Abandoned Alpha Mate After His First Love Came Back

My alpha mate Damien had no idea that I'd been secretly in love with him for seven years. The day his first love Sofia ran away from their mating ceremony, I put on the wedding dress and took Luna's place without hesitation. Despite everyone's dissuasion, I insisted on mating to the devastated man. After mating, he was incredibly caring and thoughtful, remembering every anniversary. I thought he'd finally fallen in love with me. Until the day his first love returned, all my illusions were shattered. When the rogue wolves attacked, he left me behind without hesitation to save Sofia: "She's not as strong as you. She needs me." This time, I didn't stop him. I simply severed our mate bond and leave our Pack. But why was this Alpha, who deeply loved Sofia, frantically searching the world for me? Chapter 1 My alpha mate Damien had no idea that I'd been secretly in love with him for seven years. The day his first love Sofia ran away from their mating ceremony, I put on the wedding dress and took Luna's place without hesitation. Despite everyone's dissuasion, I insisted on mating to the devastated man. After mating, he was incredibly caring and thoughtful, remembering every anniversary. I thought he'd finally fallen in love with me. Until the day his first love returned, all my illusions were shattered. "Sylvia, you're really going to break your bond with Alpha Blackwood and leave the Stormfang Pack?"Lidia sat across from me, her fingers clenched tightly around her cup, her knuckles white. I set the spoon down and met my friend's disbelieving gaze. My voice was calm. "Our mate termination agreement. dissolution agreement is already signed." "Signed?!" Lidia nearly knocked over her coffee "Domine is the Alpha! The Blackwood heir! For three years, you've handled pack affairs for him, calmed him during his ruts, and even took a silver dagger for him! You've sacrificed so much! Did he really have no feelings for you at all?" I managed a small smile, my gaze flickering. Honestly, I wasn't sure if he'd really agreed. Half a month ago, when I handed him the mate termination agreement, he'd been on the phone. He'd muttered something into the receiver and signed his name at the bottom of the document without listening to a word I said, then left the council chamber in a hurry. He hadn't mentioned it since. Now, I just had to wait another half month. Once the Wolf Court finalized the approval, my bond with him would be completely dissolved, and I'd be free. Before I could answer, a deep voice laced with an undeniable authority came from behind us. "Done talking?" We turned simultaneously to see my Alpha mate, Damine Blackwood, approaching. He wore a black tactical coat that made his frame even more imposing. Even with his Alpha presence contained, it was intimidating. He walked with a confident stride, his boots making almost no sound on the wooden floor—a trait of a top predator. Lidia was still caught up in her anger from earlier. She stood up abruptly. "Damine, Sylvia said you dissolved your bond—" "How did you know I was here?" I quickly stood up, placing a calming hand on Lidia's arm to stop her from continuing. "Blood moon energy's about to surge," he said, his gaze sweeping over my face. His tone was flat. "Thought I'd give you a ride home." The blood moon was a significant event for wolves, when our power surged but we were also more prone to losing control. Regular wolves needed special suppressants, while an Alpha's mate was more sensitive due to the bond connection and would experience greater pain. I smiled at him, picked up my leather backpack, said goodbye to Lidia, and followed him out of the café. Before leaving, Lidia hugged me. "Don't be afraid," she whispered, only for me to hear. "Whatever you decide, I'll always support you. Even if he's the Alpha, I won't let him bully you." On the drive back to Blackwood Manor, cold rain began to streak against the windows. The car was silent except for the low rumble of the engine. After a long moment, it was as if he finally remembered something. "Sylvia," he asked, "what was that document you had me sign half a month ago?" After all this time, he was finally asking? Well, his mind had been completely occupied with Sofia's return lately. How could he remember something so insignificant? A slight smile touched my lips. I was about to answer when the encrypted communicator on the console suddenly buzzed. A female voice, slurred with a hint of playful coquetry, came through the speaker, shattering the car's silence. "Damine... my head hurts. I feel... like my wolf is about to break free. Can you come get me? Like you used to." The contact read "Sofia." Sofia. I'd heard Damine whisper her name in his sleep countless times. Listening to that familiar, dependent tone, Damine's long fingers tightened around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. His expression darkened instantly. "Sofia," his voice held a warning, suppressing his anger. "I've reminded you many times. I have a bonded mate." There was a pause on the other end, then a more brazen response came through. "So what if you do bonded? Damine, don't forget that three years ago at the blood moon ceremony, the one who should have been by your side was me." This careless attitude completely enraged Damine. In our three years together, I'd always seen him as the calm and composed Alpha. This was the first time I'd witnessed him lose control. He slammed his foot on the brake. The high-performance SUV's tires screeched against the wet pavement. "Then why didn't you show up?!" he roared into the communicator, his voice filled with a pain and anger I'd never heard before. The line went silent. After a moment, Sofia's voice came out, choked with tears. "I'm sorry... I'm bothering you. I won't... contact you again." The call ended, but Damine's expression didn't improve. If anything, it darkened further. His fingers tapped restlessly on the steering wheel as if he were having an intense inner battle. Finally, he seemed to completely surrender, picking up the communicator and typing a few words quickly. "Send me your location." When the other party sent the coordinates, he turned to me with an apologetic expression. I knew what he was about to say. Before he could speak, I said, "Go handle your business. I can get home by myself." He looked at me, his eyes flashing with complex emotions, but ultimately nodded. "I'll come back after I'm done." I nodded and said nothing. I pushed open the car door, opened my umbrella, and stepped into the cold, drizzling rain. Standing by the roadside, I watched the black SUV speed away like an arrow disappearing into the rain and deepening night, a profound calm washing over me. This was the seventh year I'd been in love with Damine Blackwood. I still clearly remember the first time I saw him at the Stormfang Pack's annual hunting trial when I was eighteen. He wasn't the official Alpha yet, but he was already the designated heir. He displayed a perfect wolf form—agile, powerful, precise—single-handedly holding off a giant black bear that had entered our territory and gone berserk, creating an opportunity for the pack to surround it. Every pounce, every dodge of his wolf was filled with strength and beauty, like a silver-black lightning bolt, becoming the center of attention. The young wolves watching, especially the unmated females, whispered excitedly, introducing him to newer members. "That's Damine Blackwood, future Alpha of Stormfang Pack, one of the most powerful northern werewolf bloodlines." "Too bad his heart only belongs to Sofia Keating, who grew up with him. They're fated mates." They whispered among themselves, sharing stories about him and Sofia. He would rent out an entire resort at the foot of the northern snow mountain just for Sofia's birthday, so she could see the most beautiful auroras. When Sofia got jealous because other female wolves showed interest in him, he would set aside his pride as Alpha and publicly promise to her in front of all pack members, soothing her. On a stormy night, he would stay in wolf form outside her house, even with frostbitten paw pads, all because Sofia had said that she was afriad of dark... During my years in Stormfang Pack, I heard countless love stories about Damine and Sofia. I always thought I would just be an insignificant background character in their legendary story, a silent witness to their eventual union. That is, until three years ago, when Damine officially became Alpha and was eager to be mate with Sofia, completing the final bond to solidify his position and power. At that grand ceremony under the blood moon, I hadn't originally been qualified to attend, but I went anyway, hiding in the crowd. The ceremony was about to begin, the altar was ready, and the elders had taken their positions, but Sofia was nowhere to be found. Damine called to her repeatedly through their mental link, but only received cold silence. Finally, he just got a short message: "Damine, I'm afraid of this eternal bond. I'm leaving, going somewhere without pack rules." In that moment, all the light in Damine's eyes went out. His patience, his years of indulgence, were completely shattered in front of everyone's eyes. Unlike usual, he didn't go looking for her or trying to win her back. Amidst the pack's whispers and the elders' astonished stares, he ripped off the wolf-tooth necklace symbolizing the wedding, strode onto the altar, snatched the ritual horn from the lead elder, and his voice, like cracking ice, echoed throughout the territory: "Today, I, Damine Blackwood, Alpha of Stormfang Pack, hereby announce that I will change my bonded mate! Any single lady present willing to bond with me, step forward!" In that moment, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest. I knew how many powerful, beautiful female wolves in the pack longed for this opportunity. So, the moment his words fell, before anyone could react or hesitate, I almost acted on instinct. I shot up from the crowd and took a step forward. On that day, I put on the Luna dress that didn't originally belong to me, too large on my frame. A mark, formed from his blood and power, was seared onto my neck, making me the bonded mate of this man who didn't even know my name. For the three years since, we've been like most werewolf couples who bound themselves together despite not being fated mates—respectful but distant. I did everything a Luna should do, managing internal affairs, coordinating pack relationships, and calming him during his ruts with my limited strength. And he, in turn, gave me the respect and protection I deserved. Until a month ago, when Sofia returned. Watching Damine, who was both hurt by her past but couldn't control his attraction to her, I understood that this seven-year-long dream of mine needed to end. I should return the Luna position to the person who originally belonged there. To fulfill the deep-seated obsession in his heart that had never truly extinguished. And to free myself completely. The cold rain beat a dull rhythm against my umbrella. I took out my communicator and sent Damine a short message: "The document you asked about? It's in the glove compartment of the passenger seat. If you really want to know what it is, open it. Then you'll understand." After sending the message, I felt a sense of relief I'd never experienced before. The Blackwood Manor was just a vague shape in the rain. It had been my home, but soon it wouldn't be anymore. I took a deep breath of the air mixed with rain and soil. My future shouldn't be trapped in this beautiful prison anymore. Chapter 2 Half an hour later, I returned to the small cottage that was mine at Blackwood Manor. My communicator buzzed with a message from Damine just as I walked in. "I'm busy right now. Whatever document you had me sign wouldn't be to my disadvantage, so I won't look at it." I gave a small, bitter smile and tossed the communicator onto the bearskin sofa. He wouldn't look. His mind was completely on comforting Sofia. Why would he care about a document that would set me completely free? Just like he never truly cared that this bond mark on my neck didn't just signify the honor of being Luna—it was supposed to represent a mate's love. The blood moon arrived, and the Alpha's mark made my unbearable. But my mate, who should have been with me, was with another woman. With each surge of blood moon energy, the mark felt like a hot iron being pressed into my flesh again, or like countless cold needles piercing along my veins toward my heart. The familiar burning pain and icy coldness spread from my neck. I curled up on the cold floor, unconsciously clawing and tearing at the bearskin blanket. Sweat soaked my hair, sticking to my forehead, making me feel cold. I knew this was a normal reaction to the bond under the blood moon. An Alpha's presence could greatly ease this pain. Usually, no matter how busy he was, Damine would stay by my side, releasing his Alpha aura that smelled of pine and snow, enveloping me and driving away the torment of our soul bond. But this time, the small cottage was empty. The pain came in waves, and in the brief moments between them, I clearly sensed something else through that damned, unbreakable mate bond—I could vaguely feel his state. No concern, no anxiety. Only a fluctuation of... complex emotions born from a long-awaited reunion. He was with Sofia. At this moment, when I needed him most and he should have been fulfilling his mate duties. This realization pierced me more sharply than the bond mark's pain. Every time before, when he'd abandon me for Sofia, I'd make excuses for him—pack business, he was the Alpha, he had responsibilities... But this time, in the very real pain he had given me but was ignoring, all those excuses seemed so pale and ridiculous. So a bond is a connection between two, but the pain is only mine to bear. When another sharp cramp shot through my neck, I stopped the futile calling of his name in my mind, hoping he'd sense my pain and come back. I just gritted my teeth, bore it, and waited for the wave to pass. And in its aftermath, I could clearly feel a part of me that had always burned for him slowly cooling, hardening, until it became like a stone forgotten in the depths of winter. I no longer needed his comfort. Or rather, I finally understood I had never truly had it. The cold rain lasted a full day and night, finally stopping the next evening as the pain finally subsided. Outside the window, the rain-washed forest glistened with a deep green. I stayed in my cottage and logged into the pack's internal network platform, beginning to silently delete all the posts I'd carefully shared about life with Damine after our bonding. Photos from joint hunting celebrations, small symbolic gifts exchanged during holidays, even a photo of the rare berries he'd picked for me on a return trip from border patrols... they had all been treasures I'd cherished. After deleting the last post, I logged out and immediately saw Sofia's latest update. A nine-photo grid. The background looked like a private yacht on a lake. She lay lazily on a deck chair, each angle carefully composed. In one shot, she deliberately revealed a masculine hand with distinct bone structure resting on her waist. On the inner wrist was a unique old scar shaped like claw marks—a mark from Damine. I knew that was Damine's hand, and I knew Sofia was doing this on purpose. But looking at these photos now, I felt nothing. Not even a stir. I just found it a bit boring. I turned off the communicator and went to the kitchen to fix myself a simple salad. I had just placed my dinner on the heavy wooden table when the cottage door suddenly opened. Damine walked in, bringing a chill from outside with him. He carried a wooden box carved from dark wood, bearing the Stormfang Pack crest. "You don't have a sweet tooth," I said, looking at what he held. It was pack-made honey cake, usually only made by elders skilled in its craft for important celebrations. Damine approached, his gaze landing on my salad. His brow furrowed slightly. "Today's your birthday, and this is all you're having?" I froze. Birthday. In my fuzzy childhood memories, my human father had never celebrated my birthday. When I was four or five, he and my stepmother drove me to the edge of our territory's forbidden forest and left me. All I remembered was the woman's cold words through the closing car window: "This little wolf belongs where she belongs." A kind old Omega named Martha from the pack found and took me in. She gave me the name "Sylvia" and made me a member of Stormfang Pack. She declared the day she found me as my birthday and celebrated it every year. Until I was fifteen, when Martha died protecting me during a conflict with rogue wolves. After that, no one remembered my birthday. Until these past three years as Damine's bonded mate. He always remembered. No matter how busy pack affairs got, he would always show up with this honey cake on this day. Last year, a patrol team had encountered a beast attack. He led the response team himself, returning with dark bloodstains on his tactical gear, yet he didn't forget to bring this wooden box. And it wasn't just that. Every time I had to cross the dangerous forbidden forest for Luna duties, he would always be waiting in advance on the watchtower at the territory's edge. On stormy nights—the kind that made all wolves instinctively alert, a primal fear of nature's power—if he was by my side, he would always sense my unease. He would hold me with his arms that smelled of pine and cold snow, using his Alpha aura to drive away the terrifying thunder outside... I had thought these small gestures of care might hold feelings beyond the bond. I thought maybe he had fallen in love with me too. Until last month, our bonding anniversary. According to ancient werewolf tradition, the Alpha is supposed to exchange a token woven from their own fur with their mate on this day to strengthen their bond. I had carefully collected his rare jet-black shed fur half a month in advance and woven it into a pendant. But Damine told me on the day of the ceremony, "The patrol found numerous silver traps left by poachers. I need to handle this personally. The ceremony will be postponed." I waited in our cottage until the moon reached its peak, holding the black fur pendant in my hands. Finally, Lidia sent a message asking me to bring her a jacket to "The Howl" bar at the edge of the forbidden forest. She said she'd left her cloak there. I found Lidia's cloak in the noisy bar filled with young wolves' chatter, but I also saw a scene in a corner. Sofia was drunk, practically draped all over Damine. Her nails were dug deep into his tactical uniform, clinging to him like he was her last lifeline. "Damine! You can't only be good to her... I know I was wrong back then, I shouldn't have run away before the bonding ceremony... give me another chance, please?" Damine's expression was stormy. He tried to pull her away, but his movements were restrained, careful not to hurt her. "Sofia! I've told you, I have a bonded mate now!" "So what if you do?" Sofia sobbed, clinging tighter and pressing her cheek to his chest. "You clearly still have feelings for me! Last time I was being chased by that crazed beast in the forest, wasn't it you who came first? You're good to Sylvia just because you're the Alpha, you're her mate, you have to fulfill your responsibilities, you need a stable bond to strengthen your power! Isn't that right?" I saw Damine's body stiffen. His fingers trying to push her away trembled—a hesitation and doubt I'd never seen from him. The next second, he seemed to completely give up, sighing with a sound of near-resignation. "Sofia... what do you want me to do with you?" At that moment, the bag I was holding containing the fur pendant dropped to the floor. The black fur spilled from the open bag, mixing with the wood chips and dust on the bar floor. Images flashed through my mind. Three years ago at the rushed blood moon bonding ceremony, his hot fingertips leaving the mark on my neck; the wild berries he occasionally brought back for me from hunts or patrols; the steady heartbeat I felt against his chest on stormy nights... These moments I had treasured, replayed endlessly, suddenly lost all their luster, becoming pale and worthless. I understood. All of Damine's "kindness" toward me was nothing more than routine for an Alpha toward his "bonded mate" while his fated mate was temporarily away. It was a rule of Stormfang Pack, a shackle of his Alpha status, forcing him to act this way. I looked at the honey cake in the wooden box, my heart perfectly calm, without a single ripple. Damine lit the special candles, the faint light reflecting in his amber eyes, unusually gentle. "Sylvia," his voice was deeper than usual, "make a wish. Like you always do." I nodded, about to do as he said, when the encrypted communicator he carried suddenly buzzed urgently. He glanced at the screen, his expression changing instantly, even his breathing quickening—that was Sofia's exclusive emergency contact indicator. He answered immediately, Sofia's terrified, tearful voice came through clearly in the quiet cottage: "Damine... I'm in the human town on the edge of the forbidden forest... there are pothers with silver weapons blocking my path... I'm so scared..." Damine stood up in a rush, moving so quickly he disturbed the air. He grabbed his heavy tactical coat from the back of a chair, not even looking at me. Just leaving the words "Sylvia, I'll be back" before he strode out the door. The wooden door slammed shut behind him, the extinguishing gust putting out the candles on the cake. No one seemed to care. The cottage was dark, the cold candles the only light source, now extinguished. I sat with my hands on my knees, silent in the darkness for a long time. Then, I just said in a soft but clear voice, as if speaking to the air and to myself, my birthday wish at twenty-four: "New year, Sylvia. Stop loving Damine Blackwood." Chapter 3 Three days later, Stormfang Pack held its annual harvest celebration for the fall hunt. The event was on an open, stone-paved area at the edge of our territory. A massive bonfire burned at the center, filling the air with the scent of roasting meat and the restless energy of young wolves. As the Pack Luna, I had to attend. I was surprised to see Damine when I walked in. As Alpha, he usually didn't participate in these more social gatherings aimed at younger wolves. He was currently surrounded by a group of eager young Delta and Gamma warriors who had just come of age. He idly twirled an intricate silver dagger engraved with patterns—symbol of his status—between his fingers. When he saw me enter, he almost immediately stopped his conversation, pushed through the crowd, and sat down in the empty seat next to me. The surrounding noise instantly died down, making the atmosphere awkward. I could feel the gazes on me—a mix of curiosity, contempt, and maybe a hint of jealousy I couldn't quite detect. To these young wolves, most from ancient pack families, I, Sylvia, an "outsider" abandoned by humans and raised by an Omega, becoming Damine Blackwood's mate and Luna undoubtedly meant I had used some unknown trick. So they all looked down on me. I ignored their stares and sat quietly, my gaze fixed on the dancing flames of the bonfire, as if the fire could absorb all the unwanted attention. Not long after, the former hunting leader, an experienced Gamma warrior, walked to the front of the bonfire carrying an old chest made of some beast's leather. "Hey, you young whelps! Quiet down!" His loud voice cut through the chatter. "Besides tonight's party, there's something else—remember that activity you did five years ago, right after basic training? You wrote letters to your future selves. Well, time's up! Today, we're opening them all!" He opened the chest, revealing it was filled with small scrolls and parcels wrapped in small pieces of leather and tied with leather cords. "Let's play a game!" the old leader suggested excitedly. "We'll draw them randomly. Whoever draws one reads it out loud for everyone to hear! Let's see what five years ago's us, or our friends, were thinking!" A chorus of excited howls and cheers erupted from the young wolves. In this wild, straightforward atmosphere, the suggestion was met with immediate enthusiasm. Michael, the most active young Delta warrior, rushed forward first and pulled a parcel from the chest. He untied the leather cord, unfolded the slightly rough parchment inside, cleared his throat, and began to read: "To my future Sylvia. It's the fall hunting season of pack year 78. I just finished my first official hunting training and'm sitting under the biggest oak tree at the edge of the hunting ground, writing this to you." The entire gathering fell silent. Almost everyone's gazes snapped to me at once. My heart clenched, as if caught by an invisible wolf's paw. The words on the parchment instantly pulled me back to that afternoon five years ago. I was twenty, having just finished tough training, with blood scratches from jungle thorns still on my arms, tired but excited. Then, I saw Damine in the training field not far away, patiently teaching Sofia hunting techniques. Sunlight filtered through the trees, landing on his black hair and focused profile, as if he were glowing. Michael's voice continued, with the coarse texture of the parchment, reading out a secret I'd buried in my heart for years: "I want to tell you, I've fallen for Damine Blackwood. But... his eyes are always on Sofia Keating. I know this feeling has no future." I clenched my hands in my lap, my knuckles turning white. "You might ask me, if you know there's no future, why not just give up?" Michael read, his voice taking on a strange note he might not even be aware of. "I can't give up. What I love is his unwavering courage and strength when hunting fierce beasts; it's how he doesn't care about rank or bloodline, that he never ignores the needs of lower-ranking wolves and never looks down on me; and it's his sincerity and politeness even when turning people down." "Every morning training, I'd deliberately adjust my position, just to sneak a glance when we changed formations, even if my neck would ache. Hearing he was injured by silver gear during a border patrol, I risked getting scolded to secretly place Moonmark Grass ointment I'd collected and made in his locker. My leather journal is filled with his name, page after page... Perhaps he'll never know there was a girl named Sylvia in Stormfang Pack who once, once, loved him like this. But that's okay..." Michael paused here, as if moved by what followed, then continued reading: "Because loving someone should be a lonely journey... I know I love him, and that's enough." When the last word fell, a dead silence surrounded the bonfire, only the crackle of burning wood sounding unusually loud. Without looking up, I could feel the gazes on me become even more complex. And beside me, Damine had gone completely rigid. The silver dagger he'd been idly twirling between his fingers clattered onto the stone table between us, making a sharp sound. He whipped his head around to look at me, his amber eyes filled with unprecedented shock... and an emotion I couldn't quite decipher right away. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but his throat seemed to be blocked. I saw the turmoil in his eyes, reflecting the image of that unremarkable wolf girl hiding behind the oak tree five years ago, secretly watching him. It also reflected the image of me three years ago at the blood moon ceremony, standing firm amidst the various gazes of the crowd and saying "I am willing." In that instant, many details Damine had overlooked might have flooded his mind: the temperature of the herbal tea I brewed to soothe his ruts; this bond mark on my neck, personally seared by him with his blood still on it; the silhouette of me handling pack affairs late into the night... It turned out that I chose to be his mate not out of the climbing the ranks that others accused me of, simply because I had silently loved him for so many years. The heart in his chest skipped a beat. A strong impulse made him want to grab my hand right then, to question or confirm something. However, just as he was about to speak, the emergency encrypted communicator he carried buzzed sharply and inappropriately again. That special vibration pattern for highest priority—Sofia's alone. Sofia's tearful, terrified voice came through, clear even without the speaker on in the quiet gathering with wolves' sharp hearing: "Damine! Help me! I'm at that abandoned watchtower on the territory edge near the human highway... there are, there are poachers with silver weapons! They've tied my wrists with ropes dipped in silver powder! It hurts... my power is being suppressed..." Sofia's cries, like silver-tipped needles, instantly pierced the waves Damine's heart had just set off because of the letter. The complex emotions about me in his eyes quickly faded, replaced by the familiar worry and anger he felt for Sofia. He shot up from his stone bench, not even looking at me or picking up the fallen dagger. Like a black lightning bolt, he rushed out of the bonfire area, heading toward the edge of the territory. The other wolves exchanged looks, then rose to follow, falling in line behind Damine. I walked silently at the very back of the group. When we reached the abandoned wooden watchtower, the scene made my blood boil. Three dirty human poachers, their faces greedy, were using chains that gleamed with an unnatural silver light to bind Sofia's wrists and ankles. The burns from the silver touching her skin made her whimper in pain. Her wolf form flickered unstably but couldn't fully manifest due to the silver's suppression. One of the poachers, short and stocky with a scar across his face, held a dagger clearly coated in wolfsbane, giving off a nauseating smell. He was making threatening gestures near Sofia's cheek. Damine's eyes instantly turned to the vertical pupils of a predator, burning with terrifying fury in their amber color. A low, threatening growl rumbled in his throat. Half-wolf claws shot from his fingertips, gleaming cold in the moonlight. Without any extra movement, he charged forward like a cannonball. His fist, covered in hard keratin, carried the terrifying strength of an Alpha, crashing hard into the face of the nearest poacher. The crack of breaking bones was sickening. The silver that naturally harmed wolves caused faint wisps of smoke to rise from Damine's fist where it touched possible silver residue on the poacher, bringing burning pain, but he seemed completely unaware. His anger made his strikes extremely brutal. Every punch contained enough force to break ordinary human bones. The other two poachers tried to resist with their silver weapons, but their movements were ridiculously slow against a furious Alpha wolf. Damine skillfully snatched the silver chain from one, swung it to strike the other on the neck, and soon had all three poachers writhing on the ground in pain. Sofia cried out, pointing at the stocky poacher: "Him! He wanted to slash my face with that dagger! And... and he wanted to take my fangs!" Those words were like lighting the final fuse. Damine's fury completely exploded. He picked up the dagger on the ground that reeked of wolfsbane—though silver and wolfsbane were a double torture for wolves, a powerful Alpha could temporarily resist with willpower and bloodline strength. Without hesitation, he brought the hard end of the dagger down hard on the wrist of the stocky poacher holding it! "Crack!" Accompanied by a chilling sound of breaking bones and the poacher's piercing scream, his wrist twisted at an unnatural angle, clearly broken. Blood sprayed out, looking especially stark in the moonlight and the remaining firelight. Even the battle-hardened wolves among us couldn't help but gasp. I stood at the very back of the crowd, looking at that mangled, nearly severed wrist, and my fingertips went ice cold. I subconsciously looked up at Damine. But what I saw was him discarding the dagger, now stained with blood and wolfsbane. He was carefully using those hands that had just unleashed terrifying force to gently untie the silver chains digging into Sofia's flesh. His movements were so tender, as if handling a priceless treasure. He was saying something to her in a low voice, a gentle, almost protective tone I had never heard from him: "Don't be afraid. It's over. I'm here. No one will hurt you you anymore." So it turned out that the so-called "responsibility" and "protection" were different. What he gave me was the rule-bound duty of an Alpha toward his bonded mate, toward the Luna. What he gave Sofia was instinctive protection, without hesitation, at any cost. I lowered my eyelashes, hiding the last faint ripples in my eyes, and the self-mocking bitterness rising from within. Then, I silently turned and walked back along the path we came, toward my small cottage deep within Blackwood Manor. The cold night wind carried the scent of blood and wolfsbane from afar, also blowing away the last unrealistic warmth in my heart. It wasn't until after midnight that the cottage door opened. Damine walked in, carrying the chill of the night, a faint bloody scent, and a hint of Sofia's perfume. He saw me sitting silently on the bearskin couch. The glowstone in the stone lamp beside me cast a faint light on my expressionless face. As if remembering he should explain, his voice carried a trace of fatigue I couldn't quite detect... and maybe guilt? "Sylvia, tonight... you saw it too. Those poachers used silver on Sofia. It was an emergency. As Alpha, I couldn't just stand by. She is a pack member after all, and..." "I know," I interrupted him, my voice as calm and icy as a frozen lake, without a single ripple. "You handled it. That's good. If you're tired, go get some rest." I stood up, not looking at him, and walked straight to the bathroom to get clean clothes. The warm water washed over my body, cutting off all sounds from outside. Half an hour later, I walked out of the bathroom with towel-dried hair, but saw Damine standing at the stone table, holding a scroll. It was my migration application to a neutral southern wolf sanctuary, submitted with Lidia's help. According to ancient pack rules, once a bond is officially dissolved, the passive party usually needs to leave the original pack's territory to avoid unnecessary conflict and awkwardness. "Sylvia," Damine looked up at me, his voice trembling with an intensity he was trying to suppress but was still leaking through, "what is this? You're applying to the 'Southern Sanctuary'? Why... why didn't you ever tell me?" Chapter 4 I paused for a moment, then my expression smoothed over. I calmly reached out and took the file from Damine. "It's nothing. Just a confirmation receipt from the Southern Sanctuary for their anti-silver toxin remedies. They must have mixed up the documents." My voice sounded perfectly normal. A flicker of doubt appeared in Damine's amber eyes. He knew I never lied. But at that moment, I lowered my eyelashes slightly, avoiding his direct gaze. This small movement felt off to him. In the end, he pushed down his urge to question further, just raising his hand in a habitual gesture to ruffle my hair. "Alright. I'm heading to the council chamber then. The patrol needs to inventory the new weapons confiscated tonight." "Wait." I stopped him. I turned to the small wooden chest in the corner that held various herbs and ointments, rummaging through it until I found a ceramic jar engraved with the Stormfang Pack wolf crest. It was a special ointment made by the pack's top healer, specifically for treating wounds caused by silver. I walked behind him and gently tapped my finger on a spot on his tactical vest near his shoulder blade. "Yesterday when you were dealing with those poachers, some shattered silver fragments must have gotten caught in your clothes. Let me help you clean it out." Damine's body tensed slightly. He reached back to touch his own back. Last night, when he'd grabbed the silver dagger from the stocky poacher, he had indeed felt small fragments splatter against his back, leaving a faint stinging sensation. But he was an Alpha, with powerful healing abilities. He hadn't thought anything of it, assuming any wound had already healed. He never expected me to notice I was always like that, paying attention to details he overlooked: knowing that while he wasn't afraid of thunder, the chaotic energy during thunderstorms made him instinctively irritable, so I'd hang thick pelts on the cottage windows to block the sound; knowing that after long hunts or patrols in wolf form, he liked a sip of warm honey wine brewed from the territory's special Blueflame berries, so I'd always have a small pot warming by the hearth before he returned. He silently peeled off his black tactical vest and sat down on the bearskin-covered sofa as I'd instructed. His back was to me. On his tanned skin, a shallow but distinctly unnatural grayish-white wound was visible—a lingering trace of the silver toxin. I opened the ointment jar, dipping a clean brush in it to scoop up some of the dark green ointment that had a bitter scent. Carefully, I began applying it to his wound. My movements were gentle and focused, trying to avoid causing him any additional pain. Damine felt the cool touch on his back and the slight stinging from the ointment, but his mind uncontrollably drifted back to the parchment letter Michael had read at the bonfire. The Wolf Mint he'd occasionally found in his training bag after morning workouts, easing his muscle aches; the excellent healing ointment that had appeared in his locker whenever he was injured... it had all been me. It had always been me. "Sylvia," he couldn't help but speak again, his voice deeper and huskier than usual, "about what was in that letter today..." "The ointment needs to be spread evenly for the medicinal properties to penetrate, otherwise the silver toxin won't be completely cleared and might leave a scar." My voice cut him off. My hand movements remained steady as I used the brush to carefully spread the ointment along the edges of the wound. "Next time you encounter enemies with silver weapons, try to avoid direct frontal impacts. The healer said last time that the silver toxins building up in your system need time to metabolize... there won't always be someone around to help you deal with these things." The last few words were so soft they were barely more than a whisper. Damine didn't seem to hear them, or perhaps his focus was still on the letter. He instinctively lifted his head to ask, "What did you just say?" I shook my head, not repeating it. I simply sealed the ointment jar and put it back in the chest, then turned toward the bedroom. "Don't let the wound get wet. I'm tired. I'm going to rest." The cottage was very quiet late at night, only the sound of wind rustling through the pine trees outside. I lay on the soft-pelted bed, my back to the room. After a while, I heard Damine's footsteps as he came out of the bathroom. He walked to the bedside, hesitated, and then, as he had on many nights over the past three years, habitually reached out to wrap his arms around my waist—a common gesture between bonded mates for comfort and connection, usually helping both sleep better. However, the moment his arm brushed my side, I lightly but clearly shifted toward the center of the bed, avoiding his touch. "I'm not feeling well tonight," my voice came from the darkness, calm and without emotion, "the effects of the blood moon probably haven't worn off yet. I want to rest alone." Damine's arm froze mid-air. His fingertips still tingled with the cool feel of my sleepwear fabric. He was silent for a few seconds, then said nothing. He just reached out to straighten the blanket covering me. "Alright. If you feel worse, call me anytime." His voice was low as he finished, then he turned and lay down on the other side of the bed. The next morning, a thin mist still lingered in the forbidden forest when a commotion broke out outside the main house. I was combing my hair when I heard the noise. Just as I was about to go out, I saw Sofia standing at the entrance with a few young wolves who were clearly not from Stormfang Pack. In her arms, she held a large bundle of plants with strangely white-shining leaves, and a small gift wrapped in fine leather. "Damine!" Sofia's voice was cheerful, ignoring the slight frown on Damine's face as he leaned against the doorframe. "Thank you so much for yesterday! I specially collected some Moonlight Grass from Moonbeam Valley for you. It's amazing for clearing silver toxins! And this, I brought back from outside—supposedly an essence that can enhance a werewolf's constitution. It's for you!" Damine's gaze swept over the curious outsiders behind her, and his expression didn't improve. According to pack rules, outsiders cannot enter another pack's core territory without invitation. But when he saw the hopeful, almost pleading look in Sofia's eyes, the tight line of his jaw softened somewhat. "Come on in." He stepped aside, his tone regaining its usual steadiness but with an undertone of indulgence, "Don't make a scene at the entrance." Sofia beamed, like a child who's been given permission. She turned and very naturally shoved the expensive bundle of Moonlight Grass into my hands. Her tone was commanding, as if it were absolute. "Here, this is Damine's favorite Moonlight Grass. Its scent is calming. Go hang it in the hunting trophy room, on that oak shelf with the best ventilation. Remember to let it get sunlight every day, don't let moisture ruin its effect." "Sofia." Damine's voice turned cold in an instant. "I prefer the scent of pine and snow, not Moonlight Grass. And Sylvia is my bonded mate, the Luna of Stormfang Pack. Watch your tone. She isn't some servant you can order around." I looked down at the bundle of Moonlight Grass in my hands. The cool leaves felt against my skin, carrying a faint, cloyingly sweet fragrance. It wasn't until this moment that I finally understood why there was a perfectly positioned yet perpetually empty oak shelf in the hunting trophy room. Last year, when I was helping him organize newly acquired trophies, I had casually asked about the shelf's purpose. He hadn't looked up from what he was doing as he answered, "The elders said to keep it empty. Maybe for ritual incense someday." So that spot had always been waiting for Sofia to return, to hold these flashy Moonlight Grasses she liked. I didn't say anything. My expression remained neutral. I simply handed the bundle to an Omega attendant standing nearby. "Hang this in the empty oak shelf on the east side of the trophy room. Follow the preservation guidelines for valuable herbs—turn it daily to ensure it gets enough sun." My voice wasn't loud, but it was clear. Sofia watched my back, a triumphant, challenging glint in her eyes. Then she quickly followed Damine into the trophy room. I carried a cup of hot tea, freshly brewed with Blueflame berries, and walked to the small balcony connected to the trophy room. The stone door to the balcony was slightly ajar. Their conversation drifted out clearly. "Damine! Look! Isn't this my baby fang that I lost after my first successful hunt as a kid? You actually kept it in this crystal box! You've had it all this time?" "And this! This lopsided wolf wood carving! I just made it and threw it away at the tribal market back then, and you actually picked it up?" "Wow! This black bear fur rug! It's from the bear we hunted together on our first winter hunt, right? You actually made it into a rug and kept it here..." Sofia's voice, filled with delight and a hint of coquettishness, was like tiny silver needles, pricking persistently at my ears. I remembered when I had first moved into the main house, I had also asked Damine about these seemingly ordinary items in the trophy room that he had carefully preserved. He had been polishing the crystal box holding the wolf fang at the time, paused his movements, and replied flatly, "Just some old junk from when we were kids. Thought it had some sentimental value, so I kept it." I had actually believed him back then. I had even thought privately that despite being Alpha, he had a sentimental and delicate side. Only now, hearing Sofia list the origin of each item as if she knew them by heart, did I finally understand completely. Those items he had so carefully preserved, locked in crystal boxes, laid out on soft furs—they were all memories that belonged to Sofia. All those complex emotions in his eyes that I had never been able to decipher—deep-seated attachment, the bitterness of being abandoned, an unbreakable nostalgia—they had always been about Sofia, and only Sofia. Not a single fragment of them had ever been for me, Sylvia. Chapter 5 As noon approached, Sofia suggested enthusiastically that they visit a natural hot spring on the edge of the territory. It was said that the spring water contained special minerals that offered minor benefits for relieving muscle fatigue and residual silver toxin effects after battle. "Damine, I heard the spring's energy has been really active lately. Great for healing wounds. Why don't we all go for a soak? Perfect way to relax." Sofia said, her gaze pointedly sweeping over me. Damine looked at me, as if to ask my opinion or find an excuse to decline. But Sofia didn't give him the chance. She stepped forward and latched onto his arm, half-pulling, half-dragging him toward the door. "Sylvia could use it too, right? Let's all go, more fun with a group." I didn't say anything, just silently followed behind them. A few young wolves from the pack who were friendly with Sofia came along too. I rarely participated in purely social events like this and found it hard to join in their loud chatter. I didn't force myself, so I found a secluded corner away from the group and sat quietly, watching the steam rise and the outlines of the distant forest. Damine noticed my distance. He walked over holding a cup of freshly squeezed berry juice. He had just handed it to me and was about to speak when his attention was drawn to a commotion over by Sofia. Sofia was picking up a stone cup filled with an amber-colored liquid to drink. It was a potent distilled spirit made from some strong root plant, with high alcohol content that could cause discomfort for wolves with sensitive constitutions. Damine's face hardened. He strode over, snatched the cup from her hand, his voice tight with suppressed anger: "You forgot what happened the last time you drank something this strong? You almost lost control and were bedridden for three days. You want to experience that again?" Sofia blinked, her face innocent and wronged. She grabbed the berry juice from Damine's hand, the one he'd originally brought for me. "I took the wrong one, I didn't mean to. This is mine. Thanks anyway." She smiled at Damine, a sly look in her eyes. Damine's grip tightened on the now-empty stone cup, his knuckles turning white. But in the end, he said nothing. He just walked back to my side, subconsciously holding out the now-empty cup that still smelled strongly of alcohol to me. I looked at the clearly displeased man in front of me and the empty cup he was handing me, which had a pungent smell. I didn't reach for it. I picked up my small purse, stood up, and spoke calmly: "I don't drink this. I'm going to sit by the other spring pool, where it's quieter." Only then did Damine suddenly realize he'd handed me the wrong cup. His entire focus had been on Sofia and the strong drink; he hadn't noticed what was in his hand at all. He started to explain the confusion, but I had already turned and walked quickly toward another, more secluded, smaller spring pool. The warm, mineral-rich water enveloped my body, soothing some of the fatigue and tension of the past few days. I leaned against the smooth rock at the edge of the pool, watching the swirling white mist rise and dissipate. My consciousness gradually grew vague. Maybe I was too exhausted, but I fell asleep without realizing it. Perhaps because I was used to being alone and in quiet, I didn't hear the increasingly urgent knocking and calls from outside. Damine called my name several times from the other side of the door without getting a response, and he grew more and more worried. Finally, he just pushed open the slightly ajar door to the private bathhouse. Seeing me with my eyes closed, motionless against the pool's edge, his heart skipped a beat. He thought something might have happened to me. He immediately jumped into the warm spring water, scooping me up horizontally in his arms, eager to check my condition. Startled by the sudden loss of balance, I woke up, blinking sleepily. Instinctively, I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck to steady myself. Steam from the hot spring filled the air around us. Our skin touched, the rising water vapor creating an oddly charged atmosphere. Damine looked down at me in his arms, water droplets dripping from his hair. His throat bobbed, and he couldn't help but lean down, as if to kiss me. Just as our breaths were about to mingle, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the brief tranquility. Sofia and a few other wolves who had been searching for her arrived. She stood at the doorway, saw Damine holding me, the two of us standing intimately in the spring water, and froze. She bit down hard on her lower lip, her eyes filled with shock and a betrayed disappointment. She spun around and ran off quickly. Damine's body went rigid. His first reaction was to put me down immediately, then chase after Sofia without a second thought. He only managed to leave a rushed sentence: "She misunderstood. I have to explain it to her." Misunderstanding? He and I were mates bound by pack law and an ancient mark. Even if we were seen in a more intimate act, what could possibly need explaining to another woman? But he had already lost his way, still playing the role of Sofia's lover. That was why his instinct was to explain. For someone who had once been willingly tamed for love, breaking that habit is not easy. Watching his hurriedly retreating back, my face remained expressionless, though a hint of bitterness surfaced in my eyes, quickly vanishing. I wrapped a dry pelt around myself and walked to the window for some air. Just in time, I saw Sofia on the empty ground below, hurrying toward the parked SUV. She yanked the car door open. Damine caught up and grabbed her wrist. Their heated argument carried clearly across the distance. "Sylvia passed out in the spring! I was just worried she might slip and choke or get cold! Do you have to overreact like this?" "Right! She's your bonded mate! What right do I have to be jealous? You should go take care of her! Why waste so much time explaining to your 'ex-girlfriend'?" "Sofia! Do you have to talk like that?" "What did I say? Am I not telling the truth?" A few words back and forth, and they parted on bad terms. Sofia's eyes were red-rimmed. She forcefully shook off Damine's hand, got into the driver's seat, and roared the engine to life. The tires screeched as she sped away, kicking up a cloud of dust. Left alone, Damine stood frozen for a few seconds, his expression dark. After that, he quickly got into his own car and sped off in the same direction Sofia had taken. I looked down at the empty roadside, where dust was slowly settling, and turned silently to the dressing room. When I came out after changing into dry clothes, I was immediately surrounded by several pack members with anxious faces, pacing agitatedly. One of them spoke in a rushed, panicked tone: "Luna! Something terrible has happened! We just got an urgent message! Alpha and Sofia were ambushed by those bastards from Shadowfang Pack on their way out!" Chapter 6 When we hurried to the pack infirmary, I saw Damine slumped on a stone bench outside the treatment room. His black tactical vest was stained with large patches of darkened blood and grayish marks from silver toxin burns. His sweat-soaked black hair clung to his forehead. The light in his eyes was gone, filled with panic and helplessness. He was slumped forward, his back curved. I had never seen him look so broken. Sofia's friends immediately rushed forward to ask what happened. Damine ran a hand roughly through his hair, his voice tight with pain and guilt: "It's all my fault... I shouldn't have said those things to make Sofia angry. I shouldn't have let her drive off alone... She was just emotional because we fought... Otherwise, she wouldn't have been driving so fast, she wouldn't have crashed into those damn roadblocks and silver spike traps set by those bastards from Shadowfang Pack..." Just then, the pack's most senior healer emerged, his expression extremely grim. "The patient's condition is critical. The silver toxin has penetrated deeply, triggering a severe depletion of her primal wolf essence. Standard anti-toxin serums will have limited effect. Right now, we need a concentrated transfusion of an Alpha's blood to forcibly neutralize the toxin and jumpstart her life force. Does anyone know of an Alpha willing to donate their essence blood... though it could weaken the Alpha's powers?" Everyone exchanged glances, their gazes eventually landing on Damine. Only he, the Alpha of Stormfang Pack, possessed the purest, most potent bloodline. Without a moment's hesitation, Damine rose to his feet, swaying slightly as he pulled off his blood-stained jacket. He took the sterile cloak the healer offered and followed a staff member quickly into the treatment room. About half an hour later, the door to the treatment room opened again. A healer's assistant helped Damine out. The man who was usually so strong and imposing now looked deathly pale, his lips bloodless, as if all his strength had been drained. He could barely stand. Seeing me standing nearby, he nearly collapsed directly toward me. I instinctively reached out to support him. His body was heavy and cold. The assistant didn't leave. His tone was still urgent: "The patient's vitals are temporarily stable, but the silver toxin is fighting back. We need at least one more, substantial dose of Alpha essence blood to consolidate the treatment and completely eliminate the remaining poison. Can we contact any other Alpha?" While we waited, the pack had already tried all their connections. There were virtually no wolves with pure Alpha bloodlines who could arrive in time. Seeing everyone's silent, anxious expressions, Damine grew even more agitated. He struggled, trying to force himself to his feet through sheer willpower alone. "I... I can." His voice was weak but stubborn. The assistant stared at him, as if looking at a man completely disregarding his own life. "Alpha Blackwood, you've already given more essence blood than your body can handle! Doing it again will severely damage your wolf, you might not even be able to transform, and your powers could decline drastically!" The expressions of the others changed. They all stepped forward, trying to dissuade him. "Alpha, please stop! We can think of other ways. Perhaps we can contact friendly packs and ask their Alpha for help... After all, Stormfang donates a great deal of supplies every year." But Damine just shook his head firmly, his eyes locked on the closed treatment room door. "Sofia... she can't wait that long." Seeing him in this nearly irrational state, I finally couldn't help but speak. My voice was shockingly clear in the quiet hallway: "The healers are already doing everything they can. They'll find another way to get Alpha essence blood. You don't need to... exhaust yourself like this." Damine froze for a moment. His gaze seemed to flicker over me, but there was no hesitation in it. He ignored what I said and pulled himself from the assistant's grip. He turned again, dragging his weakened body but taking determined, staggering steps toward the door. Watching his resolute back disappear through the door, everyone fell into a deeper silence. Someone sighed heavily, their voice filled with helplessness and a hint of barely concealed resentment. "As long as it's about Sofia, the Alpha acts like a madman! Remember when he challenged that guy to a duel just because someone accidentally bumped into Sofia during training? He hadn't fully mastered his wolf back then and ended up with a fractured leg, lying in the infirmary for a whole month!" "Tell me about it. Even earlier, to find that so-called 'Ocean Heart' for Sofia, he dove alone into the Dark Lake Abyss filled with dangerous aquatic predators and almost didn't make it back... And now it's the same thing. To save her, he's willing to damage his own wolf. I... I always thought she was still the one who mattered most to him, that's why... why I sometimes wanted to help create opportunities for them. Seeing this now... sigh..." They whispered among themselves, as if completely forgetting I, his legal mate, was standing right there. Listening as they recounted one by one all the past events between Damine and Sofia that I had never known, I felt a strange sense of daze. It wasn't until this moment, hearing this 'care' stacked up by life-threatening risks, that I saw with crystal-clear clarity just how absurd and ridiculous my former hope of "maybe I could replace her" had been. Love is love. No love is no love. I don't know how much time passed before the emergency treatment was finally over. The door opened. The healer looked exhausted. He was followed by Sofia, still unconscious but with a slightly better complexion, being wheeled out on a gurney, and Damine, who was being nearly carried out by two assistants, almost unconscious. Everyone's heart leaped. They immediately crowded around, asking with concern about Sofia's condition. The healer wiped the sweat from his forehead, his gaze resting on the unconscious Damine with a touch of emotion. He sighed to the group gathered by Sofia's bedside: "They... must be true mates, right? It's so rare to find a male who would be willing to pay such a price for her, even to the point of damaging his own wolf." I was left alone on the outskirts of the crowd. My lips curved into a faint, bitter smile. It turned out that even at the brink of life and death, even with his official mate standing right there, in everyone's eyes, they were still the rightful pair. And I, from beginning to end, had only been a superfluous onlooker. Chapter 7 It wasn't until the next day at noon that Damine slowly came out of the coma induced by the extreme blood loss. His mind was still fuzzy. His throat was dry, and the first words that slipped out were: "Sofia... how is she? Is she out of danger? Has she woken up?" Seeing his anxious expression, even though he was so weak, I nodded. I had stayed by his side almost all night, and my voice was hoarse with fatigue. "The healer said the most dangerous phase is over. She'll need a long period of rest to regain her strength." Hearing this news, the huge weight that had been pressing on Damine's chest finally seemed to lift. But he was still not at ease. He struggled to throw back the covers and get out of bed, insisting on going to see her for himself with his own eyes. I couldn't talk him out of it. In the end, it was a therapy assistant who was bringing him a nutrient drip that stopped him. Damine glanced at the several bags of medication that needed to be administered slowly, and a flicker of irritation crossed his eyes. His thoughts were still completely on Sofia's condition. His gaze swept around the room, finally landing on a basket on the corner table filled with fresh berries and rare Moontrace Herbs—a gift of condole from other pack members. It was as if he'd finally found a reasonable excuse. He looked at me, his voice carrying a subtle request: "Sylvia, I used the comm yesterday to contact Sofia's parents. They're wandering in the south, but they should be arriving soon. Could you take this berry basket to her for me? Give them my regards, and... while you're at it, check if Sofia's condition has stabilized." I stared at him for a long moment before letting out a quiet "Mm." I picked up the exquisitely crafted berry basket and silently left his private room. Sofia's room was on the upper floor. I walked to her door and raised my hand to knock, but noticed the heavy wooden door was slightly ajar. Through the crack, I saw Sofia nestled in the arms of a strange male wolf in another pack's attire. Her voice sounded weak and sweet: "Liam, didn't you say this time you came back, you'd take me to meet your elders and officially confirm our relationship? Why did you come alone?" The male, Liam, held her close, his voice gentle: "I wanted to bring my parents for a proper visit, but your injuries haven't fully healed. It's just not the right time. The moment you're completely recovered, I'll take you back to my pack for our mating ceremony. Okay?" Hearing this conversation, my hand clenched hard on the woven handle of the basket. Sofia already had a new mate? They were even to the point of having a mating ceremony? Just as that thought hit me, the healer for the routine check pushed the door open, startling the two people inside. Sofia looked up and saw me standing in the doorway. Her expression instantly shifted, turning guarded and displeased: "What are you doing here?" I didn't answer her question. I just silently placed the berry basket on a low cabinet by the door, then turned and headed straight for the stairs. Sofia, surprisingly, dragged her seemingly weak body out after me, grabbing my arm firmly at the stairwell. Her grip was so strong, it didn't fit someone supposedly recovering from serious injuries. "Stop! You're not going to run straight downstairs and tattle to Damine, are you?" Her voice was low, with a hint of barely concealed panic. I turned my head, looking at the flash of flustered panic on her face, my voice as cold as ice: "If you already have a mate you're willing to bind with, why do you insist on holding on to Damine?" At my words, Sofia raised an eyebrow, and the panic on her face quickly transformed into a shameless calm. "Can't you see I enjoy having them both fawn over me? I like playing them against each other," she sneered, a mocking curve on her lips. "I have the capital to make them dance to my tune. What's wrong with that?" "Must you trample on his genuine feelings like this?" I felt sick to my stomach. Seeing my suppressed anger, Sofia snorted, her tone filled with parade: "I'm just that good at making them go crazy. Even someone like Damine Blackwood, an Alpha so high above everyone else, is no exception. What, are you jealous? Why not just admit it? If I'm in a good mood, I might even give him back to you." Her brazen words left me speechless. My silence only fueled her arrogance. She looked me up and down triumphantly, her gaze finally landing on the mating mark on my neck. "You're nothing but a substitute, a placeholder I left behind when I left. What makes you think you have the right to question me?" She leaned in closer, her voice laced with vicious glee: "Let me let you in on a secret. I wasn't even that badly injured! I paid off the healer to see if Damine would be willing to give his essence blood for me. And the result? He was willing to damage his own wolf for me, to give me his very life. What do you have that could possibly compare to that?" Her words were like a dagger coated in silver toxin, stabbing deep into the core of my being. "If Damine treats you so well, why would you betray him for another man?" I asked Sofia. "That was all Damine's doing. Being a Luna means taking on responsibilities and losing my freedom. I'm not willing to do that." The fire that had been suppressed for so long—a mix of pain, humiliation, and anger—finally burst through the dam of my reason. I almost instinctively raised my hand, reaching to grab Sofia and demand an explanation. However, Sofia let out a dramatic cry of pain as if struck by a great force, staggering backward and falling! I hadn't even fully registered what happened when I was suddenly shoved hard from the side, my back slamming against the cold stone wall. It was Damine, coming up the stairs. He didn't even glance at me. In one large stride, he rushed down the stairs, his face a mask of fury and heartache as he scooped up Sofia, who had fresh scrapes and bruises on her body after falling at the stairwell. He looked up at me with a look of disbelieving anger and accusation. "Sylvia! Do you have any idea her condition isn't stable?! How could you be so vicious as to hurt her like this!" His voice trembled with weakness and anger. Sofia nestled in his arms, turned her face at just the right moment to reveal the faint red mark of a handprint on her cheek, and wept like a willow in the wind, her voice choked: "Don't blame her, Damine... it's my fault. I must have said something to make Sylvia misunderstand... she is your bonded mate, it's only natural she'd be upset... I don't blame her... let's just go, it hurts so much..." With these words, she completely cut off any chance for me to explain myself. Watching the storm clouds gather on Damine's face, I knew that anything I said now would only sound like a weak excuse and a shifting of blame. My silence, in Damine's eyes, was undoubtedly an admission of guilt. The last spark of hope in his eyes died, replaced by deep disappointment. "Sylvia! I thought you were a kind and gentle Luna. I never imagined you would go after Sofia too. I was wrong about you." With that, he looked away from me, as if even a single glance was repulsive. He just carefully adjusted his hold, cradling the softly weeping Sofia, and turned, walking away step by heavy step. He never once looked back at me. I stood there alone, the only sound in the stairwell my own ragged breathing. Chapter 8 After leaving the infirmary, I received a message through an encrypted channel from the southern sanctuary. They notified me that the migration permit had been formally approved and all necessary documents were ready for me to collect whenever I wanted. I retrieved all my personal identification files and the thin migration permit. On the same day, I received a communication from the wolf tribunal. They informed me that the mate termination agreement had been approved and would be effective in seven days. Returning to the main house of Blackwood Manor—a place I had once considered "home"—I began to silently pack my belongings. On the table lay a calendar made from thin, treated leather. I had the habit of tearing off one page each day. The pages dwindled, and soon I reached the last page of this calendar. The year was coming to an end. And I was about to leave the Stormfang Pack territory, a place I had lived in for over twenty years, a land that held all my loves and sorrows. Throughout this week, Damine never once came back. Sofia, on the other hand, tirelessly sent me provocative images and recordings through an encrypted comm device every day. On the seventh day of the countdown, she sent a video clip captured in a recording crystal: Damine was kneeling on the floor of her sickroom, disregarding his dignity as an Alpha, gently massaging her calf with his hands, which were usually accustomed to gripping weapons. As I watched the focused profile of his face in the video, I took out all the little trinkets I had secretly collected for him over the years—those calming incenses specially made for the frenzied phase, the exquisitely tanned belt buckle carved with a simple sketch of his wolf form, the blue flame berry jam I had learned to make after he once complimented how it tasted... all these simple tokens of my clumsy feelings, I threw them into the stone pot in the corner of the room, reserved for burning waste. On the fifth day, she sent pictures: Damine had sent an entire crate of shimmering Moonstone and Mithril jewelry, crafted by the pack's artisans. One close-up showed him carefully placing a ring on Sofia's finger. It was set with a large Moonstone and carved into the shape of a wolf's head. Looking at the picture, I walked to the wall and took down the giant oil painting depicting our three-year-old Blood Moon mating ceremony. On the canvas, I was wearing an ill-fitting Luna gown, while he stood beside me with a distant expression. I raised the frame and smashed it against the edge of the fireplace. The canvas tore, and the wooden frame splintered. Then I threw all the pieces into the roaring flames of the fireplace. On the third day, it was an audio recording. The background was quiet, with only Damine's even breaths and the name he unconsciously mumbled in his sleep: "Sofia... don't go..." His voice was hoarse with sleep, yet full of genuine affection. I opened the section of his walk-in closet that was his, yet had always remained empty. I packed away all the gifts he had given me during our three-year bond—whether out of an Alpha's sense of duty or occasional guilt—the magnificent fur cloaks, the expensive gemstone necklaces from auctions, even the beautiful feather from a giant bird he had given me after a hunt... I packed it all up, called an Omega attendant, and instructed him to deliver everything to the foundation in the pack dedicated to helping weak and orphaned wolves. This main house, which I had once carefully decorated and filled with life, gradually returned to the empty and quiet state it was in when I first arrived. Meanwhile, my few personal belongings, the ones that truly belonged to me, were gradually packed and placed by the door. The older Omegas who had long served in the manor looked worried at my near-total clear-out. They cautiously asked among themselves if something had happened. I smiled at them and forced my tone to be light, as if I were talking about something trivial. "It's nothing. The mate bond with Damine is just being dissolved." "Dissolved?" Manor Manager Alexander repeated in disbelief, his voice trembling. "Alpha... he agreed to it?" Agreed? I didn't know. But I figured, at this moment, with his heart completely filled with Sofia, Damine would probably feel a sense of relief, or even joy, if he saw the signed mate termination agreement. As for what happened between Sofia and him, I wanted no part of it anymore. On the second day of the countdown, another message from Sofia arrived unexpectedly. This time, the camera wasn't on Damine, but on his parents—the respected old Alpha and his mate of Stormfang Pack. The pictures showed the three elders sitting around Sofia's sickbed, laughing and chatting. The atmosphere was so harmonious it was as if they were the real family. Still, I didn't reply to any message. I calmly opened my comm device, scrolled through my contacts, and selected, one by one, the contact information for Sofia, Damine, and everyone else in the Blackwood family's inner circle who might remind me of this past. Then I pressed the delete button. On the morning of my departure, the first snow of the year began to fall silently. Fine white crystals covered the Forbidden Forest and the manor's stone pathways. I took out the leather-bound diaries I had hidden at the bottom of my case, filled with unspoken feelings, and a stack of letters written on light brown paper that I had never had the courage to send. I carried them all to the empty space in the courtyard where I sometimes liked to sit and daydream. I used an old fire pit to light them. Orange flames leaped up, illuminating my pale face, which was chilled by the wind, and greedily devoured the words of my humble love. They consumed the hot, sour, and ultimately cold feelings of my youth, turning them to ash. I tilted my head back, watching the falling snowflakes, wondering how long it would have to snow to completely cover these unbearable ashes. Just as I was lost in thought, the heavy gates of the manor were suddenly pushed open from the outside. It was Damine, whom I hadn't seen in a long while. His steps were hurried, carrying the cold air from outside. He glanced at me, squatting by the fire pit, but didn't stop. He walked straight into the main hall, as if to get something. A moment later, he came out again and stopped beside me. His gaze fell on the edges of some light brown letters scattered on the ground that hadn't made it into the fire. It seemed he unconsciously recalled the letter that had been read aloud at the bonfire party. The heart that had accumulated so much displeasure and anger toward me because of Sofia finally softened a little, and his tone became gentler. "I've been... dealing with Sofia's recovery and follow-up care lately, I haven't had a moment to spare." He paused, his voice lower than usual. "In a couple of days, when things settle down, we... we should have a proper talk." A proper talk? Talk about what? The final details of dissolving the bond? Or how to politely ask me, the "substitute," to step aside? I pulled at the corner of my mouth and looked up at him. Snowflakes landed on my eyelashes, melting into cold mist. My voice was flat, without a trace of emotion, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with me. "No need to talk. The thing you want most, I actually placed in your glove compartment a month ago." The thing? What thing? Damine frowned, a flash of confusion crossing his face. He was about to ask for clarification when his encrypted comm device beeped a few times. He lowered his head, glanced at the screen, and a soft, clear smile almost involuntarily spread across his face as he read the messages. Seeing his expression brighten instantly, I took the last few sealed letters that would never be sent and gently tossed them into the flickering flames before me. Then I stood up. The hem of my slightly oversized fur cloak naturally fell, conveniently hiding the fire pit behind me, which was still burning but about to die out. Damine finished replying to the message and looked up again just as the last spark in the fire pit was extinguished, leaving only wisps of smoke. He seemed to have forgotten what he had been about to ask me. I silently followed him to the manor's main entrance and straightened his collar for him. A bitter wind blew, kicking up snow from the ground. Damine looked at my somewhat thin clothes and, out of habit, and with a hint of perfunctory concern he himself might not have even noticed, said gently, "It's cold outside. Go back inside, don't catch a chill." But I shook my head and insisted on standing at the door to watch him leave. The engine roared to life. Through the slowly rising car window, Damine saw me lift my hand and give a small wave in his direction. My lips seemed to move, saying something. The sound of the wind and snow was too loud. He couldn't hear it clearly. But no matter what, it was probably just a piece of ordinary advice he had heard countless times over the past three years but had never truly cared about, like "drive safe" or "come back early." So, he didn't pay it any mind. He just nodded and then signaled the driver to go. The powerful SUV crushed the snow and quickly disappeared at the end of the winding manor driveway, swallowed by the swirling snowflakes and dense forest shadows. I stood alone in the increasingly heavy snow for a long time, until my limbs felt stiff with cold, before slowly turning and going back inside the main bedroom. I put on the thick travel cloak I was taking, picked up the already packed suitcase by the door, and walked downstairs. A pre-ordered SUV bearing the mark of the southern sanctuary was parked quietly in front of the villa gates. Before getting in, I turned back for one last look at the Blackwood Manor, which looked increasingly indistinct and silent in the snowfall. Then, I repeated the words that the wind and snow had swallowed, words that had been too soft to hear, clearly, one by one, to this land that had held seven years of secret love and three years of mistaken affection: "Goodbye, Stormfang Pack." "Never see again, Damine Blackwood." Chapter 9 Damine drove straight to the infirmary. Today was Sofia's day to be discharged. Last night, through their mind-link, she had tearfully asked to see photos from her childhood. That's why he had specifically gone back to the main house to fetch this thick leather photo album. On the way to Sofia's room, he brushed past an unknown male wolf from another pack. The man carried a distinct scent of Silverleaf Herb—that was Sofia's favorite fragrance, the scent that always clung to her. This strange wolf had just come from her room? Was he a friend she knew from another pack? Damine's body tensed slightly, a flicker of doubt rising in his chest. But he didn't think much of it. "Damine!" Sofia's face lit up with a brilliant smile the moment she saw him. She eagerly pulled him down to sit beside her, and they began flipping through the album, reminiscing about the past. "Look at this one! It's our photo after our first successful transformation! You couldn't control your wolf back then and you tore my little dress!" Damine managed a weak smile, turning the pages with her. The happy childhood memories temporarily chased away the inexplicable unease settling in his gut. At noon, Sofia's parents—two senior Gamma warriors—arrived to take her home. Seeing Damine, they immediately bowed in thanks: "Thank you for taking care of Sofia all this time, Alpha." Damine returned the standard wolf pack salute: "Sofia's injuries are my responsibility. Taking care of her is my duty." Sofia gently brushed her paw against his handback: "I already told you it's not your fault. I explained everything to my parents yesterday. It was those damn rogue wolves' silver traps. They were too well-hidden." Sofia's father nodded in agreement: "We've been occupied with pack matters for years. Thank you for always being there for Sofia." Sofia tried to move closer to Damine, but her mother stopped her with a light touch on her arm. "You are both adults now, and Damine has his own mate," Sofia's mother said, her voice carrying the authority of an elder. "Sofia cannot keep clinging to you like this. We will speak to her. She won't disturb you and your Luna anymore." The air in the sickroom grew heavy. Damine's breath hitched. When Sofia's mother mentioned me, his muscles involuntarily tightened. Sofia pretended not to understand, trying to shift the topic in her usual coquettish tone: "Mom! Damine and I grew up together! He promised he'd always be good to me!" Then, ignoring her mother's restraint, she looped her arm through Damine's and continued, "Damine promised to escort me home." But Damine gently pulled his arm from her grasp, his voice low. "I did promise. But I just received a message from David about rogue wolf sightings near the border. Now that your parents are here, I won't need to accompany you." He turned to leave, but Sofia's mother called out to him, holding out the photo album. "Damine," her voice softened, "Sofia was young and foolish back then. She didn't understand the value of a true heart." Seeing the apologetic look on this elder's face, who had watched him grow up, Damine shook his head. "Auntie, I've put the past behind me. I hold no ill will toward Sofia. You can rest easy." He took the album, his fingers tracing the rough leather cover. "I've moved on from all that too." Sofia's mother sighed, her expression complex: "Sofia wasn't worthy of you. I hear your mate, Sylvia, is a brave woman. She stayed by your side during your vulnerable cycles and even took a silver arrow for you. A mate like that is worth your heart and soul to cherish." Damine knew Sofia's mother meant well. He also understood that his story with Sofia was long over—on the day of their mating ceremony, he had made the bold choice to bind with another. For the past three years, he had tried to forget the past and build a life with me. But how could he just let go of someone he had loved for so many years? So when Sofia returned and relentlessly pursued him, his heart had softened. Even if they couldn't be mates, he thought they could at least be friends. Holding onto that thought, he had repeatedly allowed Sofia to get close. To be honest, every time Sofia cried and insisted she still loved him, his heart was moved. But those moments were like ripples on a stirred lake, disappearing as quickly as they came. Whenever he remembered that I was his mate, he felt himself beginning to fall. He thought of the side of my face as I treated his silver toxin wounds, of my silently enduring the pain of the mate bond during every Blood Moon night, of the leather letter that had been read aloud at the bonfire—a letter that recorded my humble love... He thought of my watching him leave in the morning snow, and a warmth flooded Damine's heart. It was only in this moment that he realized who his true heart belonged to. A sudden, sharp panic seized his heart. His wolf growled uneasily within him, urging him to return to his mate's side immediately. He bowed deeply to the elder. "Thank you for the reminder. I know... I've made many mistakes lately." Clutching the photo album, he practically ran to his SUV, the engine roaring impatiently. He now had only one thought—to return to my side immediately, to apologize for his neglect, and to tell me what was truly in his heart. After leaving the infirmary, Damine didn't head to the border to check on the supposed rogue wolves. Instead, he drove directly back to the Blackwood family's ancestral home. This was where the elders lived, the home where he had grown up. As soon as he stepped into the main house, built from heavy timber, his mother, Lindy, called him into the study. The room's curtains were drawn tight, and the air was filled with the scent of pine incense. "When you and Sylvia first formed your mating bond, I admit I thought she was just a lowly wolf, abandoned by humans and raised by an Omega. I didn't think she was worthy of you, a noble and powerful Alpha." Lindy said. Her voice held the authority of an elder, but it was softer than usual. "But in these three years, I've seen her take a silver arrow for you, stay by your side during your vulnerable cycles, and manage pack affairs so well that even the most critical elders can find no fault. I changed my mind a long time ago." Damine stared at the floor, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rough cover of the album. He thought of the sleepless nights Sylvia had stayed by his bed during his silver toxin episodes, of her staying up late to sew leather ritual offerings for the ceremony, and a sharp pain lanced through his heart. "You're no longer a pup, so I won't repeat the same things," Lindy continued, her fingers tapping lightly on the desk. "Let the past stay in the past. You've chosen an excellent mate. It's time to settle down and build a proper life with her." "The mate bond in our pack isn't a game for pups," she said, picking up a leather scroll from the desk—the ancient tome containing the pack's most sacred laws. "Once the bond is formed, it's a lifelong connection. It must be protected as jealously as our territory. You and Sylvia didn't have the emotional foundation that comes from growing up together, so you need to communicate more to avoid building up misunderstandings. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Damine looked up, his eyes filled with guilt: "Mother, I know I was wrong. I was blinded by what was happening with Sofia, and I ignored Sylvia's feelings..." "Realizing your mistake is what matters," Lindy interrupted him. She took a pair of bracelets from a wooden box on her desk, intricately carved with wolf head crests. "These were the Luna's tokens of the Stormfang Pack, passed down from your grandmother. It's time they were given to Sylvia. The day after tomorrow is your father's memorial ceremony. Remember to bring her back. She is already the Luna our family recognizes." Damine took the bracelets. The cool metal against his fingertips suddenly made him think of the Blood Moon mating ceremony three years ago. On that day, Sofia was absent. The elders' faces were thunderous, and the guests whispered among themselves. He stood at the mating altar, feeling abandoned by the entire pack. Until I had stood up, pushed through the crowd, and walked to his side. My gaze had been steady. When the bond was complete, he hadn't even known my name, yet he had found his lost courage in my eyes. In that moment, he had silently sworn to spend his life treating me well—the one who had extended a hand to him when he was at his lowest. Damine carefully placed the bracelets in the glove compartment of his SUV. Before closing it, he noticed a file with slightly curled edges at the side. He wondered when it had been put there. But just as he reached for it to take a look, his encrypted comm device chimed. "Damine, my parents just left. Some friends are throwing a party for me, now that I'm out. Are you done? Want to come?" Sofia's voice came through the communicator. This time, Damine didn't hesitate: "I have some pack business to attend to. I won't be able to make it." Sofia's tone immediately fell. Just as she was about to wheedle him further, Damine made up an excuse about needing to lead a guard meeting and quickly ended the call. After hanging up, he closed the glove compartment and started the car, heading back to the main house. Usually full of life, the main house was eerily quiet today. Damine looked around and noticed many things were missing—the hunting trophies that had been on the coffee table for months, the blue flame berry sauce on the dining table, the Moonflower pot on the windowsill... these were all items Sylvia had carefully tended to. He had never paid attention to these details before, but now he could sense something was wrong. He called the steward Alexander over. "Why are so many things missing from the house?" "Luna cleared them all out," the elderly steward answered respectfully. He then looked up, observing Damine's expression, and hesitantly added, "Alpha, you and Luna..."