---- "She dishonored the pact," Grandmother said, voice low but sharp. "Now you will restore it." "By mating with a half-lost wolf in a broken body?" "Yes," Grandfather replied without hesitation. " Alpha Michael's name still commands respect. The Greenbrooks might have cast him aside, but their blood is old and powerful. Their alliances run deep." "He was once formidable," Grandmother added quietly. "Before the fire... before he lost control of his wolf... he was unmatched. A brilliant strategist. A true Alpha, destined to lead." I hesitated. "Now he's just... hollow." Grandfather sighed, eyes clouded. "That may be. But he is still Alpha Michael Greenbrook. And you, Becky, are a Blackridge. This isn't about desire. It's about legacy. Pack honor. Blood." ---- Legacy. The word weighed heavy. Just days ago, I was nothing but a disgraced healer -a Beta scorned by her Alpha. Now? I was being told I had to bind my fate to a shattered soul in the name of duty. I straightened my spine, jaw clenched. "Fine. I'll do it." Their relief was instant, like a storm had passed. Grandfather even smiled. "The ritual will be performed tomorrow," he said. "Tomorrow?" My voice cracked. "Yes," Grandmother confirmed. "The moon favors swift bonds. The longer we wait, the weaker the connection becomes." My heart thundered like a war drum, but I nodded. I would not falter. Tomorrow, I would bind myself to Alpha Michael ---- Greenbrook-a wolf lost to the world. And from that moment on, there would be no turning back.