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.

Kael was dumbfounded.

Lyra tightened her grip on my hand.

"What did you say?" Kael asked, incredulous.

"I want to dissolve our mate bond," I replied. "We'll divide the assets of the pack house and the territory's income fairly. I want 30% of your authority within the pack to ensure a stable future for me and the pups.

"Lyra and Finn will stay with me, and you will provide pup support at the pack's highest standard."

Kael looked at me as if I were a stranger. "Elara, have you lost your mind? Do you know what pack authority means? And you want 30% of it? What would an Omega like you know about leading warriors?"

"I don't know, but the pack's ancient laws do," I retorted.

His expression grew darker.

Lyra suddenly spoke up. "Dad, if you don't agree, I'll reveal those disgusting mind-link whispers between you and Seraphina at the next full moon gathering. I know your mind-link signature is connected to the pack's communication crystal activation phrase—every werewolf will hear it."

Kael snapped his gaze toward her, his eyes murderous. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me." Lyra looked up at him without flinching. "After all, I'm only five years old. Even if I break the rules, the punishment will be light at most. Do you want to test it?"

Kael raised his hand, Alpha dominance radiating from him. I stepped forward, shielding Lyra.

"Lay a hand on her, and I'll make sure you regret it."

His hand froze mid-air.

We stood there, locked in a stalemate, as the fire in the fireplace crackled.

Finally, Kael lowered his hand and tugged at the leather cord around his neck.

"Fine, Elara, you've got guts. You're really something."

He snatched the leather pouch from the table and stormed out, the door slamming shut with a gust of wind.

The moment the door closed, my legs buckled, and I nearly collapsed.

Lyra steadied me. "Mom, are you alright?"

I looked at her. "Did you really hear those mind-link whispers?"

She blinked. "I was bluffing. My mental strength isn't that strong."

"What about what you saw at the market?"

"I did see that," Lyra replied. "But I don't have any evidence. I just said it to scare him."

I was taken aback.

Lyra pulled me down to sit on the fur rug in front of the fireplace. Then, leaning against my shoulder, she said, "Mom, to deal with an Alpha like Dad, you have to be more ruthless than him. The weaker you are, the more he'll tear you apart."

I stroked her hair, feeling a hollow ache in my chest.

"Lyra, was I really that miserable in my past life?" I asked.

Instead of answering, she only held me tighter. After a long time, she finally said, "Mom, I promise it won't be like that in this life."

The next morning, Kael still hadn't come back.

After getting up, Lyra went to the kitchen to bake some rye bread and warm the goat's milk. She even made me a fried egg sprinkled with herbs.

"Mom, breakfast's ready," she said, bringing the wooden tray to the bedside.

I looked at the fried egg on the plate. It was perfectly shaped with golden-brown edges.

"When did you learn to cook?"

"In my previous life." Lyra climbed onto the bed and sat beside me. "I learned when your wolf was weakening. After you died, I had to take care of Finn."

After she finished speaking, she took a bite of the bread, chewing slowly.

A sudden thought struck me, and I asked, "Where's Finn?"

"At the pup training grounds," she said. "It's Friday, so he won't finish until this afternoon. Mom, you should go see Elder Ulrich today, while Dad hasn't had time to react."

I sat up. "That soon?"

"Yes," she replied with a nod. "He'll definitely go to see Seraphina today to discuss things. If we wait until they get their stories together and rally the elders who support him, you'll be at a disadvantage."

She jumped off the bed and rummaged through her small leather pouch, pulling out a wooden token carved with oak leaves.

"Elder Maeve Ulrich is the most impartial elder I have known in my previous life. She specializes in adjudicating mate disputes and isn't subject to Alpha's absolute authority. Go to her and say you were guided by the Moon Goddess."

I took the wooden token. It carried a faint scent of calming herbs.

"How did you—"

"I did my research before coming back," Lyra replied with a smile. "Mom, you have a really capable daughter."

Looking at her smiling face, I felt the last bit of hesitation in my heart suddenly vanish.

"Alright, I'll go."

Elder Ulrich's dwelling wasn't located in the bustling center of the pack house but instead at the edge of the territory, nestled in the branches of a massive ancient tree.

When I pushed open the vine-woven door, she was polishing a moonstone.

She looked up as I entered, her wise eyes showing no surprise. "You've come."

"Elder Ulrich."

"Sit," she said, putting down the moonstone. "Lyra has already sent her messenger raven to me."

I paused. "When did she—"

"Just after dawn," Elder Ulrich replied with a smile. "That little pup is sharp and articulate. She already explained everything. She also said you might hesitate because of your Omega nature and asked me to help steady your resolve."

I didn't know what to say.

Elder Ulrich poured me a cup of herbal tea. "Lyra's right. These matters are better dealt with quickly."

She took out several scrolls of parchment from a wooden box. "These are the pack's asset and contribution declaration scrolls.

"Write down everything you can think of—the assets in the pack house, the territory's income, the contributions you've made to the pack over the years, and any wealth Alpha Kael has hidden privately."

My hands trembled slightly as I looked at the ancient runes.

"I-I don't know how much he has hidden."

"We can find out. As long as you know where he keeps his wealth."

"I know." Lyra's voice suddenly came from the doorway.