I had loved my best friend's Alpha heir brother Marcus Steele for ten years.

After my first shift, I was thrilled to discover he was actually my mate.

Without hesitation, I gave up my position as Alpha heiress of the Crimson Pack and joined the Moonridge Pack.

I spent three years doing everything I could think of to win him over. Finally, he agreed to our binding.

Just as I was happily preparing to discuss our mating ceremony with him, I overheard his conversation with his Beta.

"Alpha, are you really planning to hold a mating ceremony with Aria Blackwood? Serena is still carrying your child..."

The man's eyes were dark and unreadable.

"That's right. Even though Serena is pregnant with my child, my father has been dissatisfied with me. This time I have no choice but to marry Aria to appease him. After all, she's the Alpha heiress of the most powerful Crimson Pack. If I marry her, father will definitely let me inherit the Alpha position."

"Aren't you afraid Aria will find out about Serena and cause trouble for her?"

"No way. After all these years, I know exactly what kind of person she is. I'll just sweet-talk her a bit and she'll obediently listen to me. Besides, that's my bloodline. She'll have to accept it."

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.

I stumbled outside in a daze, only to be ambushed by enemy rogue wolves. I was poisoned with silver, and because help didn't arrive in time, the silver toxin spread through my bloodstream to my brain.

After three days and nights in a coma, I woke up having forgotten all memories of the man I had once loved with all my heart.

Ever since I came to the Moonridge Pack, my parents called every month asking me to come home.

This time I dialed my father's number and told him: "I don't want to be the Moonridge Pack's Luna anymore. I want to be Crimson's Alpha."

1

I returned to my temporary den in the Moonridge Pack and pulled out my suitcase to start packing.

My best friend Violet burst in, her face full of disbelief.

"Aria, are you really going back? You worked so hard..." Her voice was urgent. "You spent three whole years establishing yourself here, you finally..."

I didn't look up.

"Yeah, I've already applied for travel permits back to the Crimson Pack. I'll get authorization in seven days."

Violet hesitated, wanting to say something. "Can you really bear to leave here? To leave... my brother?"

Violet was Marcus's sister. It was because of her that I met Marcus in the first place.

I looked at her in confusion. "Did I really love your brother that much? I clearly remember everything about the Moonridge Pack, about you, about training, about territorial affairs. Only my memories about him are completely blank. I even feel like... I never knew him at all."

Violet rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a thick diary, shoving it into my hands.

"You loved him to death! This records three whole years of you pursuing him!"

I flipped through the diary. Even though I couldn't remember, it was definitely my handwriting.

Marcus had actually rejected me 99 times. Every single time was because of another woman—Serena Vale.

Violet sighed, her tone complicated. "This Serena Vale was the wolf who once blocked an assassination attempt for him. Ever since then, he's been madly in love with her."

I closed the diary.

"What's so great about some old wolf who rejected my confessions 99 times? Besides, I don't have any memories of him now. As the Alpha heiress of the Crimson Pack, once I return to my territory, what kind of mate can't I find?"

"What old wolf? What mate?"

A strange, cold voice came from behind me. I spun around sharply to see a tall figure leaning against the doorframe.

It was Marcus.

The way he looked at me was full of irritation and impatience.

"Aria Blackwood, didn't you get what you wanted? I've already agreed to the arranged mating with you to become your mate. What else are you dissatisfied with? Are you planning your next dramatic scene?"

His tone was mocking, thinking I was plotting some new trick.

Violet quickly tried to explain. "Brother, Aria she..." The words about memory loss never left her mouth before being cut off.

"I didn't ask you."

Marcus's gaze shot toward me like a knife.

"Aria Blackwood, since I've already agreed to hold a mating ceremony with you, even though this was the Alpha's idea, you got your wish. But don't expect to compare with Serena. Her place in my heart is something you'll never be able to replace."

His tone brooked no argument. "Pack up. Come with me to the autumn hunt."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Serena is feeling unwell due to her pregnancy and is emotionally distressed. I'm taking her out to lift her spirits."

Marcus's tone shifted from the previous coldness. "I'm taking her to the hunting grounds to relax. But since she has no official status following me, going to such occasions would cause gossip. Since the pack members all know I'm holding a mating ceremony with you, I'll bring you along too. You can carry Serena's things when the time comes."

I was stunned. Since I'd forgotten everything about him, his words just seemed utterly ridiculous. "Bastard wolf, I'm not going!"

Marcus seemed surprised that I would refuse. He paused for a moment, then his expression became even colder.

He walked straight over and, completely ignoring my still-weakened state from not fully recovering, grabbed my hand and started dragging me outside.

"Ugh!" I grunted.

Although my external injuries had mostly healed, my strength was far from recovered. I couldn't resist the domineering power of his Alpha wolf at all, stumbling as I was dragged along.

"Marcus!"

A pitiful-looking she-wolf walked in, her hand gently caressing her belly as she called out to Marcus in a soft voice.

It was Serena Vale.

When Marcus saw Serena, he ruthlessly released my hand, dropping me like a piece of trash.

With that violent shove, and the silver poison not completely cleared from my system, my wolf still not recovered, my lower back slammed into the sharp corner of a table. The pain left me speechless for a long moment.

Violet cried out and quickly ran over to help me.

"Aria! Aria, are you okay?"

But Marcus only had eyes for his beloved at that moment. He walked to Serena's side and asked in his gentlest voice,

"Serena, why did you come over? Is the baby bothering you?"

Serena naturally leaned into Marcus's embrace, shooting me a triumphant glance as she said,

"I've been having severe morning sickness lately. I heard from the people at the medical center that you were here, and I couldn't help wanting to see you. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

Hearing this, Marcus lovingly lifted her up in his arms and walked outside.

Violet saw the blood seeping from my head and couldn't hold back anymore. She shouted at Marcus's retreating figure, "Brother! Aria Blackwood is your future mate! No matter how much you love that Omega, you can't treat Aria like this!"

Marcus stopped in his tracks. Serena in his arms began to sob quietly. "It's all my fault. I'm dragging you down. I should leave the pack. I shouldn't make things difficult for you, preventing you from smoothly inheriting the Alpha position, and forcing you to mark someone you don't love..."

Marcus immediately set Serena gently on the sofa.

Then he spun around sharply, shifting as he walked. If Violet hadn't stopped him, he would have transformed into his full wolf form.

Marcus's bloodthirsty eyes fixed on me.

"If Violet hadn't stopped me, I would definitely teach you a proper lesson today. It seems all your innocence these past years was just an act. You're quite the scheming wolf too. If I ever hear a single rumor about Serena and the pup in this pack, whether you spread it or not, I'll hold you responsible! The consequences are more than you can bear!"

He looked down at me coldly, like he was viewing prey.

"Don't forget what I just told you. Day after tomorrow at eight, at the Northern Hunting Grounds. Be there obediently!"

After saying this, he didn't spare me another glance. He picked up Serena and left without looking back.

Violet's face was streaked with tears as she carefully helped me up, her voice full of guilt. "Aria, I'm sorry... I..."

I leaned against the sofa, trying to process everything that had just happened, and smiled weakly. "It's not your fault, Violet."

Violet helped me sit on the sofa and applied herbal salve to my wound.

"That bastard wolf! No wonder you remember everything except him! He doesn't deserve all the devotion you gave him! I support you going back!"

I remained expressionless, feeling the waves of pain from my wound.

But my heart was completely calm.

Thinking about his final words, no matter what, I was currently his fiancée. Some appearances had to be maintained, and some things needed to be wrapped up.

Just endure five more days. Then I could return to the Crimson Pack and inherit the Alpha position.

After five days, the Moonridge Pack and all the wolves here would become the past.

2

Four days left.

These past few days, besides recovering from my injuries, I'd been packing up everything in my den that was related to Marcus.

Looking at the pile of items filling the living room, I silently threw them one by one into the incinerator.

520 love letters I'd written to him. Kitchen utensils I'd used to cook for him personally. A suit I'd sewn for him by hand.

And the protection stone I'd prayed for at the Moon Goddess temple for 99 days straight.

After throwing away the last item, I let out a long breath. It felt like saying goodbye to the past three years.

The moment I turned around, my heart skipped a beat.

Marcus had appeared at the doorway without me noticing. Those dark, unreadable eyes were fixed on me, and on the pile of "trash" on the ground.

His voice carried an edge of disbelief and hoarseness:

"Why are you throwing them away?"

My tone was as cold as if I were discussing the weather: "Trash belongs in the trash."

After saying this, I felt an unprecedented sense of relief in my heart.

Marcus took a deep breath and spoke stiffly:

"Yesterday I was impulsive. Today's autumn hunt had good results. For the sake of... the past, I'll share some of the spoils with you. Just behave yourself. Don't go looking for trouble with Serena anymore. She and the pup in her belly... are innocent."

I didn't respond. I walked silently toward the car parked downstairs.

As soon as I got in, I saw Serena sitting in the passenger seat. That bitch wolf was smiling provocatively at me: "Aria, since I'm pregnant, let me sit in the front seat. It's more convenient for Marcus to take care of me. You don't mind, do you?"

I raised an eyebrow and nodded calmly to show my agreement.

Seeing my reaction, Marcus looked shocked. The old me would have gotten into a huge fight with Serena before giving up.

But seeing my unusually calm, even excessively well-behaved appearance now, he probably felt a sudden surge of panic. But he didn't know that because I no longer loved him, I didn't care about these things anymore. All I wanted now was to smoothly leave the Moonridge Pack and return to the Crimson Pack.

Throughout the ride, the atmosphere in the car was strange. Marcus unconsciously began showing off his affection with Serena in front of me.

First adjusting the air conditioning temperature and tenderly asking if she was comfortable, then taking advantage of red lights to kiss her ear intimately.

However, when he looked at me through the rearview mirror for the seventh time, it was still my familiar yet strange face.

He felt inexplicably unhappy, gripping the steering wheel so tightly it creaked.

When we arrived at the autumn hunt grounds, he openly held Serena's hand and intimately introduced her to the Moonridge Pack's elite and powerful families.

A Gamma friend of his joked: "Brother Marcus, you're really something. Worthy of being the Alpha heir, bringing both your lover and your fiancée to such a grand occasion." That friend glanced at me with sympathy.

Whispers arose around us, and those gossiping looks fell on me without any concealment.

"So the rumors about Marcus liking Miss Vale are true. He even brought her to an autumn hunt that concerns the pack's entire winter food reserves, while his legitimate fiancée has become just decoration..."

"That Crimson Pack heiress can actually tolerate such humiliation. Didn't the rumors say she had a bad temper? Looks like she really loves Marcus deeply."

I listened to their mockery like a bystander. If this had been me before losing my memory, I probably would have lost my temper on the spot and ruined this entire hunt.

But now, having forgotten everything about Marcus and feeling no love for him whatsoever, these people's stares and words had no effect on me at all.

After the autumn hunt began, Marcus didn't stay with me. Instead, he took Serena into the hunting grounds surrounded by pack members.

I put on my gear and went in too. I could hunt what I wanted myself. I didn't need Marcus's charity.

"Marcus is so amazing! Whatever Miss Vale wants, he can shoot down even elusive rabbits."

"I have a celestial serpent here. Miss Vale, look quickly! This is premium game."

The wolves' praise and flattery rose and fell continuously.

I headed deeper into the forest on my own.

The forest was quiet. Just then, I caught a strange, sweet scent.

Pushing through the undergrowth, what appeared by the lake was a seven-colored stag!

I didn't rush forward recklessly. Instead, I took advantage of it resting to quietly circle around and set up a trap.

Just as I was ready and preparing to take it down in one move, there was movement in the nearby bushes.

"Ah! It's a seven-colored stag!"

Hearing that exclamation, I knew something was wrong.

Sure enough, the sound of deer calls came from the lake. It had been startled and ran toward the area where I hadn't set up traps.

Just as I was fuming with anger, Serena emerged from the grass.

Looking at the smile on her face, I knew she had done it on purpose. She didn't want me to catch the rare stag and steal her spotlight.

"Marcus, I almost caught a seven-colored stag just now! What a pity, it got startled." She finished speaking and glanced at me.

I couldn't be bothered to expose her. I turned and went after the seven-colored stag.

After this farce, my hunting results were still pretty good...

To avoid the crowds, I headed early to the side hall used for tallying hunting spoils. Just as I pushed open a compartment door, I saw Serena frantically stuffing something under her skirt... a silicone fake belly?

She jumped in fright, hurriedly trying to hide it.

"You're not pregnant?"

The woman turned around, her eyes filled with viciousness and wariness: "What? Are you going to tattle?"

I didn't care at all:

"You loving Marcus is your business. I have no relationship with him now. Why would I tattle?"

"Really?" Her eyes were full of suspicion.

Probably confirming something from my honest, almost indifferent gaze, her tense body relaxed.

"I'm sorry," she lowered her head, her voice carrying a hint of apology, but soon became firm again. "You were born privileged and don't understand the situation of an Omega wolf like me. Marcus is my only way to change my life, so I can only use any means necessary."

I looked at her silently, suddenly noticing her eyes turn vicious.

Unexpectedly, she pulled out a silver dagger from behind and stabbed it viciously toward me. I'd exhausted too much energy during the hunt and was momentarily powerless to respond.

The silver blade pierced through my abdomen, blood flowing everywhere.

I saw Serena's face wearing a cold, twisted smile.

"Sorry," she looked down at me from above, her voice soft yet cold. "I believe in relying on myself, so I can't let you live knowing the truth. I have no choice but to do this to you."

I struggled to fight back, suddenly realizing she fell down when I pushed her.

Then, clutching her belly with both hands, she lay in the pool of blood I had shed. Her face instantly switched to extreme pain and terror, and a piercing wail shattered the silence: "No! My child! My child!"

Marcus rushed up after hearing the sound, his face instantly turning pale when he saw the scene.

He quickly took off his jacket, draped it over Serena, and carefully helped her up from the ground.

"Serena! Serena, what happened?!"

Serena clutched her belly tightly: "Marcus! I... I just saw her alone here and wanted to comfort her... to ask her to stop targeting me for the sake of the child I'm carrying... but then... then she suddenly went crazy! She hates me! She hit me! She... she killed our child! Our pup!"

My pupils contracted sharply. I struggled to stay conscious, wanting to explain, wanting to tell him the truth.

However, the man's eyes turned blood red as he suddenly turned his head. The look in his eyes when he saw me was filled with towering hatred and killing intent.

He even ignored my bleeding wound, gave me no chance to speak, and lifted his leg to kick me hard in the abdomen! I suddenly felt like I'd lost something, but my severe injuries made me too weak to investigate.

All my various injuries finally became too much to bear. My vision went from red to black, and as the blood flowed more and more, my consciousness began to blur.

Before losing consciousness completely, the last thing I saw was Marcus hurriedly carrying the sobbing Serena, running downstairs without looking back. His retreating figure was decisive and cold.

My eyelids fell heavily, and I lost all consciousness.

3

When I woke up again, I was in the familiar medical center, lying on a familiar bed.

"Aria! You're finally awake!"

A familiar voice filled with tears suddenly rang out.

"Violet..."

Violet carefully helped me sit up.

"You've been unconscious for three days. You scared me to death."

Three days?

"Three days..." I murmured, repeating the words. Five days were finally almost over. Just one day left.

Violet sobbed. "Aria, do you know... you miscarried!"

How was that possible?

My first reaction to this news was that Violet was joking with me. But when I seriously checked my body's condition, I found it seemed to be true.

After repeatedly confirming this news with my wolf, tears began falling uncontrollably.

Even though I had no memories of Marcus, this was still my child.

Violet looked at me with heartbreak as I sat there in a daze.

"Yes, over a month along. The pregnancy wasn't stable yet and then... Aria, you're still young and healthy. You'll have another chance in the future."

Just as I was immersed in grief, thinking only of returning to the Crimson Pack, Marcus burst into the hospital room with undisguised fury.

He walked to my bedside and demanded: "Serena was trying to comfort you and take care of your feelings, so why did you repay kindness with evil and attack her! And kill my child with Serena!"

His words reminded me of everything I had witnessed.

"It wasn't me! She attacked me with a silver dagger. I didn't even touch her. It's fake! She was never pregnant to begin with!"

But Marcus wouldn't listen to my explanation at all.

Marcus grabbed my throat directly, completely ignoring that I was also an injured patient. Violet hitting him frantically from the side had no effect.

"Aria Blackwood, I already agreed to bind with you. Why won't you leave Serena alone! Why did you have to hurt my child! You're truly a vicious woman!"

He spoke through gritted teeth, his words full of grief and hatred.

He mercilessly dragged me from the hospital bed, grabbing my arm and pulling me outside.

"Brother! What are you doing! Let go of Aria!"

Violet cried out in alarm, rushing forward to try to stop him, but Marcus pushed her away with one hand.

"Brother! Don't you know what kind of wolf Aria is? She would never hurt a defenseless Omega. After all these years of everything she's done for you, and Aria has amnesia now - how could she possibly do such a thing! And do you know that Aria just..."

"So she's been hiding it well! All these years pretending to be so well-behaved, now she's finally showing her true face! If you dare speak up for this outsider wolf again, I'll personally ask the Alpha to assign you to the front lines!" Marcus roared, completely ignoring Violet's explanation. He dragged me into the adjacent hospital room and threw me hard onto the floor.

I fell awkwardly onto the cold floor. Pain and grievance surged over me like a tide, and tears broke free again.

On the bed, Serena lay there weakly.

"Miss Blackwood, I don't mind if you hit me or scold me, but why did you have to kill my child? This was Marcus's bloodline. How could you be so heartless!"

She clutched her belly, crying even more pitifully.

Only I knew this was all an elaborate deception she had planned. It both covered up her lies and made Marcus love her even more.

Marcus immediately held her lovingly in his arms. "We'll have another child! Be good, don't be sad."

I was pressed down and forced to kneel by two strong Gammas, only able to shout weakly, "It's fake! She was never pregnant! Ask the healer! The child in her belly is fake!"

Marcus glanced at me coldly, his eyes full of disdain and disgust. "Do you think I would believe your lies and doubt Serena?"

"Unrepentant!" he scolded angrily, his expression terrifyingly sinister. "Aria Blackwood, if you still want me to hold a mating ceremony with you, you better take good care of Serena here until she forgives you. Otherwise, just obediently give up the mate position to Serena."

I looked at them powerlessly, at Serena crying in Marcus's arms.

I bit my teeth tightly, holding back tears from falling again.

I looked at Marcus calmly, my eyes carrying a trace of determination and resolve. "Fine."

"From now on, I won't pester you in the slightest, and I won't disturb your lives anymore."

I used all my strength to stagger up from the floor, turned around, and left the hospital room without looking back.

Hearing my resolute words, Marcus felt a strange emotion surge in his heart. But seeing Serena on the hospital bed, he quickly pushed aside that unusual feeling.

He had all the nurses leave the room and personally took care of Serena until midnight before dragging his exhausted body away from the medical center.

When Marcus returned to the empty villa, it was quiet and still, with only a few table lamps lit, waiting for his return.

At this time, I had already had Violet take me to the airport.

"Aria Blackwood!" When I didn't appear as usual to wait for his return, he suddenly felt a wave of panic and called my name anxiously. But only the echo in the house responded to him.

He rushed upstairs to my room and pushed open the door, only to find nothing was there. Everything about me, absolutely everything, had completely disappeared.

He frantically grabbed his phone and dialed Violet's number with trembling hands.

Violet glanced at me, and I gestured for her to answer the call.

"Violet, is Aria with you?" he asked anxiously, his voice carrying a barely detectable panic.

On the other end of the phone, Violet was silent for two seconds, then said calmly, "Aria? Didn't you say you wanted to break off the mating ceremony with her? She's already gone."

"Gone?! Where did she go?" Marcus was stunned, remembering the angry words he'd said at the hospital that afternoon. He was suddenly speechless. "I was just angry at the time! Where could she go?"

Violet laughed softly, her tone carrying a hint of mockery. "She went back to be her own Alpha heiress. Did you really think she was just some random wolf from the pack? Oh, I forgot to mention - before you forced Aria to kneel and apologize to that bitch today, Aria had just miscarried your child."

A crash came from the other end of the phone. Marcus must have lost his grip and dropped his phone.