Year 2025
At the start of every year, werewolves from all across Lunareth gathered for one of the most important times of the year: the mating season.
With the moon glowing brightest in the sky, it would reveal one's mate—the person they would spend the rest of their lives loving, serving, and mating. It was also the day when the Alpha King would find—or, if not, choose—his Luna through a formal selection.
It had always been like that for a whole millennium.
Until this year.
Because this year, there was no Alpha King in need of a Luna.
It was a Luna looking for an Alpha.
"Gareth!"
Gareth snapped out of his daze at the sound of his father's voice. He lifted his head, meeting his father's stern, bearded face before his gaze shifted to the rest of the family and several important figures gathered inside the pack house.
Laid out before the Alpha of their pack—Gareth's father—was an invitation from the largest pack in Lunareth. What was it? Obviously, it was a request for their pack to send one of their own to participate in the Alpha selection. However, the Royal Pack was not requesting just anyone.
They wanted Gary—Gareth's twin brother.
"We have no choice," one of the pack's elders mused, eyeing Gareth before shifting his gaze to Gary, who sat directly across from them. "We have to send Gary to the Royal Pack."
"Why would the Royal Family want one of my children?"
Children?
Gareth glanced at the Alpha and felt a strange bitterness tighten in his chest. Being called a child by his own father felt foreign. The last time he had been treated as family within these walls was two decades ago—when he was seven, and when the Alpha learned he was a defective beta.
But now, with the Royal Family—whom their pack did not fully support—tightening a leash around them with a single invitation, Gareth was suddenly included in a meeting he would have never been allowed near before.
And worse, he was being acknowledged as the Alpha's son.
"I can't send Gary to that place!" Alpha Mars harrumphed, slamming the bottom of his fist against the table. His teeth ground together as his eyes blazed. "I'd rather declare war against the Royal Family than tolerate this insanity!"
"It is not my fault that the Alpha King failed to produce a male heir," he thundered, his voice growing louder as the pack house trembled, "but now he wants my son to enter a selection for a sadistic, cursed she-wolf to toy with?! Either they intend to make Gary the Alpha of the Royal Pack—or they find someone else!"
Gareth mentally shook his head and sighed.
Sometimes, I'm amazed by how highly he thinks of our little pack, Gareth thought. The Royal Pack has never even spared us a glance, despite us being the closest pack outside their territory.
For other packs, this invitation would have been an honor. True, the situation was unprecedented—borderline insane—but this was still the Royal Pack. The very pack that led the epic lunar war to victory a millennium ago.
"Alpha, we cannot declare war against the Royal Pack," another elder said calmly. "Regardless of whether the Alpha King is acting out of concern for his only daughter, this invitation is a royal decree. We must send Gary to the Royal Selection. Otherwise, the Royal Pack will be at our gates by morning."
"We've heard rumors of the King's recent madness," another elder added grimly. "They massacred an entire pack house, finished it in less than an hour. We cannot let that happen here."
Worry rippled through the meeting room, darkening Alpha Mars' expression. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, his wife—the Luna of their pack—covered her lips with the back of her hand.
"How about Gareth?"
Her words made the room fall into complete silence. All eyes turned toward her… then shifted to Gareth.
Great, Gareth mentally scoffed. As if I didn't see this coming.
The elders exchanged glances before nodding slowly, their gazes darting between Gary and Gareth. They were identical twins, save for one undeniable difference—their aura. Gary radiated confidence, golden and powerful, the pride of their pack.
Gareth's, on the other hand, was nonexistent.
No surprise there, for a broken wolf like him.
"Hmm… not a bad idea," Alpha Mars said after a moment, fixing his gaze on Gareth. His voice hardened with finality. "Gareth, my son, you will help your brother and our pack this once… will you?"
"Is that a question, Alpha?" Gareth asked calmly. "Or an order?"
Anger flashed across Alpha Mars' face as he slammed his fist down again. "Gareth, you will take your brother's place until the selection ends."
"That's right, Gareth." Luna Kitchie reached across the table and clasped his hand—a gesture that had never been offered to him before. "You're the only one who can save our pack from this insanity. Don't worry. You don't need to be chosen. You only have to survive the selection long enough to come home."
"Once you're back, I'll do anything you want," Gary added quickly, nodding encouragingly. "It won't be that hard. We look almost identical, right?"
Gareth looked at his family—the same ones who had treated him no better than a servant for most of his life—now speaking to him with unexpected gentleness.
Deep down, Gareth didn't want to accept.
After all, the most alarming thing about this selection wasn't the reversal of roles imposed by the Royal Pack.
It wasn't even their pack's ideological differences with the Royal Family.
The true reason no one wanted to send Gary—despite this being a massive opportunity—was simple.
The future Luna of the Royal Pack was a lunatic.
Because of her, countless smaller packs had fled their territories. Even larger packs had suffered under her whims, targeted for the slightest inconvenience. That was what terrified everyone here.
Everyone except Gareth.
Why?
Because if there was one thing Gareth wanted more than anything else, it was to leave this town, to leave this pack… and to never return.
Slowly, Gareth nodded, forcing an understanding expression onto his face.
"Alright," he said evenly. "I'll join the Royal Selection in Gary's stead."
And almost immediately after his agreement, Gareth endured endless days of lectures—from the Alpha, the Luna, the elders, and even Gary himself—on how to behave, what to say, and what not to do. For the first time in twenty years, they treated him like a prince.
Then, as the year drew to a close, a luxurious black limousine arrived before the pack house.
It carried Gareth away into the Royal Pack's territory to spend New Year's far from home… as did every eligible bachelor—willing or not—across Lunareth, all to become part of the Luna's Harem.