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."

He spat out the words coldly. "She stabbed the knife. This is how she atones for her sin."

"But Miss Ella is also critically injured..."

"I said drain her!!" Lucas roared. "Just use the most expensive drugs to keep her alive."

The guards rushed over, roughly pinning down my hands and feet, nailing me to the floor.

"Let me go..." I struggled weakly.

Ron looked at me, a flash of unbearable pain in his eyes, but he ultimately looked away. "You owe this to Sera..."

The thick needle pierced ruthlessly into my vein.

"Ugh..."

Bright red blood flowed out continuously, flowing into Seraphina's body.

My life force was draining away rapidly.

I watched the men who had once sworn to protect me. Right now, they were like vampires, ruthlessly draining me dry for another woman.

Between the blood loss and my heavy injuries, darkness swallowed me.

The moment the needle was pulled out, I fell into a complete coma.

...

When I woke up again, the surroundings were dead silent.

Lucas and my brothers weren't there. They hadn't even left a single servant for me.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. The screen lit up. Seraphina had just posted an Instagram update.

In the photo, she looked rosy-cheeked, nestling in Lucas's arms, while Ron and Reid were smiling as they fed her fruit.

The caption read: Thank you to my superhero Alpha and the best brothers in the world for pulling me back from hell with their love. It feels so good to be reborn.

There were thousands of likes underneath.

I touched the shocking, bruised needle marks on my arm.

That was my blood.

It turned out my life was nothing more than fuel for Seraphina to show off how much she was "loved."

My heart was filled with irony and ice.

I hope that after tomorrow, you can all still love her this much.

I took out my diary and continued to write.

【October 17. I really had silver poisoning... it hurts so much. I only used one bottle of the potion; I really didn't take the others. But today, my brothers pointed at my nose and called me a vicious woman. My palm is rotting from the silver corrosion; it hurts so bad... But why does no one believe me? Where did the Lucas who said he'd protect me forever go? 】

【October 20. The dungeon is so cold, the water is so dirty. I didn't use the silver dagger to kill Seraphina. Forget it, explaining is useless. You were once good to me, and I have repaid that with my blood. Goodbye, my love. Goodbye, my brothers. I hope in my next life, I won't have to be a replacement, and I can have a real family. 】

……

Early the next morning, while I was still leaning weakly against the headboard, the door was kicked open.

Lucas, Ron, and Reid stormed in, bringing a gust of cold air with them, looking like grim reapers coming to collect a soul.

Before I could react, Lucas charged at me.

"Speak!" Lucas's eyes were bloodshot, his roar deafening. "Where did you hide your sister?!"

"What..."

"Still playing dumb?!" Ron was furious. He slammed a bloodstained, scrawled note onto my face.

As the paper fluttered down, I read the words on it:

Rogues... Ella let them... help me...

I froze.

Apparently, when the servants went to give Seraphina her medicine this morning, they found her missing. The room was a mess, leaving only this suggestive note behind.

"Look at me right now..." I pointed to my arm, which was still seeping blood, and forced a sarcastic smile. "I can't even get out of bed... How could I kidnap her?"

"Stop making excuses!"

Reid sneered and pulled a stack of printed documents from his jacket, throwing them in my face.

"We just intercepted these transfer records! The recipient is a notorious Rogue mercenary group!"

"To have the Alpha all to yourself, and to get revenge on your sister, you actually colluded with Rogues to kidnap her! Ella, are you completely heartless?!"

Looking at the seamlessly forged "evidence," I suddenly felt that explaining was pointless.

Seraphina's move was truly brilliant.

It got rid of me and made them hate me to the bone.

"Throw her back in the dungeon!" Lucas looked at me with cold, cruel eyes. "Lock her in the water cell! Fill it up to her neck! No food, no water! Don't let her out until she tells the truth!"

"Let's go! To the border to keep searching!"

With that, they didn't even spare me another glance before turning and rushing out.

They were off to play the heroes, off to save the princess in their hearts.

I was thrown into the dungeon once again.

This time, it was the water cell.

The bone-chilling, filthy water rose to my chest, smelling of rot. It stung the fresh needle punctures from the blood draw and the whip wounds on my back like crazy.

But I didn't panic, and I didn't cry.

I looked at the clock on the wall. The potion would take full effect very soon.

From a hidden inner pocket, I took out the spare phone I had kept concealed.

I sent an encrypted message: Do it.

A few minutes later.

Muffled thuds came from outside the dungeon—the sound of guards hitting the floor.

Immediately after, the iron door was opened silently.

Several fully armed warriors in black tactical gear walked in.

"Miss Ella."

The leader bowed to me. "We are here to pick you up."

He waved his hand, and his men immediately stepped forward, efficiently cutting the chains binding me and supporting my weak body.

"Let's go."

We retreated to a safe hill a few kilometers away from the Pack House.

The mercenary leader pulled a red detonator from his vest and handed it to me.

"Miss, this is a gift from the Alpha King."

I took the detonator and looked at the towering castle in the distance.

That was my home.

It held all my love, all my hate, all my youth, and all my blood and tears.

"Goodbye. Never again."

I whispered softly.

Then, without hesitation, I pressed the button.

BOOM—!!!

A massive fireball instantly shot into the sky, dyeing half the horizon red. The entire dungeon, along with the west wing of the Pack House, was reduced to ruins in an instant.

At the same time.

Dozens of miles away in the border forest.

Lucas, who was frantically searching for Seraphina, suddenly let out an agonizing scream. He dropped to his knees, vomiting a massive mouthful of fresh blood!

"Lucas! What's wrong?!" Ron and Reid were horrified.

Lucas clutched his chest, suffering from excruciating pain, his face as pale as paper.

His eyes widened in terror. The Mate Bond that connected him to me—

Had completely snapped.

"Ella..." An immense panic swallowed him. "No... impossible..."

When a Mate Bond snaps, there is usually only one explanation.

That means—his Mate is dead?!