After Rebirth, I Chose the Bastard

After I risked my life to save the Alpha King, he promised to grant me one wish.

While everyone expected me to choose to mate with Kay, the current Alpha of Stormfang Pack, I publicly declared my intention to bind with Eli.

He was Kay's half-brother, the illegitimate son of the former Alpha who had been exiled abroad.

No one knows that I've died once before.

In my past life, after I became Kay's fated mate, I diligently fulfilled my role as Luna.

But he always favored my stepsister, Lia.

That day, when the pack was attacked, I went to find him for protection.

When I desperately found him, I discovered that Kai was desperately protecting Lea, and the two of them were even kissing passionately in danger.

To shield Lia, he pushed me forward to face the rogue pack alone.

I'll never forget the words he said as he left, holding the weeping Lia in his arms: "She needs protecting more than you do."

So this time, I chose to give up on Kay. If I had to choose someone from Stormfang Pack for a mating bond, I'd rather choose Eli. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny. But this time, after I chose Eli as my mate, Kay went completely crazy.

The day after the mating announcement was made, I ran into Kay and his Gamma guards at the edge of the training grounds.

"Hey, Alpha, look who's here," one of the Gamma guards nudged Kay with his elbow, his tone laced with suggestive amusement. "Your 'future Luna.'"

In an instant, all eyes from the nearby warriors landed on me.

Kay turned, crossing his arms, those perpetually arrogant gray eyes sweeping over me with clear impatience.

"Ella," he began, his voice icy. "Using the Alpha King's promise to force my hand? Lia was right. You'll stop at nothing to get what you want. Your methods are vicious."

My chest tightened at the mention of Eli, who also belonged to Stormfang Pack. No matter how prepared I was for this, the undisguised hate in Kay's eyes still felt like a needle, pricking at the memories of my past life.

I took a deep breath, forcing down the surge of emotion and keeping my voice steady. "I think you've got it wrong. The one I chose isn't you. It's Eli..."

"You're insane?!" Kay cut me off with a low growl the second the words left my mouth. "That bastard? That half-bred mongrel? You'd rather choose him?!"

Eli had more talent than Kay. It was an open secret in the pack, and the sharpest thorn in Kay's side.

He had hated his older brother ever since they were pups.

"This is my choice," I stated calmly. "You always complained about me clinging to you, right? Consider your wish granted. There's nothing between us anymore. You can be with Lia, openly and without shame."

The final scene from my past life unbidden flashed in my mind—Kay and kissing behind