Chapter 1

"Moon Goddess, I'd like to go home," says Seraphina Jarett.

The Will of the Moon Goddess speaks to her in her mind. She doesn't reply in any form of language. Instead, it is a calm and saddened torrent of consciousness.

"Alright, my child. Your mission is about to be completed. In a week, your soul can leave this place."

The usually authoritative voice pauses for a few seconds, which is a rare occurrence.

Unable to understand my choice, she says, "My child, you have a mate who loves you deeply and sees you as the light of his life. Your pup puts you first in everything. Isn't this your home now? They are your family… your pack."

When Seraphina hears the word "family", her gaze lands on the Moon Pool that is in the middle of the room.

At the moment, the pool is showing the Alpha of the Blackwood pack, Caelum Blackwood, and his son, Liam Blackwood, touching down in the pack's private airport.

Chapter 1

Caelum Blackwood strode forward with his son, Liam Blackwood, in his arms. His Alpha aura forces the surrounding werewolves to part and make way for him automatically.

A messenger from a neighboring pack hurried after them.

He asked, "Alpha Caelum, I heard you wrapped up the border negotiations in Freca yesterday and rushed back overnight. Why the hurry? Did something urgent concerning the pack require your immediate return?"

Among the werewolf packs, Caelum was well-known for having an icy disposition. But upon being asked those questions, he unexpectedly showed an incredibly gentle smile to the transmission crystal in the messenger's hand.

"It's my Luna's birthday today. So, of course, my pup and I have to return to spend time with her."

His voice was low and powerful, and it spread through all his territories via the transmission crystal.

He added, "To me, anything that has to do with my Luna is of the highest priority."

The tiny Liam raised the leather pouch in his hands as well. "Mom, Dad and I prepared a gift for you! We'll be home soon!"

The messenger wanted to ask more, but Caelum silenced him with a look that made it clear that he wouldn't entertain any more questions. His figure quickly moved out of frame and disappeared.

The messenger sighed and said with deep envy, "The Blackwood pack Alpha's devotion to his Luna hasn't changed even after ten years. Their mate bond is still going strong. He truly is the best mate a she-wolf could ask for.

"Even the heir of the Blackwood pack behaves just like him. With an Alpha like that and a pup like that, Luna Seraphina must have a very happy and wholesome family life."

Seraphina Jarrett waved her hand to erase the image on the Moon Pool's surface and let out a bitter smile.

Was she happy?

A month ago, she would have answered without hesitation that she was absolutely blissful.

But now, she couldn't bring herself to say such words.

No one knew that she wasn't originally from this world.

Ten years ago, the Moon Goddess had sent her soul here with a single mission. She was tasked with saving Caelum, who had witnessed his parents' brutal deaths as a pup. The tragic experience left his soul shattered ever since.

When Seraphina first met him, he was a gloomy, feral, and withdrawn teenager who shut himself off from the world. It took her three full years to slowly guide him out of the darkness and help him grow into the powerful and respected Alpha he was today.

The moment he fully took control of the Blackwood pack, her mission was complete.

However, when the Moon Goddess had asked whether she wanted to leave, she hesitated.

Images of Caelum clinging to her, growling and pleading for her not to go, flashed in her mind. He had already lost his parents once. She couldn't imagine what would become of him if his fated mate left him too.

Therefore, Seraphina chose to stay in this world, and she became his mate by undergoing the mate-bonding ceremony with him.

During the moonlit ceremony, she had solemnly told Caelum that if he ever betrayed their mate bond, her soul would disappear from this world.

At that time, Caelum had held her hand and promised such a day would never come. He swore his love for her would be as eternal as the moon.

After their bonding, his love for her stayed passionate just as he had sworn it would.

For every big or small anniversary, Caelum pushed aside all pack affairs to be with Seraphina. When other she-wolves flirted with him during meetings, he crushed their advances without mercy, making use of his Alpha dominance.

When Seraphina gave birth to Liam, she had a very difficult labor. She spent one whole day in the delivery room. Caelum knelt outside the entire time, praying to the Moon Goddess for her well-being.

When word came that she survived the ordeal, he stumbled to her bedside. He didn't care about his legs that had gone completely numb. With tears streaming down his face, he gripped her hands emotionally.

"It's all my fault, Sera. I never should've said I wanted an heir. We won't have a second pup. I can't let you risk your life again," he said tearfully.

To show his resolve, he had the pack shaman perform an ancient ritual that very day to ensure he would never father another pup.

When naming their pup, he chose "Liam" without hesitation. It was because the name meant "resolute protector". Caelum said it reflected his feelings for her.

With him as a role model, little Liam grew into Seraphina's tiny protector.

Even at a young age, he tore off the softest parts of their prey's flesh and fed it to her. When she accidentally scratched her finger on thorns, he immediately licked the wound in distress and ran to get herbs to bandage her.

Outsiders joked that in the Blackwood pack, it wasn't the pup who needed care. Instead, it was Seraphina who was constantly doted on.

Liam puffed out his chest proudly and declared, "Mom is my Luna. Of course, I must take care of her."

Caelum patted his head with a similar proud smile. "My Luna doesn't need to do anything. She only needs to be loved by us."

Seraphina once firmly believed she would stay happy forever. However, nothing was meant to last. Caelum's steadfast vows were gone with the wind as time passed.

The Alpha and his pup, who once loved her so deeply, had now built a "home" with another she-wolf named Rayna Klein.

The two of them had secretly visited her countless times.

Seraphina's mate of seven years now wrapped his arm around Rayna's waist and called her "baby" affectionately.

Her pup, whom she carried in her belly for nine months, now lay curled up in Rayna's arms while softly calling her name.

In truth, they hadn't gone to Freca for negotiations at all. They had accompanied Rayna on a hunting trip in the Azmurs.

Seraphina's warning during the mate-bonding ceremony had become a prophecy.

The moment she learned the truth, she had made up her mind to leave this world. She would leave Caelum and Liam, the father and son who were full of lies.

Staring at the cake melting in front of her, Seraphina whispered, "They are no longer my family. I'm leaving them."

The moment the words left her lips, two voices rang out behind her.

"Who's leaving?"

Chapter 2

Seraphina looked up. Caelum and Liam were standing at the doorway.

Liam climbed down from Caelum's arms and sprinted over with his short little legs. He threw himself into Seraphina's arms.

"Mom, who did you say was leaving just now?" he asked curiously.

In a soft voice, Seraphina answered, "A human friend of mine. Her marriage fell apart, and she's planning to leave her husband and child."

Liam tilted his head up and rubbed his cheek against hers. This was the way young pups expressed affection.

He said, "Your friend is so pitiful. Luckily, Dad and I will love you forever."

Caelum set down his coat and walked over to pull both of them into his arms. As usual, the Alpha scent he gave off was possessive yet gentle.

"Liam is right, Sera. Our family will be together forever. It's a vow we made to the Moon Goddess," Caelum said lovingly.

Seraphina didn't respond. She looked down, and her long lashes hid the bitterness in her eyes.

What was this talk about being together forever? Their bond was already showing cracks.

Liam spotted the cake on the table. He quickly reached out to hand over the leather pouch he had been holding.

"Mom, this is the gift Dad and I picked for you."

Caelum opened the gift box inside the pouch. It was a necklace carved from moonstone.

He sounded a little apologetic as he said, "Sera, the negotiations in Freca were difficult. That's why Liam and I returned later than planned. Please don't be upset with us."

As he spoke, he took out the necklace and lowered his head to put it on her.

But the moment he leaned closer, Seraphina smelled a strong scent that wasn't hers. There was another she-wolf's scent mixed into Caelum's.

She herself never carried any foreign scents. This caused her stomach to churn violently. She pushed Caelum and Liam away hastily. She ran to one side and started gagging uncontrollably.

Caelum had always been extremely concerned about her health. Even the slightest cough drove him into panic mode. Upon seeing her in such a condition, he became frantic and immediately wanted to summon the pack healer.

Seraphina grabbed his hand. Her eyes were still reddened from retching. She stared at him unblinkingly.

She breathed, "I'm fine. I just thought of my friend's husband and child… I felt disgusted by their behavior. Caelum, if you don't love me anymore, I will—"

"That's impossible!" Caelum cut her off before she could finish her sentence.

He stepped forward and wrapped her into his arms. It was as if he was trying to rub her scent all over himself again to emphasize that they would always be bound together and would never part ways.

Tenderly, he said, "Sera, you should know how deep my feelings run for you. You are the only mate I'll ever have in this life. I will never let you leave me!"

Liam clenched his fists and said seriously, "Don't worry, Mom. Dad and I would never do anything to hurt you. I'll watch Dad for you. If he ever misbehaves, I'll tell you right away. I'll always be on your side."

Caelum couldn't help but laugh. "Liam, do you seriously take me for that kind of person?"

Liam rolled his eyes at him and said, "Hmph! I love Mom the most. I'll always protect Mom."

Their bickering didn't stir any feelings of amusement or joy in Seraphina. She felt terrible, like invisible claws were tearing her heart to pieces.

Caelum said he loved her, yet he carried another she-wolf's scent. Liam said he would protect her, yet he helped Caelum hide the truth.

She no longer knew whether they meant those words sincerely or if it was all just a lie.

The next morning, Caelum personally roasted the freshest cut for Seraphina, as usual, and set it before her with loving eyes.

"Sera, let's go hunting at Mount Neviah after breakfast. We came home late, so we'll make it up to you for missing your birthday," Caelum suggested casually.

Liam handed her a cup of fresh goat milk and snuggled against her waist. "Let's go, Mom! Hunting is so much fun."

Seraphina had no interest in hunting. However, before she had even finished breakfast, Caelum and Liam had packed all the gear. They then pulled her into the SUV without asking if she wanted to go.

It wasn't until they reached Mount Neviah that she realized why they had insisted on coming.

The moment she stepped out of the car, she saw Rayna in a form-fitting hunting outfit. She was standing at the entrance and looking around expectantly.

As soon as Caelum and Liam got out of the car, Rayna's eyes lit up.

She jogged over and wrapped a scarf, which was infused with her own pheromones, around Liam's neck as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Then, she handed Caelum a steaming thermos and gazed at him with sparkling eyes.

Seraphina watched her smooth, practiced movements wordlessly.

Despite his young age, Liam had always disliked being touched by anyone outside their family. Caelum had the unfortunate experience of being drugged by an enemy pack six years ago. Since then, he never accepted drinks or items handed to him by other she-wolves, except for Seraphina.

Caelum cleared his throat and spoke up in a voice that sounded a little strained. "Sera, this is my assistant, Rayna Klein. She planned the route for this hunt, so having her around makes things easier. That's why I invited her along."

Liam hurriedly chimed in, "Yeah, Mom. All we need to do is focus on having fun. Isn't that great?"

Was it really for convenience, or was it because they wanted Rayna with them at all times? Seraphina no longer cared to decipher their true thoughts.

Only then did Rayna pretend like she had just noticed her.

She reached out a hand shyly and greeted, "Hello, Luna Seraphina. I won't intrude on your family time."

Seraphina's sharp eyes caught a flash of green on Rayna's wrist. "What's that on your wrist?"

Rayna pulled up her sleeve to reveal a green moonstone bracelet.

Her face glowed with happiness as she said, "This is a gift from my family."

Chapter 3

In the past five years, Caelum had given Seraphina many pieces of jewelry. She could tell at a glance that the bracelet and the moonstone necklace from the night before had been carved from the same rare moonstone. It was originally meant to be a matching set.

Seraphina's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Ms. Klein, it seems your family loves you very much."

Caelum and Liam had split a complete set of jewelry into two pieces—one for her and one for Rayna. It was just like their love, which was apparently also divisible.

Rayna smiled so brightly that her eyes were all scrunched up. "Yes, they always say they love me the most. They also spoil me silly."

Caelum and Liam seemed to be afraid that Seraphina might notice something, so they fussed over her throughout the entire journey.

When she gave a light cough, Caelum immediately removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Then, he poured warm water from the thermos and brought it to her lips with gentle concern.

Liam also took off the scarf around his neck and put it on her, reminding her to stay warm like a mature little man.

However, Seraphina didn't want items carrying another she-wolf's scent to contaminate her body. She said she wished to return to the villa to rest and walked away.

Caelum and Liam exchanged a look. Without exchanging a word, they accompanied her back to the villa and stayed with her.

When evening came, Caelum's phone rang.

He quickly silenced it. After confirming that Seraphina seemed to be asleep, only then did he let out a breath he'd been holding in relief.

Rayna's name flashed repeatedly on the screen.

Liam tugged his sleeve and said in a lowered voice, "Dad, I want to go see Rayna."

Caelum immediately put up a finger to shush him. The two exchanged a glance and tiptoed out of the room sneakily.

The moment the door closed, Seraphina opened her eyes. She put on her clothes and silently followed them.

Caelum and Liam moved quickly and eventually arrived at the place where Rayna was staying.

The moment the door opened, Rayna threw herself into Caelum's arms.

She sounded aggrieved as she said, "Caelum, you finally came. I was so scared when I was all alone here today. I don't expect to be with you 24 hours a day like Luna Seraphina. I'm happy enough if you can give me two hours to be with you every day."

As she spoke, she raised her shimmering doe eyes to look at him.

Caelum couldn't bear to watch her cry. The moment he saw her tears, his heart went out to her.

He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly to comfort her. "Two hours isn't enough. Liam and I will stay with you the whole night."

Liam chimed in, "As soon as Mom fell asleep, Dad and I rushed over. We really wanted to spend time with you."

Rayna looked moved, but then her expression faltered as she recalled something.

She said pitifully, "Actually… I felt very cold earlier. But you only had eyes for Luna Seraphina. You even gave her the scarf and thermos I prepared for you…"

Liam didn't want her to be sad, so he quickly grabbed her hand and comforted her. "Don't be upset, Rayna. We're sorry. I'll warm you up. My hands are much warmer than a scarf."

Caelum gently tapped her nose. "You get jealous so easily. How can you get upset over something so small? You didn't get enough of skiing in Sornland, so I picked this place especially for you. Isn't that good enough?"

Upon hearing that, Rayna rose on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on the corner of his lips. "Thank you, Alpha Caelum."

Caelum's gaze immediately darkened. He held the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Their lips and tongues entwined in a heated kiss.

Liam covered his eyes and ran into the room. "Ah! I don't want to be a third wheel!"

After a long while, Caelum finally released Rayna. Her face was flushed as she hit his chest shyly.

"Liam was right there," she huffed.

Caelum caught her hand and kissed it. "So what? It's not like he hasn't seen it before."

Then, he wrapped an arm around Rayna's waist and grabbed Liam. He pulled both of them into the room and closed the door behind them.

Behind a nearby pillar, tears flowed from Seraphina's eyes freely and soundlessly.

Even though she had known of their betrayal, it did nothing to mitigate the pain of witnessing it firsthand. Every word she had heard stabbed into her heart and tore it asunder.

They had promised that this trip was their way of making it up to her for missing her birthday. However, it was actually to compensate for Rayna's disappointment from not having enough fun at the Azmurs.

Seraphina crouched and clutched her chest. Caelum and Liam's words from last night echoed in her ears.

They said they would never let her leave.

"But Caelum and Liam… I've already made up my mind to leave you," Seraphina thought, feeling utterly heartbroken.

Chapter 4

The next morning, when Seraphina woke up, Caelum and Liam walked into the room with breakfast.

Upon seeing that she was awake, Caelum set the tray beside her and looked at her with eyes full of tenderness.

"Liam and I decided to let you sleep a little longer, so we woke up early to get you breakfast," Caelum said.

Liam climbed onto the bed with his short legs and leaned against her shoulder. "I missed you so much, Mom, even though we were only away for a little while."

Seraphina could feel a lingering chill beside her. Her eyes dimmed when she realized how ironic it was. They had clearly been gone the whole night and just returned from Rayna's room.

Yet, they hid it so well and even claimed they were getting her breakfast with her best interests at heart. She never knew they were such skilled actors.

After breakfast, Caelum and Liam immediately brought her back to Mount Neviah. Rayna was dressed in her hunting gear and was waiting for them at the entrance.

However, Seraphina had no interest in hunting.

Caelum looked at her with concern and asked in a slightly probing tone, "Sera, what's been going on with you for the past two days? Did Liam or I do something to upset you?"

Seraphina shook her head and responded, "No. I've just been preoccupied with my friend's situation. It's been affecting my mood."

Only then did Caelum sigh in relief.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and said, "Don't worry, Sera. Something like that will never happen in our family. If you don't want to hunt, then…"

He didn't finish his sentence because Rayna's tentative voice came from ahead.

"Alpha Caelum…"

When he saw the longing look in Rayna's eyes, he gulped slightly. The words he had been about to say took a turn.

"Then wait here. Liam, Rayna, and I will go hunt for a few rounds and be right back."

Liam said nothing, but Seraphina's sharp eyes caught the way his hand had already reached out to grab Rayna's sleeve. Perhaps they were too eager to spend time together. They no longer cared whether she might notice their little gestures.

Seraphina nodded without saying anything.

Caelum instructed his subordinates to look after her. He carefully helped her put on a pair of gloves himself.

"It's cold here. I don't want you catching a chill. If you feel uncomfortable or unwell, call me immediately through our mind-link," he told her.

Liam checked her zipper with the seriousness of an adult and said, "I don't want you catching a cold either."

Rayna watched quietly as they fussed over her and couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy.

She remarked, "Luna Seraphina, Alpha Caelum and Liam are so good to you."

Hearing Rayna's words, Seraphina looked up at her and caught the flicker of hidden jealousy in her eyes.

Seraphina smiled and said meaningfully, "I think your family loves you a bit more."

After all, Caelum and Liam had managed to build another home with Rayna in secret. That alone proved they didn't care about Seraphina's feelings that much. What they cared about most was being with Rayna.

Just as her words fell, a loud rumble sounded in the distance. The ground underneath their feet began to shake.

Seraphina was about to ask what was happening when she looked up and saw a blinding piece of white hurtling toward them.

The surrounding werewolves scattered instantly, and chaos ensued.

Instinctively, she grabbed Caelum's coat, which he had taken off earlier.

In the next moment, she watched Caelum sprint toward her. However, he dashed right past her and rushed straight toward the terrified Rayna. Liam, who had been standing in front of Seraphina, also ran in the same direction.

"Rayna!" Caelum shouted.

"Watch out, Rayna!" Liam cried.

A massive wave of snow crashed down onto Seraphina. In the final moment before she lost consciousness, she saw a heartbreaking scene.

The mate who once said he loved her and the pup who once vowed to protect her were holding Rayna tightly in their arms.

Chapter 5

By the time Seraphina regained consciousness, a whole week had passed.

When the healer saw her stirring, he hurriedly alerted Caelum in delight.

"Luna Seraphina, you finally woke up! Alpha Caelum and Liam brought in almost every healer from all the territories. To pray for your safety, Alpha Caelum even offered a rare white deer to the Moon Goddess and wished for all the blessings to go to you so that you would wake soon.

"They'll be overjoyed to hear that you're awake."

Before he had even finished speaking, Caelum and Liam hurried into the room.

Upon seeing that she was awake, they immediately pulled her into a tight embrace.

Their voices were trembling with fear and relief. "Sera, you finally woke up. Do you know how worried I was this whole week?"

Liam's eyes were red as he said in a choked voice, "Mom, I was so scared you wouldn't wake up."

Caelum seldom cried. Yet, Seraphina felt a hot tear fall onto the back of her hand. Tears welled up in Liam's eyes too.

Still, their tears stirred no emotions in her heart because all she felt was deep irony.

When disaster struck, the one they instinctively protected had been Rayna.

Seraphina would be lying if she said seeing that didn't make her heart ache. She had offered Caelum her whole heart and loved him with everything she had. She had raised Liam all by herself with complete devotion since the day he was born.

Rayna, who had only appeared a few short months ago, had erased all of that so effortlessly. Just like that, she took Seraphina's place.

Caelum and Liam grew visibly uneasy due to her silence. So, they tried to explain themselves.

Caelum said, "It was too chaotic that day. I couldn't see which one was you, so I grabbed the wrong person."

Liam added, "Mom, Dad and I will never put you in danger again. We're so sorry for what we've done."

Seraphina had just woken up, so she was still very weak. Right now, she felt exhausted and couldn't muster the energy to expose their flimsy lies.

Just one more week, and she could leave this place. She would get away from her pretentious mate and pup very soon.

Over the next few days, Caelum and Liam stayed by her bedside in the healer's quarters without leaving even for a moment. Perhaps they felt guilty about abandoning her.

However, Caelum's phone never stopped ringing. Calls came every day, yet he didn't answer any of them.

One day, his phone buzzed as a message came in. His eyes widened upon reading it, and his expression shifted.

Seconds later, he said apologetically, "Sera, something urgent happened in the pack. I need to deal with it."

Liam leaned in to glance at the screen.

A moment later, he said, "Mom, I have to go with Dad to handle this."

Seraphina noticed the subtle changes in their expressions.

Would a young pup like Liam need to be involved in any of the pack's affairs? Of course not.

Obviously, it could only be Rayna.

With a nod from her, Caelum and Liam rushed out immediately.

Seraphina got out of bed and followed them.

At the corner of the healer's quarters, she saw Rayna throw herself into Caelum's arms. She wept so pitifully that it was heartbreaking to look at her.

Nevertheless, Caelum's expression was grim as he pulled her hands off him.

He warned in a low voice, "What are you doing here? I already told you that Sera hasn't fully recovered. You must stay in your quarters for now. Don't show yourself in front of her."

At that, Rayna cried even harder. She threw herself into his arms again and clutched his waist tightly.

She wailed miserably, "I just missed you both too much. It's been ten days since I last saw you. You promised you'd spend at least two hours with me every day."

Liam panicked at her tears and quickly explained, "Rayna, Dad and I missed you too, but Mom's still recovering. We have to stay with her. Dad, hurry and comfort Rayna!"

Feeling the wetness soaking through his chest and hearing Liam's urging, Caelum sighed.

His expression softened as he comforted her. "Don't cry. When you cry, I feel sad. I'll spend the next two days with you, okay?"

Rayna's tears stopped instantly. "Really?"

After Caelum gave her his assurance, she broke into a bright smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and her eyes were brimming with tender affection.

Caelum's gaze darkened, and his Adam's apple bobbed. In the next second, he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her deeply.

Their kiss was passionate and lingering, occasionally punctuated by wet, smacking sounds. It was as if they were pouring ten days of longing into that one kiss.

Liam covered his eyes and turned away.

He teased, "Dad and Rayna are being naughty!"

Seraphina walked back to her room like an empty husk whose soul had left its body. Tears slipped silently down her face, soaking the pillow as she bit her lip to stop herself from sobbing aloud.

She reminded herself over and over again that she would be leaving soon. This would be the last time she would shed tears for Caelum and Liam.

Chapter 6

The extended period of neglect by Caelum made Rayna feel threatened, so she revealed her true colors.

Early the next morning, Seraphina saw message after taunting message Rayna had sent the previous night through a maid upon waking up.

"Seraphina, I know you saw everything. So? How does it feel watching your mate kiss another she-wolf while your pup helps cover for him?"

"Caelum loves it when I cry. He says my tears give him a special kind of satisfaction, especially in bed."

"Every time I cry, he gets rougher in bed. My voice becomes hoarse from sobbing so much, but he still won't stop. He says he wishes he could be with me 24 hours a day. He's never treated you like that, has he?"

"Even your pup likes being with me. He says he feels relaxed around me. Once, he thought I was asleep and called me Mom."

"You're a complete failure as a Luna."

Staring at the barrage of provocations, Seraphina forced down the storm of emotions inside her and calmly took screenshots of everything.

Only three days remained before she would leave this world. This would be part of her final gift to Caelum and Liam.

That morning, she requested to be discharged from the healer's sanctuary. The healer informed Caelum, and soon she received a call from him.

His tone was apologetic as he said, "I'm busy with pack affairs right now, so I can't leave. I'll have someone take you home. I'll take care of Liam. Rest well at home."

She knew they were with Rayna. So, she just said a perfunctory "okay" and hung up.

Three days before her departure from this world, Seraphina returned to their mansion. She instructed the maids to gather all her belongings and burn them.

A maid asked in confusion, "Luna Seraphina, are you replacing them with new ones?"

She nodded and answered, "Yes."

They didn't know that not only the belongings would be replaced, but the lady of the house as well.

Two days before departure, Seraphina opened the secret chamber that only she, Caelum, and Liam could enter.

Various hunting trophies accumulated over the last ten years hung densely on the walls. There were also the family tapestries made each year since Liam's birth.

Over ten years, the people captured in those tapestries went from being youthful to looking mature and serious. In the beginning, there were only two people. Then, it became three.

But now, one face would disappear.

Seraphina retrieved a ceremonial dagger and spent the entire day cutting her own likeness out of every tapestry, leaving only Caelum and Liam behind.

Then, she retrieved the bloodstone from their mate-bonding ceremony that Caelum had solemnly locked in the safe five years ago. Upon opening the stone, she was surprised to find the vow he had written for the ceremony tucked inside.

He had written, "Sera, you are my entire world. Thanks to you, my world is filled with light again. I will love you and protect you forever. I believe we will grow old together. We'll love each other for the rest of our lives."

Seraphina read each line slowly.

The piece of paper held 19-year-old Caelum's deep, youthful devotion.

When she reached the end, she smiled in silence as moisture pooled in the corners of her eyes.

She placed the vow back beside the bloodstone and carried both, along with the pieces of tapestry she had cut, into the garden. There, she lit them all on fire.

Wordlessly, she watched as the tapestries and the bloodstone turned into a handful of ash.

One day before departure, Seraphina printed out the screenshots of Rayna's messages and the photos she sent over the past few days.

There were photos of Caelum shirtless and holding Rayna, whose neck was covered in kiss marks. In some photos, Liam leaned against Rayna, gazing at her with admiration, as she read him a bedtime story. Some even showed the three of them wearing matching cartoon headbands at an amusement park.

Seraphina thought her heart would break all over again. But when she looked at the photos, all she felt was calm.

She placed every printed photo into a folder. Then, she removed the ring symbolizing her status as Luna and put it inside as well.

On the day she was set to leave, it happened to be the seventh anniversary of her becoming Caelum's mate.

Caelum and Liam, whom she hadn't seen in days, returned early that morning.

Caelum was holding a heart-shaped cake. "Sera, the pack affairs have kept me busy lately. I'm sorry about that. Today is our mate-bonding anniversary. Liam and I won't go anywhere. We'll spend the whole day with you."

Liam raised his little fist and vowed, "Mom, I swear Dad has been busy with pack work every day. And I never forgot my duty to help you keep an eye on him!"

Seraphina looked impassively at the two of them as they enthusiastically made all those fake promises.

She asked softly, "Are you tired?"

They were running back and forth between her and Rayna while pretending to be the devoted mate and pup in front of her. Weren't they exhausted?

Chapter 7

Caelum and Liam answered in unison, "We're not tired at all!"

Liam held her hand. His eyes were sparkling. "It's something I'm doing for you. I could never be tired, Mom."

Caelum gently pinched her cheek with affection. "Sera, no matter how busy or exhausting pack affairs are, the moment I see you, all my fatigue disappears. Besides, today is our anniversary. We celebrate it every year. No matter how busy I am, I'll still come back."

Seraphina simply smiled and said nothing more.

Caelum set down the cake and immediately went to the kitchen. He had given all the maids the day off and planned to personally cook several of her favorite dishes for their anniversary.

Liam refused to be outdone. He pulled over a small stool. Then, he began to cut some fruit to make juice.

They busied themselves the whole morning. By the time all the dishes were finally placed on the table, it was already afternoon.

Caelum lit the candle shaped like a seven. He held her hand with eyes filled to the brim with love.

He said appreciatively, "Sera, if you hadn't stayed by my side back then…"

Liam clapped enthusiastically beside them. "Wow! This is so romantic, Mom and Dad!"

Then, Caelum's shrill ringtone shattered the warm atmosphere.

Seraphina retracted her hand and handed him the phone. The name Rayna flashed repeatedly on the screen.

Caelum smiled and said he wouldn't answer anyone's calls today, but Seraphina still insisted on giving it to him. When he saw the name, he hesitated for a brief second before finally picking up.

"Sera, it's my assistant. I'm worried there's a pack emergency. Give me a moment," he said.

With that, he stepped aside to take the call. And when he returned, he wore the familiar and predictable apologetic expression.

"Sera, I'm sorry. Something urgent happened in the pack. I have to go," Caelum said.

Liam didn't know what the caller had said, but he had seen Rayna's name on the screen. So, he jumped off his chair and ran to Caelum.

"Mom, I want to go too! I can help you supervise Dad so he finishes faster and comes home sooner!" Liam made up an excuse.

As she looked at the pair who were secretly eager to leave, Seraphina nodded lightly.

"Go on, then."

Caelum let out a silent breath of relief. He picked Liam up, and the two kissed her on each cheek.

"Wait for us to come back," he said.

"See you soon, Mom!" Liam chirped.

They hurried out the door and didn't even notice Seraphina's odd silence.

Caelum and Liam had no idea that this would be the last time the three of them would ever be together.

Once Seraphina saw that Caelum's car was out of sight from the window, she threw the burnt-out candle and the cake into the trash. She then went to the bedroom, picked up the prepared folder, and stepped out of the mansion.

Chapter 8

Ten years ago, Seraphina had first met Caelum at a sanatorium on the outskirts of the city.

The sanatorium had long since become abandoned. Creeping ivy covered the desolate building.

Seraphina followed the route engraved in her memory. She would take a few steps and stop along the way. Various memories of her time with Caelum flashed through her mind.

When they first met, Caelum ignored her existence completely. Gradually, he grew used to her presence. Then, at long last, there came the moment he held her tightly in a torrential downpour and refused to let go.

Seraphina stopped beneath the large oak tree in the garden at the back. The tree that had been lush a decade ago still stood tall and vigorous now.

Her fingers brushed the trunk where two names were carved. By now, they had faded so much that they were almost invisible. In her mind, she saw again that nervous young man who had a stubborn look in his eyes that was full of love for her.

He had said that he would only ever love her in this lifetime. He had also said that he wouldn't let her leave him and that they would be together forever.

After that, he had carved their names carefully on the tree trunk with an intensely serious expression.

However, as time went by, he split his heart into two. Half of it still belonged to her, but the other half had gone to another she-wolf. His so-called "forever" lasted no longer than ten years.

The 19-year-old Caelum would never know that his 29-year-old self would lose Seraphina forever.

Seraphina dug a small hole bit by bit using a stone. She placed the folder she brought inside and covered it carefully with soil.

With that done, she used her transmission crystal to send Caelum one last message.

He answered almost immediately. His voice was as gentle as ever. "Sera, what's wrong? Do you need something?"

She looked at the oak tree and asked softly, "Do you still remember the oak tree at the sanatorium?"

Caelum had a smile on his face when he responded, "Of course. I remember confessing my love to you under that tree. Time really flies. It's been almost ten years since then."

Seraphina smiled as well. "Good. I buried a gift for you and Liam under that tree. Don't forget to come get it."

"Liam heard what you said and got all excited. I'm looking forward to it too. Once we're done with the pack matters, we'll go get it. Tonight, the three of us can look at it together at home," Caelum said.

Seraphina didn't respond and simply ended the call.

There would never again be the three of them. She knew they would not return home that night.

And she would never return.

From this moment on, the Blackwood pack would no longer have a Luna named Seraphina.

At long last, she heard the Will of the Moon Goddess, who had been silent all the while, speak to her telepathically. "My child, preparations for the separation ritual have been done. Are you sure you want to leave?"

"Yes," Seraphina whispered.

The moment the word left her lips, a blinding column of moonlight descended from the sky and formed a glowing sky corridor. A fierce wind rose, shaking the oak tree and sending its leaves swirling through the air.

Without a moment's hesitation, Seraphina stepped into the light.

She thought solemnly, "Caelum and Liam, we shall never meet again."