Rejecting My Fated Alpha Mate

After discussing the matter, Milena returned from watching the mark ceremony at the front of the temple.

She excitedly showed off the blessed necklace in her hand: “The healer personally blessed this. It’ll definitely bring harmony to my future mating bond.”

Milena, having grown up in the northern territories, spoke about her potential mating without the bashfulness of females from the central packs.

Andrea chuckled, scolding her lightly before turning to encourage me:

“Milena might be cheeky, but she’s not wrong. It’s rare to encounter a healer performing such a ritual. Lucille, you should go and ask for a blessing too.”

After my past life, I no longer held any illusions about a harmonious mating bond.

As long as Jared treated me with the respect due to his Luna, I would strive to fulfill my role as his mate—raising our pups and managing the pack’s affairs.

But when I thought of how he had sacrificed his life defending the northern territories in my past life, I stood up under Andrea’s hopeful gaze. I decided to ask the healer for a protection charm for Jared—

The Beta who guarded our pack deserved to live a long life.

Yet, on the way, I unexpectedly ran into Blake.

He was dressed in a crisp white shirt, his presence as striking as ever. No wonder he was the Alpha who turned heads wherever he went.

But the mere thought of his past entanglement with Saoirse made my stomach churn.

Blake seemed unaffected by my cold demeanor, blocking my path.

“Lucille, I accompanied my brother’s widow here for the ceremony. Unfortunately, there’s no private room left in the temple. Could I trouble you to let her share your mother’s space?”

“No,” I replied without hesitation, my voice icy.

Blake, however, looked as though he’d received some great news, his eyes lighting up with a mix of surprise and relief.

I immediately felt uneasy and sidestepped him, continuing on my way.

But before I could get far, Blake called out again: “Lily.”

I froze.

That was the name he’d given me in our past life, a name only he used.

He had also returned.

Blake, seeing me pause, grew even more animated:

“I knew it. You’re back too. Lily, your father said he’d ask for your opinion. Once you agree, we can be together again.”

I turned to face him, my eyes narrowing with thinly veiled anger:

“Before today, we were strangers. Alpha Blake, please maintain some dignity.”

Blake’s expression faltered for a moment.

After a brief silence, he shook his head and smiled with renewed confidence:

“You can’t fool me. You’ve always been gentle and kind, especially toward my brother’s widow. If it hadn’t been for… well, I wouldn’t have considered letting Harry stay with her. You wouldn’t have carried that resentment.

“Don’t worry. This time, I’ll make sure Harry stays with you, raised under your care.”

When I didn’t respond, Blake’s voice softened further:

“Saoirse didn’t come today. I was just testing you.”

I was momentarily stunned.

The Blake before me seemed like a completely different person.

In my past life, when I had tearfully told him how Harry refused to call me “Mother” and instead addressed me by my full name, he hadn’t been so understanding.

Back then, he’d been impatient: “I told you to let Saoirse adopt him, but you refused. Now he doesn’t acknowledge you. What’s the point of forcing it?”

I had opened my mouth to retort but found myself speechless.

Harry had been barely a month old when Blake, under the guise of letting me recover, took him to Saoirse’s quarters.

If Saoirse hadn’t been whispering poison into Harry’s ear, he would never have refused to call me “Mother.”

Later, Harry even suggested: “Uncle has no heir. If you won’t let me be adopted, then let Father take on a second mate and marry Aunt Saoirse.”

At the time, I hadn’t known about their affair, nor that I would never be able to have another pup. After much deliberation, I’d finally agreed to the adoption.

It wasn’t until my dying moments that I discovered Saoirse had been bribing the pack staff to slip contraceptives into my food.

With that in mind, I no longer cared to understand why Blake had changed his tune.

This life, I wanted nothing to do with him.

I simply smiled at him: “Alpha Blake, I have no idea what you’re talking about. In case you weren’t aware, I’m already in talks for a mating arrangement. My father’s comment about asking for my opinion was merely a formality.”

Blake’s confident smile cracked at the edges.

---

After our mark ceremony, I became pregnant quickly.

I cherished Lucille deeply, promising her I would never take another mate.

But on the anniversary of my brother’s death, Saoirse had too much to drink.

She mistook me for him, shedding her clothes and pressing herself against me.

I knew I should have refused.

Perhaps it was because Lucille and I hadn’t shared a bed in so long…

Or maybe I, too, was drunk.

More likely, it was because my lingering feelings for Saoirse had reignited.

Whatever the reason, we spent the night as mates.