unbearably heavy.

Even if I could see again...

What difference would it make?

Would I simply witness him choosing Celeste with my own eyes? Would every lie become impossible to ignore?

A long silence followed.

Then Rowan answered.

“No.”

The doctor sounded stunned.

“...No? Alpha, perhaps you misunderstood me. This is wonderful news. She has a real chance to recover her vision.”

Rowan's reply came without the slightest hesitation, colder than winter itself.

“Didn't Pierce explain the situation? For the past five years, I've instructed him to prescribe nothing beyond ordinary supplements.”

The room fell silent.

When the doctor finally spoke again, disbelief filled his voice.

“You mean you've deliberately withheld the treatment? Alpha... that's wrong. Lady Lillian deserves to know the truth. She deserves the opportunity to recover.”

Rowan released a slow breath.

“And if she regains her sight, then what?” he asked evenly. “Have you considered what happens after that? What becomes of Celeste once everything is exposed?”

“With all due respect, Alpha,” the doctor insisted, “your mate's well-being should be your priority. You can't keep her blind simply because it makes your situation easier.”

“It isn't about convenience.”

Rowan's tone turned dangerously calm.

“It's about maintaining balance. I'm protecting both of them, and that decision isn't yours to question.”

My fingers instinctively closed around my wedding ring.

They wouldn't stop trembling.

So...

He had known all along.

He knew my blindness wasn't permanent.

He knew there was treatment that could have given me my sight back.

And he chose to keep it from me.

Why?

Was I nothing more than someone easier to control if I remained blind?

Someone he could hide away whenever it suited him?

A sharp snap broke through my thoughts.

Only then did I realize I had yanked the ring from my swollen finger with so much force that it tore the skin. Blood slowly trickled between my fingers, warm against my palm.

I turned and ran.

I wasn't even sure where I was going.

All I knew was that I had to get away before I fell apart.

By the time I reached my room, I was shaking so violently I could barely breathe.

My shoulder struck the edge of a table.

A framed wedding photograph toppled onto the floor with a loud crash.

I stared down at it.

In the picture, Rowan was gently kissing my forehead, his eyes overflowing with love and devotion.

As though I had once been his entire world.

“Why...?” I whispered hoarsely. “Why would you deceive me like this?”

Tears slipped down my face before I even realized I was crying.

Then, somehow...

I started laughing.

A broken, hollow laugh echoed through the room.

“Haha... Rowan...” I choked out. “You're incredible. You planned every bit of this, didn't you?”

Nausea twisted violently in my stomach. I bent over, retching as bitterness burned my throat.

“All those years I blamed myself... all those nights I thought I was broken... you made sure I'd never know the truth.”

I cried until there were no tears left.

Then I picked up the photograph.

I removed it from the frame.

Without hesitating, I fed it into the paper shredder.

The machine slowly pulled the picture inside.

Its grinding sound echoed through the room while tiny strips of paper fell into the bin below.

With every piece it destroyed, it felt as though another part of my heart disappeared with it.

Every promise.

Every memory.

Every “I love you.”

Reduced to scraps.

“My love... what are you doing?”

Rowan's voice came from behind me.

I never looked back.

Silently, I gathered the shredded remains and dumped them into the trash.

“Nothing,” I answered calmly.

“It was just... a damaged file.”

“I don't need it anymore.”

He walked closer, frowning.

“A damaged file?” His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the shredded paper. “Why does that look so familiar? Lillian... what exactly did you—”

The bedroom door opened before he could finish.

“Rowan.”

Celeste's gentle voice floated into the room.

He turned immediately.

Without another glance at me.

She entered carrying a bouquet of white lilies, their fragrance filling the room almost instantly.

“I brought these,” she said shyly. “I thought Lillian might like them.”

The concern in Rowan's eyes appeared at once.

“You shouldn't be walking around so much,” he said. “What if something happens to you... or the baby?”

She smiled reassuringly.

“I'm alright. I only wanted to do something thoughtful.”

Rowan accepted the bouquet before placing it into my arms.

“These are for you.”

Celeste smiled sweetly.

“Happy birthday, Miss Brightman.”

The overwhelming scent struck me immediately.

My throat tightened.

I couldn't breathe.

A violent coughing fit overtook me, tears streaming uncontrollably from my eyes.

Rowan frowned.

“What's wrong? Are you allergic to lilies? Why didn't you tell me before?”

Before I could answer, Celeste walked behind me and gently covered my eyes with both hands.

She laughed softly.

“Come on,” she teased. “Just a few more steps. No peeking. I prepared a surprise especially for you.”

I didn't resist.

I simply let her guide me forward.

What reason did I have to argue anymore?

“Okay,” she said brightly. “Ready?”

She removed her hands.

“Surprise!”

My eyes settled on the dining table.

Raw meat sat across the marble surface, still dripping with fresh blood. White foam clung to it as though it hadn't even been washed properly. Beside it, the vegetables were burned beyond recognition, blackened from being left over the fire too long.

I simply stared.

Was this supposed to be a gift?

Or was I the one everyone was laughing at?

Celeste suddenly slapped a hand against her forehead.

“Oh no!” she exclaimed. “I completely forgot. Miss Brightman... you can't really see, can you? I didn't even think about how this would look.”

She covered her mouth in embarrassment, acting as though she'd made an innocent mistake.

Rowan immediately took both of her hands.

His movements were gentle as he signed reassuringly.

It's alright. Don't blame yourself. Lillian won't take something like this personally. She's not that sensitive.

Not that sensitive.

Celeste lowered her eyes, her fingers moving hesitantly.

Why do I keep messing everything up? I only wanted to make her happy, but I can't seem to do anything right.

Rowan smiled with quiet affection.

Don't say that. You're trying your best, and that's enough for me. You never have to be perfect.

She sniffled before signing again.

I baked her a mango cake too. I thought maybe something sweet would cheer her up.

Rowan turned toward me with the same gentle expression that had once made me believe I was loved.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he coaxed softly. “She put a lot of effort into this. At least have a taste.”

I remained exactly where I was.

My hands slowly curled into fists.

I was exhausted.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

I didn't think I had anything left to give.

“Rowan,” I said at last, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Do you even remember what today really is?”

He looked confused.

“What are you talking about?” he asked. “Today's your birthday.”

I met his eyes.

“No.”

A painful smile touched my lips.

“It isn't.”

Silence settled between us.

Finally, I broke it.

“Today is the anniversary of our son's death,” I said quietly. “The day the avalanche buried everything... the day you never came back.”

His expression faltered.

For the briefest moment, I caught something in his eyes.

Regret.

Maybe guilt.

At that point, I couldn't tell the difference anymore.

I glanced at the mango cake still in his hands.

“And one more thing,” I added. “I'm allergic to mangoes.”

His face drained of color.

“Lillian... I...” His voice stumbled. “I didn't know. I thought—”

“No,” I interrupted gently. “You never thought about it.”

“You're wrong.” He took a step toward me. “Please don't walk away like this. We can talk. I know you're hurting, but don't push me away.”

I slowly shook my head.

“I'm not angry anymore.”

I looked at him one last time.

“I'm simply tired of talking.”

Without another word, I walked past him.

I ignored him calling my name.

I ignored Celeste's quiet sobs.

And when Rowan's voice softened as he turned to comfort her instead, I kept walking without looking back.

...

The moment I reached my room, I closed the door and shut the rest of the world outside.

Sleep eventually claimed me.

I had no idea whether I'd been asleep for hours or nearly the entire night.

A faint noise downstairs pulled me awake.

Voices.

Soft footsteps.

I slowly opened my eyes.

Rowan was sitting beside my bed.

He watched me with the same gentle expression he used to wear years ago.

“My love,” he said quietly after noticing I was awake. “You're finally up.”

I offered no reply.

I only looked at him.

“I made something for you.” His voice was careful, almost hesitant. “A strawberry cake. It's your favorite. Will you eat a little?”

When his fingers reached for mine, I quietly pulled my hand away.

“I'm not hungry.”

His hand remained suspended awkwardly before he lowered it with a sigh.

“Don't pretend,” he murmured. “You're still upset with me, aren't you?”

I remained silent.

After a long pause, he tried again.

“Once things settle down at the pack, I'll take you out. Your favorite orchestra is performing soon. We can go together, just the two of us. Doesn't that sound nice?”

I turned my face toward the window instead, refusing to answer.

He pressed his lips together before taking my hand again.

This time he didn't let go.

“Celeste prepared something especially for you,” he said. “She arranged an animal performance because she wants to apologize properly. Just come see it. Please.”

“I don't want to.”

The words came quietly.

He ignored them.

Naturally.

Without asking again, he slipped one arm beneath my knees and lifted me into his embrace before carrying me downstairs.

The cold night air struck me the moment we stepped outside.

I wore nothing but a thin nightgown.

The freezing wind instantly made me shiver.

My body trembled uncontrollably.

Rowan either didn't notice...

Or he noticed and simply chose not to care.

My eyes followed him as he picked up several warm coats nearby.

For one foolish second, I thought one might be for me.

It wasn't.

Every piece belonged to Celeste.

He walked straight to her, carefully helping her into a thick protective outfit. He adjusted every strap himself, gently settled the padded jacket over her shoulders, pulled gloves over her hands, then carefully fastened a safety helmet beneath her chin.

His every movement was impossibly patient.

As though she were something precious that might break.

When he finished, he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Don't overwork yourself,” he told her softly. “You and our baby matter more than anything else. Nothing is more important than keeping both of you safe.”

The wind carried every word to where I stood.

A moment later, Celeste pulled away the heavy cloth covering a large iron cage.

I immediately froze.

Inside paced two enormous beasts.

A fully grown black bear.

A shadow lynx.

Their claws scraped violently against the metal bars as restless growls echoed through the clearing.

The instant the cover disappeared, both animals stopped moving.

Then...

They looked directly at me.

“ROAR!”

The bear's thunderous roar shattered the silence.

Its dark eyes remained fixed on mine with terrifying intensity.

My heart nearly stopped.

Why...

Why were they staring at me like that?

Almost instinctively, I backed away.

Then a strange scent drifted through my memory.

The lilies.

The bouquet Celeste had given me earlier.

That overpowering smell...

A chill raced through my body.

No...

Surely not...

I swallowed hard before forcing myself to speak.

“Rowan...”

My voice shook.

“I don't feel well. Can we leave? Please... I really don't want to stay here.”

Once upon a time, he would've rushed to my side without hesitation.

He would've carried me inside.

Asked if I was hurting.

Made sure I was alright before anything else.

Now...

His brows drew together impatiently.

“Lillian,” he said with obvious annoyance, “don't start making trouble. Celeste has been preparing this for days. Can't you stay for a few minutes instead of spoiling everything?”

Spoiling everything.

The words stung far more than they should have.

I forced another breath.

“I'm not trying to ruin anything. I honestly don't feel well. Can we please leave afterward... or even now?”

He let out another sigh.

“You're worrying over nothing. Nothing bad is going to happen. Just watch the performance. It'll be finished soon.”

Watch?

I nearly laughed.

Celeste stepped into the performance area while carefully holding the control chains attached to the animals.

“I practiced every day for this,” she said nervously. “I really wanted to make it up to you. Please... let me do this.”

I couldn't bring myself to answer.

The performance began.

The bear and the lynx obediently leaped through flaming hoops before balancing across narrow wooden beams. Everything appeared perfectly under control.

“That's right...” Celeste encouraged shakily. “Slowly... good... just like that.”

Rowan applauded proudly.

A bright smile spread across his face.

“You're doing wonderfully,” he praised. “I knew you could.”

His eyes never left her.

Not once.

Not even for a second.

He had completely forgotten that this performance was supposedly arranged for me.

But even that wasn't what frightened me most.

My breathing became uneven.

My hands wouldn't stop shaking.

Because no matter where they moved...

The bear and the lynx kept looking at me.

Again.

And again.

Every time our eyes met, something inside their gaze seemed darker.

Hungrier.

Like they were waiting for the perfect moment.

I quietly stepped backward.

Then another step.

I have to leave.

Now.

No one noticed me.

Of course they didn't.

I had almost slipped beyond the edge of the clearing when—

“Ah!”

Celeste screamed.

I spun around.

She had lost her balance on the raised platform.

Her body tipped sideways.

The control chains slipped from her hands.

Everything happened at once.

The bear and the lynx became completely still.

Then deafening roars erupted from both of them.

“Celeste!”

Rowan shouted her name without a second's hesitation.

He sprinted straight toward her.

“Celeste! Are you alright? Talk to me!”

He reached her first.

Not me.

Never me.

The two beasts slowly turned their heads.

Toward me.

My breathing stopped.

“No...”

I stumbled backward.

“Please...”

Too late.

They charged.

Everything happened in a blur.

A crushing force slammed into me.

Agonizing pain exploded through every part of my body as claws tore into my flesh. It felt as though my bones were breaking apart one by one.

“Aah!”

My scream echoed through the night.

The pain was unbearable.

I couldn't think.

Couldn't breathe.

I collapsed onto the ground as blood spread beneath me, warm and endless.

Through my fading vision...

I searched for him.

Rowan.

He was holding Celeste tightly in his arms.

He never looked my way.

Not even once.

When I came to again, the first thing that greeted me was the sharp scent of disinfectant mixed with the metallic smell of hospital equipment. Above me, the ceiling was blindingly white.

Pain flared through my chest the moment I tried to breathe. My legs felt unbearably heavy, as if they had been crushed beneath a mountain. A faint groan escaped my lips.

"Easy," the nurse said at once, gently pressing me back onto the bed. "Don't try to move. You have three fractured ribs and your liver suffered internal bleeding. Honestly, it's a miracle you survived the night."

I blinked several times, struggling to bring her face into focus.

She continued while checking my chart, unaware that every sentence weighed on me.

"Things were a mess last night. Dr. Bennett was the only doctor on duty, and another patient's family kept demanding he see their pregnant daughter-in-law before anyone else. They caused quite a scene."

Pregnant.

My fingers twitched beneath the blanket.

Seeing my expression, the nurse quickly smiled.

"But don't worry. Her injuries turned out to be minor, so Dr. Bennett came to operate on you right afterward. You received treatment just in time."

Of course.

After a brief pause, she asked gently, "Hasn't anyone come to visit? Your family? Your mate? Someone should really be here with you."

I lowered my eyes to the blanket covering me.

"I don't have anyone."

The words scraped painfully against my throat.

She fell silent. I didn't have to look up to know she pitied me.

A moment later, voices drifted in from the hallway.

"Rowan..." Celeste sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I don't know why those animals suddenly went wild. They were calm during practice. Miss Brightman got hurt because of me."

Rowan answered almost immediately, his tone full of concern.

"Stop blaming yourself, Celeste. None of this was your fault. You were injured too. You shouldn't even be standing here."

She sniffled.

"I don't care about my injuries. I just feel terrible. I need to apologize to her. If I don't tell her I'm sorry, I'll never forgive myself."

My fingers slowly curled into a fist.

Another apology.

Rowan sighed softly.

"You're carrying our baby. You shouldn't upset yourself like this. Go back to your room and rest. I'll take care of everything."

"I don't want to leave." Her voice cracked with tears. "Please... let me see her. I have to apologize in person."

Something inside me finally broke.

Without thinking, I grabbed the glass beside my bed and hurled it across the room.

It smashed against the wall with a deafening crash.

The hallway instantly fell silent.

Seconds later, hurried footsteps approached.

Rowan burst into my room.

"Lillian!" His face was filled with worry. "What's wrong? Are you thirsty? Does something hurt? Tell me what you need."

I quietly looked at him.

Really looked at him.

His concern appeared so genuine.

Just like it always had.

And suddenly...

I felt exhausted.

Too exhausted to argue anymore.

"I want to ask you something."

He nodded immediately.

"What is it?"

"Did you investigate the bear and the shadow lynx?"

His expression froze for the briefest moment.

"They suddenly lost control," I continued. "Did anyone find out why?"

Something unreadable flickered through his eyes before disappearing.

"It was simply an accident," he replied without missing a beat. "Wild animals become unpredictable sometimes. There's nothing unusual about it."

I held his gaze.

"Nothing unusual?"

He calmly pulled the blanket higher over my shoulders as though everything were perfectly normal.

"You're thinking too much again," he said gently. "Right now, your only job is to recover. Stop worrying about things that don't matter."

At that moment...

Whatever hope remained inside me quietly died.

I stared at him while an ache spread through my chest that had nothing to do with my injuries.

Six years earlier...

The memory surfaced as vividly as if it had happened yesterday.

I'd gone alone to inspect the pack's outer border during a storm when several rogue wolves surrounded me.

Their expressions were twisted.

Their intentions even worse.

One of them grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the trees while the others laughed.

I was terrified.

No matter how hard I struggled, I couldn't break free.

Then Rowan arrived.

I'd never forgotten the look on his face.

Pure fury.

"If any of you touches her again," he'd said in a voice that made the ground tremble beneath our feet, "I'll make you beg for death."

The rogues laughed.

So Rowan made good on his promise.

He destroyed them.

"Leave them alive," he calmly instructed the warriors after the fight.

Then his eyes turned cold.

"But make sure they regret ever laying a hand on her."

Their screams echoed through the forest for hours.

Blood stained the earth.

Not a single ounce of mercy was shown.

In the end, none of those rogues ever returned.

That was the man who once protected me without hesitation.

Yet now...

I had nearly been killed before his eyes.

I was mauled by two beasts only a few steps away from him.

And he never questioned it.

Never wondered why they suddenly attacked.

Never even considered that Celeste might somehow be involved.

The emptiness inside me was overwhelming.

"I understand," I murmured quietly before turning my face away.

He hesitated.

"Lillian..."

Before he could continue, frantic voices echoed from the hallway.

Doctors and nurses hurried past the room.

"Alpha!" someone shouted. "The Luna's condition has changed!"

Rowan stood instantly.

"I'll be back soon," he promised in a rush. "I'll bring you something to eat too. Just wait for me."

I never answered.

...

He never returned.

At first, I waited.

Minutes blurred into hours until I eventually stopped caring.

The pain drained every bit of strength from my body.

Eventually, I drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Even then, I couldn't truly rest.

Something heavy continued pressing against my heart.

A sharp sting suddenly jolted me awake.

Pain shot through my arm.

Looking down, I saw thick bandages wrapped around it. Fresh blood had already begun seeping through the white gauze.

"W-What are you doing?" I asked weakly.

The nurse continued working without looking up.

"I'm changing your dressing. You just underwent a skin graft, so it's normal for it to hurt. Try not to move."

I stared at her in confusion.

"A... skin graft?"

She finally looked at me.

"You didn't know?"

My silence answered for me.

"The Luna in the room next door scraped her arm yesterday. Alpha Ashcroft approved using a section of your skin for the graft."

For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything except the ringing in my ears.

The nurse sighed.

"Honestly, her wound wasn't even serious. But that's just how life is, I suppose. Some people have everyone rushing over a tiny scratch..."

She stopped herself before finishing.

She didn't have to.

I understood exactly what she meant.

My entire body turned cold.

So this was what I'd become.

Even my own skin...

He could take it from me whenever he wished...

...just to give it to her.

My lips trembled.

It felt as though I'd swallowed fire.

"Could you..." My voice nearly disappeared. "Could you help me transfer to another hospital?"

The nurse blinked.

"Transfer? Why would you want to—"

The door suddenly swung open.

A familiar voice interrupted her.

"Transfer?"

A pair of cold eyes landed on me.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?"