Claimed by His Alpha Uncle

Just as Kellen and I were about to have our bonding ceremony, his brother died in an accident.

Kellen inherited the position of Beta of the Silver Moon Pack, along with the responsibility of caring for his late brother’s mate, Selah.

She wanted to know how much I mattered to Kellen—so she sent a rogue after us.

When I was gravely wounded by the rogue’s silver dagger and clinging to life, Kellen turned to protect Selah—who only had a scratch.

“Selah’s fragile—this has terrified her. Just hold on a little longer, Celia!”

I didn’t even have the strength to beg for help.

I could only watch as he carried Selah in his arms and walked away, leaving me alone in the forest to die.

The next time we met, he said, “If word gets out that you sent a rogue after Selah and hurt her, the Alpha will banish you from the pack. To calm her down, I have no choice but to hold a bonding ceremony with her! Once she bears the Beta heir, I’ll make it up to you.”

I shook my head gently.

No need to make it up to me.

I was about to have a new mate anyway...

When I woke up, I found myself in the infirmary.

The wound on my shoulder blade sent sharp, searing jolts of pain through my nerves with the slightest movement.

Relief washed over the healer’s face the moment he saw my eyes open.

“You are finally awake. You’ve been out for three days! That silver dagger went deep—nearly pierced right through your shoulder blade. If you’d arrived any later, we wouldn’t have been able to save you.”

For a moment, I was in a daze.

But at his words, the memories before I passed out came crashing back.

It was Selah who’d asked me to meet her in the forest.

She had been mated to Kellen’s brother. After he died, she moved into Kellen’s house and never left.

The rogue had been lying in wait in the forest, lunging at me with a silver dagger the moment I arrived. I threw my arm up instinctively to block it, and a searing, tearing pain ripped through my shoulder. Warm blood gushed down my back.

The scent of blood only made the rogue more vicious. Crouching low, he prepared to attack again.

That was when Selah made her move. She stepped back, tripped—on purpose—and hit the ground. Clutching her arm, she let out a piercing shriek. “Help! Someone help me!”

The screams did their job. Within seconds, a figure burst through the trees. Kellen.

I thought he’d rush toward me to protect me, without a second thought.

I was his mate, after all. Lying there on the ground, soaked in my own blood, fighting for my life.

But he didn’t.

When Selah saw him arrive, she twisted the story. “Kellen, Celia lured the rogue here! He got me with silver dagger—my arm—it hurts so much!”

As she spoke, she displayed