Lyra didn't finish her sentence, but I knew it couldn't have been anything good.

Outside the door came Kael's heavy, distinct footsteps.

Lyra immediately wiped away her tears and slipped out of my arms. Then she ran back to the couch and picked up a scroll of parchment.

By the time the door opened, she had already unrolled it and was pointing at a symbol. "Mom, this wind-wolf totem is so pretty."

Kael walked in, carrying a leather pouch.

He glanced at me and asked, "What are you standing there for? Is dinner ready?"

I didn't move.

Lyra jumped off the couch and ran up to him. "Dad, Mom isn't feeling well today. How about we have the kitchen prepare something simple?"

Kael frowned. "What are you making a fuss about again?"

"I'm not," Lyra said, looking up at him with a sweet smile. "I just want some berry pie. We've been eating Mom's roasted meat every day, and I'm getting tired of it. Let's have something different."

Kael looked at me. "You're not feeling well?"

I stared at his face. This was the face I had looked at for seven years—dating for two, being a mate for five.

I used to think he was the most handsome Alpha in the world, but now I suddenly noticed the faint lines at the corners of his eyes, the way his mouth always turned down at the edges, and how little warmth there was in his gaze when he looked at me.

"Yeah, I have a headache."

"Then let's have something simple." He set down the pouch and loosened his tie. "I have a pack meeting in half an hour. Call me when the food arrives."

He went into his study.

Lyra ran over and took my hand. "Mom, let's go change."

"Why?"

"That deep red dress—the most beautiful one." Lyra tugged me toward the bedroom. "The last time I saw you wear it was on my fifth birthday. After that, you never wore it again."

There really was a red dress in the wardrobe. I bought it for our marking ceremony. But Kael had said the color was too bold and didn't suit my status as an Omega.

Lyra pulled it out and shook it open.

"Put it on."

"Why do I have to wear this now?"

"Wear it for me," Lyra insisted. "Mom, you're only 29 years old, not 92."

I changed into the dress. The she-wolf in the mirror looked unfamiliar. Her waist was still slender, but her face was pale, with dark circles beneath her eyes.

Lyra climbed onto the vanity and picked up my lipstick.

"This color is pretty," she said, twisting it open and handing it to me. "Put it on."

I did as I was told.

She then opened a box of face powder, her movements too skilled for a pup. She dusted my face lightly and traced my brows, her touch gentle.

"You'll be beautiful later," she said. "A hundred times more beautiful than you are now. Many Alphas will pursue you—strong warriors and wise Betas alike. An Alpha who ruled an entire forest adored you and courted you for three years, but you never said yes."

I looked at Lyra. "How do you know?"

"Because I've seen it." She put down the powder puff and studied my face. "Before I came to this world, I dreamed of a version of you that didn't die. You turned down the Alpha, opened a flower shop, dressed beautifully every day, and had lots of friends.

"You even took up sailing at 50 years old and posted a photo of yourself smiling happily on social media."

She jumped off the vanity and pulled my hand toward the door.

"Every time I saw that version of you, I cried," Lyra said. "Because I knew that she-wolf wasn't my mom. My mom died at 29 years old, and her last words were 'Remember to drink the soup on the stove.'"

She pushed the door open.

Kael was just coming out of the study and froze when he saw me.

His mouth fell open. "W-Why are you dressed like that?"

Lyra cut in before I could answer. "Mom's taking me out for dinner. Dad, you can have something simple by yourself. We're going to the best restaurant in the territory."

With that, she tugged me toward the door.

Kael called out from behind with the commanding tone of an Alpha, "Elara Byrd!"

But I didn't look back.

Standing on her toes, Lyra pushed the door open and nudged me outside. Then, she slipped out herself and closed the door behind her with a backward motion.

The night wind rushed in, lifting her hair.

Lyra stepped under the moonlight, catching her breath and looking at me with a smile.

"Mom, from today on, I'll take care of you," she said.

Looking into her shining eyes, I suddenly felt that maybe I really had died once.

And now, I was alive again.

We had a very long dinner at the territory's finest restaurant, The Hunter's Feast.

Lyra sat across from me, her movements terrifyingly practiced as she cut into her roasted venison steak.

She even ordered the pack's most famous liquor—Warrior's Mead. The server looked at her as if she were a monster.

"Pups can't drink this," the server said respectfully but firmly.

"It's for my mom," Lyra replied without batting an eye. "She needs it."

When the mead arrived, Lyra poured me a full glass. The amber liquid shimmered under the candlelight.

"Mom, drink. When was the last time you drank for fun?"

I thought about it but couldn't remember. It was probably at my marking ceremony when I exchanged a glass of wine with Kael.

Kael had said I wasn't built for alcohol and told me not to drink again. So, I never did.

I raised the glass and took a sip. The mead was spicy yet sweet. A wave of warmth rushed straight to my chest, nearly bringing tears to my eyes.

Lyra looked at me and suddenly asked, "Mom, do you remember the first time I shifted when I was three years old?"

"Yes, I remember."

"That day, Dad promised he'd stay with me. He said he'd guide me and protect me from being consumed by the pain. But then he said something urgent came up in the pack."

She cut into her venison steak, the knife and fork clinking softly against the wooden plate. "You held me alone. When I screamed as my bones broke during the shift, you warmed me with your own body.

"I bit your arm in my delirium, but you only held me tighter. After the ritual, you carried my weakened body on your back and walked half a mile into the woods to find moonlight herbs for healing. On the way home, I fell asleep on your shoulder, and your arm hurt for a week."

I remembered it all.

That day, Kael never showed up. He said there was an important border negotiation and he couldn't get away.

He didn't come home until late at night, carrying the scent of wildflowers that didn't belong to our forest.

When I confronted him, he told me I was overthinking it, that it was from the Alpha Female of the opposing pack.

"At that time," Lyra said, placing a piece of venison in her mouth and chewing slowly, "I thought to myself, when I grow up, I will never let you feel this lonely again."

She swallowed and looked up at me. "But by the time I grew up, you were already gone."

In the restaurant, werewolves laughed loudly, young mates fed each other, and strong warriors arm-wrestled. Only our table remained quiet, as if holding a farewell ceremony.

Lyra set down her knife and fork. "Mom, reject him."

I stayed silent.

"Take what you deserve—assets from the pack house, income from the territory, weapons from the armory. He's the Alpha and owns all this, but you're his lawful mate, so you're entitled to half of it."

As she spoke, Lyra's gaze was as calm as if she were assessing the gains and losses of a battle. "I know you're soft-hearted, but this time, don't be. In your last life, you were too kind, asking for nothing but custody of Finn and me.

"And what happened? He even skimped on the monthly prey meant for us."

I looked at her, a five-year-old pup with a soul of a twenty-five-year-old.

"How do you know all this?" I asked.

"I read your diary," she replied. "After you died, I found a small wooden box hidden in the deepest layer beneath your bed. The sealing runes on it were all cracked. Inside, there were many records—everything from the marking ceremony all the way up to the day your wolf withered away."

Lyra paused, her voice growing softer. "The last page read 'My greatest regret in this life is that I gave everything to others and kept nothing for myself."

My hands were trembling. Lyra saw it and reached over to hold them.

"Mom, this time it's different," she said, gripping them tightly. "This time, I'm here. I know what excuses he'll use, what the Council will say, how to gather evidence, and how to appeal to the Moon Goddess for justice. Trust me just this once, okay?"

I looked at her for a long, long time before replying, "Alright."

Lyra smiled, her eyes crinkling. Finally, she looked like a five-year-old pup again.

It was already late at night by the time we got home.

Pushing open the heavy oak door, I saw the fireplace in the pack house's great hall burning brightly.

Kael sat in the master seat, his Alpha presence oppressive, filling the entire space.

"So, you still remember to come back?"

Lyra stepped in front of me. "We went out for dinner."

"Did I ask you?" He finally shifted his gaze to me, his golden eyes icy. "Elara, you've grown bold, haven't you? Neglecting your duties as a mate, ignoring the pups, and now dressing up all fancy just to run off outside?"

I stood where I was, silent.

Lyra tugged at my hand and whispered, "Mom, go cleanse away the negativity in the Moon River. I'll handle the rest."

I hesitated for a moment, but she nudged me. "Go."

I walked down the corridor leading to the inner courtyard.

As the warm water enveloped my body, I could hear the voices outside.

"Dad, we need to talk," Lyra said calmly.

"What's there to talk about with a pup like you?"

"About you and that dark-haired Beta female warrior. I overheard your mind-link. Would you like me to repeat the details?"

There was a brief silence outside.

Then came Kael's voice, lowered and dangerous. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Third floor of the market, outside the weapons shop, 4:00 pm yesterday," Lyra recited as if delivering a battlefield report. "She was holding your arm. You bought her a wolf-fang amulet for 30 silver coins, paying on the spot.

"The old werewolf vendor is still there. Should I go ask him to confirm it now?"

I put on my clothes and pressed my ear against the door to listen.

"Did your mother tell you to eavesdrop?" Kael asked in a flustered voice.

"I heard it myself," Lyra said. "Dad, I might be only five years old, but my senses aren't dull. You never shield your mind-link from that she-wolf Seraphina Ashwood, so I've known for a while.

"She's a warrior you recently transferred back from the border, right? She's 23 years old, barely an adult. Dad, how could you even bring yourself to do it?"

"Lyra," Kael roared, unleashing his Alpha dominance.

All the vessels in the room began to hum and vibrate.

"Keep your voice down. Mom is bathing," Lyra said, her voice steady. "Dad, I'm not here to fight with you. I'm here to tell you that if you want to have your fun, go ahead. But don't tarnish the pack house.

"If you want to mark another she-wolf, that's fine too. First, dissolve the mate bond with Mom and sort out the pack's assets fairly. After that, you can mark whoever you want."

I heard the sharp strike of flint—Kael had lit another tobacco roll.

"Did your mother put you up to this?"

"Mom doesn't know anything," Lyra replied. "In fact, she's still making excuses for you. She said I saw wrong, that as an Alpha, you're under a lot of pressure, and that you're not that kind of werewolf. But I'm not her, and my senses don't lie."

The smell of tobacco seeped through the door, sharp and suffocating.

"Lyra, you're still young, so you don't understand." Kael's tone softened slightly. "An Alpha's pressure is heavy, so I need to unwind sometimes. But that doesn't mean I don't love your mother or this family."

"Is that so?" Lyra let out a small laugh. "Last Wednesday, on the night of the full moon, you said you were patrolling the border, but you were really with her in the cave behind Moonlight Falls, weren't you?

"While you were lying entwined with her, Mom was at the altar at home, praying for you. She even reheated the dinner she'd prepared for you on the stove three times."

Outside, there was silence.

I pulled the door open and stepped out.

Kael's expression shifted when he saw me. Lyra ran over and took my hand. Her palm was slick with sweat.

"Mom, are you done bathing?"

I nodded, then turned to Kael. "Is what she said true?"

Kael stood up and tried to reach for me. "Elara, let me explain—"

"Just answer the question. Is it true or not?"

He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Looking at him, I suddenly felt an urge to laugh.

For seven years, I'd managed the household for him, borne and raised pups, and cared for the elders on his behalf.

During the hardest struggle for his Alpha position, I even gave up the only Moon Goddess Tearstone left by my mother, Raina Byrd, to secure him a crucial ally's support.

He said Omegas shouldn't show themselves in public, so I gave up my dream of becoming a healer, leaving behind my talent as an apprentice to become a full-time mate.

And yet, in the end, he told me he was under pressure and needed to let loose?

"Kael, let's sever the mate bond," I said.