That night, Damien left again with the excuse that Layla couldn't be alone.

Even though Layla's Moonstone Cottage was right next to Seraphina's Afterglow Lodge, and there were pack members guarding both inside and out, Damien still insisted on sitting by Layla's bedside.

Leo didn't come back either. He had most likely stayed the night with Layla.

Seraphina didn't mind. She held Blaze a little tighter.

When the next morning's light rose, the Mooncrest on her forehead began to burn again.

This time, what faded from her mind were her childhood memories with her parents.

Back then, before Layla existed, they had adored Seraphina and treated her as the pride of the pack's future.

They gave her all the finest pelts, the richest hunts, and the most sacred ceremonial weapons.

Later, when Layla was born, her parents didn't favor one over the other. Whatever Seraphina had, Layla had, too.

So even now, Seraphina couldn't understand why Layla had thrown herself into Thornfrost Grove that year and then blamed it on her.

But none of that mattered anymore.

Five days remained until she would forget them completely.

At noon, a pack member came to call Seraphina to eat at the communal longhouse.

When she arrived, everyone else was already eating with Layla.

Miriam was gently blowing on the spoon before feeding Layla soup, while Bryan was cutting the most tender slices of roasted meat for her.

Damien held a soft cloth, ready to wipe her mouth. Leo sat nearby, reminding Layla not to eat too fast.

When Seraphina walked in, only Damien paused.

Layla smiled sweetly and waved at her. "Sera, you're here. Come on. Sit down and eat with us."

Seraphina's gaze fell on Layla's chest.

There, a crystalline stone shaped as a wolf's fang glowed faintly, protecting Layla's heart.

Seraphina would never mistake it. It was the Shadow Wolfheart Damien had given her when they bonded as mates.

She remembered his vow. "Seraphina, in this lifetime and the next, my wolf spirit howls only for you."

The powerful Shadow Wolf Pack would refine part of their own wolf spirit essence into a Shadow Wolfheart and give it to their chosen mate.

After Seraphina gave birth to Leo, she had temporarily passed her Wolfheart to him, to keep him safe until his own guardian light awakened.

And now, that Shadow Wolfheart was on Layla.

Was it Damien's choice, Leo's, or a decision they had made together?

Damien noticed where she was looking and opened his mouth to explain. "Sera…"

Seraphina calmly walked over and sat down.

"Dad. Mom."

She picked up her wooden bowl and took a sip of soup, showing no intention of asking questions.

When Layla saw Seraphina ignoring her, her face turned pale. She spoke pitifully. "Sera, I'm so sorry. I ruined your birthday—"

Before she could finish, she broke into a fit of hard coughs. Bryan and Miriam hurried over to pat her back and comfort her.

Watching this, a sudden ache stabbed through Damien's chest.

He hesitated, then reached out for Seraphina's hand.

She quietly avoided his touch and spoke softly, "It's fine. I don't mind."

She was saying that to both Layla and Damien.

Only then did her parents realize once again that they had left Seraphina out.

But they never felt guilty toward her. Miriam said coolly, "It's only a birthday. After Layla and Damien's ceremony in five days, we'll hold a party to celebrate."

Seraphina paused. 'Five days, huh?'

Everything really lined up. In five days, Layla and Damien would hold their bonding ceremony.

And she would forget everything, sever every bond, and remain forever on Howlpeak.

Bryan nodded as well. "Yeah. Layla's health matters most. You're the elder sister. You should understand."

That line again. She was the older sister. She owed Layla. She should understand.

Seraphina had heard it so many times that her ears had gone numb.

Then Leo spoke up. "When Aunt Layla and Dad complete the ceremony, does that mean Mom can trade her life for Aunt Layla's?"

Seraphina froze.

She lifted her head. Everyone looked at her, waiting for her answer.

The food in her mouth instantly turned tasteless and stuck in her throat.

Seraphina clenched her fist and forced the bitterness down. "It's true that the Sunfire bloodline lets me go through Ember Rebirth. But what if my life essence isn't enough, and I fail to come back?"

Before her words even settled, everyone spoke at once.

Bryan said, "You carry the Sunfire bloodline. How could your life essence possibly be insufficient?"

Miriam said, "We'll be right by your side, guarding you. Nothing will happen to you."

Leo said, "Mom, don't use that as an excuse to avoid saving Aunt Layla."

Seraphina turned to Damien. After a moment of silence, he sighed. "Sera, I've prepared many rare moon herbs for you. Once you are reborn, they will help your wolf spirit become even stronger than before."

Seraphina smiled, and as she did, her eyes turned red.

"Alright. I'm willing to trade my life for Layla's."

She was willing to trade lives. But five days later, once she went to Howlpeak, she would never be able to leave again.

Whether they could ever find her then was their problem.

The moment Seraphina agreed, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

They instinctively tried to treat her a little better, but they had been good only to Layla for so long that their concern for Seraphina now felt stiff and awkward, no matter how they went about it.

Miriam cut a piece of roasted meat for Seraphina and forced a dry laugh. "You should eat more. You've gotten so thin lately."

Miriam then nudged Bryan on the elbow. He finally picked up a bowl and served her some stew. "Yeah, eat more. I think you like this one, right? Here, while it's hot."

Ever since Layla accused her of pushing her into the Thornfrost Grove, Seraphina had never once received her parents' affection again.

She didn't expose their act. She only noticed that out of all the dishes on the table, not a single one was her favorite dish.

She took the bowl of stew and ate it quietly, one bite at a time.

The stew was already cold, just like her heart, which had long since gone numb.

Layla then spoke through teary eyes, full of emotion, "Sera, thank you so much. I don't even know how to repay you for this."

The soft cloth Damien had been clutching at last had its use.

He wiped Layla's tears and spoke gently, "Why talk about repaying anything? Sera owes you. Once you trade lives…"

Seraphina didn't let him finish. She set her wooden bowl on the table and stood up. "I'm full. Enjoy your meal."

She turned and walked away.

Before she had taken two steps, she heard Leo speak in the Primal Tongue. "Dad, Mom is acting so rude and uneducated."

This time, Damien answered sternly in the same language, "She is your mother. Watch your tongue."

What Seraphina didn't expect was Layla calmly joining in, also in the Primal Tongue. "Leo, your mom is just more free-spirited. Don't talk about her like that."

Since when had Layla learned the Primal Tongue?

Seraphina smirked, unable to tell whether she felt more bitter or more amused.

Not long after she returned to Afterglow Lodge, Damien came in, too.

Seeing her unhappy expression, he went over and wrapped her in his arms, speaking softly.

"Sera, I know asking you to trade your life for Layla is unfair to you. Layla is weak, so it makes sense that Dad and Mom dote on her more. But you still have Leo and me.

"You must remember, no matter what happens, we'll always be by your side."

Seraphina looked at him quietly.

They were talking about trading lives. She would trade her life for Layla's and go through an agonizing rebirth through soul fire.

And he simply called it "unfair".

She pushed Damien away. "If there were a chance for you to swap lives with Layla, would you do it?"

Damien did not hesitate at all. "Of course, I would."

"You would do it voluntarily?"

"Yes, I would!"

The room fell into sudden silence.

Damien stared at her calm expression for a long moment before suddenly realizing something.

"Sera, I would trade my life with Layla's, but not for her sake. It would be for you. If I could suffer in your place this once, I'd be willing!"

Seraphina asked quietly, "If you really care about me that much, why not spare me from suffering at all?"

Damien froze. "Isn't this what you owe Layla?"

Seraphina remained silent for a long time.

At last, she nodded. "Yes. I owe her."

When her parents found Layla dying back then, they believed her the moment she pointed at Seraphina.

After that, they kept bringing it up again and again, until even Damien believed it completely.

Seraphina took a deep breath and walked out.

Damien paused, then hurried after her. "Where are you going?"

"I want to see the human world," Seraphina said without stopping.

After all, in five days, she would never be able to leave Howlpeak again.

Damien grasped her hand. "I'll go with you."

Seraphina hesitated.

Many years ago, after they had bonded as mates, they had gone together to the human world and lived quietly as an ordinary married couple in a small town.

Maybe going back to that old place with him was a good thing. She would let him help her bury those memories once and for all.

But just as they reached the pack's barrier, Layla called out after them.

"Sera, Damien, where are you going?"

Layla had always called Damien in an affectionate tone. At first, Seraphina had corrected her, but her parents had been displeased. "She can call him whatever she likes. Are you afraid she'll steal your mate?"

Now, Layla truly was trying to take her mate, and yet not a single person scolded her. No one thought she was wrong.

Damien answered, "To the human world."

Layla immediately stepped forward. "I want to go, too. I'm so bored staying here every day. I've never been to the human world. Take me with you, okay?"

Damien hesitated. "But you're weak…"

Layla's eyes reddened at once, as if she were about to cry.

Damien sighed and looked at Seraphina. "How about we bring Layla along?"

Seraphina's expression was indifferent. "If something happens to her, will you blame it on me again?"

"What are you talking about? As long as we take good care of Layla, nothing will happen," Damien said.

Seraphina didn't argue anymore. "Do whatever you want."

With that, she cast a teleportation spell and disappeared.

-

The human world, a place called Diluna Town.

At the center of the town stood an ancient stone bridge. At the end of it was the Promise Stone, where lovers carved their vows as a symbol of eternal devotion.

Back when Seraphina and Damien lived here disguised as humans, they had stood hand in hand in that very spot. Beneath the moonlight, they had shifted into wolves and howled to the sky, declaring each other as mates for life.

"I, Damien Norman, bind my wolf spirit to Seraphina Grant's for all eternity."

The vow still echoed in her ears, but everything else had changed.

Seraphina turned her head and saw Damien supporting Layla by the bridge.

Layla spoke in the Primal Tongue. "Damien, I wanna wish to be with you forever."

Damien only froze for a moment before smiling gently at her. "Sure. Then I'll wish that you'll recover and never suffer from illness again."

After that, the two of them carved their new vows into the Promise Stone together.

Seraphina watched the scene, her fists clenched tight.

In the next second, she walked straight to the vow she and Damien had carved all those years ago.

Flames flared to life in her palm.

At the same time, the Mooncrest on her forehead began to glow.

As the old promise melted into ash in the fire, every beautiful memory she had ever shared with Damien in that small town vanished from her mind forever.

As Damien walked closer, he happened to see a surge of inhuman energy appear on the Promise Stone.

He paused, glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then pulled Seraphina toward him. "How could you use that kind of power in the human world?"

With those memories gone, Seraphina looked at Damien with complete calm.

The brief stab of pain she had felt earlier was gone as well, like a stone sinking into the sea without a ripple.

She withdrew her hand indifferently. "It's fine. No one saw."

Her expression was exactly the same as when she had been standing by the bridge earlier, yet Damien suddenly felt that something about her had changed.

He just couldn't put a finger on it.

Uneasy, he reached for her hand again, but before he could speak, Layla hooked her arm through his from behind.

"Damien, let's go check out somewhere else."

She tugged him away without waiting for an answer.

Damien was forced to let go of Seraphina. When he looked back, she was still standing where she had been.

In that instant, he had the strange feeling that he could never reach her again.

A short trip around the human world later, they returned to the pack territory. Hardly any time seemed to have passed.

Yet Layla already looked worn out, leaning weakly against Damien. "Damien, that was so fun. When I get better, can we go there again?"

Damien glanced at Seraphina but didn't answer.

All of a sudden, a wave of killing intent swept over them.

Seraphina jerked her head up, just in time to see a white blur lunging straight at them.

She was about to dodge when a large hand shoved her hard from behind and pushed her directly into the path of that blur.

Slash!

Giant claws tore three deep gashes across Seraphina's chest. She crashed to the ground as searing pain shot through her, her white clothes instantly soaked in blood.

When she looked up again, she froze. "Blaze?"

The one who had attacked her was Blaze!

She turned her head in disbelief and saw Damien shielding Layla with his own body.

The shove that sent her into harm's way had been Damien's.

To protect Layla, he had pushed her forward and let her take the blow instead.

Seraphina clutched her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. Damien's face changed at once as he rushed toward her.

"Sera!"

All she felt was bitterness. She wanted to ask him why he looked so worried after pushing her out like that.

But the pain was so intense that she couldn't say a single word. She could only let Damien sweep her up in his arms.

They hurried back to the center of the territory and ran straight into Bryan, Miriam, and Leo.

When the old couple saw Seraphina covered in blood, their expressions changed drastically. They immediately ordered the pack members, "Quick, bring every rare moon herb we have!"

In her fading consciousness, Seraphina's lashes fluttered when she heard that.

But in the next moment, she heard Bryan add, "Seraphina cannot die. Otherwise, she won't be able to trade her life for Layla's."

Those words pierced her heart like a blade of ice.

In the end, the one they truly cared about was still Layla, and her own life only existed to keep Layla alive.

Seraphina felt as though she had fallen into an icy abyss. Tears slid from the corners of her eyes, and then she could no longer hold on. Darkness swallowed her whole.

When she woke up again, three days had passed.

Damien was sitting by her bed, looking as if he hadn't slept the entire time.

The instant he saw her open her eyes, he stood up. "Sera, you're awake. How do you feel? Does it still hurt?"

Seraphina looked at him quietly.

Over the past three days, even while unconscious, she could clearly feel the Mooncrest on her forehead heating up.

Every time it burned, her memories faded a little more.

It had burned three times while she was out, so she knew she had been unconscious for three days.

Now, there was very little of Damien left in her memory. When she thought back to what had happened before she passed out, her heart no longer felt cold.

She parted her pale lips and asked suddenly, "Do you really care if I'm in pain?"

Damien went pale, guilt filling his face. "Everything happened too fast that day. I really didn't mean to… That spirit wolf was clearly going for Layla. I just wanted to protect her."

Seraphina scoffed lightly, and that tiny movement sent pain through her chest wound.

"Layla has your Shadow Wolfheart. No one could hurt her at all."

Damien's body shuddered, as if he had only just remembered, and his explanation instantly sounded even weaker.

Seraphina no longer wanted to say anything to him. She only asked, "Where is Blaze?"

Damien's eyes instantly turned fierce. "After it hurt you, it disappeared. I will find it and tear it apart!"

"No. Someone was controlling it!" Seraphina said urgently.

That day had been chaotic, but she had clearly seen a strange purple light in Blaze's eyes.

Someone had cast a mind-control spell on him.

Damien fell silent. Seraphina thought he was considering who might be behind it.

But after a long moment, Damien suddenly looked at her with suspicion.

"That day, Blaze was obviously targeting Layla. You brought it back to the pack, and it's not close to anyone else.

"Did you order it to kill Layla?"