I don't expect to be reunited with Reyn Aldric, the heir of Frostfang Clan, at a banquet to celebrate his ascendance. I also don't expect him to throw me out heartlessly.

As I walk along a deserted street, my mind replays Reyn's mocking words. "You abandoned me for money and status, Ms. Valtara. Do you regret your actions now that I've become an heir? Throw this materialistic gold digger out! I don't want to see her anywhere near me!"

And so, I'm thrown out of the banquet hall just like that. I fall to the floor.

It's been five years. I didn't think he would still hate me so. Then again, it makes sense. Who wouldn't hate someone who left them when they were on the brink of death?

But my dear Reyn isn't dead. He's alive and well; he can even get mad at me without worrying about it affecting his health.

I'm about to die, though. I don't even deserve to be emotional.

Why? Because my Heart of the Wolfkin beats in Reyn's body.

The exact moment Reyn Aldric was officially reinstated as the heir of the Frostfang Clan in the Moonlit Hall, I received a message from my attending witch doctor, Ivy Harrington.

"Serena, if you don't replace your heart soon, you won't have much time left."

On the grand stage, the presiding elder asked Reyn to share a defining moment before his return to the royal bloodline.

Reyn's piercing gaze swept toward my seat.

"Speaking of unforgettable moments," Reyn said coldly, "I'd like to ask Selena Valtara from the Sanctuary of Healing—when you left me for money and status, did you ever regret it?"

My face flushed red, but the life-or-death notice, still fresh in my mind, kept me composed.

"Your Highness, congratulations on reclaiming your place in the Frostborne royal family. So, would you be willing to lend me three million dollars?"

The hall fell into dead silence, broken only by a thunderous command, "Throw her out! From now on, I never want to see this greedy woman again!"

I was unceremoniously dragged out in disgrace.

What Reyn didn't know was that the heart now beating in his body belonged to me—the Heart of the Wolfkin.

Back at the Sanctuary of Healing, an unexpected surprise awaited me. Reyn had actually transferred three million dollars to my account.

I froze for a moment, my emotions a chaotic mess.

The next morning, just as I was about to leave for my follow-up appointment, a luxury car pulled up in front of me. The man who stepped out was none other than Reyn, accompanied by his current partner, Luna Everhart.

"Selena, where are you off to? Don't tell me you heard I'd personally be auditing the Sanctuary of Healing's funds and got so scared that you decided to flee." Reyn's voice carried the unmistakable authority of someone in power.

Five years had passed. He was still as strong and imposing as ever. But the one who now stood by his side beneath the moon, bound by a sacred vow, was no longer me.

"Darling, perhaps Ms. Valtara has changed? Wouldn't we be wounding her dignity by barging in like this?" Luna's voice was soft, but the look she gave me was filled with disdain and jealousy.

Reyn's gaze turned icy, filled with deep resentment, as if he wanted to tear me apart.

"Selena, it's been five years. Don't you have anything to say to me? And according to the Wolf's Oath of Reverence in the laws of the pack, you should be kneeling before me—the rightful heir. Or have you forgotten?"

I looked at the man before me—so familiar, yet now a complete stranger. I let out a soft laugh.

"Reyn, esteemed heir of the Frostfang Clan, if I kneel before you, will you drop investigating the Sanctuary of Healing's finances?"

Reyn's normally soft silver hair suddenly bristled with an aggressive edge—a telltale sign that he was truly angry.

"You really are just as foolish and greedy as before! Kneel!"

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, numbing myself to what was about to happen. Just as I prepared to kneel, Luna suddenly kicked my knee.

I stumbled, collapsing to the ground.

For a fleeting second, I caught a flicker of hesitation in Reyn's eyes, but he made no move to stop her.

Pain lanced through me as I inhaled sharply.

"Alright, Reyn. I have kneeled before you. Will you now abandon the investigation into the Sanctuary of Healing's funds?"

"Reyn, I was right, wasn't I? A woman who could abandon you for money and power would certainly have ulterior motives when it comes to the funds!" Luna said sweetly.

"But we're only talking about a few million dollars. You spend more than that on a single pair of custom crystal shoes for me! If Selena hadn't been so heartless and rejected your love, I wouldn't have had the chance to be with you, would I?"

Reyn turned to her, pressing a tender kiss on her forehead, his eyes filled with unrestrained affection.

"If not for her betrayal, I never would have found you, my little sweetheart."

Watching them, I could no longer hold back my tears. I quickly got up, grabbing my bag, and turned to leave.

But Luna suddenly extended her foot, making me trip.

"Ms. Valtara, is there something more urgent than checking the funds? You seem awfully nervous. Unless, of course, this quarter's budget just so happens to be lying in that bag of yours?"

Once again, I fell to the ground unceremoniously, utterly defeated. The medical report from my follow-up examination—confirming the replacement of the Heart of the Wolfkin—fell out of my bag.

At the sight of me collapsing to the ground, Reyn's silver hair softened ever so slightly. I knew that change—it was a telltale sign of his unwillingness to be cruel.

Luna seemed to sense something amiss and immediately tried to divert Reyn's attention. "Reyn, look at this!" she called, hastily grabbing the fallen papers.

But the moment she saw what was written, a flicker of shock crossed her face.

Reyn took the document from her hands, bringing it closer as he read aloud, "Heart of the Wolfkin… Secondary surgery for replacement with a mechanical heart…"

Reyn's silver hair bristled with sharp aggression once more. "Selena, I didn't expect you to be this manipulative! You knew I was coming to audit the funds—you staged this entire act just to gain sympathy!"

His voice thundered with fury. "You're just as scheming and greedy as you were five years ago! All you ever care about is money!"

I slowly stood, my gaze settling on Reyn's strong and healthy frame. A faint smile curled my lips as I silently bent down to pick up my medical records.

"Reyn, since you already know how much I love money, why not lend me another two million dollars?"

The mechanical heart surgery couldn't be delayed any longer. I truly needed the money.

Yesterday, after I received the three million dollars, I made a prepayment for the heart replacement surgery, only for Ivy to tell me that three million dollars barely covered the cost of materials. The surgery itself, along with post-operative care, would require at least another two million dollars.

Five million dollars—it was an astronomical sum for someone like me.

Hearing me ask for money again, Reyn strode forward, gripping my wrist with brutal force.

Seeing this, Luna's eyes welled up with unshed tears. She quietly pried Reyn's fingers off my arm, clinging to his muscular forearm, trembling slightly. She pretended to look delicate in front of him, but the look she shot me was laced with mockery and malice.

"Reyn, darling, maybe she's telling the truth? And after all, wasn't Ms. Valtara the one who rejected you back then? That's what led to the generous donor stepping in to give you a heart. Maybe we should help her out?"

Her words sounded compassionate on the surface, but in reality, they were just a sharp reminder to Reyn of how I had once left him for money.

His fury burned even brighter, his silver hair crackling with energy as though he were ready to tear me apart.

"Help her? The Heart of Kindness, even if mechanical, is not something you're worthy of, Selena!"

Then, his voice turned colder than ice. "Guards! Restrain her and take her with us!"

I stared at him in disbelief. I never thought he would go this far.

But I didn't resist. I couldn't.

He was now powerful and untouchable, while I was nothing more than a commoner.

I was forcibly led into the Sanctuary of Healing's finance office, where the director, Edmund Rothwell, and the finance director, Victor Langford, were already waiting for Reyn's audit.

Their expressions shifted to one of shock the moment they saw me being dragged in.

"Your Highness." Mr. Rothwell was the first to step forward and bow respectfully. "On behalf of the Sanctuary of Healing, I welcome you. But may I ask—what has Ms. Valtara done to warrant such harsh treatment? She is merely a helpless woman."

"Helpless? You've clearly been fooled by her pitiful act."

Luna let out a light chuckle as she reached out, her fingers brushing against my cheek in a mock caress.

"To be honest, I was taken in by her delicate, frail appearance when I first met her too," she said sweetly. "But if you knew the real her, you'd keep your distance."

Then, with a playful smile, she dropped the final blow.

"We received a report—Selena has been embezzling this quarter's funding from the Sanctuary of Healing!"

A heavy silence filled the finance office for several seconds before gasps of disbelief erupted.

Then, as if that wasn't enough, Luna's nails raked across my skin, leaving behind a sharp, stinging cut that immediately drew blood.

Reyn immediately handed her a handkerchief. "Wipe your hands quickly. Don't let her filthy blood stain you."

Mr. Rothwell clenched his fists at the blatant humiliation, but bound by the weight of Reyn's royal status, he kept his voice even.

"That's impossible," he said firmly. "Since the day Ms. Valtara joined us, she has been diligent and upright. I refuse to believe she would do such a thing."

"That's right! When the funds ran tight, she even used her own salary to cover the expenses. There's no way she'd steal money!"

Harrison Drake, the one responsible for managing the financial records, spoke up firmly. "I don't believe for a second that Ms. Valtara would embezzle funds."

"Exactly," chimed in the head nurse, Nancy Caldwell, her voice filled with righteous indignation. "A severely traumatized war veteran's treatment fees weren't fully covered, and Ms. Valtara personally donated to help him! Someone as kind as her would never embezzle funds!"

"Have you never heard the saying?" Reyn's voice cut through the tension. "You can know a person's face but not their heart."

His gaze, sharp with mockery, landed on me. "Surely no one knows Ms. Valtara's hidden side better than I do. Isn't that right, Selena?"

A wave of pain pulsed through my heart, sharp and unrelenting. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead, trickling down my face. My complexion paled.

Reyn's smirk deepened. "Look at that. It's the middle of summer, and yet Ms. Valtara is sweating. Could it be guilt?" His voice was icy and filled with suspicion.

Before I could respond, Mr. Rothwell quickly stepped forward, his expression tense as he handed over a thick ledger.

"We welcome a full investigation. Every source and expenditure of funds is recorded here, Your Highness." He glanced at me with concern before turning back to Reyn. "I trust that once you review the records, you'll see Ms. Valtara in a different light."

"Ledger? My apologies, Mr. Rothwell, but I happen to have one as well," Luna said smugly. "It clearly records that Selena embezzled a total of three million dollars. And what a coincidence—Ms. Valtara's personal account shows an expense of exactly three million dollars just yesterday."

Luna's smile darkened as she continued, "It's hard not to suspect that Ms. Valtara knew about our audit beforehand and took measures to transfer the stolen funds."

Everyone turned to look at me in confusion.

"Ms. Valtara, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Reyn's voice was cold, but there was a hint of expectation hidden beneath.

Yet no one knew about my mechanical heart, except for Ivy, my witch doctor. To my colleagues at the Sanctuary of Healing, I was simply a poor woman with a weak heart; they didn't think it was anything serious enough to disrupt my daily life.

"There's nothing to explain, Reyn. You, of all people, should know exactly where that three million dollars came from." My voice was calm.

Standing beside me, Luna gritted her teeth and hissed low enough so only I could hear, "Three million dollars! What makes you think you deserve it?"

Then, louder and sweeter, she said, "Ms. Valtara, just tell the truth. Maybe if you explain everything, Reyn will even forgive you for abandoning him back then."

She knew exactly how to provoke him.

"Since the evidence I have on hand is undeniable, that means Mr. Rothwell's ledger must be fake," Reyn declared, his fury boiling over.

"Guards! Arrest the director of the Sanctuary of Healing and the entire financial department! Take them to the Wolfkin Prison and prepare them for interrogation!"

The Wolfkin Prison—even if one survived that place, they wouldn't leave unscathed.

"Wait! Reyn, I know you just want to humiliate me, but I beg you—don't drag innocent people into this." I softened my voice, hoping to spare my colleagues from unjust punishment.

"Beg me?" Reyn let out a mocking laugh. "Is that how you plead for mercy, Selena?"

"Then what will it take for you to let them go?"

"At the very least, kneel before me and beg properly."

"Fine."

It was just kneeling—nothing more. At this point, dignity no longer mattered to me.

Reyn's eyes flickered with a trace of surprise, as if he hadn't expected me to agree so easily.

"Maybe that's too much, darling," Luna cooed, wrapping her arm around his. "It's not right to humiliate Ms. Valtara in front of her concerned colleagues. Instead, let's settle this the most sacred way in the Wolfkin—through a duel."

Reyn's expression relaxed into one of indulgence. "As expected of my little sweetheart. You're so considerate and wise."

Luna turned to me. "Ms. Valtara, do you accept my challenge to a duel?"

Luna stood tall and confident, already certain of her victory—and rightfully so. In my current state, a duel, the ultimate test of a warrior's honor among the Frostfang Clan, was the last thing I could endure.

"Luna, why trouble yourself?" Reyn chuckled, his voice filled with amusement. "I'd feel terrible if you got hurt. Let's make this fair. How about we let the champion of the Rite of Seven Thrones take your place?"

His smirk deepened. "Selena, it would be beneath your former title as the Shieldmaiden of the Moonlit Pack to fight anyone weaker than that, wouldn't it?"

The champion was a warrior whose strength far surpassed mine, Randy Lockhart.

My heart, despite already being so weak, steadied itself with eerie calm.

"Reyn, if I accept this duel, will you let Mr. Rothwell and the others go?"

"See for yourself." Reyn motioned to his guards, who immediately loosened their grip on my colleagues.

"You can't, Selena!" Mr. Rothwell protested, his face pale with worry. "Your heart—your condition won't allow it! A Wolfkin duel requires immense physical exertion." Turning to Reyn, he begged, "Selena has been cautious all these years. Your Highness, please show mercy and spare her."

Reyn let out a quiet laugh. "Selena, even after all these years, you still have a way of making people rally behind you. You've deceived them, just like you once deceived me."

I took a slow breath. "Reyn, if I accept this duel, will you lend me another two million dollars? And will you stop slandering me and halt your investigation? Will you leave the innocent out of this?"

Two million dollars more. That was all I needed for the surgery.

I wanted to live. This duel was my last chance.

Reyn's ice-blue eyes darkened, his pupils narrowing into slits, like a predator about to strike.

He roared in fury, "Money, money, money! Is that all you ever think about, Selena?" Then, through clenched teeth, he spat, "Fine! I'll agree. You'll get the money if you can survive this duel!"

The moment the words left his mouth, I ripped off the ropes binding me and flexed my numb wrists.

Summoning the power of the Eclipseborn Might within me, I whispered, "Let's begin."

Radny moved first, his foot flying toward my head.

I wasn't fast enough. His kick landed squarely against my stomach, sending me stumbling back. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth.

As expected of a Rite of Seven Thrones champion—his Eclipseborn Might was far superior to mine.

I retaliated with a spinning kick, but Randy barely staggered before countering with a vicious wolf claw strike.

After just one round, my stamina was nearly depleted. Sweat dropped down my forehead, my breaths growing rapid, my vision doubling.

Desperate, I searched for a way to win—some loophole, some trick.

But before I could act, Randy's claw slashed across my back. A burst of searing pain shot through me, and blood sprayed from my mouth.

Was this it? Was I about to lose? Or worse—die?

If I died here, at least Reyn would leave Mr. Rothwell and the others alone.

As my consciousness flickered, a familiar voice tore through the haze.

"Reyn Aldric! How could you let Selena fight? She's the one who gave you her heart! She's only alive because of a mechanical one! If she continues this duel, she will die!"