Before our fifth mating anniversary, I was just about to tell my mate that I was about to inherit the pack my Alpha father left behind, when I saw him embracing and kissing the she-wolf who once bullied me.

"This game has been going on for five years. It's time to end it."

"Watching her come and go like a dog whenever called is really boring. What a fool. A fake mating certificate was enough to fool her completely. Did she really think an orphan like her could marry into the Shadowmoon Pack and become Luna? If she hadn't looked decent back then, I wouldn't have bothered with this charade."

I felt like I'd fallen into an ice cave, sobbing uncontrollably.

So the salvation that pulled me out of the bullying abyss was nothing but his amusing joke from beginning to end.

If that's the case, I don't want this false love anymore.

"This game has been going on for five years. It's time to end it."

"Watching her come and go like a dog whenever called is really boring. What a fool. A fake mating certificate was enough to fool her completely. Did she really think an orphan like her could marry into the Shadowmoon Pack and become Luna? If she hadn't looked decent back then, I wouldn't have bothered with this charade."

Hearing the voices from the private room, the joy I'd felt from suddenly learning I was the Alpha's daughter and about to inherit the pack vanished completely.

A chill crept up from my feet, chilling me to the bone.

Inside the room, the voices continued.

"You said the same thing when we graduated, but you didn't follow through in the end! You should have just run away from the mating ceremony and let her lose face in front of everyone! Why waste time on this orphan?"

My feet were instantly rooted to the spot.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

After this statement, the study fell into brief silence.

Soon, Ethan clicked his tongue softly.

"Alright, she's been with me for so long anyway. There's no need to be so harsh."

Scarlett seemed displeased.

"That's not what you said before. You said you weren't done playing with her yet, that her careful, grateful demeanor was like keeping a little pet that was easy to please and particularly clingy. Even if you slapped her, she'd still come running back."

Ethan sounded somewhat annoyed.

"What do you mean? No matter what, she's still my mate."

"What mate? The certificate you two got was fake! And you said it yourself back then, that you were just playing with her. Are you taking it seriously now?

Do you really want some ignorant orphan to become the Luna of Shadowmoon Pack?"

Scarlett's voice carried a sobbing tone, but every word she spoke was like a poisoned dagger stabbing me full of holes.

I almost bit through the flesh in my mouth to barely suppress the sob threatening to burst from my throat.

These words exploded like thunder in my ears.

My vision went black, and the world spun around me.

No matter how hard it was to believe, I had to accept this absurd truth.

Suddenly, I remembered that on the day when we got our mating certificate, Ethan had indeed gone back in the Alpha Council alone after we took photos.

His excuse was that he'd dropped something. So it was just to prevent me from getting a real mating certificate?

I couldn't believe it. My heart felt like it was about to shatter from the pain.

The voices from inside continued intermittently.

"I won't reject the bond with her."

Ethan sighed.

"Elena is an orphan. Where else could she go if she left me?"

Seeing his attitude soften, Scarlett's eyes gleamed, and she immediately spoke with a smile.

"Ethan, how about this - isn't next week your five-year anniversary? Everyone will be there. You just need to make her lose face completely that day, so she can never appear in front of others again and will have to depend on you for life."

"Just like before."

Ethan was silent for a moment, then gave a distant reply.

"Fine."

Standing outside the door, I couldn't stop trembling. Memories I had deliberately forgotten came flooding back.

In my freshman year, after being admitted to the prestigious Moonstone Healing Academy due to my excellent grades, the nightmare that would plague my entire student life began.

I don't even know when I provoked those nobles in the werewolf world. Not long after I enrolled, a massive campaign of school bullying unfolded against me.

Splashing cold water and isolation were the least significant things.

They covered my desk with vulgar graffiti - "bastard," "bitch"... all kinds of filthy words I'd seen and never seen before came flooding toward me.

It's not that I didn't fight back.

But every time I resisted, it only brought more severe bullying.

The one who hated me most was Scarlett.

She always wore exquisite makeup, looking so kind and gentle, yet she could press a lit cigarette into my mouth.

"Isn't this our famous little scholar? You actually dared to report us? Who gave you the courage, hmm?"

Her sweet voice was laced with deadly poison.

The excruciating pain made tears flow uncontrollably, blurring my vision. I could only see Scarlett's magnified smile filled with sick pleasure.

Countless days and nights swallowed by darkness wrapped around me like cold, heavy chains, strangling me until I could barely breathe.

Until that day.

In the chaos, the hand gripping my hair suddenly let go.

Like a torn rag, I was thrown out of the filthy mop bucket, collapsing limply on the ground with blurred vision.

The harsh laughter stopped abruptly.

A heart-stopping silence fell.

I struggled to lift my head and saw an unusually tall silhouette against the light.

Afternoon sunlight poured in from behind him, coating his entire figure with an almost sacred golden edge that hurt my eyes.

He didn't even raise his voice, just spoke two words plainly.

"Get lost."

Scarlett and her gang, who had been so arrogant just moments before, were left with only terror and disbelief on their pale faces.

They didn't dare make a sound, scrambling away in panic.

Leaving behind a mess and me with barely a breath left in my body.

The sunlight was blinding.

He bent down slightly, casting shadow over me.

A dry, warm hand gently brushed away the hair on my face that had been soaked and stuck by dirty water.

In that moment, I thought I had encountered salvation.

So even though Scarlett's bullying behind the scenes became more severe, I seemed to have found the strength to support myself.

A flower blooming in the mud.

On graduation day, Ethan confessed to me.

Enormous, unreal ecstasy instantly overwhelmed me like a tsunami.

All the past suffering, all the darkness, all the humiliation seemed to be completely washed away and redeemed in that moment.

In that moment, I thought the Moon Goddess had finally looked down and seen me, this believer in the dust.

It turned out.

It turned out that Ethan was the very perpetrator who had kicked me into the depths of hell.

All my bone-deep pain, the desperate struggles throughout my entire school career, those countless sleepless nights.

They were all essential parts of his carefully orchestrated salvation game script.

Just then, my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket.

I shuddered violently, almost trembling as I reached into my pocket.

It was from my father's Beta.

[Miss Elena, are you certain you want to merge two-thirds of the territory your father left you into Alpha Ethan's pack?]

Two-thirds of the territory.

What my father left me - wealth enough to shake half the werewolf world.

Just minutes ago, I had been so naively going to share my joy.

How ridiculous.

My fingertips dug deep into my palms from excessive force, but strangely gave my brain a trace of cold clarity.

In my ears, I could still faintly hear Scarlett's triumphant voice.

"Ethan, I've arranged everything for next week's plan. I guarantee that fool will never forget it!"

I pulled at the corners of my mouth, my fingertips tapping on my phone.

[Plan suspended. Wait for my notice.]

[Also, find someone to help me investigate Ethan and Scarlett's affairs.]

Ethan, I've caught your betrayal.

I sat on the sofa in a daze until the beeping sound of the keypad lock at the entrance brought me back to reality.

Before I could react, two strong arms wrapped familiarly around my waist, pulling me back into a familiar embrace.

"Honey, I'm home."

Ethan's deep, smiling voice sounded close to my ear.

However, the next second.

A faint, almost imperceptible gardenia scent suddenly hit my nose.

All the blood in my body seemed to freeze instantly in that moment.

I felt like I was being pulled back into the dark, damp washroom at school, with the same nauseating sweet gardenia fragrance filling the air.

Before my eyes was Scarlett's face with that cruel smile.

Burning cigarette butts, filthy floors.

I couldn't control my violent trembling.

"Ahhhh——!!!"

A piercing scream erupted from deep in my throat.

Using all my strength, I shoved Ethan hard, sending him crashing to the floor.

"Get away! Don't touch me——!"

Caught off guard, Ethan staggered backward two steps before barely managing to steady himself.

He suddenly realized something. His voice carried obvious panic and trembling.

"Sorry honey, my secretary wore gardenia perfume today. I already showered, didn't realize I still had the scent on me."

He instinctively reached out toward me, trying to approach.

"Don't be afraid, honey. It's me. Those things are in the past. You're with me now, no one will dare hurt you anymore."

"Don't come closer!"

I screamed sharply, my body recoiling from intense rejection and fear.

He knew better than anyone how much I feared that scent.

Even the slightest trace could trigger severe PTSD.

"Ugh——"

I suddenly bent over, one hand covering my mouth tightly, the other frantically grasping the nearby wall to support my swaying body as I retched violently.

Ethan was so frightened that tears welled up in his eyes, his voice choked.

"Honey, what's wrong? Please don't scare me like this."

"It's my fault! How could I forget that you hate that smell most? I'll go shower right now and then take you to the hospital!"

He hurried frantically into the room to get my medication.

His hands trembled so much he couldn't open the bottle several times, fear almost spilling from his eyes.

Finally managing to open the pill bottle, he didn't even dare approach me, throwing the pills toward me from a distance.

Meeting his eyes full of care and heartache, my mind inexplicably conjured the image of him looking at Scarlett with the same precious, devoted expression.

How could a person be so split like this?

I felt sick and could barely breathe, but still picked up the medication and swallowed it.

Seeing me calm down quickly, Ethan also breathed a sigh of relief.

Before he could speak, I slowly sat on the floor, my voice hoarse.

"Did you... meet someone secretly?"

Ethan's pupils contracted sharply the moment my words fell.

His expression turned helpless, his voice returning to its usual deep gentleness, carrying a soothing tone.

"Honey, you're overthinking again. Didn't I tell you? It was the new secretary who accidently wore the wrong perfume. You know I only have you in my heart."

But I already knew him too well.

Every time he lied, he would unconsciously curl his pinky finger.

I glanced down and said nothing.

He reached out to help me up.

This time, I didn't refuse.

He kissed my forehead gently.

I forced down my nausea and looked at him.

"Ethan, if you ever betray me, I will never, ever forgive you."

I saw the doting expression on his face freeze for a moment.

The next second, he cupped my face helplessly, looking serious.

"Honey, I don't know why you'd think I would betray you. I'm willing to swear to the Moon Goddess that I, Ethan, will never betray Elena in this lifetime. If I lie to you, may I die a terrible death."

I lowered my head and forced a smile.

Liar.