Forging a Path Without You의 모든 챕터: 챕터 1 - 챕터 10

At the victory banquet, I stood on the outskirts of the crowd and watched as Derrick Caldwell basked in the admiration of the pack.We had been mates for eight years. And yet, the Luna standing beside him was his childhood sweetheart, Lilith Sterling, instead of me.The two of them were inseparable, and they seemed destined for each other.A warrior asked curiously, "Alpha Derrick, I heard you had a mate of eight years. Is that the one standing next to you?"Lilith only lowered her head shyly upon hearing the question. "That's Alpha Derrick's private matter. He isn't ready to make it public yet."Immediately, murmurs spread through the crowd. Everyone took her silence as confirmation that she was Derrick's mate.Someone laughed and teased, "Since our Luna is so shy, let's just pretend we don't know anything!"Derrick smiled slightly. "Lilith is a newly appointed minister under my command. Show her the respect she deserves."The crowd erupted into laughter, and the atmosphere by

I nodded slightly. "If that's what you think, then let's break the mate bond."Derrick scoffed. "Stop playing hard to get. Put on your mask and get to the trial immediately! Otherwise, don't blame me for exiling you from the pack!"He knew I had been displaced since childhood and that my greatest fear was being cast out, losing my home, and losing him.Before, I might have backed down. But now, I suddenly understood that no matter what I did, the pack would never accept the real me. I had never truly belonged here.And at the root of it all, it was because Derrick refused to acknowledge me.He didn't love me.I turned and walked away without looking back.His furious voice echoed behind me. "Take one more step, and I'll break the mate bond for real!"I let out a soft laugh and kept walking. I returned to the castle we once shared. Derrick never came back that night, and I never closed my eyes.The next morning, he walked in carrying a basket, smiling as if the argument last ni

I returned to the castle to gather the rest of my belongings.To my surprise, Derrick and Lilith were both there, seated at a table covered with several sheets of paper filled with dense, handwritten notes.They were the documents I had prepared yesterday before going to see the Alpha King—detailed records of every pack affair I had handled.Derrick's expression softened. "You do have some sense. Knowing that Lilith would be taking over as chief steward, you wisely wrote down all the key details in advance."But what you did was unacceptable. As a warning, I've already informed your unit that Lilith will be taking command. Go tell them they are to follow her orders from now on."And for the next few months, you will pose as Lilith's handmaid, assisting her with pack affairs."Lilith gasped, feigning concern. "Alpha Derrick, isn't that a bit too much? After all, Talia has contributed so much to the pack. Making her my handmaid seems unfair…"Derrick scoffed. "She actually threate

I exchanged a look with Allison and the others, then shrugged helplessly.We secured our belongings tightly, stretched out our limbs, and scouted for the best points to jump from.Derrick panicked. "Wait! Are you insane? That's a ten-meter-high wall! Are you seriously just going to jump?"I shot him a look of pure disdain. "Did you think a simple wall like this could stop my team?"With a light leap, we landed on the trees beside the wall, using the branches to propel ourselves down with ease.Allison and I had fought through countless battles together. We had once been surrounded by enemies, forced to jump off a hundred-meter snow-covered cliff, only to land in a pile of snow with nothing more than a few scrapes.This was nothing.My warriors made it down one by one. I was the last. Just as I adjusted my bag and prepared to jump, Derrick grabbed my arm."Talia, wait… I've been thinking. I was wrong."I'll announce our relationship and even get rid of Lilith just like you want

I only chuckled and didn't dwell on it. After all, I had plenty of things to do.Another year passed. Under my leadership, we reclaimed several small nations that had attempted to invade us and established diplomatic agreements with those willing to coexist peacefully.Before I even realized it, the Silvani Pack had become the largest and most prosperous pack in the Argentmoon Federation.To honor my achievements, the Alpha King held a grand ceremony in the royal palace, bestowing upon me the highest honors and granting me the status of nobility.Standing on the podium, I felt far less composed than I appeared.I was no longer a powerless rogue drifting from place to place. I was no longer the nameless, masked "Shadow". I was Lady Talia, the first Alpha Female in the history of the Argentmoon Federation.I knew I would remember this day forever.As I rode beside the Alpha King's carriage during the next part of the ceremony—the grand procession through the city, receiving the