58

58

JANET

I’ll never forget the day my father first spoke to me about choosing a mate. It had been a crisp autumn morning, the kind where the air is just cool enough to sting your cheeks but the sunlight makes everything feel warmer. He stood in the doorway of our family hall, his eyes scanning the distant hills like he was searching for something beyond the horizon.

“You’re of age now, Janet,” my father began, his voice deep and steady. “You must think about the future of our clan. You’ll need to pick a mate soon, someone who will help you produce the next alpha.”

I had always known this moment would come. It was the responsibility of the alpha’s daughter to secure the line of leadership. But even as he spoke, my mind drifted to Marcus. I had already made my choice, though my father didn’t know it yet. Marcus had captured my heart, and I had fallen for him in a way that I couldn’t explain. His charm, his presence—it had all consumed me, and I had allowed myself to believe that he was