Little Ethan finally had his Alpha father's attention.

But only after death.

I choked back a sob and slowly answered him.

"It's little Ethan's—"

My words were cut off by Damien's phone ringing. I saw the caller ID displayed "Sera." He glanced at it and hurriedly rushed away.

I watched his retreating figure, not hesitating for even a second, and continued speaking to the empty room: "Ashes."

Damien had left too quickly to hear.

I didn't want to deal with more lies and pretense. I especially didn't want to watch him put on a fake performance in front of little Ethan's urn.

Though maybe that was just my imagination.

More likely, tomorrow he'd just frown coldly, say "useless," and forget completely.

I submitted my mate bond dissolution request to the Alpha Council. Taking only little Ethan's urn and my pathetically few personal belongings, I went to Stormfang Pack's core council hall to find the elder responsible for pack affairs.

"I want to return to Silvermane Pack. I'm here today to hand over my duties." I placed a simple written statement before the elder, my voice calm and emotionless.

The elder looked shocked and troubled: "Luna, this... this requires the Alpha's consent and a council decision... and about little Ethan..."

"Little Ethan is dead." I interrupted him, my gaze unwavering. "My statement is here. Handle the subsequent procedures according to pack law. From this moment, I am no longer Stormfang Pack's Luna."

I turned to leave, but my former deputy, a loyal Gamma warrior named Ryan, blocked my path. His face showed anger and confusion.

"Luna... no, Roxanne," he lowered his voice, full of indignation, "You're leaving because the Alpha gave 'Silver Moon Hunting Grounds' management to Sera, aren't you? That territory you spent three years fighting Shadow Claw Pack to secure for us! Why should that Omega who only follows the Alpha around take over? What does she know about hunting management?!"

I was slightly stunned. "What did you say? Sera took over Silver Moon Hunting Grounds?"

I was genuinely bewildered. Though I knew Damien favored Sera, handing over such important strategic resources and hunting territory—an area requiring rich experience and combat instincts to manage—to an Omega assistant with no fighting ability still exceeded my expectations.

Ryan grew more furious: "It happened this morning! The Alpha gave the order directly! That woman came in acting all high and mighty, giving random commands, completely disrupting the hunting team's original deployment! The brothers are furious! She's completely unqualified!"

Just as he finished speaking, Sera's voice came from the council hall's side door, deliberately pitched high: "Ryan! What are you doing here, slacking off and gossiping? Why hasn't the eastern patrol route of Silver Moon Hunting Grounds been modified according to my instructions? Can you handle the consequences if important matters are delayed?"

Ryan glared angrily: "Sera! Your patrol routes are completely unsuitable! Do you even understand—"

Sera scoffed, crossing her arms as she walked over. Her gaze swept contemptuously over Ryan before landing on me, her smugness barely contained though she tried to restrain it. She was a "manager" now.

"Silver Moon Hunting Grounds is now under my complete authority, personally appointed by the Alpha. If I say the routes need changing, they must be changed! If you don't follow my requirements, it proves the hunting team is negligent!"

She paused, turning her attack directly on me. "Of course, Ryan was trained by you personally. If he's incompetent, shouldn't you, as Luna, discipline him properly? After all, subordinate incompetence reflects poorly on the superior, don't you agree?"

Her words were barbed, directing the blame toward me.

The pack members gathering around murmured in displeasure, angry at Sera's arrogance and disrespect toward me.

Damien walked in just then, obviously having heard the commotion. His brow was furrowed, radiating Alpha authority.

Sera immediately changed her expression, putting on a wronged yet understanding look as she quickly moved to Damien's side: "Alpha, please don't be angry. I was just urging Ryan to complete his work on time, since Silver Moon Hunting Grounds is so important. But maybe... maybe my approach made Luna and Ryan misunderstand, thinking I was making things difficult... I really just want to do the job you gave me well..." She even lowered her head slightly.

Damien's sharp gaze swept over Ryan and me before obviously softening when it landed on Sera. Then he looked at me, his tone turning icy with reproach: "What are you causing trouble about here again? Didn't I tell you to reflect at home? Sera has taken over your work, so go back. Don't interfere with Sera managing her new responsibilities."

I quietly watched them, watching Sera's performance and Damien's undisguised favoritism.

Ryan couldn't help but speak up: "Alpha! It's Sera who's being unreasonable, insisting on changing—"

"Shut up!" Damien harshly interrupted Ryan, his powerful Alpha aura making Ryan's face go white instantly, the rest of his words stuck in his throat. Damien's gaze locked on me again. "Roxanne, control yourself! And control your former subordinates! Sera managing Silver Moon Hunting Grounds is my decision. She's careful, responsible, more suitable for coordinating resources than some people who only understand brute force! If you have objections, I'll have no choice but to strip your Luna authority over pack affairs!"

The surrounding pack members fell more silent, but dissatisfaction hung thick in the air.

Behind Damien, Sera gave me an extremely subtle but malicious smile.

Seeing my silence, Damien assumed I was admitting guilt and became even more forceful: "Since you're here, perfect timing. Ryan disrespected the new manager—according to pack rules, he should be punished. Considering his past service, he'll clean the western beast pens for one month!"

He paused, his gaze cutting into me like a blade. "And you, as his former direct superior, failed to teach properly and allowed your subordinate to be offensive! I order you—now, immediately, publicly apologize to Sera! For your and your people's rudeness!"

The council hall erupted in shocked murmurs. Make the Luna publicly apologize to an Omega assistant who climbed up through the Alpha's favor? This was naked humiliation!

I met Damien's icy gaze and asked clearly: "On what grounds? Why should I apologize to her? What did I do wrong? What did Ryan do wrong? He only spoke the truth. A Luna's duty is to protect the pack, not bow to flatterers."

Damien's eyes instantly turned dangerous, his pheromone pressure increasing sharply, making many lower-ranked pack members nearly unable to stand. He felt I was openly challenging his authority.

"On what grounds? Because I am the Alpha! Because my decisions are not to be questioned! Because Sera now represents me in managing Silver Moon Hunting Grounds! When you question her, you question me! Apologize! Now!"

Sera immediately grabbed Damien's arm, her voice tearful yet "magnanimous": "Alpha, don't do this... don't do this for me... making Luna apologize to me publicly... this is too... too humiliating for Luna's position... I don't deserve it... just forget it..."

Her seemingly pleading words actually added fuel to the fire, emphasizing "humiliation" and my "position."

Her hypocritical "mercy" completely ignited Damien's fury. His gaze locked onto me with cold, controlling desire. Instead of approaching me, he ordered his subordinates: "Bring it in."

The heavy side door of the council hall was pushed open. Two Gamma guards dragged in a massive beast cage. Inside, an adult husky that once had glossy fur and bright eyes was now whimpering in terror and weakness.

One of its hind legs was twisted unnaturally, its body covered in mud and blood, clearly having suffered brutal treatment. This was little Ethan's most beloved companion, Scout—Ethan had adopted Scout after he became sensible, personally caring for and training him. He was the only "family" I had left to cherish Ethan's memory after his death.

My pupils contracted sharply, overwhelming fear and rage instantly drowning me. "Scout is innocent! How could you treat him like this?"

"Stop the nonsense!" Damien harshly interrupted, his eyes cold without a trace of warmth. "Hurry up and apologize to Sera, or else—"

I looked at Damien with hatred.

Finally, despite other pack members trying to stop me, I slowly walked to Sera.

Sera smugly mocked me while Damien urged me to hurry.

The surrounding pack members couldn't bear to watch.

I carved this hatred deep in my heart.

Damien, I will make you pay the price.

I performed the werewolf grand bow to Sera and said through gritted teeth: "I'm sorry."

Perhaps frightened by my expression, Sera didn't feel the pleasure of humiliating me—instead, she was scared.

She quit while ahead, taking Damien's arm as they left.

As they departed, Damien ordered the guards to release Scout.

"It's just a pet dog. What's there to care about?"

I rushed over to hold Scout, but no matter how hard I tried, Scout still drew his last breath before I could find a healer.

That feeling of powerlessness, unable to protect what was important, swept over me again.

"Little Ethan, Mommy failed you. I couldn't protect you, and now I couldn't even protect Scout."

My crying was too tragic.

The watching pack members couldn't bear to look anymore.

After Ryan sent me home, I sent a message to Uncle Benjamin, my father's former Beta assistant.

I notified him that the Crystal Vein Sharing Agreement with Stormfang Pack would not be renewed after expiration.

After Benjamin replied "Received," he told me: "The Silvermane Pack elder council has approved your return application. Why don't you pack up tonight and prepare to leave? Don't stay in Stormfang Pack anymore."

When I had all my luggage ready, Damien finally returned just before dawn. Seeing I was still awake, he remembered the day's actions and tried to ease the relationship.

"I went too far today, but you shouldn't have defied me publicly either. I am the Alpha, after all."

Seeing I still wouldn't speak, he mentioned little Ethan.

"I haven't seen little Ethan for several days. I miss him quite a bit."

I silently pointed toward the urn on the shelf.

"Look, little Ethan is right there."

Damien turned around and saw the box.

He angrily knocked over the box.

"You still dare to use fake ashes to deceive me? I already showed weakness to you—why are you always so ungrateful?"

Even now, he still thought I was lying.

"Little Ethan is also senseless, actually conspiring with you to deceive me. Not appearing to greet me after so long—I am his Alpha father, after all."

The angrier he got, the more he kicked and scattered the ashes on the ground.

Looking at this furious man before me, my heart felt no waves whatsoever.

Little Ethan, do you see?

Your Alpha father doesn't know your worth. He doesn't love you.

So come with Mommy.

I tightly protected the small pouch at my chest containing little Ethan's baby hair.

After venting his anger, Damien pointed at me and commanded:

"I won't hold today's incident against you. Tomorrow, renew the Crystal Vein Sharing Agreement with the Alpha Council. You know what you should do."

After speaking, he didn't even look at me, grabbed his bag, and left.

I gathered little Ethan's ashes bit by bit, putting them back in the box.

Then I took my luggage and left Stormfang Pack's core territory.

The next morning at six o'clock, Benjamin and I, along with the guards sent by Silvermane Pack, met at the agreed gathering point.

An hour later, the plane took off for Silvermane Pack territory.

At the same time, in Stormfang Pack's conference room, Damien and Sera were somewhat anxious.

Seeing I hadn't arrived, he frantically called my phone.

But only "The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable" responded.

Sera constantly comforted him while disparaging me, saying I was deliberately putting on airs.

The more Damien listened, the more anxious he became, his hand holding the phone constantly tapping the table.

When the conference room door opened, Damien thought I had finally arrived.

But entering was an elder from the Alpha Council responsible for the mining agreement.

This elder was my father's close friend during his lifetime. For the smooth signing of agreements, Damien always arranged for me to participate.

As soon as the elder sat down, Damien immediately put on the demeanor of a composed Alpha.

"Sorry, my Luna is delayed due to some matters. Please wait a moment."

But the usually serious elder showed no displeasure now.

"No problem. Anyone would be upset after losing a son."

He paused, suddenly remembering something, then continued:

"However, didn't she already return to Silvermane Pack? She left this morning, didn't she?"