Lycia’s POV

I arrived at the pack house with two bags full of gifts.

And there they were. Irene, dressed in a thin dress that wasn’t even appropriate for the living room. Leaning lazily against Ravien's chest. As if nothing wrong had happened.

I should have been jealous. Angry. But this time, I felt empty. Maybe because I had been hurt too many times.

Ravien stood up hurriedly when he saw me. His face was pale with panic. Meanwhile, Irene just smiled, like a winner greeting her opponent's defeat.

I didn't speak. Just walked past them. Both of them were surprised by my reaction.

“Lycia, wait!”

Ravien grabbed my arm quickly.

I just turned my head.

“Yesterday I wanted to visit you,” he said hurriedly. “But suddenly Irene got sick. And your parents wanted me to take care of her.”

My expression didn’t change at all. Flat. Unmoved even when those brown eyes looked at me with a hint of regret.

He must have sensed something different in me. A foreign feeling he couldn’t understand. He kept trying. But failed.

“My twin sister, it’s not what you think.” Irene approached us. Putting on her innocent face.

“Irene is right. Stop misunderstanding and running away!” Alpha Ravien chimed in.

Irene nodded again. With a small smirk. “Yes, we didn't do anything. Believe us.”

Her words contradicted her hands, which were moving. Tying her hair up high. Revealing the bite marks on neck. A sign of ownership.

She wanted to see me broken. But she only got the calmness she couldn't provoke. “Yes. Whatever.”

That's all I said before turning around and walking away.

“Lycia!”

My father’s voice cut through the air. Sharp and cold. I turned around. He stood at the threshold of the main hall, his face flushed red.

I clutched the small boxes containing the gifts tightly. Rare wool chosen for my father, a special dress for my mother. Their favorite food.

But before I could speak, a hard slap struck my face.

The gifts scattered across the floor.

“Did you intentionally hurt yourself to punish Ravien so he could feel the pain?” my father, Alec, shouted.

And I remained silent.

“How dare you!” Emma, my mother, joined in. “Alpha Ravien nearly died because of you! What were you doing outside the pack earlier?”

Of course, they didn’t know.

That’s because our bond had been severed. But I wouldn’t tell them.

I bent down, picking up the gifts. “I bought some gifts for you all.”

My father swatted my hand away. “Omega! Throw all this trash away!”

Without looking, without touching—they rejected me completely.

Then Mother spoke—words that shattered what little defense I had left. “Sometimes I regret giving birth to you.”

I froze. And it made no difference. I had always faced their anger. Even though it wasn't my fault.

“Can’t you just sit quietly like your twin sister does?” My mother’s voice was filled with frustration. “I’m tired of seeing you cause trouble!”

My breath caught. Mother. I loved her. But she… said words I never imagined she would. Tears fell.

And just then, I felt Ravien approach. “I'm okay.” He gripped my arm. “I think I need to talk to her.”

He took me away—to our room. Now it felt like a cold room filled with painful memories.

I sat on the edge of the bed, silent.

Ravien stood before me, staring at me as if choosing his words.

“Your parents were right. Earlier, my body was in so much pain.” He explained gently. But he seemed frustrated that I remained silent. “Luna, can't we just be okay like before? You now resemble a walking statue.”

I almost laughed. “You wanted everything to be okay after all the chaos that had happened?”

“This is all because of you! Even my pain earlier, you are the source of chaos!” He shouted in disgust.

“I want to sleep,” I said coldly. “You, take care of Irene as usual.”

He was about to protest, but I quickly lay down on the bed. His wolf seemed angry before left the room.

I sat back down. My parents' words were still clear in my mind. But I ignored them and started packing. I only took a few important items I had stored in my private closet so Alpha Ravien wouldn't find them.

I gathered the items from him. It was time to dispose of everything. I even opened the necklace I hadn't had time to throw into the sea.

I carried the box containing those items to the backyard. The fire was burning brightly.

“Lycia, what's that smell?” Alpha Ravien's voice sounded sharp. “Fire. What are you burning?”

His face changed when he saw the contents of the box I was holding. The gifts from him—all of them meaningful. Especially that moon necklace.

“Isn't it enough that you almost killed me earlier?” His voice rose an octave, his anger beginning to creep in. “I won't ask what happened to you, but stop this drama! Give me those things!”

My hands remained tightly clutching the box. “Why should I?” my voice was flat.

He stared at me, surprised by my calmness. But his eyes began to burn. There was a wound there—but not from loss, but from his ego being torn apart.

“That moon necklace…” his voice dropped. “It was given to you at your first dream location. You mustn’t forget that.”

I laughed briefly, hollowly. “And you also must not forget that you took Irene to all the places you promised me. You fulfilled my dream for another wolf. That means—nothing matters anymore.”

Ravien’s face changed. Guilt and anger collided in his eyes. But he still tried to defend himself. “It’s because I was angry at you. You ruined the party—”

“Enough about the past.” My tone was firm.

I walked toward the fire and began throwing the items from the box one by one. Letting him watch as they turned to ash.

When I lifted the moon necklace, Ravien’s hand gripped my wrist.

“Let go!” I shouted, angry.

His grip tightened. The wolf within him emerged. The vibrations from his Alpha power made the air seem to tighten, the ground trembling slightly.

But I didn’t flinch. I was a wolf too. And tonight, I was a wound that wouldn’t be conquered.

We held each other in place.

“Lycia?”

A soft voice—piercing from behind.

Irene stood in the doorway. Her expression feigned confusion. Her eyes shifted from us to the flames.

“What are you doing…?”

Neither of us answered.

And at that moment, Ravien’s emotional outburst reached its peak.

The force of it sent me flying backward. My body stumbled toward the flames.

But unfortunately, Irene was right behind me. Too close. She couldn’t dodge.

We both fell into the flames together.

My body absorbed some of the heat for her, but Irene screamed. Her scream pierced the air. Her hands were partially burned.

Lycia’s POV

The heat spread quickly.

Alpha Ravien sprang into action. His Alpha instincts took over. He charged into the flames and pulled Irene out. Not me. Her thin dress was charred, and parts of her skin were burned.

They fell to the ground. Ravien held her tightly, his breathing ragged. “I'm here... calm down... you're safe...”

His hands trembled as he touched her wounds. His eyes were red and tearful.

I emerged from the flames. Standing not far from them. My skin was blistered on my shoulders and arms. Burns had blackened parts of my body. But he was only focused on saving Irene.

I grimaced alone, enduring the pain.

Not only was my body burned, but also my self-respect, my feelings, and the remnants of hope I had naively held onto.

I watched them from afar. My legs trembled, my breath came in gasps.

When Ravien turned to look at me, the expression I saw was not concern—but anger.

“Is this what you want, Lycia?” he said irritably. “Because of your childish behavior, Irene has become a victim. She had nothing to do with our problem.”

My eyes widened. “Me? You pushed me. And her mistake suddenly appeared behind me!”

But he still didn't realize the truth. “What are you saying?”

Irene pretended to whine. “It's okay, Alpha. It's my fault.”

His anger grew even more when he saw Irene give in. “Apologize to Irene!”

“Never!” I said as I turned to leave. But he pulled me back.

His wolf eyes burned. “Or I'll push you into the fire again!”

“What?” I trembled with fear as his hand gripped my shoulder tightly. I felt myself step back and the heat surround me again.

“Wait, Alpha!” Irene pretended to care about me and acted like an angel. “Don't, have mercy on her.”

At her gentle request, Alpha Ravien immediately relented. He let go of me after pushing me, though not far. Then he took her inside. “I'm really angry with you, Lycia!”

After that incident, I was punished to stay in my room. My wounds were not treated. Food only came if I spoke first. And every omega who delivered it always mentioned one thing: Apologize to Irene.

I didn’t bother to do it.

Two days. Without a sound, without emotion.

Until the door opened this morning.

I didn't even turn around. I didn't care who it was.

“Lycia, you’re really stubborn.” Alpha Ravien’s voice sounded softer than the last time I heard it. “I cooked for you, delicious wolfbane root.”

He finally remembered a little about me. Even though it couldn’t warm my heart anymore.

“Lycia? I’ll feed you.”

“No,” I refused coldly.

He just stayed silent. The spoon was directed toward my mouth. I pushed it away. The metal clattered loudly on the floor.

A soft growl escaped his throat. His wolf nature was awakening.

He threw the bowl on the floor. Shards scattered, nearly hitting my feet.

“Why are you so arrogant?” His hand moved to hit me, but he stopped himself. "I used to feel sorry for you. But after this, I give up!”

“Do you know where I’m going? The last place you mentioned in your dreams for years. We’re going there. Me, Irene, and your parents. You stay here!”

I knew exactly where Ravien was referring to. The peak of Auralithe. The highest point in the north, where wolves shift during the lunar solstice.

Once, I had wanted it so badly. It was the last place on my list of dreams. But now? It was just a name. Meaningless.

He thought he could punish me with it. He and Irene had already made my other dream places come true yesterday. If only he knew how empty I felt now.

“May you starve. See you later!”

He walked out. Slamming the door shut.

That night, they really left.

From the small window in my room, I watched them walk toward the car, laughing. Irene spoke enthusiastically, my mother replied, and my father laughed softly.

After getting into the driver’s seat, Alpha Ravien glanced at me. Our eyes, which once understood each other, now felt foreign when they met. I saw a care expression from him that quickly turned cold.

The car drove away from the house. And the air felt fresher.

I stood up. I deliberately saved the remaining strength to pack everything up. I wouldn’t waste time. I’d leave right away. Only the essential items would I bring.

Just as I was dragging the suitcase out of the room, a message appeared on my phone.

Alpha Ravien: [This place is your dream. Next week, if you behave nicely and stop rebelling, I’ll bring you here too. You know I still have a conscience.”

I read it slowly again.

Conscience?

After letting me be kidnapped by the enemy, destroying our fetus, and even letting me burn. Nothing was funnier than seeing the second message that followed quickly. Hurriedly. As if I still deserved to be controlled.

[Lycia, bring Irene’s amulet necklace that was left in her room. She’s sulking. As a gift—even though you’re not pregnant, I’ll still fulfill all your other dream destinations. How kind of me. Now deliver that important necklace to the northern border.]

I was even pregnant. He never knew. But it’s too late. Who would still want to fulfill it? That dream is shattered.

I blocked his number without hesitation. Instead, I prepared a final gift for him.

First, I placed the ring—which had been broken into two pieces after the bond-breaking ritual—in a small wooden box.

And, he had once desperately wanted a child from me. So, a pregnancy test that was meant to be a gift at our fifth wedding anniversary—I exchanged it for a glass jar containing the remains of a failed fetus.

Then a piece of paper, short and clear: Because I am only Luna's replacement for you, our bond has been broken, Alpha Ravien.

I arranged it neatly on the living room table—the first place he’d see when he came home.

An incoming call. Louis's voice greeted her softly. “Lycia, I've been waiting for you outside the pack's gate. Should we burn this place down before we leave?”