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?"

The moment the words left Damien's mouth, the room fell into dead silence.

Seraphina stared at Damien in disbelief. Beneath the blanket, her hands clenched tightly, trembling uncontrollably.

"What did you just say?"

Damien dodged her gaze and couldn't bring himself to repeat it. "I-I was just asking. If you didn't do it, then forget I even said anything."

As they had been mates for so long, how could Seraphina not know what he was truly thinking?

"You weren't just asking. You were convinced that I wanted Layla dead. And not just you. My parents, even Leo, probably think the same, don't they?"

Damien faltered for a moment. "No. We're just worried about you."

Seraphina's eyes reddened, and she nearly laughed in bitter mockery.

Before she fell unconscious, she had heard what Bryan said.

After waking up, she faced Damien's suspicion.

If it weren't to make sure Seraphina could trade life for Layla's, they probably wouldn't have bothered saving her that day at all.

They would've let her die just like that. Then the entire Sunfire Pack would've gotten what they wanted, and everyone would've been satisfied.

Seraphina turned her head away. "Get out. I don't want to see you."

Damien froze. "Sera—"

"Out!"

Damien frowned, clearly displeased, but in the end, he still left the room.

As soon as the stone door closed, Seraphina's tears finally fell.

Even though most of her memories were already gone, what remained was still enough to make her heart ache, to fill her with grievance and a powerless anger she couldn't control.

She wiped her tears fiercely. This would be the last time she ever cried because of them.

Only two days remained.

The Mooncrest on her forehead burned once more.

Very soon, she would disappear, just like all of them wanted.

The next day, the Sunfire Pack decorated the territory inside and out, making everything even more festive.

Although Seraphina no longer cared, the sight of silver ribbons and white moonflowers everywhere still stung her eyes.

Most of her wounds had already healed. Worried about Blaze, she left the pack and went to Whisper Ridge.

As she had guessed, Blaze was hiding there.

The moment it saw her, it whimpered and backed away. The bloodstains on its fur had already dried without being cleaned.

Seraphina sighed. "Blaze, I know you didn't mean to hurt me. Come here. I can read the memory in your spirit."

Only then did Blaze crawl closer, keeping low to the ground.

Seraphina placed her palm on its head, and everything from the day before unfolded before her eyes.

Blaze had been resting in Seraphina's room when it suddenly heard footsteps. It opened its eyes and saw Layla approaching.

Layla smiled faintly and cast a mind-control spell on it.

That day, Blaze only looked as if it were targeting Layla. In truth, it had been controlled to hurt Seraphina.

"So it really was her."

Seraphina withdrew her hand, not surprised by the result at all.

The reason was simple. Layla didn't need anyone to trade lives with her, so she had to stop the ritual from happening at any cost.

Seraphina sneered and lifted her hand, using her power to clean the blood from Blaze's fur.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to Howlpeak. Now that you've been branded guilty, I can't leave you alone. So… will you come with me?"

Blaze quietly wrapped its tail around her arm.

Seraphina had never imagined that the one who would stand by her in the end would be a spirit wolf she had met by chance.

After staying there for half the day, Seraphina left Whisper Ridge, but she didn't return to the pack.

Instead, she went to Destiny Temple.

A soul tapestry was hung at the temple. It was made of countless silver threads, each one symbolizing a bonded pair.

She easily found the thread that belonged to her and Damien and held it in her hand, staring at it in silence.

The temple guardian walked over to greet her. "Hi, Seraphina. What brings you to visit me today—wait, what are you doing?!"

A blade of light formed in Seraphina's hand, and she cut through the soul thread belonging to her and Damien without hesitation.

The moment it snapped, the names carved into the Promise Stone dissolved into specks of light, as if they had weathered away.

The soul thread connected both mates. Once it was severed, both sides could feel it.

So it wasn't long before Damien appeared at the temple.

He stared at the two severed ends of the silver thread in Seraphina's hand as they slowly turned gray and faded.

Panic crushed his chest, and even his voice trembled.

"Seraphina, what have you done?"

He rushed over, grabbed the broken ends, and tried to tie them together. "How could you cut our bond?"

Seraphina asked calmly, "Didn't we already agree? You and Layla would hold the ceremony, and we would break our bond first."

Damien's eyes turned red. "It's fake. It's just play-pretend. We never had to do this!"

But no matter how hard he tried, the silver strands slipped apart every time. The knot could never be tied.

Nearby, the guardian sighed. "Stop wasting your effort. Do you think the soul thread can be tied back together just like that?"

Damien froze. His eyes watered. "Then what should I do?"

The guardian stroked his long beard. "Only the Moon Goddess herself can reestablish the bond."

Damien immediately grabbed Seraphina's hand. "Sera, let's do it. Let's reestablish our bond now. We'll pray to the Moon Goddess!"

Seraphina looked at him quietly, unable to understand why he cared so much about that single thread.

When she did not answer, Damien grew even more anxious.

He took Seraphina back to the territory, only to find Leo in the courtyard, trying to cheer Layla up.

Damien frowned and called Leo over. "Leo, your mom is injured. Have you even asked her how she's doing?"

Leo froze. He didn't even dare to look at Seraphina. He turned his head away and mumbled softly, "Mom is too strict. Aunt Layla is gentle. I like being with Aunt Layla."

Damien's brow furrowed deeper. "You little…"

Layla spoke gently at that moment. "Damien, Leo is still young. It's my fault. I know I might never have my own child because I'm weak, so I treated Sera's son like my own and got too close. Blame me, not him."

Damien opened his mouth but said nothing in the end when he saw how fragile Layla looked.

Meanwhile, Seraphina smiled softly. "If he likes Layla, let him stay with her."

After all, by tomorrow, Leo would truly be calling Layla "Mom".

As for the life-trading ritual, that was never going to happen.

After Seraphina finished speaking, she turned to leave.

Layla stopped her. "Sera, I wanna try on the dress for tomorrow's ceremony. Can you help me put it on?"

Seraphina paused, but she didn't refuse.

Inside the room, there were only the two of them. Layla's pure white gown was embroidered with a lifelike silver wolf in moonsilk, a symbol of her Frostheart bloodline and her noble status.

As Seraphina adjusted her collar, Layla suddenly grabbed her hand. "I really am grateful to you. Since we were kids, you've given me so many things without complaint.

"And now, you're even willing to give me your life. I promise you, after you die, I'll take good care of Damien."

Her smile was sweet, but her words were like a blade soaked in poison.

Seraphina smiled back. "Aren't you afraid Damien will hear this? Or Mom and Dad?"

Layla laughed as well. "Afraid? Who would believe you anyway?

"Seraphina, nobody loves you, and nobody trusts you. You are the most unnecessary person in this world."

Unnecessary, huh?

Seraphina tugged faintly at her lips and said nothing. She finished dressing Layla, then turned and pushed the door open.

Damien and Leo, who were waiting outside, both looked over at once. Damien immediately praised her. "Layla, you're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen."

Layla smiled brightly and shyly looped her arm around his. "Sera is still here."

Damien froze. "Sera, I didn't mean it like that…"

"It's fine," Seraphina replied calmly. "You two should stay with Layla. I'm a little tired, so I'll head back."

Without waiting for him to stop her, Seraphina turned and left.

Damien watched her back and instinctively wanted to chase after her.

But Layla clung tightly to his arm, holding him in place.

Somehow, Damien had the strange feeling that once Seraphina walked away, she would never come back.

He shook his head. That wasn't possible. This was her home. Where else could she go?

Forcing down the unease in his heart, Damien gave Layla a small smile.

On the other side, Seraphina walked out of Moonstone Cottage. The vast pack grounds were overflowing with celebration.

Elegant silver ribbons and pure white moonflowers filled her vision, clearly preparing for a grand bonding ceremony.

Seraphina's gaze landed on the invitation cards being handed out by the pack members.

Almost every major supernatural pack had been invited.

This level of effort was way past what Damien claimed about merely fulfilling Layla's wish with a simple ceremony.

He fully intended to let the entire supernatural world know that he and Layla were mates.

A sharp pain flickered through Seraphina's heart, but it vanished in the next second.

Only one thought remained in her mind: It was time to leave.

Back at Afterglow Lodge, Seraphina looked around the stone house she had lived in for nearly a century, though most of those memories were already gone.

She only remembered that she used to live in Moonstone Cottage, as the Alpha and Luna's first child. Later, she had been forced to let Layla stay at the place.

After that, she had kept giving things up, until in the end, she had even given up her mate and her son to Layla.

With a wave of her hand, all of her belongings floated into the air.

With another wave, a burst of soul fire reduced everything to nothing. Not even ashes remained.

From this moment on, there would be no trace of her left here.

Seraphina turned and walked away without hesitation, not even giving the place one last glance.

After leaving the pack, she headed for Whisper Ridge.

That night, Seraphina simply let the Mooncrest on her forehead burn again and again.

Morning came, the day of the bonding ceremony.

Seraphina held out her hand to Blaze. "Let's go."

Blaze leapt to her side at once. Together, the woman and the wolf traveled north. By dawn, they finally reached the border between the supernatural world and the abyss.

Howlpeak.

From afar, Seraphina saw the Moon Goddess's majestic statue glowing softly.

She set down her silver spear and dropped to one knee. "Great Moon Goddess."

The Moon Goddess's voice rang in her mind, solemn and powerful. "Seraphina, the time has come. Are you prepared to forget everything, cut yourself off from emotion, and bind your life to Howlpeak to suppress the wild spirits and preserve the balance of the world?"

Seraphina lifted her head. Though her eyes were already empty of feeling, she still made one request. "Great Moon Goddess, before this, I ask one small favor. The spirit wolf, Blaze, has chosen to guard Howlpeak with me. Please allow me not to forget it."

The Moon Goddess replied, "Is there anything else you wish to remember? Any other person or matter?"

Seraphina's gaze was steady. "No."

"Very well. I shall grant your wish."

As the words fell, the statue of the Moon Goddess shone with brilliant light, and Seraphina slowly rose into the air.

The Mooncrest on her forehead suddenly burst with blinding silver light.

At that moment, the Moon Goddess extended a hand formed of light and pulled from the glow a nearly transparent ribbon that shimmered with rainbow colors.

"I have removed your Emotional Core. From now on, you shall feel no desire, no love, and no hatred."

Seraphina could clearly feel every memory of her parents, Damien, and Leo rapidly falling away from her mind.

"Sera is our first child. We'll give her the best things in the world."

"Seraphina, my soul howls for you. I want to bind myself to you forever."

"Mom, I love you so much. You're the best!"

-

In the next instant, all of it faded away, leaving only blank emptiness.

When Seraphina opened her eyes again, she was standing at the top of Howlpeak.

Clad in silver armor with a spear in hand, she looked out at the world with eyes that held no emotions at all.