At the last second before darkness swallowed Rosa, all she heard was the pack's cheers and Ivy asking, "Why is Luna Rosa unconscious?"

Right away, an urgent voice called out, "Rosa!"

How noisy. Rosa thought that maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she just died right then. However, with only four days left until their bond dissolved, dying now would be such a waste.

When Rosa came to again, she was lying in the healing hall.

Her throat burned like it was on fire. She tried to speak, but no sound came out. Outside the door, she could hear someone sobbing.

"I'm sorry… I really didn't know that there was silver in it."

Ivy's voice sounded broken and helpless. "If anything happens to Luna Rosa, I'm willing to give my life to make up for it…"

"What are you saying?"

Kyle's voice rang out, but he wasn't scolding Ivy. "Don't talk about giving up your life so casually. She has a strong body. She won't die."

Rosa stared blankly at the ceiling. Her eyes felt rather dry. Even though she had nearly died, in his eyes, she simply wouldn't die.

The portiere rustled, and Kyle stepped in.

There was hardly a flicker of relief or joy in his eyes when he saw that Rosa was awake. He merely remarked, "You're awake? Ivy spent half the night kneeling outside because of you. Since you're fine, let's call it even."

Rosa stared at him, questioning him with nothing but her gaze.

Kyle frowned. "What's with that look? It's not like Ivy did it on purpose."

Then, without giving Rosa another glance, he took Ivy, who was still wiping her tears, by the hand and strode away.

For the rest of the day, Rosa lay alone in the healing hall.

She could hear the cheers of the pack from the window.

Kyle had taken Ivy hunting in the forest. Rosa had begged him to take her there for three years, but he never did.

Rumor had it that Ivy caught a snowshoe hare, and Kyle was so pleased he rewarded the whole pack.

Rosa shut her eyes, burying the bitterness deep within her. On the day of her discharge, the sky was overcast. A storm was approaching.

Kyle's car was waiting in front of the healing hall, but he wasn't there for her. He was holding a bouquet of white irises. Seeing Rosa come out, he tossed them to her. "For your father's memorial."

Rosa caught the flowers, thinking maybe Kyle hadn't completely forgotten about her after all. However, as she opened the car door, she found Ivy already seated in her seat.

Instead of making a scene, Rosa silently got into the back seat. By the time they reached the cemetery, it was already pouring.

The guards watching over the cemetery rushed over. Worry was etched on their faces. "Alpha Kyle, the recent heavy rains have loosened the soil on the hill. The previous Alpha's tomb is at risk of collapse. We need to relocate the urn immediately."

Kyle nodded. "Alright. Get to it."

Rosa struggled up the slippery stone steps. Her body was still weak.

The guards quickly dug open the tomb and took out the urn.

"I'll take it," Rosa said, waving the guards aside before picking up the urn.

She pressed the icy urn to her chest, and it gave her a faint sense of long-lost comfort.

"Luna Rosa, the rain's coming down hard. Allow me to shield you with this."

Ivy came up beside her without warning. She was holding a black umbrella.

"There's no need!"

Just as Rosa tried to move aside, Ivy slipped and fell forward in a panic.

Rosa, who was already weak, lost her balance from the impact and fell backward.

Her back slammed hard against the edge of the stone steps. The sudden pain made her vision go dark, and her hands fell slack on reflex.

The obsidian urn slipped and flew from her grasp. With a crisp crack, it shattered into pieces.

The scattered ashes blended into the soil almost instantly.

Staring at the murky puddle, Rosa felt as if all the blood in her body had frozen. Just like that, Henry's ashes were gone?

"I'm so sorry! It wasn't on purpose!"

Ivy covered her mouth. "The ground was slippery…"

Unable to tolerate Ivy's act any longer, Rosa snapped, slapping her across the face. "Shut your mouth! You absolutely did it on purpose!"

Ivy clutched her face, and her voice broke with sobs. "I already apologized and explained it wasn't intentional! Why are you…"

Rosa swung her hand again, but someone grabbed her wrist.

Kyle had appeared out of nowhere. His face was twisted in anger. "Have you lost your mind, Rosa? How dare you hit Ivy? Apologize to her!"

Rosa stared at him in disbelief. She pointed at the ground. "You want me to apologize to the one who disturbed my father's peace?"

Kyle shielded Ivy in his arms. "Apologize! Don't make me say it again!"

"And if I don't?"

Rosa raised her head. Whether it was rain or tears running down her face, it was hard to tell.

"Forget it, Alpha Kyle. My face is just swollen now. It's nothing serious."

Only then did Kyle notice that Ivy's cheek was puffed up.

He turned to Rosa. His eyes were dangerously sharp. "Since you won't apologize, then an eye for an eye it is!"

In the next second, Kyle swung his hand down hard.

Rosa was knocked backward. The moment her lower back slammed into the steps, pain shot through her.

That strike was at least ten times harder than the one she had just given Ivy.

She lay in the mud, unable to get up. Even so, Kyle didn't even look her way, simply bending down and gently wiping the tears from Ivy's face.

"Feel better now?" he asked.

Ivy nodded. "Yeah… I don't blame Luna Rosa anymore."

Kyle scooped Ivy into his arms. "Let's head back to the pack. I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

As she lay in the rain, Rosa watched their figures fade into the distance.

"Father…"

Burying her face in the mud, Rosa muttered in a choked voice, "Father… I was wrong. I shouldn't have ignored your advice and insisted on being with him…"

By the time she returned to the fortress, her body had gone stiff from the cold. She collapsed onto the bed, drifting into a daze-filled dream.

She dreamt of the day she turned 20, when Kyle swore at Henry's sickbed, "Alpha Henry, don't worry. Luna Rosa will suffer no harm for as long as I live. Anyone who wants to lay a hand on her will have to do it over my dead body."

Henry had placed Rosa's and Kyle's hands together. "I hope you won't go back on your word."

In the middle of the night, Rosa ran a high fever, which turned the sweet dream into a nightmare.

The gentle young man from the dream was gone. All she saw now was Kyle turning his back on her.

"Rosa… Rosa…"

Someone seemed to be calling her. Rosa forced her heavy eyelids apart, only to find herself lying on top of a giant wolf.

Its scent was all too familiar to Rosa. It was Kyle.

Whenever she didn't feel like walking in the past and acted willfully, Kyle would shift into a wolf to carry her.

Rosa croaked, "Kyle… Where are you taking me?"

Kyle's reply came fast. "That bastard, John, attacked the pack and abducted Ivy."

John? The moment Rosa heard the name, she immediately became fully alert.

John Dunham grew up convinced Rosa was his fated mate, but in the end, she chose to be with Kyle.

Heartbroken, John had taken the followers who were willing to go with him and promised never to return.

"And?" Rosa asked.

"John specifically demanded to see you," Kyle said evenly. "He said he'll only negotiate when he sees you."

Rosa finally caught on. "So, you're trading me for Ivy?"

"John liked you in the past. He won't hurt you. Ivy, on the other hand, won't survive in his hands."

Rosa couldn't help but laugh, and as she laughed, tears started to fall. "So, you do know that was the past."

"Enough complaining!" Kyle growled. "Once I get Ivy out, I'll come back for you right away. I promise."

Leaping from a high ledge, he landed in front of an abandoned mine in the wasteland.

John and a group of werewolves were already waiting.

"I brought her," Kyle said, pushing Rosa forward. "Release Ivy."

John wolf-whistled the moment his gaze fell on Rosa.

"Long time no see, my dear Rosa. Back then, you were even willing to sacrifice your life for him. It hasn't even been more than ten years, and you're already reduced to this?"

He glanced at Kyle. "You seriously have no idea how to cherish a beauty, Kyle."

"Enough talk. Swap them now!" Kyle exclaimed, fixing his gaze on John.

"You really care for your little lover, huh?"

John kicked Ivy aside, and two of his men immediately dragged Rosa over.

Tears streamed down Ivy's face. "Kyle, I'm scared."

"You're safe now. There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm here," Kyle said, holding Ivy close. He seemed to completely forget Rosa's existence.

Kneeling on the ground, Rosa watched the two disappear. Her heart filled with desolation. "So, this is what you meant by 'she's just a plaything,' Kyle…"

John grabbed Rosa by the chin. "Still moping over that punk? Take a good look, Rosa. That is the person you insisted on being with, even if it meant defying the previous Alpha."

He buried his face in Rosa's neck. "Tonight, you're going to realize just how foolish your past choice really was!"

With that, John hoisted Rosa over his shoulder and strode toward the depths of the mine.

The werewolves behind him howled in excitement. "That's right, boss! Teach her a hard lesson!"

Rosa struggled with all her strength. "John, you bastard! Let go of me!"

John slapped her across the face. "You bitch! Don't act like you're all pure after you've been with Kyle for ten years! You should be glad that I even want you!"

Rosa froze for a moment. By the time she snapped out of it, John had already stripped off all his clothes.

"Get away from me! Don't touch me!"

Rosa shifted into her wolf form before raising her knee to strike John's groin with all her strength.

Caught off guard, John doubled over in pain and passed out. The rain had stopped.

Rosa looked up at the moon. Their bond would dissolve tonight. Time was running out.

Determined to give Kyle one last chance, Rosa sprinted with all her strength back to the fortress.

However, when she opened the gates, she didn't see Kyle rallying the guards to rescue her. Instead, she saw Kyle and Ivy holding each other tightly.

Ivy was nestled in Kyle's arms. "Alpha Kyle, I didn't think you'd go this far for me…"

She looked up at him, and her eyes were full of adoration. "Do you really care more about me than Luna Rosa?"

"How many times do I have to say it, silly?"

Kyle tenderly brushed her nose. "Now and forever, you're ten thousand times more important than her."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ivy gasped. She covered her mouth and looked toward the gates in shock. "Luna Rosa, when did you get back?"

Kyle stiffened. "Rosa?"

He instinctively released Ivy and strode toward Rosa, reaching out to steady her. "What happened to you?"

Rosa avoided his touch. "Sorry to disappoint you by not dying back there and ruining your fun."

Kyle furrowed his brows. "It's not like I didn't send others to rescue you. Stop being snarky."

Gazing at the person she'd loved for ten years, she found him utterly unfamiliar. She shook her head. "I just have one question. Are you sure you want to keep being by Ivy's side?"

Kyle explained, "I'll have her under my control in no time…"

Rosa didn't hear the rest. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 10:00 pm.

Since Kyle chose to be with Ivy, Rosa saw no reason to stay and turned away.

Kyle noticed the time, too. As he watched Rosa leave, he smirked.

He'd never told Rosa, but he'd never forgotten when their bond would end.

Two hours were plenty. He could enjoy Ivy's tender embrace first, then honor that tedious ten-year-old promise later.

With how much Rosa loved him, she'd surely wait for him.

"It's alright, babe. Stop crying. I'm all yours tonight."

Kyle turned to comfort Ivy. He was confident that he could tame this fiery wolf tonight.

Rosa didn't go to the altar. Instead, she went to the cliff at the edge of the pack's territory alone.

Standing at the edge, she looked up at the moon.

"You sure are full of yourself, Kyle," she whispered into the empty night. There was a mocking smile on her lips. "You think you still have two hours, but what you don't know is that ten years ago, Father left me a fail-safe in our bond."

When the blood curse was being cast, Henry had made the witch advance the timeline by two hours.

It was the final protection Henry had arranged for her.

Henry had said, "Rosa, if that man truly loves you, he won't hesitate to be there early to wait for you. But if he can't even spare two hours and spends that time on other things, then he doesn't deserve to have you."

And now, his words had become reality. It was now 10:05 pm. Just five minutes ago, their bond had dissolved.

Rosa closed her eyes, feeling the Alpha mark Kyle had left on her rapidly vanish. The heavy chains that had bound her for nine years were finally broken.

A flash of silver shimmered for a beat. Rosa transformed into a white wolf before looking back one last time at her former home.

She then leaped forward, sprinting into the boundless wastelands without so much as a backward glance. "Goodbye, Kyle. Goodbye forever!" she thought.