As the first light of day broke, Elmer rose from his bed. He had a habit of going for a run every morning. He got himself ready and left the house. His parents were still asleep, and they had argued against night. Elmer had grown tired of this kind of life.


    Then there was She. He didn’t know when he’d be able to see her again. He kept running down that wide road, his daily routine. Day after day, it brought a moment of peace to his soul.


    Elmer was feeling quite disheartened. His birth had not been a blessed one, and his parents had never been willing to take care of him. He had spent his childhood in rtive monotony. When he turned eighteen, he saw his peers around him allpleting their shifts and finding their mates. He couldn’t help but feel envious.


    But Elmer kept waiting and waiting, and he didn’t find his mate. He had even given up, thinking that the Moon Goddess would never favor someone like him. But then, one night, after his patrol, he encountered She. He felt joy in his heart, everything about her attracted him deeply. The bond of mateship prevented Elmer from taking his eyes off She. He yearned to create a new life with her. However, She told him that she couldn’t be his mate. In that moment, Elmer felt as if his heart had shattered.


    Elmer ran, lost in thought about everything that had happened in the past. He needed to turn these experiences into the motivation to move forward. Even if She would never appear again, he wouldn’t allow himself to fall in love with another woman.


    But when her figure suddenly appeared in front of him, Elmer was left stunned.


    “She,” Elmer stopped running, his voice filled with surprise. He hadn’t expected to see his mate here.


    He had been disheartened since She’sst departure.


    “Elmer,” She walked toward him, dressed in a white dress,ing from beneath a tree beside the street.


    “Is this a dream?” Elmer rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t hallucinating his mate, She.


    She slowly approached Elmer. Her mind was in turmoil, torn between obeying Tania’s orders and not wanting to deceive her mate, Elmer.


    She had never imagined she’d encounter her mate in The Iron Star Pack. It was a chance meeting, something neither of them had ever wanted. She had initially nned to reject her mating with Elmer. After all, how could a Beta from The Tallinn Pack be with someone from The Iron Star Pack? It was almost impossible.


    “Elmer, it’s me,” She continued, “Maybe my decision that day was wrong.”


    She gazed into Elmer’s eyes, his golden hair and those clean, clear eyes. She didn’t know how to say the words that had been on her mind.


    “She, what do you mean? Do you regret it?” Elmer smiled, hoping his thoughts wereing true.


    She moved closer to Elmer. Her lips were tightly pressed together. When she noticed Elmer was staring at her, she felt her heart racing. She couldn’t ignore those silver-gray eyes.


    She found herself in a dilemma. Her mind needed to remain clear to avoid making a wrong decision. She knew Elmer’s identity; he didn’t belong to The Tallinn Pack, and She was destined to fight for The Tallinn Pack.


    She wouldn’t betray her Pack; it went against her very nature. But refusing her destined mate was also contrary to her nature, and she found herself in a dilemma.


    “Elmer, I don’t know why I came to see you,” She looked at Elmer, “but I can be certain that I want to be close to you.”


    She gently cupped Elmer’s face, with almost no hesitation. This was her true desire, one that was solely about her and no one else.


    “Elmer, don’t let me go, okay?” Elmer’s face was against She’s, pleading.


    The feeling of regaining something precious made it hard for Elmer to resist. He didn’t know who She truly was, but he wanted to know everything about her. He wanted She to stay with him.


    “Elmer, I’ll stay by your side,” She’s gaze was resolute.


    She had no choice. Obeying Tania’s orders was her duty as a Beta, even if it meant deceiving Elmer. She extended her arms to embrace Elmer and rested her head against his chest. She was intoxicated by the warmth that radiated from him. This was the feeling of having a mate.RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She had secretly watched Elmer countless times, whether he was out for a run or at training. It made her want to rush to him and tell him that she was willing to stay by his side. But she couldn’t.


    “Elmer, I’m so d,” he said, his words making her doubt her earlier decisions disappear.


    “She, don’t you want to know who I am?” When She asked that question, her heart wavered.


    Tania had told her to conceal her identity, but she couldn’t control her loyalty to her mate. Mateship didn’t care about ns or battles. It bonded two individuals tightly together, weakening their willpower as each person became entranced by their other half.


    She could feel Elmer’s scent surrounding her, and she loved it.


    “She, that doesn’t matter.” Elmer stared directly into her eyes, sincere in his words. “As long as you’re with me.”


    Elmer’s words hit She like a bullet straight to her heart. Nobody had ever said such things to her.


    She wasn’t a person who had been loved. Her father always favored her older brother. If it weren’t for Tania, she might have never be a Beta. So she was grateful to Tania and willing to give up everything for Tania and The Tallinn Pack.


    But at that time, Elmer hadn’t appeared yet.


    She had never known she could have such a pure and kind mate. It was the Moon Goddess’s gift to her. If they were destined to part, she wished for time to slow down.


    “Elmer, I’ll stay by your side,” She spoke softly. She leaned against Elmer’s chest, closed her eyes, and held back her tears.


    When She woke up again, she was lying on Elmer’s bed. She could feel the soreness in her body. As she thought about what had happened during the day, her cheeks blushed.


    Shey against Elmer’s back, feeling the warmth of his naked skin. She couldn’t forget this feeling, and she didn’t know if she’d be able to let go when the time came for her to leave Elmer.


    “Maybe you should meet my friends,” Elmer turned around, a smile on his face. He was eager to share the news.


    “Meet your friends?” She’s expression was filled with confusion.


    “Do you want to?” Elmer sought She’s opinion, respecting her, both in and out of bed.


    She nodded; she was determined to y her role as a mate well. She hoped that Elmer could genuinely find happiness during this time.


    “I’ll set up a meeting,” Elmer sent a message to Hazel and the others through their mental link. After receiving a positive response, Elmer couldn’t hide his excitement. He wanted to share this good news as soon as possible.


    She and Elmer got everything ready, changed their clothes, and headed to the agreed-upon location. Watching Elmer’s excited expression, She wished that time could stand still in that moment forever.