Thirty bottles.

It wasn't that this house didn't have the antidote.

They had hoarded thirty bottles of life-saving medicine for Seraphina.

Yet just now, Lucas scolded me for lying and left me downstairs to writhe in agony. He wouldn't even come down to check on me, let alone give me one of the bottles right at his fingertips.

If not for Hans, my hand would have been ruined tonight.

"Ha..."

I suddenly laughed out loud. Tears streamed down again, mixing with the bitterness at the corner of my mouth.

Fine. If that's how it is, I'll leave you all one final gift before I go.

I took out my daily journal and wrote, word by word:

【October 15. My sister came back today. Lucas gave her the wedding dress he spent three years designing. I knew I was a stand-in. I always knew. But I thought three years of companionship would earn me at least a tiny bit of sincerity. Even just a little bit... Turns out, I was just being greedy. 】

……

After staying in the hospital for two days, Seraphina was discharged.

On that same day, a grand pre-wedding party was held at the Pack House.

Seraphina wore a pure white cocktail dress, nestling in Lucas's arms. She smiled coquettishly and told everyone, "Although the ceremony in a few days is fake, I am dying. I want to experience every process a Luna should go through. Even if it's just a dream, I want to make it a complete one."

Lucas and my brothers naturally indulged her every whim.

The entire Pack House was decorated with dazzling lights, and the champagne tower was stacked higher than a person. Countless werewolf nobles came to congratulate Lucas and Seraphina.

I sat quietly in the shadows of a corner, watching Lucas gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind Seraphina’s ear, watching Ron and Reid act like her knights, blocking drinks for her.

If this were the past, seeing this scene would have made my heart bleed. I might have even rushed up to question why they were so biased.

But now, I just found it noisy.

I just had to endure five more days, and the potion would take full effect.

Let them act out this farce to their heart's content.

Perhaps my silence was too unusual, because Lucas's gaze landed on me.

Seeing me huddled alone in the corner, pale-faced, a trace of guilt actually surfaced in his eyes.

He strode toward me. "Why are you sitting here? Won't you go get something to eat?"

I shook my head. "I'm not hungry."

"Ella," his voice was pitched low, carrying a hint of ingratiation. "I know you're angry. I was too rash that day."

He tried to take my hand, but I coldly avoided him.

Lucas didn't look embarrassed. Instead, he looked at me with deep affection. "You have to remember, the ceremony is just to fulfill Seraphina's dying dream. I won't actually mark her. A werewolf only has one mate in a lifetime. Both I and my wolf belong only to you."

"After she's gone... I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

Looking at his soulful expression, I felt nothing inside. I even wanted to laugh.

You see, this is a man.

He wanted to satisfy the regrets of his old love without losing the loyalty of his new one. He thought a few sweet words would make me wait for him with tears of gratitude.

Unfortunately, he didn't know that I wouldn't be in the rest of his life.

"Mmh, I know," I responded indifferently.

Just then, Ron and Reid walked over.

"Ella," Reid held a glass of pink sparkling drink, wearing a rare pleasant expression. "This is your favorite cherry sparkling water. I had them save it especially for you."

Ron also softened his tone, which was rare. "I was impulsive that day. Once we're done with these busy few days, I'll take you to pick up that sports car you like."

If this were five days ago, hearing such apologies would have moved me to tears, thinking my brothers finally cared about me.

But now, I only felt the irony.

Crash!

In the center of the hall, Seraphina, who was cutting the cake, suddenly went stiff. The knife fell from her hand to the floor.

In the next second, her face turned deathly pale, and she violently coughed up a mouthful of black blood, falling straight backward!

"Sera!"

Lucas moved as fast as lightning, rushing out instantly to catch her.

"It hurts... it hurts so much... the silver poison..."

Seraphina convulsed violently, black bloody foam spilling from the corner of her mouth.

"Doctor! Call the doctor!" Lucas roared, his eyes instantly turning red.

Ron and Reid rushed over like madmen too.

"The medicine! Get the medicine!" Ron looked up sharply, roaring at the stunned servants. "Go to the upstairs storage room! Bring down all dozen bottles of 'Moon's Essence' we stockpiled a few days ago! Hurry!"

Mary, the maid who served Seraphina, scrambled up the stairs.

I remained sitting in the corner, watching this scene with cold eyes.

Less than three minutes later, Mary ran back down, pale-faced and empty-handed.

"Alpha..." Mary was trembling all over. "The storage room... is empty."

"What?!" Lucas's roar shook the entire hall. "There were thirty bottles of potion in there! Who moved them?!"

Mary was so scared she dropped to her knees, her trembling finger pointing straight at me in the corner. "It was... it was two days ago... I saw with my own eyes that Miss Ella asked the butler to move all the medicine boxes... to her room."

The room fell into dead silence.

Lucas turned his head in disbelief, staring dead at me. "Ella..." He gritted his teeth, enunciating every word. "You took them?"

I spoke calmly. "I only took one bottle. I really had silver poisoning that night..."

"Only one bottle?" Before I could finish, Ron interrupted me in a rage.

He charged over, grabbed me by the collar, and lifted me off the ground.

"You liar! Mary said the boxes are all empty! To prevent your sister from living, you actually hid all her life-saving medicine?!"

"How can your heart be so vicious?!"

I was being strangled and couldn't breathe, suddenly feeling incredibly pathetic.

Not a single one of them believed me.

Before I could say anything else, Reid gave the order. "Go search Ella's room!"

A few minutes later, a guard ran down holding a large box.

"We found it..." The guard didn't dare look up. "In Miss Ella's bathroom."

Lucas snatched it open—

All empty bottles.

"Where is the medicine?!" Lucas grabbed an empty bottle, glaring at me with red-rimmed eyes.

The guard swallowed and whispered, "We found a large amount of residue in the drain... It seems... it was all poured down the sewer."

Boom—

The whole crowd went into an uproar.

Poured away.

She would rather pour the life-saving medicine down the sewer than give it to Seraphina.

The surrounding guests began to whisper, looking at me with eyes full of contempt and fear.

"Goddess, that is too malicious..."

"To fight over a man, she'd even kill her own sister?"

Seraphina was still twitching in Lucas's arms. Hearing this, she struggled to open her eyes, looking at me with tears. "Ella... do you hate me that much... hate me enough... to want me dead..."

After saying that, her head tilted to the side, and she fainted completely.

"Sera!"

Lucas let out a desperate roar, then suddenly stood up and charged in front of me.

Slap!

A heavy slap landed hard on my face.

The force was so great that my ears rang, and blood instantly spilled from the corner of my mouth.

"You have disappointed me too much." Lucas looked at me, his eyes cold as ice. "That is a human life! You are simply hopeless!"

I covered my face. I didn't cry, nor did I defend myself.

Because I knew this was a setup by Seraphina.

But would explaining help?

"Now is not the time to lecture her!" the doctor shouted anxiously. "The patient is fading! We must inject new medicine immediately!"

Lucas immediately pulled out his phone and yelled into it, "I'm offering a ten million dollar bounty! Buy 'Moon's Essence' from the black market all over the city! If anyone has stock, I don't care about the price, send it to the Pack House immediately! Hurry!"

My twin brothers were pacing anxiously. Ron looked at me, his eyes filled with a chilling disappointment. "Guards! Throw Ella into the dungeon!"

"Without my permission, no one is allowed to let her out! Let her reflect on herself in there. She can come out when she realizes her mistake!"

...

Late at night, Pack House Dungeon.

Lucas and my brothers had all gone out.

They heard news of medicine in the black market, so for Seraphina's sake, they went to get it personally overnight.

Just as I was dozing off, the iron door opened.

Seraphina walked in wearing Lucas's coat. Her face was rosy, her eyes full of triumph. Where was the weakness of a dying person?

Behind her were a few of her loyal guards.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

She walked up to me, using a finger with an exquisite manicure to lift my chin. "My dear sister, look at you now. You really look like a stray dog."

"You aren't poisoned?" My voice was hoarse.

"Of course not." Seraphina chuckled lightly, even twirling in place. "If I didn't act realistically, how could I make Lucas's heart ache? How could I make them give up on you completely?"

She leaned into my ear, whispering viciously, "I poured those thirty bottles away myself. Watching them go crazy for me, watching them hit you for me... this feeling is truly wonderful."

"You are disgusting," I spat out coldly.

Slap!

Seraphina backhanded me across the face. "Disgusting? The winner takes all!"

"Lucas and our brothers, they only love me. It was like this since we were little, and it's like this now."

"For these three years, no matter how you tried to please them... the moment I came back, as long as I crooked my finger and shed a few tears, they abandoned you without hesitation."

"You will always just be my replacement."

Her words stabbed precisely into the most painful part of my heart.

Yes.

She was right.

No matter how hard I tried, it wasn't worth a single tear of hers.

"Alright, catching up is over."

Seraphina took a step back, a cruel smile appearing on her face. "Since our brothers put you here to 'reflect,' then as your sister, naturally I should help you."

She stepped back and took a long whip that glinted with cold light from a guard.

It was a torture device soaked in high-concentration liquid silver.

"Beat her." Seraphina sat on a chair to the side, as if watching a good show. "Just don't kill her. I want to make sure this mouth of hers can never speak again."

"Yes!" The two guards grinned hideously and swung the whips.

"Argh—!" I couldn't hold back a scream. The silver poison instantly invaded my blood.

It hurt too much.

Snap! Snap!

The whip shadows fell like rain. My clothes shredded, and flesh flew.

I bit my lip hard, swallowing my wails. I stared at Seraphina, my eyes filled with absolute hatred.

Want me to beg for mercy? Dream on!

"Still daring to glare at me? Hit harder!" Seraphina shrieked.

I didn't know how much time passed.

My consciousness gradually blurred, and darkness swallowed me like a tide.

……

Two days later, I was released.

Over those two days, Seraphina had arranged for the guards to use medicine to heal my external wounds. From the outside, there was no trace of the torture.

In the main hall, Lucas and my brothers looked at my pale face. They assumed I was just scared from being locked up for two days, and a fleeting trace of guilt passed through their eyes.

"Since you're out, don't make any more trouble," Ron said with a stern face, though his tone had softened. "As long as you don't target Sera, you are still the sister we love."

Lucas stepped forward to support me, but I turned sideways to avoid him.

His hand froze in mid-air, then he whispered, "Sera isn't feeling well. The healer suggested she go out to relax. She wants to go to the Aurora Forest... You've always wanted to go, so let's go together this time."

I had indeed always wanted to go, but for three years, they were always busy with pack business and never had time to go with me.

But now, I didn't want to go with them anymore.

Just as I was about to refuse, Ron and Reid stepped up, grabbed me, and stuffed me directly into the car.

I was poisoned with silver; I had no strength to resist at all.

...

Just as we were nearing the Aurora Forest, dozens of huge black shadows suddenly burst from the dense woods, slamming into the convoy like madmen!

It was a pack of high-ranking Rogues!

"Damn it!" Lucas slammed the steering wheel, and the vehicle spun out of control, crashing into a large tree.

"Protect Sera!"

Almost the instant they landed, Lucas and my brothers completed their shifts simultaneously.

A huge black Alpha wolf and two grey Beta wolves shielded Seraphina tightly behind them, not exposing even a strand of her hair.

I, however, was thrown out of the car by the massive inertia, slamming heavily onto the gravel ground.

Before I could climb up, a rogue wolf reeking of stench locked eyes on me. Saliva dripped from its mouth, its scarlet eyes full of killing intent as it opened its bloody maw and lunged at me!

"Ella!"

Lucas turned back amidst the chaotic fight, letting out a deafening roar: "Shift immediately! Protect yourself!"

I had always been a strong she-wolf; he took it for granted that I could protect myself.

But the silver poison in my body made me incredibly weak. Let alone fighting, I didn't even have the strength to shift.

Roar!

The rogue's sharp teeth instantly bit through my shoulder!

"Ah—!"

Blood sprayed, staining my vision red. Like a broken rag doll, I was clamped by the beast and flung into the air.

Just when I thought I was dead for sure, the pack's patrol guard arrived.

They worked together to drive back the rogues. I fell heavily to the ground, my shoulder a mess of blood and flesh, my consciousness scattering.

The battle ended.

Lucas turned back into human form and rushed toward me, ignoring the blood on his body. "Ella!"

There was a panic in his voice that I had never heard before.

However, just as his hand was about to touch me—

Seraphina, who had been protected without a scratch, suddenly burst into terrified crying.

She collapsed to the ground, pointing at my blood-covered body and crying out, "Ella... are you crazy?"

"It was so critical just now, why didn't you shift? Did you do it on purpose to force Lucas and our brothers to ignore me and run to save you?"

"Did you want me to die in the rogue's mouth that badly? To fight for attention, do you not even care about your own life?"

Lucas's outstretched hand stopped abruptly in mid-air.

The worry in his eyes solidified instantly, then transformed into monstrous rage.

Yes.

In the wolf world, even a pup would instinctively shift in a life-or-death situation. Yet I had no reaction.

The only explanation was that I was "gambling."

Betting my life on whether they would abandon Seraphina.

"Ella..."

Lucas withdrew his hand, looking down at me from above, his eyes as cold as if looking at a lunatic.

"You are simply hopeless!"

Veins bulged on his forehead as he roared at me, "Just out of jealousy, you actually used your life to gamble for sympathy? If the patrol had been a step later, you would be dead! Do you hate Sera that much? Hate her enough to use this kind of self-harm to get revenge on us?"

I wanted to explain.

I wanted to say it was the silver poison, that the whipping had made it impossible for me to shift.

But looking at those eyes filled only with disgust, my throat felt like it was blocked with cotton; I couldn't say a single word.

"So disappointing." Ron walked over, his eyes full of disappointment. "Reflecting in the dungeon wasn't enough. Playing mind games in a life-and-death situation like this is unreasonable."

"Guards!" Lucas ordered coldly. "Send her back to the Pack House! Get a doctor to bandage her up, don't let her die!"

Several warriors stepped forward and rudely hoisted me up.

Blood flowed freely from my shoulder; every step was agonizing pain. But I didn't cry, nor did I shout in pain.

I was dragged away just like that, watching Lucas turn around to gently hold Seraphina and comfort her, watching my brothers surround her with concern.

Before leaving, Seraphina looked back through the car window.

Seeing me in such a wretched state, the corner of her mouth hooked up into a victor's cold sneer. Naked mockery.

And Lucas, from beginning to end, never looked back once.

Watching their retreating figures, I suddenly couldn't feel the pain anymore.

I looked up at the aurora shimmering faintly on the horizon.

It was truly beautiful.

I closed my eyes and made a final wish in my heart:

May I, and Lucas, and these brothers...

Never meet again in this life or the next.

……

Two days later, they returned from their trip, and the Mating Ceremony was held as scheduled.

The Pack House had been transformed into a fairytale world. White roses, flown in by air, carpeted the lawn, their scent cloyingly sweet.

Seraphina stood before the vanity mirror, looking breathtakingly beautiful in the Luna wedding dress that was originally mine.

"Ella," she said in a sugary, cooing voice. "Even though this is just a fake ceremony, I still hope to get your blessing."

With a single glance from Ron and Reid, two maids stepped forward and forcibly stripped off my clothes, shoving me into a dusty, ill-fitting gray bridesmaid dress. The tight fabric dug into my unhealed wounds, causing stinging pain.

I was like Cinderella, shoved into the corner, becoming the most eyesore background character at this grand wedding.

At the climax of the ceremony, Lucas walked Seraphina down the red carpet.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming to my wedding." Seraphina took the microphone, tears welling in her eyes, her voice choked with emotion. "Actually, as you all know, I am a dying woman. This wedding dress... originally belonged to my sister, Ella."

A murmur of sympathy rippled through the crowd.

Seraphina wiped away her tears, her gaze landing precisely on me in the corner. "I was selfish. I stole my sister's ceremony. I feel so sorry towards her... In this sacred moment, I want to give Ella a hug. I hope to earn her forgiveness. If I can't get her forgiveness, I won't be able to die in peace."

All the spotlights instantly swung onto me, blindingly bright.

Ron and Reid walked over with smiles on their faces.

"Silly girl, why would Ella blame you?" Ron said loudly, his tone full of doting affection. "She is the most sensible sister. She forgave you long ago."

After saying that, they didn't give me a choice. They grabbed my pale, trembling arms and forcibly dragged me in front of Seraphina.

"Come on, Ella. Give Sera a hug," Reid said, pressing down on my head, forcing me to bow.

Seraphina opened her arms and hugged me tightly.

Just as everyone thought they were witnessing a touching scene of sisterly reconciliation, Seraphina leaned into my ear. In a voice only the two of us could hear, she whispered coldly:

"Go to hell."

In the next second—

Schlick!

Seraphina suddenly pulled out a silver dagger hidden in the folds of her dress and plunged it viciously into her own abdomen!

"Ahhh—!"

Seraphina let out a blood-curdling scream and collapsed into a pool of blood in agony.

Clutching the wound that was spurting blood, she looked at me in disbelief and cried out, "Ella... why... I already have less than a month to live... do you hate me that much... do you want me to die that soon?!"

The crowd went into an uproar.

Lucas's rationality snapped instantly. He let out a beast-like roar: "Sera!!"

Instinctively, he slammed his palm hard into my chest.

Crack!

The powerful force of an Alpha shattered my ribs. I was sent flying backward, smashing into a stone pillar and vomiting a mouthful of blood. In my hand, I was still clutching the blood-stained dagger Seraphina had shoved into my grip.

"Sera! Sera, stay with me!"

Ron and Reid rushed over like madmen, scooping up the blood-soaked Seraphina. Seeing the gruesome wound on her abdomen, the brothers' eyes instantly turned red, looking as if they were about to bleed.

They turned their heads, glaring death at me as I lay paralyzed on the ground.

"Ella!!" Ron roared. "If anything happens to Sera, you will pay with your life!!"

I opened my mouth, wanting to defend myself, but I could only cough up more bloody foam.

"Call the Healer! Quickly!" Lucas's hands were trembling.

The Head Healer examined her for a few seconds, his face turning pale.

"This is bad! The dagger was coated in high-concentration liquid silver!"

The Healer shouted in terror, "The toxin has already traveled through her blood to her heart! Combined with Miss Seraphina's previous condition... we must immediately perform a total blood transfusion using the blood of an immediate family member to flush out the silver poison. Otherwise, she will die for sure!"

"Then do it! We are her brothers. Take our blood!" Ron rolled up his sleeves without hesitation.

The Healer immediately began drawing blood.

Bright red blood flowed through the tubes into Seraphina's body.

However, after only a few minutes, the Healer shook his head in despair. "It's not enough... still not enough... The silver poison is too aggressive. The flow rate from just the two of you is too slow; it can't purify it in time..."

Seraphina's breathing grew weaker and weaker.

Lucas and my brothers whipped their heads around, looking at me, pale and broken on the floor. A flicker of hesitation appeared in their eyes; they didn't give the order immediately.

Leaning against the stone pillar, chest screaming in pain, I actually felt a ridiculous spark of hope.

Would they spare me, remembering that I was their sister, their fiancée?

But a second later, Lucas looked at Seraphina's pale face, and his eyes held only cold resolve.

"Drain her."