She Chose Fire

From the moment she was born, Seraphina Grant was doomed to live a life without being loved. Her dad, the Alpha of the pack, said to her, "You owe Layla too much. Give her the Moonshadow Blade blessed by the Moon Goddess." Her mom, the Luna, asked her, "Are you really going to stand by and watch Layla die? We're just asking that you give her a bit of your life essence each day. You'll be fine." Later, Seraphina met Damien Norman. He swore that across lifetimes, whether as a wolf spirit or in human form, he would love only her. But later still, Damien told her, "Layla ended up like this because of you. Staying with her is my way of helping you atone." Even her son said, "I don't want you to be my mom. I want Aunt Layla!" In the end, every single one of them demanded that she give her life for her sister, Layla Grant. All because she belonged to the legendary Sunfire bloodline and possessed the power of Ember Rebirth. So Seraphina did what they wished and set her own life ablaze, not to trade it for Layla's, but to erase them all from her heart forever. Chapter 1 When her parents and mate abandoned her for her sister for the 99th time, Seraphina Grant was finally exhausted. She knelt before the statue of the Moon Goddess and said, "I'm willing to erase all my memories, sever every emotional bond, and go to Howlpeak to become its eternal guardian, to suppress the wild spirits of the abyss and protect the balance of the supernatural world." The Moon Goddess's majestic voice echoed in her mind. "Once you go to Howlpeak, you will never be allowed to leave. You will never return to your pack's territory. "And you will be completely alone, with no companion. Are you sure about this?" Seraphina did not hesitate for a second. "Yes." "Then it shall be as you wish." A beam of silver light poured from the statue and sank into the center of Seraphina's forehead. "In seven days, this Mooncrest will sever your ties of love, erase your memories, and send you to Howlpeak." Seraphina bowed deeply. "Thank you for your mercy, great Moon Goddess." On her way back to the Sunfire Pack's territory, heavy snow began to fall. Seraphina caught a snowflake in her palm, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. Today was supposed to be her 100th birthday, an important milestone in a werewolf's life. But early that morning, her sister, Layla Grant, had suddenly collapsed and fallen unconscious. Her mate, Damien Norman, rushed to her side in a panic. "Layla!" Her Luna mother, Miriam Grant, cried out and nearly fainted on the spot. Her Alpha father, Bryan Grant, hurried to steady Miriam and then followed Damien in a rush. Even her child, Leo Norman, cried, "What's wrong with Aunt Layla? I don't want anything to happen to her!" They all hurried away with Layla. Not one person looked back at Seraphina. Not one person remembered what day it was. Half an hour later, they returned and said to her, "Seraphina, Layla really cannot hold on any longer. Back then, you pushed her into Thornfrost Grove and damaged her primal wolfheart. Now you should trade your life for hers. "You're from the Sunfire bloodline. You can go through Ember Rebirth." Ember Rebirth. As someone of the Sunfire bloodline, her parents knew better than anyone how agonizing that ritual was. First, her heart would be torn out while she was still alive. Then her soul would burn in soul fire for seven days and seven nights, before flesh and bone were rebuilt, and her wolf spirit re-formed. Seraphina curled her lips into a mocking smile. "What I owed Layla, I already paid back with everything I have given up since childhood. "My den, my hunting rights, the sacred items from every ceremony, even your attention, my mate's love, and my own son's affection. I gave all of it away. Isn't that enough? Now you want my life, too?" Miriam slapped her hard across the face. "You were the one who damaged Layla's wolfheart in the first place!" They turned and walked away again. Even Damien didn't pause for a single moment. That was when Seraphina truly grew tired. She would rather forget everything than ever give up her life again. She returned to the Sunfire Pack's territory, to her stone house known as Afterglow Lodge. Because she wasn't favored by the Alpha and Luna, the other pack members looked down on her as well. On her 100th birthday, she didn't even get a single cup of clean spring water, let alone roasted meat. Seraphina had long grown used to days like this. She went alone to the communal kitchen and baked herself a small cake. She took a few bites of the cake, praying for peace and for the pain to end. The next moment, tears fell into the frosting. Seraphina wiped away the blur in her eyes and told herself it was fine. In seven days, she would never cry over anyone again. The next day, Damien finally returned with Leo. When he saw her, he handed her a wooden box, a trace of stiffness flashing through his eyes. "Your belated birthday gift." Seraphina only glanced at it before looking away calmly. "Thank you. Just leave it there." Damien had never seen her react so coldly and frowned in surprise. "Are you angry? Just because we didn't celebrate your birthday with you yesterday?" Without waiting for her to answer, he pinched the bridge of his nose with a weary sigh. "Seraphina, you saw what happened yesterday. Layla was at death's door. Were we supposed to happily celebrate your birthday in that situation? That would've been heartless." "And as Layla's sister, you didn't even visit her once. She was very upset about that." Hearing the hidden accusation in his words, Seraphina wanted to ask if they truly could not see through Layla's tricks after all these years. Layla was a rare Frostheart werewolf. How could simply entering Thornfrost Grove damage her wolfheart? And she was usually perfectly fine, so why did she collapse only on Seraphina's birthday? Did they really think that wasn't strange at all? But Seraphina said nothing. She didn't feel like saying anything. She simply sat down and poured herself a cup of water. Damien frowned more deeply, as if he wanted to continue. Just then, Leo tugged on his sleeve and suddenly looked up and spoke a sentence in an ancient language. It was the Primal Tongue, spoken only by the noblest Shadow Wolf Pack. "Dad, Mom is so annoying. Aunt Layla is nothing like that. She's so gentle and kind." Damien lowered his head and replied casually in the language, "It's fine. Ignore her. In the end, she will still make up with us." Seraphina quietly watched the two of them, the fingers resting on her knees slowly curling into a fist. She didn't know when it had started, but those two would communicate in the Primal Tongue from time to time. She wasn't surprised. After all, Damien came from the powerful Shadow Wolf Pack, so it was only natural that he could speak such a language. In order to blend into their world, she had secretly learned that ancient tongue, planning to someday surprise them by speaking it fluently. But the more she understood, the colder her heart became. At that moment, she looked at the pride faintly shining in the eyes of the two people before her and suddenly spoke in flawless Primal Tongue. "I won't." She would never make up with them again. Chapter 2 Damien and Leo froze when Seraphina finished speaking. Damien stared at her in shock. "W-what did you just say?" Seraphina calmly repeated herself. Then, before their expressions could grow any worse, she pretended not to understand and asked casually, "I heard you say that sentence in the Primal Tongue earlier. What does it mean?" "Oh, you're asking what it means?" Damien visibly relaxed. He stepped forward, took her hand, and smiled gently. "It means, 'My soul has chosen you.' "If you wanna learn the Primal Tongue, I can teach you every day from now on." Seraphina slowly pulled her hand back. "No need. That kind of ancient language is too complicated. I would never manage to learn it." And even if she did, it wouldn't matter. In six days, she wouldn't remember anything at all. Damien didn't push the issue. After kissing her forehead, he said, "By the way, I remember a flower sprite once gave you a Frostbloom, right? You're from the Sunfire bloodline, so you can't really use something that cold in nature anyway. Why not give it to Layla to help keep her alive?" So that was why he came back. She was just wondering why he would leave Layla at all. Seraphina nodded. "Sure. Take it." Her tone was calm, which seemed to make Damien uneasy. He spoke again, "Sera, why don't you come with us to visit her later? She's still your sister, after all." Seraphina shook her head. "No. I have something else to do." Damien frowned and asked unhappily, "What could possibly be more important than your sister's life?" Seraphina found it bitterly ironic. To her mate and her parents, nothing had ever been more important than Layla. But she didn't explain. She simply walked past the two of them. Leaving her stone house behind, Seraphina went to Whisper Ridge. Years ago, during the Wild Hunt, she had been gravely injured and collapsed by the banks of the Oblivion Stream. Bryan, Miriam, Damien, and even Leo hadn't come looking for her because they were all with Layla. At the brink of death, a fiery spirit wolf had carried her to Whisper Ridge and shared its life essence with her, helping her survive and heal. After she recovered, Seraphina wanted to bring the spirit wolf back to the Sunfire Pack's territory, but it refused to leave. So she came to visit it every month instead. Now, as she prepared to forget everything and go to Howlpeak to suppress wild spirits, the one she was most worried about was this spirit wolf she had named Blaze. The moment she stepped onto Whisper Ridge, Blaze came bounding toward her, tail wagging, rubbing against her like an oversized puppy. Seraphina rubbed its head, her heart heavy. "Blaze, in six days, I will leave this land. I won't be able to see you anymore. I know you don't wanna leave Whisper Ridge, but promise me you'll take good care of yourself, alright?" Blaze understood her words. He sat down sadly, tail drooping, letting out soft whimpers from his throat. Seraphina smiled helplessly. "What should we do, then? Should I take you to Howlpeak with me? "The abyss aura of Howlpeak is too heavy. A pure spirit beast like you won't be comfortable there. You should stay here and live an easy life." After playing with Blaze for a while, Seraphina decided to head back. This time, Blaze followed after her and even crossed the barrier of Whisper Ridge with her. "You wanna come home with me?" Blaze caught the hem of her clothes in its mouth and nodded. Seraphina thought the Sunfire Pack's territory was large enough to accommodate a spirit wolf, so she brought Blaze back with her. She didn't expect to run into Damien and Leo the moment she returned. They were on a walk with Layla. Blaze caught Seraphina's scent on Leo and instinctively grew fond of him. It trotted toward Leo happily, wanting to get close to him. Leo didn't understand what was happening. He raised his hand and gathered a ball of energy, then blasted Blaze with Shadowfire. Blaze had no chance to react. It was thrown through the air and slammed into the ground, letting out painful cries. "Blaze!" Seraphina's heart clenched. She rushed over to check on it, then glared at Leo. "Why did you do that?" Leo looked a little frightened, then he put his hands on his hips and complained righteously, "He almost ran into Aunt Layla. Mom, are you trying to hurt Aunt Layla on purpose?" Damien also pulled Leo behind him, frowning at Seraphina. "Seraphina, how can you speak to Leo like that over a stray beast? With you acting like this, no wonder he likes Layla more." Seraphina's face went completely cold, her heart sinking even lower. So her son liking Layla more was her fault. And Damien probably thought the same thing, too. For a moment, neither side spoke. Then Layla broke the silence, looking sorry. "Phina, Leo only did it to protect me. If you're angry, take it out on me. Please don't be upset with Leo. He's still just a kid." Before she finished, Leo immediately objected, "Aunt Layla, it's not your fault!" A trace of mockery flashed through Seraphina's eyes. So, who was really his mother here? Before she could speak, she suddenly noticed a line of pack members approaching, carrying white wreaths, silver ribbons, and ornaments carved with moon runes. She froze and frowned. "Is the pack holding some kind of celebration?" Damien and Leo's confident expressions instantly turned awkward. After a moment, Damien finally said, "It's Layla's bonding ceremony." Seraphina stared at him in disbelief. "Bonding ceremony? With whom?" Leo blurted out proudly, "Aunt Layla and Dad are holding the ceremony." Chapter 3 Another line of pack members walked in at that moment. In their hands were moonflowers, carved silver vases, and cupcakes made with morning dew and berries. Every single item was something Layla loved. Seraphina stared at the scene, feeling as if an invisible hand had clenched around her heart. What Damien prepared for Layla far surpassed what he had done for her during their own bonding ceremony. "Damien…" Seraphina looked at him, her voice trembling slightly. "Care to explain?" Damien opened his mouth but didn't speak. Layla suddenly reached out toward Seraphina, her voice choking up and her eyes turning red. "Sera, this is all my fault. I just felt like I didn't have much time left and wanted to know what it felt like to be a real mate. That's why I begged Damien to play along and act it out with me. "I swear I won't steal him from you. The moment the ceremony ends, I'll give him back to you. Alright?" She swayed as she spoke, looking like she was about to collapse. At that, both Damien and Leo looked alarmed. "Layla, are you okay? You don't look well." "Aunt Layla, be careful. Nothing matters more than your health." Just then, Bryan and Miriam walked in. Seeing Layla with red eyes, Miriam rushed forward in distress. "Layla, what's wrong?" Bryan shot Seraphina a cold look and stepped forward without hesitation. A sharp crack echoed as his palm collided with her face. "Seraphina, why did you push Layla over the edge again? You know she's weak, so why make her upset?" The blow was brutally hard. Seraphina stumbled and fell to the ground. Only Blaze rushed over to her side, licking her burning cheek and using its warm life force to ease the pain. Everyone else gathered around Layla instead. Her parents, her mate, her son. Seraphina looked across all of them and finally let out a self-mocking smile. It didn't matter. Soon, she would forget them all, and she would never appear before them again to bother them. Seraphina pressed a hand to her cheek and slowly stood up. "Blaze, let's go." Damien froze, a sudden and inexplicable sense of unease rising in his chest. He released Layla's hand and called out, "Sera…" Layla immediately collapsed into his arms. "Damien, it hurts so much…" Damien's expression tightened. Without hesitation, he lifted her and rushed toward her room. Bryan, Miriam, and Leo hurried after him. Seraphina didn't look back at their panic. She no longer cared. When she left, she would let Damien truly become Layla's mate, and Leo would become Layla's son. Back at Afterglow Lodge, half of Seraphina's face was already swollen. She channeled the power in her body to reduce the swelling, then gently touched Blaze beside her. "Does it still hurt where Leo hit you?" Blaze shook its head, sadness shining clearly in its eyes. Seraphina forced a small smile. "Are you feeling sorry for me? It's fine. I'm used to it." She had lived like this for almost 100 years. Even the deepest wounds eventually went numb. When night fell, Damien returned. Seeing Seraphina and Blaze leaning against each other, he frowned, but still softened his tone as he stepped closer. "Sera, don't take what happened today to heart. You know Layla is weak, and her emotions are unstable. "She said holding the bonding ceremony is her only wish. Even if it's fake, she just wants to experience it once. I have to fulfill that for her." Seraphina quietly watched the man who once swore to protect her for life. Suddenly, she felt a warmth blooming at her forehead. It was as if the Mooncrest was heating up. Then she realized she could no longer remember the first time she had ever met Damien. The Moon Goddess's words echoed again in her mind. "In seven days, this Mooncrest will sever your ties of love and erase your memories." So the forgetting was happening slowly, little by little. She was already beginning to lose her memories. No wonder her heart felt so calm now. "Sure. I don't mind." She did not make a scene, yet Damien looked even more unsettled. "The ceremony is just for show. It's not real." Seraphina curled her lips faintly. "Might as well go all the way. Let's go to the Promise Stone and sever our mate bond." Damien went rigid. "You want to sever our mate bond?" "After your ceremony with Layla is finished, and after her condition improves, we can go back to Promise Stone and reestablish the bond," Seraphina said lightly. "We'll do it for Layla. That would make her happier, wouldn't it?" Damien hesitated. His instincts told him this was unnecessary. But when he thought of Layla, he took Seraphina's hand. "I knew you still cared about Layla. Does it still hurt where Dad hit you?" "It doesn't," Seraphina replied quietly. The pain they caused her no longer reached her heart at all. Chapter 4 That night, Damien left again with the excuse that Layla couldn't be alone. Even though Layla's Moonstone Cottage was right next to Seraphina's Afterglow Lodge, and there were pack members guarding both inside and out, Damien still insisted on sitting by Layla's bedside. Leo didn't come back either. He had most likely stayed the night with Layla. Seraphina didn't mind. She held Blaze a little tighter. When the next morning's light rose, the Mooncrest on her forehead began to burn again. This time, what faded from her mind were her childhood memories with her parents. Back then, before Layla existed, they had adored Seraphina and treated her as the pride of the pack's future. They gave her all the finest pelts, the richest hunts, and the most sacred ceremonial weapons. Later, when Layla was born, her parents didn't favor one over the other. Whatever Seraphina had, Layla had, too. So even now, Seraphina couldn't understand why Layla had thrown herself into Thornfrost Grove that year and then blamed it on her. But none of that mattered anymore. Five days remained until she would forget them completely. At noon, a pack member came to call Seraphina to eat at the communal longhouse. When she arrived, everyone else was already eating with Layla. Miriam was gently blowing on the spoon before feeding Layla soup, while Bryan was cutting the most tender slices of roasted meat for her. Damien held a soft cloth, ready to wipe her mouth. Leo sat nearby, reminding Layla not to eat too fast. When Seraphina walked in, only Damien paused. Layla smiled sweetly and waved at her. "Sera, you're here. Come on. Sit down and eat with us." Seraphina's gaze fell on Layla's chest. There, a crystalline stone shaped as a wolf's fang glowed faintly, protecting Layla's heart. Seraphina would never mistake it. It was the Shadow Wolfheart Damien had given her when they bonded as mates. She remembered his vow. "Seraphina, in this lifetime and the next, my wolf spirit howls only for you." The powerful Shadow Wolf Pack would refine part of their own wolf spirit essence into a Shadow Wolfheart and give it to their chosen mate. After Seraphina gave birth to Leo, she had temporarily passed her Wolfheart to him, to keep him safe until his own guardian light awakened. And now, that Shadow Wolfheart was on Layla. Was it Damien's choice, Leo's, or a decision they had made together? Damien noticed where she was looking and opened his mouth to explain. "Sera…" Seraphina calmly walked over and sat down. "Dad. Mom." She picked up her wooden bowl and took a sip of soup, showing no intention of asking questions. When Layla saw Seraphina ignoring her, her face turned pale. She spoke pitifully. "Sera, I'm so sorry. I ruined your birthday—" Before she could finish, she broke into a fit of hard coughs. Bryan and Miriam hurried over to pat her back and comfort her. Watching this, a sudden ache stabbed through Damien's chest. He hesitated, then reached out for Seraphina's hand. She quietly avoided his touch and spoke softly, "It's fine. I don't mind." She was saying that to both Layla and Damien. Only then did her parents realize once again that they had left Seraphina out. But they never felt guilty toward her. Miriam said coolly, "It's only a birthday. After Layla and Damien's ceremony in five days, we'll hold a party to celebrate." Seraphina paused. 'Five days, huh?' Everything really lined up. In five days, Layla and Damien would hold their bonding ceremony. And she would forget everything, sever every bond, and remain forever on Howlpeak. Bryan nodded as well. "Yeah. Layla's health matters most. You're the elder sister. You should understand." That line again. She was the older sister. She owed Layla. She should understand. Seraphina had heard it so many times that her ears had gone numb. Then Leo spoke up. "When Aunt Layla and Dad complete the ceremony, does that mean Mom can trade her life for Aunt Layla's?" Seraphina froze. She lifted her head. Everyone looked at her, waiting for her answer. The food in her mouth instantly turned tasteless and stuck in her throat. Seraphina clenched her fist and forced the bitterness down. "It's true that the Sunfire bloodline lets me go through Ember Rebirth. But what if my life essence isn't enough, and I fail to come back?" Before her words even settled, everyone spoke at once. Bryan said, "You carry the Sunfire bloodline. How could your life essence possibly be insufficient?" Miriam said, "We'll be right by your side, guarding you. Nothing will happen to you." Leo said, "Mom, don't use that as an excuse to avoid saving Aunt Layla." Seraphina turned to Damien. After a moment of silence, he sighed. "Sera, I've prepared many rare moon herbs for you. Once you are reborn, they will help your wolf spirit become even stronger than before." Seraphina smiled, and as she did, her eyes turned red. "Alright. I'm willing to trade my life for Layla's." She was willing to trade lives. But five days later, once she went to Howlpeak, she would never be able to leave again. Whether they could ever find her then was their problem. Chapter 5 The moment Seraphina agreed, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. They instinctively tried to treat her a little better, but they had been good only to Layla for so long that their concern for Seraphina now felt stiff and awkward, no matter how they went about it. Miriam cut a piece of roasted meat for Seraphina and forced a dry laugh. "You should eat more. You've gotten so thin lately." Miriam then nudged Bryan on the elbow. He finally picked up a bowl and served her some stew. "Yeah, eat more. I think you like this one, right? Here, while it's hot." Ever since Layla accused her of pushing her into the Thornfrost Grove, Seraphina had never once received her parents' affection again. She didn't expose their act. She only noticed that out of all the dishes on the table, not a single one was her favorite dish. She took the bowl of stew and ate it quietly, one bite at a time. The stew was already cold, just like her heart, which had long since gone numb. Layla then spoke through teary eyes, full of emotion, "Sera, thank you so much. I don't even know how to repay you for this." The soft cloth Damien had been clutching at last had its use. He wiped Layla's tears and spoke gently, "Why talk about repaying anything? Sera owes you. Once you trade lives…" Seraphina didn't let him finish. She set her wooden bowl on the table and stood up. "I'm full. Enjoy your meal." She turned and walked away. Before she had taken two steps, she heard Leo speak in the Primal Tongue. "Dad, Mom is acting so rude and uneducated." This time, Damien answered sternly in the same language, "She is your mother. Watch your tongue." What Seraphina didn't expect was Layla calmly joining in, also in the Primal Tongue. "Leo, your mom is just more free-spirited. Don't talk about her like that." Since when had Layla learned the Primal Tongue? Seraphina smirked, unable to tell whether she felt more bitter or more amused. Not long after she returned to Afterglow Lodge, Damien came in, too. Seeing her unhappy expression, he went over and wrapped her in his arms, speaking softly. "Sera, I know asking you to trade your life for Layla is unfair to you. Layla is weak, so it makes sense that Dad and Mom dote on her more. But you still have Leo and me. "You must remember, no matter what happens, we'll always be by your side." Seraphina looked at him quietly. They were talking about trading lives. She would trade her life for Layla's and go through an agonizing rebirth through soul fire. And he simply called it "unfair". She pushed Damien away. "If there were a chance for you to swap lives with Layla, would you do it?" Damien did not hesitate at all. "Of course, I would." "You would do it voluntarily?" "Yes, I would!" The room fell into sudden silence. Damien stared at her calm expression for a long moment before suddenly realizing something. "Sera, I would trade my life with Layla's, but not for her sake. It would be for you. If I could suffer in your place this once, I'd be willing!" Seraphina asked quietly, "If you really care about me that much, why not spare me from suffering at all?" Damien froze. "Isn't this what you owe Layla?" Seraphina remained silent for a long time. At last, she nodded. "Yes. I owe her." When her parents found Layla dying back then, they believed her the moment she pointed at Seraphina. After that, they kept bringing it up again and again, until even Damien believed it completely. Seraphina took a deep breath and walked out. Damien paused, then hurried after her. "Where are you going?" "I want to see the human world," Seraphina said without stopping. After all, in five days, she would never be able to leave Howlpeak again. Damien grasped her hand. "I'll go with you." Seraphina hesitated. Many years ago, after they had bonded as mates, they had gone together to the human world and lived quietly as an ordinary married couple in a small town. Maybe going back to that old place with him was a good thing. She would let him help her bury those memories once and for all. But just as they reached the pack's barrier, Layla called out after them. "Sera, Damien, where are you going?" Layla had always called Damien in an affectionate tone. At first, Seraphina had corrected her, but her parents had been displeased. "She can call him whatever she likes. Are you afraid she'll steal your mate?" Now, Layla truly was trying to take her mate, and yet not a single person scolded her. No one thought she was wrong. Damien answered, "To the human world." Layla immediately stepped forward. "I want to go, too. I'm so bored staying here every day. I've never been to the human world. Take me with you, okay?" Damien hesitated. "But you're weak…" Layla's eyes reddened at once, as if she were about to cry. Damien sighed and looked at Seraphina. "How about we bring Layla along?" Seraphina's expression was indifferent. "If something happens to her, will you blame it on me again?" "What are you talking about? As long as we take good care of Layla, nothing will happen," Damien said. Seraphina didn't argue anymore. "Do whatever you want." With that, she cast a teleportation spell and disappeared. - The human world, a place called Diluna Town. At the center of the town stood an ancient stone bridge. At the end of it was the Promise Stone, where lovers carved their vows as a symbol of eternal devotion. Back when Seraphina and Damien lived here disguised as humans, they had stood hand in hand in that very spot. Beneath the moonlight, they had shifted into wolves and howled to the sky, declaring each other as mates for life. "I, Damien Norman, bind my wolf spirit to Seraphina Grant's for all eternity." The vow still echoed in her ears, but everything else had changed. Seraphina turned her head and saw Damien supporting Layla by the bridge. Layla spoke in the Primal Tongue. "Damien, I wanna wish to be with you forever." Damien only froze for a moment before smiling gently at her. "Sure. Then I'll wish that you'll recover and never suffer from illness again." After that, the two of them carved their new vows into the Promise Stone together. Seraphina watched the scene, her fists clenched tight. In the next second, she walked straight to the vow she and Damien had carved all those years ago. Flames flared to life in her palm. At the same time, the Mooncrest on her forehead began to glow. As the old promise melted into ash in the fire, every beautiful memory she had ever shared with Damien in that small town vanished from her mind forever. Chapter 6 As Damien walked closer, he happened to see a surge of inhuman energy appear on the Promise Stone. He paused, glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then pulled Seraphina toward him. "How could you use that kind of power in the human world?" With those memories gone, Seraphina looked at Damien with complete calm. The brief stab of pain she had felt earlier was gone as well, like a stone sinking into the sea without a ripple. She withdrew her hand indifferently. "It's fine. No one saw." Her expression was exactly the same as when she had been standing by the bridge earlier, yet Damien suddenly felt that something about her had changed. He just couldn't put a finger on it. Uneasy, he reached for her hand again, but before he could speak, Layla hooked her arm through his from behind. "Damien, let's go check out somewhere else." She tugged him away without waiting for an answer. Damien was forced to let go of Seraphina. When he looked back, she was still standing where she had been. In that instant, he had the strange feeling that he could never reach her again. A short trip around the human world later, they returned to the pack territory. Hardly any time seemed to have passed. Yet Layla already looked worn out, leaning weakly against Damien. "Damien, that was so fun. When I get better, can we go there again?" Damien glanced at Seraphina but didn't answer. All of a sudden, a wave of killing intent swept over them. Seraphina jerked her head up, just in time to see a white blur lunging straight at them. She was about to dodge when a large hand shoved her hard from behind and pushed her directly into the path of that blur. Slash! Giant claws tore three deep gashes across Seraphina's chest. She crashed to the ground as searing pain shot through her, her white clothes instantly soaked in blood. When she looked up again, she froze. "Blaze?" The one who had attacked her was Blaze! She turned her head in disbelief and saw Damien shielding Layla with his own body. The shove that sent her into harm's way had been Damien's. To protect Layla, he had pushed her forward and let her take the blow instead. Seraphina clutched her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. Damien's face changed at once as he rushed toward her. "Sera!" All she felt was bitterness. She wanted to ask him why he looked so worried after pushing her out like that. But the pain was so intense that she couldn't say a single word. She could only let Damien sweep her up in his arms. They hurried back to the center of the territory and ran straight into Bryan, Miriam, and Leo. When the old couple saw Seraphina covered in blood, their expressions changed drastically. They immediately ordered the pack members, "Quick, bring every rare moon herb we have!" In her fading consciousness, Seraphina's lashes fluttered when she heard that. But in the next moment, she heard Bryan add, "Seraphina cannot die. Otherwise, she won't be able to trade her life for Layla's." Those words pierced her heart like a blade of ice. In the end, the one they truly cared about was still Layla, and her own life only existed to keep Layla alive. Seraphina felt as though she had fallen into an icy abyss. Tears slid from the corners of her eyes, and then she could no longer hold on. Darkness swallowed her whole. When she woke up again, three days had passed. Damien was sitting by her bed, looking as if he hadn't slept the entire time. The instant he saw her open her eyes, he stood up. "Sera, you're awake. How do you feel? Does it still hurt?" Seraphina looked at him quietly. Over the past three days, even while unconscious, she could clearly feel the Mooncrest on her forehead heating up. Every time it burned, her memories faded a little more. It had burned three times while she was out, so she knew she had been unconscious for three days. Now, there was very little of Damien left in her memory. When she thought back to what had happened before she passed out, her heart no longer felt cold. She parted her pale lips and asked suddenly, "Do you really care if I'm in pain?" Damien went pale, guilt filling his face. "Everything happened too fast that day. I really didn't mean to… That spirit wolf was clearly going for Layla. I just wanted to protect her." Seraphina scoffed lightly, and that tiny movement sent pain through her chest wound. "Layla has your Shadow Wolfheart. No one could hurt her at all." Damien's body shuddered, as if he had only just remembered, and his explanation instantly sounded even weaker. Seraphina no longer wanted to say anything to him. She only asked, "Where is Blaze?" Damien's eyes instantly turned fierce. "After it hurt you, it disappeared. I will find it and tear it apart!" "No. Someone was controlling it!" Seraphina said urgently. That day had been chaotic, but she had clearly seen a strange purple light in Blaze's eyes. Someone had cast a mind-control spell on him. Damien fell silent. Seraphina thought he was considering who might be behind it. But after a long moment, Damien suddenly looked at her with suspicion. "That day, Blaze was obviously targeting Layla. You brought it back to the pack, and it's not close to anyone else. "Did you order it to kill Layla?" Chapter 7 The moment the words left Damien's mouth, the room fell into dead silence. Seraphina stared at Damien in disbelief. Beneath the blanket, her hands clenched tightly, trembling uncontrollably. "What did you just say?" Damien dodged her gaze and couldn't bring himself to repeat it. "I-I was just asking. If you didn't do it, then forget I even said anything." As they had been mates for so long, how could Seraphina not know what he was truly thinking? "You weren't just asking. You were convinced that I wanted Layla dead. And not just you. My parents, even Leo, probably think the same, don't they?" Damien faltered for a moment. "No. We're just worried about you." Seraphina's eyes reddened, and she nearly laughed in bitter mockery. Before she fell unconscious, she had heard what Bryan said. After waking up, she faced Damien's suspicion. If it weren't to make sure Seraphina could trade life for Layla's, they probably wouldn't have bothered saving her that day at all. They would've let her die just like that. Then the entire Sunfire Pack would've gotten what they wanted, and everyone would've been satisfied. Seraphina turned her head away. "Get out. I don't want to see you." Damien froze. "Sera—" "Out!" Damien frowned, clearly displeased, but in the end, he still left the room. As soon as the stone door closed, Seraphina's tears finally fell. Even though most of her memories were already gone, what remained was still enough to make her heart ache, to fill her with grievance and a powerless anger she couldn't control. She wiped her tears fiercely. This would be the last time she ever cried because of them. Only two days remained. The Mooncrest on her forehead burned once more. Very soon, she would disappear, just like all of them wanted. The next day, the Sunfire Pack decorated the territory inside and out, making everything even more festive. Although Seraphina no longer cared, the sight of silver ribbons and white moonflowers everywhere still stung her eyes. Most of her wounds had already healed. Worried about Blaze, she left the pack and went to Whisper Ridge. As she had guessed, Blaze was hiding there. The moment it saw her, it whimpered and backed away. The bloodstains on its fur had already dried without being cleaned. Seraphina sighed. "Blaze, I know you didn't mean to hurt me. Come here. I can read the memory in your spirit." Only then did Blaze crawl closer, keeping low to the ground. Seraphina placed her palm on its head, and everything from the day before unfolded before her eyes. Blaze had been resting in Seraphina's room when it suddenly heard footsteps. It opened its eyes and saw Layla approaching. Layla smiled faintly and cast a mind-control spell on it. That day, Blaze only looked as if it were targeting Layla. In truth, it had been controlled to hurt Seraphina. "So it really was her." Seraphina withdrew her hand, not surprised by the result at all. The reason was simple. Layla didn't need anyone to trade lives with her, so she had to stop the ritual from happening at any cost. Seraphina sneered and lifted her hand, using her power to clean the blood from Blaze's fur. "Tomorrow, I'm going to Howlpeak. Now that you've been branded guilty, I can't leave you alone. So… will you come with me?" Blaze quietly wrapped its tail around her arm. Seraphina had never imagined that the one who would stand by her in the end would be a spirit wolf she had met by chance. After staying there for half the day, Seraphina left Whisper Ridge, but she didn't return to the pack. Instead, she went to Destiny Temple. A soul tapestry was hung at the temple. It was made of countless silver threads, each one symbolizing a bonded pair. She easily found the thread that belonged to her and Damien and held it in her hand, staring at it in silence. The temple guardian walked over to greet her. "Hi, Seraphina. What brings you to visit me today—wait, what are you doing?!" A blade of light formed in Seraphina's hand, and she cut through the soul thread belonging to her and Damien without hesitation. The moment it snapped, the names carved into the Promise Stone dissolved into specks of light, as if they had weathered away. The soul thread connected both mates. Once it was severed, both sides could feel it. So it wasn't long before Damien appeared at the temple. He stared at the two severed ends of the silver thread in Seraphina's hand as they slowly turned gray and faded. Panic crushed his chest, and even his voice trembled. "Seraphina, what have you done?" He rushed over, grabbed the broken ends, and tried to tie them together. "How could you cut our bond?" Seraphina asked calmly, "Didn't we already agree? You and Layla would hold the ceremony, and we would break our bond first." Damien's eyes turned red. "It's fake. It's just play-pretend. We never had to do this!" But no matter how hard he tried, the silver strands slipped apart every time. The knot could never be tied. Nearby, the guardian sighed. "Stop wasting your effort. Do you think the soul thread can be tied back together just like that?" Damien froze. His eyes watered. "Then what should I do?" The guardian stroked his long beard. "Only the Moon Goddess herself can reestablish the bond." Damien immediately grabbed Seraphina's hand. "Sera, let's do it. Let's reestablish our bond now. We'll pray to the Moon Goddess!" Seraphina looked at him quietly, unable to understand why he cared so much about that single thread. When she did not answer, Damien grew even more anxious. He took Seraphina back to the territory, only to find Leo in the courtyard, trying to cheer Layla up. Damien frowned and called Leo over. "Leo, your mom is injured. Have you even asked her how she's doing?" Leo froze. He didn't even dare to look at Seraphina. He turned his head away and mumbled softly, "Mom is too strict. Aunt Layla is gentle. I like being with Aunt Layla." Damien's brow furrowed deeper. "You little…" Layla spoke gently at that moment. "Damien, Leo is still young. It's my fault. I know I might never have my own child because I'm weak, so I treated Sera's son like my own and got too close. Blame me, not him." Damien opened his mouth but said nothing in the end when he saw how fragile Layla looked. Meanwhile, Seraphina smiled softly. "If he likes Layla, let him stay with her." After all, by tomorrow, Leo would truly be calling Layla "Mom". As for the life-trading ritual, that was never going to happen. Chapter 8 After Seraphina finished speaking, she turned to leave. Layla stopped her. "Sera, I wanna try on the dress for tomorrow's ceremony. Can you help me put it on?" Seraphina paused, but she didn't refuse. Inside the room, there were only the two of them. Layla's pure white gown was embroidered with a lifelike silver wolf in moonsilk, a symbol of her Frostheart bloodline and her noble status. As Seraphina adjusted her collar, Layla suddenly grabbed her hand. "I really am grateful to you. Since we were kids, you've given me so many things without complaint. "And now, you're even willing to give me your life. I promise you, after you die, I'll take good care of Damien." Her smile was sweet, but her words were like a blade soaked in poison. Seraphina smiled back. "Aren't you afraid Damien will hear this? Or Mom and Dad?" Layla laughed as well. "Afraid? Who would believe you anyway? "Seraphina, nobody loves you, and nobody trusts you. You are the most unnecessary person in this world." Unnecessary, huh? Seraphina tugged faintly at her lips and said nothing. She finished dressing Layla, then turned and pushed the door open. Damien and Leo, who were waiting outside, both looked over at once. Damien immediately praised her. "Layla, you're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen." Layla smiled brightly and shyly looped her arm around his. "Sera is still here." Damien froze. "Sera, I didn't mean it like that…" "It's fine," Seraphina replied calmly. "You two should stay with Layla. I'm a little tired, so I'll head back." Without waiting for him to stop her, Seraphina turned and left. Damien watched her back and instinctively wanted to chase after her. But Layla clung tightly to his arm, holding him in place. Somehow, Damien had the strange feeling that once Seraphina walked away, she would never come back. He shook his head. That wasn't possible. This was her home. Where else could she go? Forcing down the unease in his heart, Damien gave Layla a small smile. On the other side, Seraphina walked out of Moonstone Cottage. The vast pack grounds were overflowing with celebration. Elegant silver ribbons and pure white moonflowers filled her vision, clearly preparing for a grand bonding ceremony. Seraphina's gaze landed on the invitation cards being handed out by the pack members. Almost every major supernatural pack had been invited. This level of effort was way past what Damien claimed about merely fulfilling Layla's wish with a simple ceremony. He fully intended to let the entire supernatural world know that he and Layla were mates. A sharp pain flickered through Seraphina's heart, but it vanished in the next second. Only one thought remained in her mind: It was time to leave. Back at Afterglow Lodge, Seraphina looked around the stone house she had lived in for nearly a century, though most of those memories were already gone. She only remembered that she used to live in Moonstone Cottage, as the Alpha and Luna's first child. Later, she had been forced to let Layla stay at the place. After that, she had kept giving things up, until in the end, she had even given up her mate and her son to Layla. With a wave of her hand, all of her belongings floated into the air. With another wave, a burst of soul fire reduced everything to nothing. Not even ashes remained. From this moment on, there would be no trace of her left here. Seraphina turned and walked away without hesitation, not even giving the place one last glance. After leaving the pack, she headed for Whisper Ridge. That night, Seraphina simply let the Mooncrest on her forehead burn again and again. Morning came, the day of the bonding ceremony. Seraphina held out her hand to Blaze. "Let's go." Blaze leapt to her side at once. Together, the woman and the wolf traveled north. By dawn, they finally reached the border between the supernatural world and the abyss. Howlpeak. From afar, Seraphina saw the Moon Goddess's majestic statue glowing softly. She set down her silver spear and dropped to one knee. "Great Moon Goddess." The Moon Goddess's voice rang in her mind, solemn and powerful. "Seraphina, the time has come. Are you prepared to forget everything, cut yourself off from emotion, and bind your life to Howlpeak to suppress the wild spirits and preserve the balance of the world?" Seraphina lifted her head. Though her eyes were already empty of feeling, she still made one request. "Great Moon Goddess, before this, I ask one small favor. The spirit wolf, Blaze, has chosen to guard Howlpeak with me. Please allow me not to forget it." The Moon Goddess replied, "Is there anything else you wish to remember? Any other person or matter?" Seraphina's gaze was steady. "No." "Very well. I shall grant your wish." As the words fell, the statue of the Moon Goddess shone with brilliant light, and Seraphina slowly rose into the air. The Mooncrest on her forehead suddenly burst with blinding silver light. At that moment, the Moon Goddess extended a hand formed of light and pulled from the glow a nearly transparent ribbon that shimmered with rainbow colors. "I have removed your Emotional Core. From now on, you shall feel no desire, no love, and no hatred." Seraphina could clearly feel every memory of her parents, Damien, and Leo rapidly falling away from her mind. "Sera is our first child. We'll give her the best things in the world." "Seraphina, my soul howls for you. I want to bind myself to you forever." "Mom, I love you so much. You're the best!" - In the next instant, all of it faded away, leaving only blank emptiness. When Seraphina opened her eyes again, she was standing at the top of Howlpeak. Clad in silver armor with a spear in hand, she looked out at the world with eyes that held no emotions at all.