I drove the three rogues off with everything I had left, then collapsed from the silver poisoning.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the healing center.

My body felt like it had been taken apart. The silver was still moving through my blood, the burning spreading from my shoulder to my limbs.

The door opened. Footsteps approached, carrying that familiar cedar scent.

Kieran.

He walked to the bedside, a delicate crystal bottle in his hand. "Moonlight herb. For silver poisoning."

I kept staring at the ceiling. Didn't look at him.

"Let me change your bandages." He moved to step closer.

I jerked away, twisting my body to avoid his hand.

The movement was too fast. My shoulder wound tore open with a searing pain.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek and laughed coldly. "What are you doing here? Come to check on a rogue wolf?"

Kieran's eyes darkened, those ice-blue irises fixed on me.

"If I don't come to see you," He paused. "who else will?"

That hit harder than any wound. It cut straight through.

Because he was right.

My mother died fighting to protect my father on the border. My father brought home his mistress and her bastard daughter.

That place called home had stopped belonging to me a long time ago.

It was Kieran who had given me the illusion — two years of making me feel like I still had someone, like I could lean on him.

Until last night, when he walked away with Melody. Until he called me a rogue wolf with nothing to do with him.

I forced my pride upright and stretched my mouth into something like a smile. "There's no shortage of young, strong Alphas lining up to check on me."

I held his gaze. "Kieran. What I said last night about having feelings — that was just playing along. Did you really think I liked you? You were convenient. Now I'm bored of it. We're done."

I tried to look fierce. I tried to make my smile sharp enough to cut.

But my eyes had already gone red.

Kieran stared at me for a long moment, his expression cooling degree by degree. "Is that so."

A nurse knocked and entered. "Alpha, Miss Melody is outside asking for you."

"Go be with your true love!" The words came out louder than I intended. "Get out of my sight!"

Kieran was quiet for a few seconds. "I came because Emily asked me to check on you."

He said it, then turned and walked out.

I laughed. Laughed until my whole body shook, laughed until the tears came. "Don't worry, I'm not deluded enough to think otherwise."

Kieran stopped in the doorway. He frowned and looked back at me — the first time he had ever seen me cry in front of him.

He seemed to want to say something. His lips moved. But in the end, nothing came out.

The door closed.

I sank back on the hospital bed. Tears ran silently — for a long time, until my eyes were dry and raw and there was nothing left.

In the days that followed, I changed my own bandages.

The silver burns made me sweat through the pain. I gritted my teeth and cleaned the wound myself, applied the moonlight herb, came close to passing out more than once. But I didn't call for help.

At night when I couldn't sleep, I scrolled my phone.

Somehow I kept landing on Melody's social media — those carefully staged photos where Kieran was peeling apples for her, making breakfast for her, Melody leaning softly against his shoulder.

Her caption read: "The best Alpha gives you the whole world's tenderness."

I stared at those photos until my chest ached in waves.

But I didn't cry. I told myself I would never shed another tear for Kieran Frost.

A week later, I was discharged. The silver poisoning had mostly cleared, but the scar on my shoulder remained.

Like a brand. A reminder of how stupid I'd been.

I went to the edge of the territory and knocked on the witch's door. "I need a potion — one that alters a wolf's scent and severs all bloodline ties."

The witch studied me, eyes wide. "Are you sure? Once you drink this, there's no going back. Your pack bond will break. Your bloodline connections will vanish. Even your wolf's scent will change. It takes effect in two weeks, and there's no antidote."

I didn't hesitate. I tilted my head back and drank it in one go.

It was bitter. Bitter like all the tears I'd ever swallowed.

Two weeks left. The family. Kieran. I didn't want any of it anymore.

After drinking the potion, I drove back to the Ashford pack estate.

My stepmother Vivian was standing in the foyer. The moment she saw me, her expression curdled.

"Out all night. You're exactly like your shameless mother." Her arms were folded, her voice razor-edged.

I set down my luggage, looked her in the face, and slapped her.

The sound rang clean and sharp through the foyer.

Vivian screamed and clutched her cheek, staring at me with a mix of fury and fear.

"A rogue she-wolf who destroyed someone else's mate bond." I said it quietly. "What gives you the right to lecture me about anything?"

Footsteps thundered from upstairs. Marcus came rushing down to steady Vivian. "You come home and start trouble the second you walk in? You've disrupted this whole pack!"

I watched him rush to that woman's side and felt nothing but contempt. "Give me my share of the pack's assets, and I'll leave this territory for good. You'll never see me again."

Marcus's expression immediately shifted to concern. "What are you talking about? This is always going to be your home."

I laughed like I'd heard a joke. "Home? The day my mother died, I stopped having one."

Marcus went rigid.

"Name your price," I said. "I want what's mine."

He was quiet for a long time, then let out a theatrical sigh. "What are you so upset about this time? Fine. We'll give you half a million to clear your head, take a little trip."

"You only became Alpha because my grandfather founded this pack. My mother gave up her right of inheritance to put you on that throne." I smiled without warmth.

Marcus's face changed. He glared at me like I'd touched something forbidden.

"She used her life to bring you home from that border battle and let you keep your Alpha title. And now you're here living off her pack, keeping your mistress and your bastard daughter in her father's estate — and you're going to pay off her daughter with half a million dollars?" I kept going, not giving him the chance to interrupt.

Marcus's face had gone red. "How much do you want?!" he shouted.

I pulled documents from my bag and set them on the coffee table. "One hundred million dollars and half the territorial rights."

Marcus shot to his feet. "You're insane! You'd gut the entire pack! Absolutely not!"

I walked to the window and looked out at the night.

"My mother told me, before she died, that there's a forbidden ward buried beneath this territory." My voice stayed light. "If it's activated, the entire pack is destroyed."

The sharp intake of breath behind me was satisfying.

"She said she set it up to protect against rogue invasions." I turned to look at them. "Funny how it turned out to be useful for something else entirely."

Marcus's fingers began to tremble.

"So. Either you sign." I said it calmly. "Or we all die here tonight."

"You wouldn't dare—" Vivian shrieked.

"I'm leaving this territory anyway. What exactly do I have to lose?"

Marcus stared into my eyes for a long moment, his hands shaking, then picked up the pen and signed.

I lifted the document and checked the signature.

"What a coward." I let the smile show on my face. "My mother's biggest regret in life was probably marrying you."

"You—" Marcus pointed at me, his finger trembling too hard for him to finish the sentence.

I didn't give him the chance. I turned and headed for the stairs.

"Your sister is bringing her Alpha mate home tonight," Marcus said, forcing down his rage. "I've prepared a welcome dinner. That's Kieran Frost — Frost Pack's Alpha. Don't you dare make a scene."

I stopped on the stairs.

My hand tightened on the banister.

That fast. Kieran was coming tonight, and he was coming as Melody's mate.

I was about to move when the front door opened.

Melody walked in on Kieran's arm, all smiles.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home." Her voice dripped with sweetness.

Marcus and Vivian transformed on the spot.

The two people who had barely looked at me moments ago were now beaming, warm and fawning.

Vivian hurried forward. "Melody's back! Are you tired? Hungry?"

Marcus's gaze landed on Kieran, and he straightened immediately. "Alpha Kieran, welcome to Ashford territory. It's an honor to have you."

I stood on the stairs and watched them orbit around Melody and Kieran like planets, performing for an audience.

Kieran's gaze swept the room and landed on me. He frowned, just slightly. "And this is?"

As if he had never seen me before.

Marcus blinked. "Oh — this is my other daughter. Seraphina."

Kieran gave a small nod and said nothing more. He didn't spare me another glance.

Melody smiled. "She's my younger sister. Since Kieran is here, you should stay for dinner, Seraphina."

Her smile was warm and gracious. The triumph in her eyes was completely naked.

At the long dinner table, Melody and Kieran sat on one side. I sat across from them, alone. The odd one out.

The Omega servant Margaret brought out roasted chicken and venison.

Kieran glanced at the plate in front of Melody and frowned slightly.

"You don't like venison." His voice was gentle with concern.

Melody gave him a sweet, slightly put-upon look. "You noticed. But Seraphina loves it, so we've always kept it on the menu."

Without a word, Kieran lifted the venison off her plate and set it aside, then moved the roasted chicken in front of her. It was a gesture so practiced it looked like habit.

Margaret poured white wine. Kieran glanced at it. "Switch to red. She prefers red."

Melody looked at him, her eyes full of warmth. "You remember everything."

I watched this unfold, gripping my knife and fork hard. My heart felt like it was being cut open with a dull blade, slowly.

Vivian smiled pleasantly. "How did you two meet?"

Melody lowered her eyes, a flush rising to her cheeks. "It was during a border patrol. I found Kieran lying in a pool of blood — he'd fallen into a wolfsbane trap. I got to him in time and treated him with moonlight herb."

She looked up at Kieran, her eyes full of devotion. "Otherwise, the outcome would have been unthinkable."

Kieran took her hand. "So I knew she was the one. She saved my life."

Melody's face went pink. She looked like the happiest she-wolf in the world.

I listened to this story and suddenly laughed out loud.

The sound cut through the quiet dining room. Everyone turned to look at me.

Marcus frowned. "Is something funny? Keep your voice down."

I set down my knife and fork and looked at Melody. "You're sure it was you who saved him? With moonlight herb?"

Melody's smile flickered. "Of course it was me. Who else?"

"Melody." I said it simply. "You couldn't tell moonlight herb from wolfsbane when we were children. Remember my pet rabbit? The one that died because you fed it the wrong plant."

"So when did you suddenly learn to identify wolfsbane poisoning symptoms?" I tilted my head. "Remarkable, isn't it."

The atmosphere at the table froze.

Melody's eyes went glassy. She bit her lip, the picture of hurt. "Seraphina, why would you say that? I'm not lying."

Vivian slapped the table and stood. "Seraphina! That's enough! Melody saved Alpha Kieran — that's a fact! What gives you the right to slander her out of jealousy?"

Marcus's face hardened. "Apologize. Right now. To your sister."

I leaned back in my chair and said nothing.

Melody dabbed at her eyes, then suddenly smiled. "It's all right. Don't blame Seraphina. She probably just hasn't found her own mate yet and is in a difficult mood."

She looked at me, her concern perfectly performed. "Have you chosen a mate yet, Seraphina? When's the marking ceremony?"

I looked at her act for a moment. Then I smiled — bright and wide and unguarded.

"Too many to choose from." My gaze swept past Kieran and settled back on Melody's face. "Not like you, taking three years to land one this ordinary. The Alphas pursuing me could fill every road from Ashford territory to the Northern Snowlands. Genuinely can't pick."

Marcus slammed his hand on the table. "Enough! Have you no manners?"

Vivian's chest heaved. "You shameless thing! How dare Ashford Pack have a daughter like you!"

Melody pressed a hand to her mouth, tears falling. "How can you say something like that?"

She turned to Kieran, helpless and injured.

Kieran set down his utensils and slowly wiped his mouth with his napkin. Then, unhurried, in front of everyone, he reached over and took Melody's hand where it rested on the table.

"Melody doesn't need to compete with anyone."

His voice was cold and certain.

"In my eyes, no she-wolf compares to her. She is the best."

Melody's tears broke into a radiant smile. She turned her hand over and held his tightly, happiness and triumph glowing on her face.

I watched their joined hands. My heart turned to dust — a pain so sharp I could barely keep my face intact.

But I raised my head. My smile was bright and careless.

"Then congratulations. I wish you every happiness."

Kieran's face darkened in an instant.