“I’m not going to sign that bloody thing!” The loud voice of Ahn Hyejin spilled out into the hallway on the first level of the Old Lady, the main building of the Moon Mansion. Her faint brows were furrowed sharply, laying heavily over her slightly darker eyes. She did not bother hiding her anger, stomping out of the smaller sitting room towards the main door.

“My heart, will you listen—” Moon Wheein chased after her, anxious. She gripped her shoulder, trying to stop her.

“—No, I heard enough,” snarled Hyejin fiercely. Tears had already welled in her eyes as she glared at the woman she was going to be mated in a week. Their families had already met each other in a formal dinner at the Moon Mansion. Her parents were wide-eyed and nervous as they joined the main family of this famous, powerful chaebol for that special dinner. She shrugged her hand off and saw Wheein recoiled at her rejection. The pain in the red-haired woman’s eyes doused some of her anger, just sufficient for her to be thinking again instead of being consumed by the feelings of betrayal and pain.

Uncomfortable silence lengthened between the younger couple as they stared at each other, tears b in their eyes.

“Can we just talk?” Wheein asked softly, sniffing softly. She dashed the tears that flowed down her cheek with the back of her hand roughly. They had to change location soon otherwise the other members of the Moon family would intervene any moment “Please,” mouthed the tearing omega, staring beseechingly at her future alpha.

The house was unusually silent.

It meant that the protective alphas were definitely listening in to their argument right now.

Hyejin ran her hand through her thick hair, upset. Could they even get privacy here? She nodded tersely, grounding her jaws harshly. The usually laid-back alpha was now fully up to arms, alert and defensive. She opened , the desire to change the rooms on the tip of her tongue. The very sight of Wheein trying to keep her shoulders from shaking was more than enough to change her mind at once.

“Bedroom.” Her tone brooked no protest as she held the gaze of Wheein steadily. She would not be denied. It was an outrageous request that would usually be denied immediately. Wheein’s nest was in her bedroom and the other excessively protective alphas would have challenged her if they had known.

The red-haired omega nodded stiffly, keeping her head bowed compliantly. She walked first, guiding her heart. It would be the first time for Hyejin to visit her wing. They headed upstairs in tensed silence. The tensed omega took a left and walked along the corridor for a considerable amount of time.

Hyejin’s brows deepened even more when she realised that Wheein’s wing was far away from the main residence where the main family resided. She had visited Doldol’s wing in the past and it wasn’t that far, just next to the heir’s wing.

Did they even consider Wheein as part of the family? This was the wing that was set aside for them after they were engaged and formally mated.

The singer scowled, her rage radiating in waves from her. Wheein, sensing her intense rage, sped up.

It felt like an eternity later when they finally stepped into the anteroom of her wing. Hyejin blinked owlishly as she crossed the threshold. It felt like she was entering a completely new universe. It was quintessentially Moon Wheein in its colour scheme, more uplifting and comfortable rather than sombre and rich.

There was none of that restored heritage that the Moon clan was famous for, a trait of the excessively rich. They had the money to maintain heritage while keeping modern comforts.

She finally understood why Wheein was given this private and faraway wing. This particular section was concealed by other buildings of the main residence. Wheein was herself here. Modern ceiling-to-floor windows in this wing overlooked the manicured garden covered with snow. It was spacious, airy and minimalist, very much like the omega.

The singer closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. Sweet scent of blueberry filled her lungs, soothing her fully. Indeed, this wing only belonged to this infuriating woman who possessed her heart.

The anger that was coiling in the pit of Hyejin’s stomach ebbed a little. She was starting to understand why Wheein was so protective of the Moon clan. The main family loved her so much that they allowed her to be free in her space.

For a family who prized traditions and heritage, this was the loudest declaration of affections. All they desired was for Wheein to feel completely at home.

The singer sighed loudly, some of the tension dissipating. She dropped into a squishy comfortable sofa that smelled of blueberry tiredly. Immediately, her eyes were attracted to all the thingamabobs carefully placed everywhere. There were black and white photographs of Wheein with different members of the Moon family. She smiled when she saw the photograph of Dopul sitting on Wheein’s lap and they were sharing a laugh. The ones with Byulyi were absolutely adorable since it showed her making faces while Moonbyul was handling some important affair in different offices. There was another one in which their role was reversed: Byulyi was smirking while Wheein was working very hard behind the same mahogany desk.

Her eyes were attached to several beautiful shots with Lady Moon. They were sharing a sweet smile, looking like mother and daughter. She became wistful as she took that photograph and examined it closer.

It must have been Leader Moon who took this photograph secretly since they were completely relaxed. She sighed again and returned the photograph to the side table.

“My heart?” Wheein asked, bewildered.

Hyejin raised her head and noticed that she was at the door. The red-haired omega must have returned to fetch her when she realised that she did not follow her into the bedroom.

The singer’s lips thinned. “Why?”

Wheein approached her girlfriend cautiously, trying to ignore the smell of aggressive pheromones. “Why?” She echoed.

“Yes,” snapped Hyejin, stiffening. “Why must I sign this contract?”

The red-haired woman froze and fiddled with her fingers absently. She took some care in sitting on the opposite end of the couch, giving the singer some physical space. She straightened herself before meeting Hyejin’s penetrating gaze. “My heart, I’m adopted.”

Hyejin’s brows pinched together. “Is the family ostracising you—”

“—No, no, no!” Wheein exclaimed as she waved her hands animatedly. “Of course not! We’re a family.” She grimaced and shrugged weakly. “It’s just too much if our descendants are considered as a branch family in the clan.”

“I understood that much from the clause would break my family apart,”fired Hyejin, raising her voice slightly.

Wheein did not flinch, a demonstration to her refined poise. However, she had an inscrutable expression on her face. “My heart, please consider. It will be good for your family who has no inclination of leaving the agricultural industry.”

The singer snarled, sending shivers down Wheein’s back. “Are you looking down on my family?” She asked in a harsh whisper, her eyes cold. She knew that they come from different social strata and it might create friction. However, she did not expect her girl to discriminate her family right after they were promised to be betrothed.

Tears prickled Wheein’s eyes but she maintained her perfect composure.

Hyejin rose to her feet, pacing back and forth like a caged wolf. She loved her clan. Period. She had always been very proud of her humble beginnings. Her family might be just farmers but they were down-to-earth honest people who used their blood and sweat to send her to the city to pursue her dream. She spun around and glared at Wheein. “Your family didn’t seem to be against meeting mine!”

Wheein sniffed, looking up to prevent the tears from forming. She took a deep breath and composed herself. “Jinie-ah, I love your family,” confessed the upset omega, holding her gaze. “They are so warm and kind. Umma and Appa had always treated me like their daughter since you introduced me to them.”

She remembered the first time meeting the entire Ahn clan. Hyejin took her to Jeonju to come to terms with her relationship with Mother after she tried to kidnap Yongsun and Dopul. She was astounded by the warm welcome by everyone in the Ahn village.

Appa was so happy that he had a new daughter that he brought her around to meet everyone. It was the first time Wheein did not need to put on her public façade as she interacted with everyone.

Hyejin paused, looking uncertain.

“That’s just your family for now, Jinie-ah,” continued Wheein calmly. “We cannot be sure that the association with the Moon chaebol would not affect the future generation of the Ahn family.” She wrangled her hands, a sign of her discomfort. “We wouldn’t impose on their generosity but it doesn’t mean that our children or the children of our children wouldn’t when we finally reunite with the Moon goddess. Can you imagine the conflict? I want to safeguard the family who took me at my lowest and gave me a home.”

“All this contract does is safeguard the Moon clan! What about my family? Have you considered what they are giving up?”

Wheein froze briefly.

“No, I guess not,” countered Hyejin with some heat, frowning. “You’re an omega. Legally, you should be marrying into my family. In our case, I’m going to marry into your family. Our pups will never bear my surname. Why should I sign off our descendants’ right to be with the Ahn family just to protect the chaebol?”

“My heart, I’m very grateful that you agreed to marry into my family,” began Wheein carefully as she rested her hands on her lap politely. “The reason is simple. Your family will stand to benefit due to our union and it would be an upward trajectory for many generations to come. It is an undisputed benefit.”

The sensual singer swore, running her hand through her wavy hair furiously.

Wheein grabbed her hand as she stared at her pleadingly, hoping that she would calm down and listen to her. “For the Moon clan, our union brings nothing to them. In fact, there is a higher potential for conflict within the clan as our families branches out. I just can’t do that to my family when they have been nothing but good to me.”

The Moon clan would have benefited from a marriage between Byulyi and her since they were already engaged for a decade. Yet, they did not force this union on her, choosing to respect her wishes too.

If Byulyi had not met Yongsun and fell in love with her at first sight, Wheein would have married the chivalrous silver-haired woman at a heartbeat. It would have been very easy for either of them to fall in love with each other.

The singer did not shrug her hand off, scrutinising her closely for several seconds. If she wasn’t upset with her girl, she would have been very enamoured by her poise. “Did the Moon clan put you up for this—”

“—Of course not!” Wheein countered heatedly, coming to the protection of her family. “Don’t you think Unnie would have told you first?” She quirked a single brow.

The singer nodded stiffly. Byulyi did mention that Wheein wanted her to sign a contract but she had assumed it was merely a prenup to secure their individual assets. She took a deep breath and sat next to her carefully, putting distance between them. “OK, when did you conceive this idea?”

Brief surprise crossed Wheein’s face. She pursed her lips contemplatively. “After the Moon clan had recognised your courtship.” She scratched the side of her nose distractedly. “I was surprised that Dad did not have any stipulations.”

The singer was reminded of that tensed conversation with her prospective Father-in-law then. His anger was eventually directed to Byulyi when he learned that she had already given her blessings. Now that Wheein had mentioned it, it was indeed odd that Leader Moon did not hit her with a laundry list of conditions.

Some of the tension in Hyejin’s body eased when she comprehended the context. However, she shook her head lightly, her eyes gleaming with disappointment. She turned to look at her future omega. “Why did you not discuss this with me?” Her brows furrowed. “Aren’t we going to be a family? I would have understood when you explained to me.”

Wheein stared at her wide-eyed, taken aback. The very idea had never crossed her mind. “I… I’m sorry.” She bowed her head deeply. “I’m so sorry.”

Hyejin sighed, running her hand through her thick hair distractedly. “It’s fine, my heart. Will we have a prenup?”

“Do you want a prenup?” She echoed thoughtfully. After all, they have considerable individual assets.

“No,” decided the singer at once. “I’m starting to see your point, my heart. Should we talk about this contract?”

Wheein nodded gratefully, taking out her mobile to share an electronic copy with her.

The singer examined the contract with a fresh new perspective. As explained by Wheein, the contract primarily dealt with their descendants. She took several moments contemplating over the clauses carefully. “I can sign it now.”

The red-haired omega was surprised. “Are you sure, my heart? You were so against the clauses. Do you want to revise any of them?”

Their gazes met and clung.

“I didn’t understand why I needed to sign this and it felt like I was coerced into this. After all, we are nearly formally engaged.”

“I’m sorry,” offered Wheein again, bowing her head again.

“It’s fine, my heart. I have already forgiven you. Let’s get this settled then you could show me around,” concluded Hyejin brightly, scanning the sitting room. “I want to know what you have done with this place.”

Suddenly, Wheein flung her arms around her and kissed her nosily on her lips. “You’re the best, my heart.” She purred against her lips, her eyes completely dilated. “I love you so so much.”

Hyejin blushed prettily at her confession but kissed her with equal zeal. It was much later when the couple finally got down to business. They had to freshened up before they could meet anyone from the Moon family. They blushed when they ran into Butler Moon at the entrance of the wing. Wheein gripped Hyejin’s arm firmly, bolstering the singer’s courage at being caught.

Wheein met the stern gaze of Butler Moon until the former military officer backed down, not wishing to upset the younger Moon daughter. He kindly offered to rearrange the meeting with the lawyer while escorting the young couple back to the main residence.

Unknown to the young couple, the tense atmosphere that hung over the main residence dissipated at their return. Every Moon alpha was paying close attention to the young couple, ensuring that Hyejin did not take advantage of their Wheepup.

When Hyejin stomped out of the sitting room, Kim Yongsun had to feign a pain in her stomach to drag her upset Doldol and Byul away from the hallway back to their wing. The recently debuted singer regretted her decision at once when Doldol and Byulyi started to panic and nearly summoned all the doctors at their disposal.

“It was just a slight discomfort,” promised Yongsun, giving puppy eyes when her son and mate refused to let her leave the bed. “The pain had subsided. I think I was just too stressed.” She touched her belly gently. “It’ll be fine.”

Doldol shook his head, climbing to lie next to his pregnant mother. “Little Bean might be a trooper but we can’t be too careful.” He curled near her belly and trilled at it sweetly, his sapphire eyes bright with contentment.

Yongsun sighed, resigned to her fate of remaining in bed. She threaded her fingers through his short, soft hair, enjoying the warmth from cuddling with her pup. The protective older sister decided that Doldol was sufficient to take care of her pregnant mate and returned to the main residence to check on the younger couple.

How dare Hyejin demand Wheein to take her to her bedroom? The younger couple had not mated yet! Most of her tension faded when she heard the voices of the younger couple from the first floor. Her gaze drifted across the floor and met the concerned gaze of Father. They froze immediately.

The thick aggressive smell of pheromones gave away the very reason for their presence. They nodded at each other stiffly, trying to conceal their embarrassment. They reached a consensus to never bring up this matter silently and went on their own way. Byulyi had a lot to do like catching up with her work at Moon Defence while Father needed to prepare for the engagement party.

Snow had already formed a thick and powdery layer in the well-manicured garden of the Moon clan when the next night of full moon arrived. The sun was going to set, painting the cloudless sky with a warm glow.

Soon, darkness fell on the beautiful Old Lady. The full Moon stood at the top of the sky, tracing a long, silvery path along the calm wintry sky. It was simply magical.

A Full Moon on a winter solstice, a surreal phenomenon to celebrate the mating of Moon Wheein and Ahn Hyejin, the youngest daughter of Leader Moon and the first alpha daughter of Ahn Chan Yeop. The couple looked very in love with each other as they entered the Moon temple at dusk.

The granite temple was warmer than Wheein had remembered. She did not shiver despite the thin dress she had worn for this intimate event meant for family. She had first entered the Moon temple to be recognised as a member of the Moon family on a Midsummer Moon. It was amazing that on a Winter Solstice full moon the same year, she was going to be joined to the love of her life.

For the first time, Hyejin wore the traditional formal garb of the Moon clan, a silky black military uniform adorned with silver sash. The singer looked even more sensual as the uniform clung to her every curve and she completed it with knee-length boots. It was such a different spin on the grand and handsome uniform that everyone was admiring her as she stepped into the temple, holding the hand of her goddess.

Moon Wheein had dyed her flaming red hair into the unique silver shade of the Moon clan, looking remarkably ravishing. The new hair shade had complemented her porcelain fair skin perfectly. They cascaded down her face and back in a smooth waterfall. The sheer, black lace dress that clung to her every curve only made her more desirable. She smiled, her sweet dimple deepening when she caught sight of her family on the dais.

This was her new family.

There was Father and Mother, looking very stately and attractive in their uniforms, identical to theirs. Instead, their dress and uniform were stitched together wi