At her wedding, Aveline witnessed Alpha Logan—her fiancé—being dragged away by kidnappers. Without hesitation, she gave chase. They clawed at her, scratched her. Though staggering, she continued to fight for Logan. Until they pierced her stomach with a silver dagger. Hot blood stained her white dress. Aveline fell to the ground and was left alone in the forest, nearly dead.

When she opened her eyes, a mocking voice pierced her ears.

“How pitiful. You’re dying, while your fiancé is partying.”

Alpha Caleb—her first love who had once betrayed her.

Aveline clenched her teeth. “You’re delusional.”

“You’re the one dreaming, Aveline. Let me bring you back to reality.”

Despite her refusal, Caleb dragged her into a large hall. Her breath caught as she gazed at the scene on the stage.

Logan.

The man she had saved with her own life. Now standing tall, without a single scratch. And not by her side—but tenderly holding hands with Rose, her younger sister. Between them stood a five-year-old child.

“Daddy,” Olivia said cheerfully. “I thought you were busy.”

Logan smiled gently. “Nothing is more important than your birthday, dear.”

Rose turned to him, a triumphant smile clearly etched on her face.

“What about Aveline?” she asked innocently.

Logan’s voice turned cold. “She thought she was saving me, but she was just blocking my way here, so I told the wolves to hurt her more brutally. In the end, she gave up following me.”

Aveline froze. Her trembling hands reflexively pressed against her bleeding stomach. There, her secret was torn apart. The little baby she hadn’t even had the chance to tell Logan about—had died because of it.

As she was about to move forward to charge at them, her mother’s voice paralyzed Aveline’s legs.

“The right choice, Logan. Besides, from the start, Aveline was just an adopted child. All we needed from her was her bone marrow, which matched Rose’s.”

Her father added coldly, “Rose is healed. And thank you, Logan. You pretended to love Aveline for three years. That’s enough repayment. Now let her die.”

Their voices echoed loudly, announced before the entire Darkvenom pack.

Aveline’s world crumbled. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision. The entire pack knew, all conspiring, only she was blind.

Caleb pressed his lips to her ear, whispering cruelly. “Everything in your life is a lie, Aveline. You were betrayed, abandoned, stabbed in the back. So… will you come back to me?”

—

Aveline clenched her fists until her nails pierced the skin of her palms. Her chest felt tight, but she refused to break down in front of Caleb. With all her strength, she burst out of the hall.

Heavy rain greeted her. Her white dress clung to her skin, torn, mixed with mud and blood. Her breath was labored, her steps unsteady. But a rough grip seized her wrist, halting her escape.

“Still not ready to wake up, huh?” Caleb’s voice was low, piercing.

Aveline turned with red, wet eyes, both angry and desperate. “Don’t you have any sympathy?”

Caleb laughed softly, sarcastically. “Sympathy? None. Until you come back to me, I won’t let you go. Who guarantees you won’t crawl back to Logan? Aren’t you madly in love with him?”

Her hand flew reflexively to Caleb’s cheek—a wet slap echoed loudly in the rain. Aveline’s breath quickened. “I’m not that low!”

Caleb merely smiled crookedly. In an instant, his fingers wrapped around Aveline’s neck. The pressure was so strong it choked her. Aveline glared, punching his chest, but his body was as hard as iron.

“Don’t act so pure,” Caleb hissed. “Since you were a child, you’ve been nothing but my omega toy. Your life was tied to mine. But once you found out I had another female, you got angry and ran away. You were arrogant and thought you’d found your true family. Darkvenom? Just a fraud. Now look at the result.”

Aveline’s tears flowed, mixing with the rain. It wasn’t just the pain from her inability to breathe, but also because his words were a bitter truth: she had escaped Caleb’s prison only to enter a deeper hell.

The last bit of oxygen nearly vanished as another voice froze the air.

“What did you do to my mate?”

Caleb instinctively loosened his grip. Aveline staggered, coughing harshly, her lungs desperately gasping for air.

Logan stood there. Cold, arrogant.

“Alpha Caleb,” he said calmly, “can’t you really move on from her?”

Caleb opened his mouth, but Logan cut him off sharply. “Make sure your pack is safe before you dare to disturb Darkvenom.”

A signal from Caleb’s pack made him mutter a curse, then leave without another word.

Aveline was still trembling. Her body was soaked, blood still dripping, as Logan approached and grabbed her shoulder.

“Darling,” he said softly, full of pretense. “I managed to fight them off. I came back to save you… sorry I’m late.”

The word “darling” stabbed like a dagger. His embrace was cold, soulless. Aveline wanted to push him away, wanted to vomit, but her body was too weak. The world spun, then went dark.

And when she awoke, Aveline found herself in the Darkvenom healing chamber. Her body was limp, her stomach still aching. She tried to rise, but voices from behind the curtain stopped her.

“I didn't know Rose would relapse suddenly,” her mother’s voice sounded anxious, trembling with tears.

“Calm down, Mom.” Logan’s voice—gentle, soothing, but piercing Aveline’s heart. “I’ve brought Aveline back. She’s still alive. She just needs one more bone marrow donor, the healer said Rose will recover completely.”

Her father’s voice trembled with relief. “Thank you, Logan. You’re our family’s savior.”

“I did it all for Rose. I love her so much."

Aveline fell silent. Her blood boiled all the way to her brain. So that was why he had brought her back? Just to perform a bone marrow transplant. They were just waiting for her body to recover... so they could squeeze the rest of her life out of her for Rose.

Her hands clenched beneath the blanket. Her breath came in gasps. Love, family, fiancé—all lies.

Once everyone had gone into Rose’s room, Aveline reached for the necklace around her neck. The black crystal given to her by an enemies of the Darkvenom pack. She pressed it to communicate.

A heavy voice echoed from within. “Aveline?”

Her hands trembled, but her resolve was firm. “You once offered me a place to join. If it still stands, then I will say yes this time.”

A low laugh echoed from within the crystal. “Finally, you’ve come to your senses.”

Aveline’s heart raced just hearing that piercing tone. The name immediately struck her mind—

Regan Lourdes.

The Alpha of Moonscar. The feared pack that roamed the entire territory, the eternal enemy of Darkvenom. The wolf who had once approached her in the darkness, staring at her as if he could pierce her soul, then offering her a choice.

‘Aveline, sooner or later you will understand that Darkvenom is a liar. Your real mother is dead. She is the elder of Moonscar, and you possess an extraordinary healing power from her bloodline. Wear this black necklace given to you by your mother, if you change your mind.’

Aveline was furious and disbelieving at the time. She thought Regan was trying to deceive her, to destroy the family she believed loved her. But despite her anger, for some reason her instinct told her to wear the necklace. And now, all the answers were revealed. The necklace had ultimately become her savior.

“Aveline, you seem hesitant—”

“No.” Aveline cut him off quickly. “I’ve thought it through. Joining Moonscar isn’t just about escaping Darkvenom. I want my life to matter by becoming a healer for other wolves, not a slave to Rose.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Regan’s voice sounded relieved. “Good. But you must remember one thing. Once you enter, there’s no way back.”

Aveline held her breath. She knew Regan was offering both a hand and a threat. But when she closed her eyes, the faces of Logan, Rose, her mother, her father flashed before her—the people she once loved, now leaving only festering wounds.

“Yes,” her voice grew cold. “Besides, I have no one left here.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll come for you—”

“Three days from now,” Aveline said firmly. “Logan’s birthday. When I’m healed and they’re certain I’ll give my marrow to Rose. Then… I’ll disappear.”

Regan’s laughter broke out, cynical yet satisfied. “A perfect plan.”

Aveline hurriedly closed the crystal as the door suddenly opened. A healer entered. His face was concerned. Without him speaking, Aveline already knew what he would say.

“I know I’ve lost my baby,” Aveline’s voice choked, pained. “But please don’t tell any wolf about this. Including Logan.”

The healer was startled, but ultimately chose to comply.

Better for Aveline to hide this. Rather than give them satisfaction over her suffering.

When the healer left, Logan immediately appeared at the door. Aveline felt the atmosphere in the room suddenly grow cold. Like her heart.

“Darling, you’ve finally come to your senses.” Logan’s face was filled with relief.

Aveline swallowed her nausea as Logan approached and embraced her gently.

“I failed to protect you. Forgive me, darling. Forgive me.” His voice trembled and his eyes red from crying.

If Aveline knew nothing, she would certainly be deeply moved. She thought she was being deeply loved by her fiancé. But now Aveline had to watch everything unfold like swallowing poison.

“Because of that kidnapper, our wedding had to be canceled.” Logan squeezed her hand, his voice filled with regret. “I know you’re upset, but I promise to you on my birthday, we’ll go through with the wedding.”

Aveline stared blankly at his shoulder. Her heart screamed, laughing bitterly and disgusted.

Her guess about Logan’s plan was correct. It was clearly a lie. He was just stalling for time until she recovered, then he’d donate his bone marrow to Rose. He was truly a liar.

Aveline’s hands clenched silently. Just as she was about to dismiss Logan under the pretext of needing rest, the door opened again. Aveline’s eyes locked on her mother, who entered with a bowl of fresh, peeled fruit.

“Eat plenty,” Emma said brusquely, her face flat and cold. She placed the bowl on the nightstand, then turned and left.

No smile. Not even bothering to ask about Aveline’s condition, or pretend to be kind.

“Mom.” Logan’s voice sounded calm, but Aveline knew it was just a warning signal for Emma not to be too harsh in front of him.

Her mother’s steps paused briefly. Only the sound of heavy breathing could be heard.

“I’m going to Rose’s room. Her condition is much worse than yours, Aveline,” she said, without turning back, then walked away.

Aveline watched her mother’s back disappear behind the door. Empty. Cold. As if her heart had died too. How foolish she had been to ever believe that love was real.

“Your mother is just tired,” Logan tried to soothe the wound with kind words as he fed her a piece of fruit. “Taking care of two sick daughters is indeed difficult.”

Aveline opened her mouth, swallowing without taste. It wasn’t the fruit that was bitter, but the reality being forced upon her.

That day, she sat in silence, watching Logan continue to pretend, as if they were a loving couple.

“Your mother asked me to watch over Rose for a while. You rest, okay?” Logan said softly.

“Yes,” Aveline replied briefly.

When Logan left her, the room felt spacious—quiet. Finally, she was alone. Aveline closed her eyes for a few minutes, trying to enjoy the silence until she almost fell asleep.

But a moment later, something hot spilled onto her stomach. Aveline opened her eyes and her breath caught in her throat. A child stood beside her, holding a bowl half-filled with werewolf protein porridge.

“I hate you, my father’s whore!” Olivia’s face contorted with anger unbecoming of her age. “Because of you, I’ve had to hide all this time. Now… just die!”

Before Aveline could dodge, she threw the rest of the porridge at her stomach.

The hot liquid spread, touching the stab wound in her stomach, causing her muscles to tense.

She curled up, enduring the pain that shook every fiber of her body. The metal stab wound, the loss of her baby, and now the hot spill—all mixed together there.

Aveline could barely breathe. But her blurry vision caught sight of the glass of water on the nightstand. With trembling but quick movements, she grabbed it and poured the water onto her stomach. The cold spread, though it wasn’t enough to ease the pain.

Before Aveline could calm down, Olivia dropped her bowl. She was injured on his finger by one of the shards. Her scream pierced the air.

“Help! My foot is bleeding!” Her face was innocent, like that of an innocent child.

Hurried footsteps approached. John, Emma, and Logan entered at the same time. John immediately picked up Olivia.

“What happened?” his voice was panicked.

Olivia cried loudly while pointing at Aveline. “I was just passing by and wanted to eat some protein porridge. But she suddenly pulled me here, she was angry and immediately spilled my porridge on her own clothes. Then she threw the bowl at me!”

Logan’s gaze was cold, piercing Aveline. John and Emma looked at her accusingly.

“You crazy kid!” Aveline forced her voice out, gasping, but her eyes blazed. “You’re the one who suddenly barged in—”

A hard slap from Emma struck her cheek. Aveline’s head jerked backward. Her vision spun.

“Since when did I teach you to hurt a child?” Emma’s voice pierced Aveline’s ears. “You should be punished! Look at Oliv, bleeding!”

Aveline felt her heart ache again after so long of being numb. Every wolf only cared about Olivia’s small wound, while Aveline’s stomach felt like it was being squeezed, burning, nearly shattered.

When John was about to slap her, Logan’s hand stopped him.

“What’s wrong, Logan? Just because she’s your fiancée, you want to defend her cruel actions?”

Logan looked at both of them, firm but calm. “I’m angry too. But I’ll talk to Aveline. You two take care of Olivia first.”

John and Emma left with curses. Now only Aveline and Logan remained in the chaotic room.

Logan approached, his face serious. “Olivia said she was just passing by, but you brought her here. Angrily.”

“If you came here just to accuse me, get out!” Aveline gasped, her stomach feeling like it was being choked from within.

Logan leaned in, gently touching the wound. But it felt crueler than a stab. “It hurts, doesn’t it? But I can only help you if you talk.”

Aveline stared into Logan’s eyes. Seeing how cruel he was. But the pain in her stomach couldn’t be ignored either.

She whispered, her voice barely audible: “Tell me quickly.”

“Answer honestly. You already know about Olivia, don’t you?” Logan narrowed his eyes sharply. “You couldn’t have gotten angry and hurt her without a reason.”

Aveline nodded without hesitation. “Yes. I know she’s your daughter and Rose’s.”

Logan’s eyes widened. But before he could see her reaction further, Aveline’s body weakened. She lost consciousness.

—

When Aveline opened her eyes, Logan was still by her side. He spoke immediately. “What if I apologize?”

Aveline didn’t respond. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead. Her heart was frozen.

Logan gripped her hand. “Aveline, I swear. There’s something you need to know.” He looked around, making sure the situation was safe.

His voice softened, but it was clear to Aveline’s ears. “Actually, without them knowing, I’ve secretly fallen in love with you. And if you hear that you’re going to be abandoned, it will never happen. I won’t put you in that position.”

Logan’s eyes darkened and demanded as Aveline remained silent.

“Please don’t leave, stay by my side. I only ask that you perform one more bone marrow transplant for Rose. After all, Rose is my first love. Then after that, I promise we’ll marry. We’ll leave together in secret. Escape from Darkvenom.”

Logan pulled her into his embrace.

Aveline laughed hollowly inside and swore it wouldn’t happen.

But when Logan asked, she only nodded her head. He was so happy and thought Aveline agreed.

“Rest, my love. After everything is better, I promise I’ll marry you. Don’t cause any trouble; I forgive you for what happened with Olivia this time.”

After that, Logan left Aveline feeling disgusted. Even though Logan truly loved her, Aveline would never return.

“Only two days left,” she said, clenching her fist tightly.

The next day passed quietly. Logan was afraid Aveline would leave, so he took care of her every day. He was truly gentle.

And this morning, the healer said she was well enough to go home. Aveline was ready to leave the healer’s room, but someone suddenly pushed open the door.

Rose.

Aveline’s breath caught. The person she now hated so much stood before her without a trace of shame.

With a sneering smile and no mask, Rose folded her arms across her chest. “Are you better now, sis?”

Aveline glared at her coldly. “Get out before I kill you.”

Rose’s laughter sounded piercing. “You’re the one who’s going to die, sis. You’ve always lost to me. No wolf has ever wanted you, except to be my bone marrow donor.”

Her words stabbed Aveline like hundreds of knives. To keep herself from lashing out, Aveline slammed into Rose’s body and pushed past her.

But as soon as she took one step away, Rose grabbed her hair. Rose sat dejectedly on the floor while her other hand poured thick red liquid onto her legs.

She pulled harder on Aveline’s hair, whispering slyly.

“I heard what you said with Logan yesterday. It turns out he has a little bit of love for you,“ her voice brimming with resentment. But it quickly turned into a sneering laugh. ”All this time, I pretended to be pregnant to stay by Logan’s side. And now I’ll pretend to miscarry. Logan will let you go because he believes... you’re the cause.”

“You’re crazy,” Aveline whispered in disbelief.

“Logan is mine forever!”

“Take him if that’s what you want!” Aveline roughly pulled Rose’s hand away from her hair.

Before Aveline could leave, a shrill scream echoed from behind.

“Aveline, what did you do to her?”