Don’t tell me you don’t love me.”

So, he *did* know how much I’d loved him. I’d loved him enough to defy the elders, to change the South Pack’s traditions just so he could mark me as his Luna. But instead of gratitude, he’d used my love against me.

“Norah, don’t be afraid of her,” Hugo said, pulling her closer. “No matter what happens, I’ll never give up on you. You’ll always be the woman I love most.”

Norah nestled into his chest, her eyes welling up with tears as she spoke in a soft, trembling voice. “Hugo, it’s okay if I suffer a little. I just don’t want you and Gwendolyn to fight because of me…”

I finally couldn’t hold back another eye roll. As more pack members began filing down the narrow path, returning from a medical conference to report to the healer’s office, I decided I’d had enough of their melodrama and turned to leave.

But Hugo wasn’t finished. He grabbed my wrist, yanking me back toward him. “Gwendolyn, if you’re still determined to mark me, you’ll have to accept Norah as my second mate. Why should the Luna be the only one allowed multiple mates? If you want me to honor our betrothal, you’ll share me with Norah!”

His words hung in the air, arrogant and absurd. I pulled my wrist free, my voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface. “Hugo, you’re delusional if you think I’d ever agree to that. Our betrothal is over. You’ve made your choice, and so have I.”

Without waiting for a response, I walked away, leaving him and Norah to their twisted little fantasy.

Continue to next part

The crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the grand ballroom, but nothing could warm the chill in my heart as I stood alone among the sea of dignitaries. The annual Moon Ceremony was supposed to be our pack's most sacred celebration—a time when the Alpha and Luna stood together before the Moon Goddess's blessing. Yet here I was, forcing smile after smile, explaining away Cameron's absence with practiced excuses. "Luna Brooke," Elder Morris approached with a raised glass, "another successful year for Silverclaw. Though I wonder where Alpha Cameron might be?" I straightened my shoulders, ignoring the whispers that followed me like shadows. "He's handling some urgent pack business. He'll join us shortly for the Alpha Toast." The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. Five years of marriage, and I still didn't know where my husband spent his evenings—only that it wasn't by my side. "Of course," Elder Morris nodded, though his eyes said he knew better. "Though it's unusual for an Alpha to miss the blessing." I nodded politely and moved on, my heels clicking against the marble floor.

Fantasy Romance Werewolf

8.9

Dump the Alpha, Mated to the King

8.9

The Moon Goddess gave them a bond-Adrian gave his heart to someone else. For three years, Luna Mira has lived in the shadow of her trauma, clinging to the comfort of an Alpha who felt like safety. until a grieving widow arrives and exposes the truth. While Mira struggles to heal, Adrian risks everything for another woman, showering her with the affection and gifts meant for his wife. After a brutal betrayal on the streets of France, Mira learns that being a mate is destiny-but being a Luna is power. If Adrian won't choose her, she'll choose herself. and the most dangerous Lycan King in the world may already be waiting to claim what Adrian foolishly threw away.

Fantasy Romance Werewolf

8.8

Luna's New Royal Bond

8.8

The scent of burning parchment hit me before I even pushed open the door to Griffin's diplomatic office. My heart quickened—something was wrong. I'd spent weeks securing those rare treaties from the Northern Packs, sacrificing my grandmother's moonstone pendant to convince the elderly Alpha to part with them. Griffin had been ecstatic when I'd told him I'd found them. "Griffin?" I called, my voice echoing through the marble hallway of the Silver Creek Pack's diplomatic wing. "I have news about those additional treaties we discussed." The door swung open silently under my hand. The scene before me froze my blood. Emmy Ross, her copper hair cascading over her shoulders, lounged in Griffin's leather chair—my mate's chair. Her slender fingers dangled a rolled parchment over the crackling fireplace, watching with amusement as the edges curled and blackened. "Just a little fire to warm things up," she purred, not bothering to look at me.

Fantasy Romance Werewolf

9.5

My Alpha Crowned His Mistress at Our Ceremony

9.5

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, fingers trembling slightly as I dabbed concealer over the purplish bruise blooming across my cheekbone. The final underground fight had been the worst one yet. The Rogue I'd faced had fought dirty—claws to the face when the rules clearly stated no striking above the neck. But I'd won. And the money would cover the Alpha Coronation feast tonight. "Almost there," I whispered to myself, applying another layer of heavy foundation. "Just a few more hours." My wolf, Luna, stirred restlessly within me. *We shouldn't have to hide our scars. They're badges of honor.* "Quiet," I muttered. "You know how important tonight is." Mason was being crowned Alpha of the Silverfang Pack tonight.

Fantasy Romance Werewolf

8.1

My Shapeshifter Mate:Falling for My Cursed Superior

8.1

His second name is Death. Anyone who tries to get too close to him loses their life. He was cursed with the blood of his dead brother and till he finds the killer of his brother, he's forever bound with the curse. He's avoided like a plague, but he even loves it that way. He's so addicted to solitude and being alone. He is a bloody supernatural being, an unusual wizard. The only child born under Three Red Stars on a gloomy night 25 years ago. The demons fret at the smell of his scent, and evils flee. He has no shadow even in the dark. He is soulless-Orion Alaric, that's his name. The son of Duran Alaric, who owns Mystic Institute, a school for supernatural beings, located deep in the fogs of Mount Delos. Mystic Institute takes in over five hundred disciples yearly, and of the five hundred, Orion was determined to find his brother's killer that year, so he joined the school as a superior. There he sat on his throne, and as expected, she came. Samara Hercules, a whitehead witch who's the exact opposite of everyone around him. Unexpectedly she is not the one he's hunting for, but her white hair reminds him of the killer each time he sets eyes on her and that builds a toxic hatred in him for Samara. He was even ready to get rid of her so he wouldn't have to see her face anymore. Let's stop here.... Now are you ready to jump into the book and see how things go? Will Samara ever escape him and his tortures Will romance ever bloom between these two? Will his curse ever get lifted? Will the real killer ever show up? And are you in for the steamy romance, fights, jealousy, betrayal, and series of dramas between the supernaturals? Demons and dark forces? Join this rollercoaster ride, don't miss out.

Fantasy Horror Romance

9.7

Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the King

9.7

The lanterns cast a golden glow across the Moonridge Pack's full-moon festival, transforming the stone terrace into something magical. I stood at the edge of the celebration, my fingers nervously tugging at the sleeves of my dress—a habit I couldn't break even after nine years of attending these gatherings. As a wolfless omega from the Silverstone Pack, I was used to being invisible, especially to the one person whose attention I craved most. Nathan Cross. He moved through the crowd with effortless grace, his powerful Alpha aura making pack members step aside instinctively. My heart stuttered as it always did when I saw him. Nine years of devotion, of rearranging my entire life to orbit around his, and still the sight of him made my knees weak. "You're staring again," a voice murmured beside me. Liam Carter, my childhood friend from Silverstone, handed me a glass of punch. "One day your eyes are going to get stuck that way." I accepted the drink with a small smile.

Fantasy Romance Werewolf

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

Chapter 3

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