Chapter 1

My mating ceremony with Chris kept getting interrupted, one reason after another.

The first time, his adopted sister Lucy threw him a bachelor party. He drank too much and missed our slot.

The second time, right before we set out, Lucy twisted her ankle. Chris took her to the hospital and missed it again.

The third time, we were already standing at the vow platform when Lucy cried until she fainted below. Once again, Chris left me standing there.

The fourth time, the fifth time... Lucy, every single time.

"Hurry up, Sheila! This is the eighth time! There are only fifteen minutes left to receive the Moon Goddess's blessing. If you miss it again, the Moon Goddess will take it as proof the two of you were never meant to be mates!"

My best friend Vivian shouted frantically.

I took Chris's hand, and I had just started up the steps when Lucy's cry rang out behind us.

"Chris, wait, my moonstone bracelet just snapped. It was your coming-of-age gift to me."

Chris jerked his foot back mid-step.

"Don't rush. I'll wait for you."

The buzzing crowd went dead silent. Everyone exchanged looks.

I looked at Chris, swallowing my anger.

"Chris, there are only fifteen minutes left for the Moon Goddess's blessing."

Chris glanced at Lucy, his tone indulgent.

"We're already at the door. A few more minutes won't hurt."

Watching Chris crouch down beside Lucy to gather her moonstone beads, I suddenly smiled.

Then I opened my phone and pulled up a number I'd blocked three years ago.

[Didn't you tell me three years ago to give you a chance?]

[You have fifteen minutes. Come to Grayfang Pack's Moon Goddess Altar.]

1

The reply came in a second.

[Okay.]

I stared at that single word, and most of the suffocating pressure I'd carried in my chest for so long suddenly lifted.

Chris was still soothing Lucy.

"Where did the beads roll off to? I'll help you look."

Lucy's eyes were red, her voice thick with hurt.

"It's all my fault. Today of all days, I shouldn't have worn this bracelet."

"If you and Sheila miss the ceremony again because of me..."

Even as she spoke, her tears spilled over.

Chris rushed to comfort her.

"Don't cry. It's not your fault. The cord was just worn out."

"There's still time. No rush. Take it slow."

Vivian lost it.

"Chris, no rush? Seriously?"

"The mating ceremony requires both of you to receive the Moon Goddess's blessing within the appointed time. Miss it and it's gone. The Moon Goddess doesn't grant extensions!"

Friends from both packs chimed in, urging him.

"Chris, go on up first. Right now nothing matters more than receiving the Moon Goddess's blessing."

Even the priest stepped out of the hall.

After all, eight applications for a mating ceremony were unheard of in pack history.

And the Grayfang pack had a tradition passed down through the ages: every werewolf could book the Moon Goddess's blessing only eight times in a lifetime.

Past eight times, the Moon Goddess would take it as proof the pair were never meant to be mates.

The priest looked at the two of them crouched there hunting for beads and frowned.

"Hurry, Sheila. This is your eighth application. Miss this one, and the Moon Goddess will grant no further blessing."

I glanced at Chris.

He was still standing below the steps, patiently helping Lucy pick up the moonstone beads scattered across the ground.

I bowed to the priest, my voice calm.

"I will make it."

I.

Not we.

Lucy looked up at me, all innocence.

"Sheila, I'm sorry for making you two wait."

"But don't worry. I'm quick with my hands. Once I find all the beads, I'll have it restrung in five minutes."

Five minutes.

I was so angry I actually laughed.

"Chris, are you sure you want to be down here hunting for beads with Lucy right now?"

Chris turned his head away, not daring to look at me.

"Sheila, I know what I'm doing. We won't be late."

He knew what he was doing?

He said that every time.

Every single time we held the ceremony, Lucy would have some sudden emergency.

Chris would always say he knew what he was doing, that we wouldn't be late.

And every time, the ceremony got pushed back again.

For these eight ceremonies, I had prepared eight gowns and sent out invitations eight times.

I had petitioned the priest so often that I became the laughingstock of the entire pack.

I looked up at the moon drifting steadily westward overhead.

Only ten minutes left for the Moon Goddess's blessing.

Vivian was so furious she started forward to haul Chris up herself. I caught her wrist.

She turned back to me, her face tight with urgency.

"Sheila, there are only ten minutes left."

"All eight bookings were made in your name. If you miss this one, you will never be able to receive the Moon Goddess's blessing again!"

I nodded, then looked at Chris.

"Chris, I'm asking you one last time."

"Are you coming inside to hold the ceremony with me, or are you staying here to string beads with Lucy?"

Chris finally lifted his head, but his eyes held disappointment.

"Sheila, the mating ceremony is just a formality. Ceremony or not, you're still my Luna as far as I'm concerned."

"Besides, I told you, we won't miss it. Do you really have to make such a big deal over a few minutes? Can't you be more understanding?"

Lucy nodded along.

"Chris asked the Moon Goddess to bless this bracelet just for me. It's supposed to keep me safe."

"And it snapped, today of all days. What if bad luck comes later?"

She looked perfectly sincere, as if she truly cared about my future with Chris.

Then she added under her breath.

"Besides, if you all hadn't kept rushing me, I would have found all the beads by now."

Chris sighed too, a note of reproach in his voice.

"Sheila, you're going to be my Luna. You should learn to be gracious."

Gracious?

So in his eyes, urging him to hold our mating ceremony made me petty?

A chill crept through my chest. I closed my eyes for a moment, then stressed each word.

"Chris. Today, I am going through with the ceremony."

2

Chris's brow furrowed, and he had just opened his mouth to say something.

Lucy suddenly let out a cry.

Eyes red, she looked at Chris, the picture of wounded innocence.

"Sheila was so harsh just now, she scared me. The last moonstone rolled into a crack between the flagstones."

"Chris, what do I do? The bracelet can't be one stone short. If the moonstones aren't complete, neither is the Moon Goddess's blessing."

Crying, she wedged her fingers into the crack, groping around.

Without a word, Chris crouched down with her, searching bit by bit for that last moonstone.

Moonlight spilled across his back.

Three years ago, on a moonlit night just like this one, Chris wasn't yet the Alpha of the Grayfang pack.

Blushing, he had handed me a moonstone necklace.

He said, "Sheila, I'll make you this pack's Luna. I'll give you the grandest mating ceremony there is."

I believed him.

Then I spent three years collecting seven broken promises.

Vivian finally snapped.

"Enough!"

She charged over and seized Chris's arm.

"Chris! You and Sheila have already missed seven ceremonies!"

"And you're wasting these precious minutes helping Lucy find her stupid beads?!"

Lucy bit her lip, her eyes reddening again.

"Stupid beads? Vivian, how could you say that about me?"

"Chris went to so much trouble to ask the Moon Goddess to bless this bracelet for me. I just want to string it back together and return that blessing at the mating ceremony. Is that so wrong?"

The friends nearby knew what mattered more and gently urged her.

"Lucy, why not leave it for now and look for the bead after the ceremony?"

"Right. It's already the eighth time. Miss this one, and there really won't be another chance."

Lucy shook her head at once.

"How is that the same? The moonstone bracelet falling apart right before the ceremony is a terrible omen. If it isn't restrung, what if the Moon Goddess withholds her blessing from them someday?"

I answered coldly.

"No need to wait for someday. I'm about to lose the Moon Goddess's blessing right now."

Lucy stared at me with wide eyes, tears dripping down one after another.

"Sheila, I really am doing this for your own good. Is it wrong to wish you both a happy future?"

At the sight of Lucy's tears, Chris's face darkened completely.

"Sheila, you've gone too far. Don't you know what kind of person Lucy is?"

"Wait a little longer. Just a little."

Wait?

A scornful laugh escaped me.

"Chris, do you remember how many times I've waited for you?"

"Last time, you asked me to wait ten minutes. You said Lucy's cat had gone missing and you had to help her find it."

"I waited all night. Then you finally called to say the ceremony was postponed."

Chris's face soured.

"That cat was left to Lucy by her parents. It matters to her."

I didn't bother arguing.

"And the time before that? Lucy called saying she was out drinking alone, and you were so worried you dumped me at the ceremony venue and told me to wait for you to come back."

"The time before that was my birthday. You swore you would complete the ceremony with me. Then Lucy's stomach hurt, and you rushed her to the hospital."

"And the time before that..."

Chris stood there looking mortified, with nothing to say.

Every time, he had a different reason for making me wait.

But the ending was always the same.

I was the only one left standing there.

Lucy's voice suddenly shot up. She covered her ears and shrieked.

"Sheila, why are you airing all this in front of everyone? What are you trying to say? Are you blaming me?"

She cried until she could barely breathe.

"I didn't want any of this to happen either! How can you be so petty, holding on to these little things for so long?"

Chris anxiously comforted her.

I stood three steps away, watching the moonlight stretch their shadows long.

Only eight minutes remained before my blessing time closed.

"You two can keep looking," I heard myself say." But today, I will receive the Moon Goddess's blessing and go through with the ceremony."

3

Seeing that I wouldn't budge, Chris fell silent for a few seconds.

Then he looked at Lucy, still crouched on the ground.

"Lucy, how about you put away the beads you've found, we go up and complete the ceremony, and I'll help you find the rest afterward?"

Lucy bit her lip, tears falling without a sound.

The air froze.

Only six minutes remained before the blessing window closed. Then my phone rang.

It was my mother, Ella.

"Sheila, is the ceremony over? The bonfire feast is all set. We're just waiting for you two."

Before I could speak, Vivian, right behind me, snatched the phone, her voice sharp with fury.

"Ella, the ceremony hasn't even started!"

"Lucy scattered her bracelet in front of the altar, and Chris refuses to go in until every last bead is found!"

The other end went quiet for two seconds. Then my father, Daniel, came on the line.

"Is Chris there?"

I glanced at Chris.

He had just risen from the ground, the moonstone beads he'd recovered clutched in his hand.

He looked at me, a fresh trace of reproach in his eyes, but answered anyway.

"I'm here."

My father was clearly fighting down his temper.

"Chris, you and Sheila have missed seven ceremonies. Every single one because of Lucy."

"Today is the eighth. Can't you just go in and finish the ceremony first? What could possibly matter more than receiving the blessing?"

At some point Lucy had edged a step closer. Her voice trembled on the verge of tears.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have worn this bracelet today."

"But a scattered bracelet is truly a bad omen. If it isn't restrung, what if their life together goes wrong someday?"

My mother's voice rose too, tight with urgency.

"Things are going wrong enough right now!"

"Lucy, I am begging you. This is Sheila's eighth application. She has no more chances to receive the Moon Goddess's blessing!"

Lucy cried even more pitifully.

"Why does everyone keep blaming me? I'm doing this for Sheila and Chris!"

"Why is everything I do wrong in your eyes?!"

Chris's brow furrowed at once.

"Ella, Lucy means well."

"She wore that blessed bracelet today because she wanted our ceremony to go smoothly."

My father was so angry his voice changed.

"How very kind of her. So kind that my daughter is about to miss her eighth and final chance at the blessing."

Lucy clutched the bracelet cord, her eyes rimmed red.

"Chris, why don't you two go in first? I'll be fine."

"Otherwise, if you miss the ceremony again, I'll be the one everyone blames."

She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling faintly.

Chris's expression shifted.

"Don't talk nonsense. I'll wait for you."

At those words, everyone's expression changed.

Vivian swore under her breath. "Dumbass!"

I sighed and took the phone back.

"Don't worry. Today, I am going through with the ceremony."

I said it to my parents on the other end.

And to myself.

When I hung up, Chris was staring at me, his brow deeply furrowed.

"Sheila, are you trying to force my hand with all this?"

I looked up at him, perfectly calm inside.

"Force you? So holding a mating ceremony with me counts as forcing you?"

Chris was silent for a few seconds.

"That's not what I said."

"But you're acting really off today."

"You never used to be like this. You were kind, considerate. You understood how hard things are for Lucy."

"When did you get so aggressive?"

I smiled.

"Chris, do you know why I used to be so kind and considerate?"

He frowned.

I answered my own question.

"Because I believed that if I was good enough, understanding enough, you would cherish me."

"But it's been three years."

"The kinder I was, the more you took me for granted."

"The more considerate I was, the more shameless you became."

Chris's expression shifted again and again.

"I never..."

"You did."

The silence was terrifying.

Everyone was watching Chris.

In the moonlight, Chris looked deeply conflicted.

In the end, he softened his tone.

"Sheila, give me one more minute. Lucy's almost done restringing the bracelet."

I ignored him.

My phone buzzed. Another message from that number:

[Almost there.]

I relaxed slightly and stopped paying attention to Chris.

I turned and walked toward the altar.

Behind me, Chris shot to his feet.

"Sheila, what are you doing?"

I glanced back at him.

"I told you. This time, I am going through with the ceremony. So I'm going inside."

4

Chris closed the distance in a few strides and clamped his hand around my wrist, gripping hard.

"Sheila, stop this. How are you going to complete the ceremony alone?"

I looked down at his hand, then slowly pulled my wrist free.

"Then I'll find someone else."

The air went still for a beat.

Chris's mouth twitched into a stiff smile.

"Sheila, that's not funny."

Whispers rose from below the steps.

"Sheila's probably just trying to push Chris a little."

"I'd lose my mind too. This is the eighth time."

Everyone assumed I was talking nonsense, that I was forcing Chris to make a choice.

Only I knew I meant every word.

I truly didn't want to wait for him anymore.

That was when Lucy stepped forward, wiping her tears.

"Sheila, how could you threaten Chris with something like this?"

"After all your time together, how could you say something so hurtful? How could you threaten to choose someone else for the mating ceremony over one little thing?"

"Talking like that, you're going to break Chris's heart."

Chris seemed to finally come back to himself. His taut expression loosened.

The corners of his mouth even lifted in a smug smile, as if he had seen straight through my little scheme.

"Sheila, you don't need these little tricks."

He stepped forward, reaching out to ruffle my hair. I dodged.

"Be good, okay? Enough of this. I swear, even if we miss the Moon Goddess's blessing, you will still be my only Luna in this life."

Looking at him, I suddenly wanted to laugh.

He still assumed, as arrogantly as ever, that I couldn't live without him.

Just like he'd written in his journal.

Yesterday, while packing things up, I found Chris's journal.

That was when I learned that missing the ceremonies because of Lucy was all an excuse.

He simply wanted to use these broken promises, one after another, to prove my love for him.

His journal read:

"In the Grayfang pack, every werewolf can apply for the Moon Goddess's blessing only eight times in a lifetime."

"Once Sheila misses all eight and loses the blessing for good, I'll give her a grand mating ceremony and tell her that even without the Moon Goddess's blessing, I will love her and protect her."

"She'll be moved beyond words, and she'll work even harder to preserve our bond."

"Moon Goddess, forgive my selfishness. I will love Sheila for the rest of my life. I will be good to her forever."

He didn't miss those ceremonies by accident. He did it on purpose.

Chris loved me, but he also wanted me to depend on him forever, unable to leave.

I didn't look at Chris again. I turned, climbed the steps one by one, and walked into the altar hall.

Vivian hurried after me, her face full of worry.

"Sheila..."

I shook my head, then stood alone at the center of the altar, ready to receive the Moon Goddess's blessing.

The priest glanced behind me.

"Where is your partner?"

Before I could answer, a rush of footsteps burst into the hall behind me.

Chris was being hauled in by several friends.

"Quick, finish the ceremony first! Drag this out any longer and Sheila really won't wait for you!"

Chris was pushed to the very front, his expression grim.

I didn't ask him whether he was coming up. I just looked toward the door.

"There's no need."

"What?"

He hadn't caught what I said.

I didn't answer.

Because there was no point anymore.

Outside, rapid footsteps sounded, drawing closer.

Everyone turned instinctively.

Moonlight poured through the hall's open stone doors, silhouetting a figure as he burst inside.

He cut through the crowd and walked straight up to me.

"Sheila."

He was breathing a little hard, his breath fogging white in the moonlight.

"I'm here."