The Omega Who Chased a Heartmark

"Aurelia, we made a terrible error. The one who received your mate's heart during the HeartRite transplant was not Alpha Kael of the Blackthorn Pack. It was someone else entirely, and that wolf now resides in Harbor Territory."

The voice crackling through the communication crystal was heavy with regret. I stood motionless for what felt like an eternity, long enough that I could almost sense the nervous breathing seeping through from the other side, before I finally managed to speak.

"I understand."

The instant my fingers released the crystal and severed the connection, the door to my chambers burst open with violent force.

Kael stormed in, his normally composed features twisted with barely contained alarm. He seized my wrist and hauled me toward the entrance without pause.

"You're coming with me. Now."

He offered no explanation whatsoever, simply forced me into the sleek black vehicle waiting outside. The car tore through the territory roads, ignoring every boundary marker and speed restriction, until the only sounds filling my ears were the furious growl of the engine and the wind shrieking past the windows.

His claws tapped against the steering wheel in a relentless rhythm, the sharp, staccato clicks exposing his inner turmoil without mercy. In all our time together, I had never witnessed him so undone, so perilously close to letting his wolf break free.

Only one shewolf possessed the power to unravel him this completely.

Within minutes, the vehicle lurched to a sudden halt. When I climbed out, I found myself standing before the Healer's Lodge.

After speaking with the attendants, I discovered the reason for his panic. His childhood companion, his precious moonlit obsession Lyra Frostvein, had been caught in a roadside ambush and desperately required a blood transfusion. As fate would have it, my blood matched his perfectly.

Seeing that I had arrived, the healer's assistant, equally frantic, gripped my arm and attempted to guide me toward the blood offering chamber.

But in that moment, I stopped and turned to face Kael directly.

"I will give my blood willingly, but first you must answer one question for me."

Irritation flashed across his sharp features. He clearly assumed I intended to interrogate him about Lyra.

"Whatever exists between Lyra and myself can be discussed afterward."

I shook my head slowly.

"That is not what I wish to know."

The truth was, his bond with Lyra held no interest for me.

Because the wolf I loved had never been him.

Throughout my entire existence, my heart had belonged to only one.

1.

The voice from the communication crystal was thick with apology. I remained frozen in silence for so long that the anxious breathing on the other end seemed ready to spill into the room before I finally found my voice.

At the precise instant I released the crystal, the door was thrown open.

Kael rushed in with panic carved into every line of his face. He grabbed my hand and pulled me forcefully toward the exit.

"You're coming with me."

He gave no explanation, only dragged me into the waiting vehicle. The car raced through the territory, disregarding every boundary and protocol, until nothing remained in my awareness except the howling wind and the roaring engine.

His claws clicked against the steering wheel without pause, the rapid, sharp sounds betraying his agitation completely.

My thoughts drifted, my mind wandering unbidden through everything that had transpired between us since our first encounter.

Back then, in my desperate pursuit of him, I had exhausted every strategy I possessed, clinging to him without shame until I finally secured our mating arrangement. Yet whether it was the formal bonding ceremony, the exchange of matemarks, or even our first night together, he remained cold and detached, as though none of it concerned him in the slightest.

He had never lost his composure like this before.

The only shewolf capable of drawing such raw emotion from him could only be that one.

Minutes later, the car jerked to a stop. When I stepped outside, I realized he had brought me to the Healer's Lodge.

After making inquiries, I learned what had happened. His childhood companion, his treasured moonlit obsession Lyra Frostvein, had been attacked in an ambush and urgently needed blood. By some twist of fate, my blood type matched his exactly.

Seeing that I had arrived, the healer's assistant, equally distressed, seized my arm and tried to lead me toward the blood offering chamber.

But at that moment, I halted and turned to look at Kael.

"I will give my blood, but you must answer one question first."

Impatience colored his tone, and he assumed without hesitation that I meant to ask about Lyra.

"My connection to Lyra can be explained later."

I shook my head.

In truth, his relationship with Lyra meant nothing to me.

In my entire life, I had given my heart to only one.

That wolf died during a multipack pursuit while shielding me from harm.

After his death, his heart was offered in accordance with his final HeartRite vow. And I, desperate to remain near the heartbeat of the one I loved, searched relentlessly until I found the supposed recipient of that heart—the Alpha heir of the Blackthorn Pack, Kael.

From that day forward, I began pursuing him with singleminded devotion.

Everyone knew that I loved him to the point of disgrace. I became a wellknown jest among the elite packs, a pathetic omega chasing an alpha who would never want her, yet I never cared what they whispered.

Later, I discovered that he harbored feelings for a childhood companion, a moonlit shewolf he could never release from his heart.

She was a favored daughter of a noble bloodline, and so was he.

Everyone declared them perfectly matched, fated to bond.

He wanted her, but when he prepared to declare his claiming intent, she cut him short with a single phrase, insisting they remain packmates and nothing more.

After that, she departed for distant territories, taking one lover after another.

Yet he never abandoned hope. He waited for her to change her mind, rejecting every other shewolf for her sake, including me, who pursued him with everything I had.

It was not until one evening, when he glimpsed an image of her scentmarking another male on the territory networks, that he agreed to my courtship in a surge of bitter anger and accepted our mating bond.

I pulled my wandering thoughts back to the present and looked at him, speaking slowly and deliberately, each word measured.

"Four years ago, you underwent a HeartRite transplant. What was the donor's bloodline name?"

He appeared visibly startled, clearly unable to comprehend why I would pose such a question.

But perhaps because his worry for Lyra consumed him, he still answered.

"I only know that the bloodline name was Reed."

Reed.

A name completely different from Soren Ashenvale.

So it truly had been my mistake all along.

"I understand. Thank you."

I nodded and asked nothing further, turning to follow the healer's assistant into the blood offering chamber.

Yet for some reason, the moment I crossed the threshold, I could feel his gaze burning into my back with unusual intensity.

His voice reached me from behind, carrying a trace of alarm even he himself seemed unaware of.

"Why would you ask such a thing?"

My expression remained unchanged, as though I were merely confirming some trivial detail.

"Just to be certain."

Certain that I no longer wanted him.

The needle pierced my vein, and crimson blood flowed steadily through the tube into the collection vessel.

As I gave my blood, I retrieved my communication crystal with my free hand and sent a message to my pack liaison who handled legal matters.

"Please prepare a bond rejection agreement for me. I wish to dissolve the mating."

After the blood offering, my body felt hollow and unstable. When I emerged from the healer's chamber, one hand pressed against the stone wall for support, I saw Kael standing beside Lyra, who had just been carried out from the emergency treatment room.

His fingers were wrapped tightly around hers, his head bent low as he murmured words too soft for my ears to catch. His expression was gentle, his gaze lingering on her face with a tenderness I had never witnessed directed at me.

From the moment I had arrived until now, he never once thought to ask how I, his bonded mate, was faring. Whether my body felt weak. Whether I needed anything at all. And naturally, he did not notice when I slipped away and returned to the den alone.

Once I reached the estate, I went straight to the kitchen wing.

I had always suffered from weak blood, and after giving so much today, my face remained deathly pale. My reflection in the polished copper pans looked more ghost than wolf.

I wanted to prepare a simple bowl of plain congee to settle my trembling limbs, but the moment I finished cooking and poured it into a ceramic bowl, my grip simply gave out. The bowl slipped from my fingers with a sharp crack and shattered across the floor.

In that moment, I—who had endured years of mockery and humiliation without ever letting my composure break—felt my eyes burn with unexpected heat.

A whisper escaped my lips before I could stop it.

"Soren, without you beside me, I cannot seem to do anything right."

The white congee spread slowly across the stone floor, creeping toward my bare feet.

I lifted my head and stared at that pale spill, and memories rose unbidden from the depths where I had tried to bury them.

Once, I had possessed the most devoted mate in all the territories.

Once, my mate had still been alive.

My stomach had always been delicate. Whenever I ate anything too rich or harsh, the pain would leave me curled in on myself, whimpering.

Soren had always been so careful with me. He would prepare a steaming bowl of plain congee, then blow on each spoonful until it reached the perfect temperature before lifting it to my lips.

Sometimes I would act spoiled on purpose, and he would curl his body around mine, pressing his warm palms against my stomach, telling me that his touch would chase the pain away.

When my moods turned dark and everything seemed unbearable, he would sit quietly at my side. He would play simple games with me, talk softly about nothing important, and stay close until my restless spirit finally settled.

I crouched down and began gathering the broken pieces one by one.

A sudden sharp sting lanced through my fingertip.

I looked down and saw that a ceramic shard had sliced my skin open. Blood welled up, bright against my pale flesh.

I did not know whether it was the pain or something else entirely, but tears began falling, drop by drop, onto the cold floor.

"How did I not realize sooner?"

"You loved me so completely, yet Kael has always been cold and distant. That heart never once beat with passion for me."

I threw all the broken shards into the waste bin and let out a soft, hollow laugh.

"But it does not matter anymore."

"We will find each other again very soon."

The following day, Kael still did not return to the den.

After washing and dressing, I left to meet with the bonddissolution counsel.

When we sat across from each other at the heavy oak desk, a prepared rejection agreement lay before me.

The counsel explained that as long as both bonded mates signed the document and observed a onemoon cooling period, the bond rejection could be finalized.

Hearing this, I thought of how Kael had not even bothered to come home today. I asked,

"Can I sign on his behalf?"

The counsel shook his head immediately, stating that such a thing was absolutely forbidden under pack law.

Seeing how firm his stance was, I hurried to explain that my bonded mate also wished for this separation but simply had no time to appear in person. I assured him I was only signing as proxy, and if he doubted me, I could contact Kael on the spot.

As I spoke, I pulled out my communication device, found Kael's contact, and initiated the call.

After a long stretch of waiting tones, he finally answered.

I did not bother with any greeting and spoke directly.

"There is something I need to discuss with you."

Before I could finish, he cut me off.

His voice was cool and flat, stripped of any warmth.

"I do not have time. Handle it yourself. There is no need for discussion."

As his words faded, I caught another voice through the connection.

I recognized it instantly. Lyra's voice, carrying a hint of playful complaint.

"Kael, this tonic smells so bitter. Must I really drink it?"

Before the call ended, I caught the edge of Kael's reply.

His voice was so gentle it felt like hearing a stranger speak.

"You must. If you do not take your medicine, how will you recover quickly?"

I lifted my head and looked at the counsel.

He had clearly heard the other party's indifference as well. After a moment of hesitation, he finally compromised and nodded his agreement to allow a proxy signature.

After receiving his consent, I quietly released a breath of relief and signed Kael's name on the bond rejection agreement.

After leaving the counsel's chambers, I tapped my device lightly and booked passage to Harbor Territory scheduled for one moon from now.

Kael did not return to the den until a full week had passed.

He arrived late in the night, exhausted and carrying the cold scent of distant territories as he entered our sleeping chamber.

I was half lost in dreams and showed little reaction to his presence.

It was not until the bedding beside me shifted under his weight and a pair of arms wrapped around my waist with familiar ease that I fully woke.

I reached out and pushed him away, shifting toward the far edge of the bed.

Rejected for the first time, he went still. A frown creased his brow.

"Do you not need to listen to my heartbeat every night to fall asleep?"

In our three years of bonded life, I had rarely asked anything of him.

Even so, this was the only request he had ever granted.

Back then, when we had first completed our mating bond, he had given me nothing beyond the bondmark itself.

But I had not cared.

Afterward, I would simply press myself gently against his chest, resting my ear over his heart.

He had once asked me why I liked lying against him that way.

I had lifted my head and looked at him under the silver moonlight, my eyes filled with what I believed was love.

"Because I like listening to your heartbeat."

"Can I always fall asleep to the sound of your heart from now on?"

Perhaps the emotion in my eyes that night had been too intense for him to refuse.

Against all reason, he had agreed.

That habit had continued until now.

Whenever he was present, I would instinctively move closer and rest my head over his heart, letting the steady rhythm lull me to sleep.

But at this moment, after a brief pause, I shook my head.

"There is no need anymore."

I shifted beneath the furs and turned my back to him.

As Kael watched my curled form bathed in pale moonlight, something unfamiliar stirred within his chest.

This marked the first time I had not sought his warmth so completely.

He held no affection for me—that much was certain. Now that I no longer pressed myself against him, seeking comfort in his presence, he should have felt nothing but relief.

Yet in this moment, he could not summon even a trace of satisfaction. Instead, a hollow ache settled where his heart beat with another's gift.

It was merely habit, he reasoned. The habit of having me curl against him, of receiving my devoted attention without question.

That was how he soothed his restless wolf.

The following day, I rose far later than usual.

When I had finished preparing myself and descended to the main hall of the den, I discovered that Kael had not yet departed. Surprise flickered through me, and the words left my lips before I could stop them.

"Are you not going to the Healer's Lodge to stay with Lyra today?"

Had I spoken thus in times past, his irritation would have been immediate.

But this time, a quiet relief seemed to pass through him.

So my strange behavior the previous night truly had been territorial jealousy over Lyra.

"Lyra is merely a packmate from my youth. She had only just returned to our territory when the roadside ambush occurred, so I watched over her recovery closely. The healers have already released her from their care."

He rarely offered explanations with such patience. After a brief pause, he continued.

"Did you not wish for me to take you to watch the sunset from the ridge before? I have neglected you these past days. As compensation, I will take you there today."

"There is no need."

Since I had already confirmed that I had mistaken the bearer of that heartecho and was preparing to sever our bond, I had no desire to accompany him in these hollow gestures. My refusal came without thought.

But he clearly believed his arrangement was perfectly reasonable and simply had a pack escort bring the carriage around.

After being guided into the vehicle alongside him, I said nothing more and merely sat in silence.

The carriage traveled toward the wild edges of our territory and soon reached its destination.

Just as we arrived at the high ridge, his communication crystal suddenly hummed with an incoming call.

He drew it out and answered. As the surface flickered past my vision, I clearly saw the name etched in light.

Lyra.

I did not know what words passed between them. After ending the connection, he hesitated only briefly before climbing back into the carriage.

Before departing, he left behind a single promise.

"I will return to collect you later."

That was what he said.

But I waited for a very long time.

I waited until the sun gradually sank beyond the treeline and the sunset bled away into darkness, yet he never returned.

There was no way to summon transport on the remote ridge. I did not reach out to ask whether he would still come back for me. I simply began walking down the mountain path alone.

The trail was steep and treacherous, and even though it was not a muddy track, by the time I reached the base of the ridge, raw blisters had formed on my feet.

I had just pulled out my communication crystal to arrange transport back to the estate when I received a message from one of Kael's associates within our social circle.

There is an urgent matter. Come to Moonhouse.

Most of his companions looked down upon me—the omega who had pursued him for two years before finally securing this arranged mating—and they rarely contacted me of their own accord.

So when I saw the message, I did not hesitate.

I arranged for transport and headed straight for the Moonhouse neutral den.

It was not that I was particularly worried about him.

I was simply concerned that something might have occurred during this time that could complicate the upcoming bond rejection.

Following the location they provided, I found the private chamber. Just as I pushed the heavy door open to enter, a rope suddenly appeared beneath my feet.

Caught off guard, I was tripped and fell hard to the stone floor, my forehead striking a nearby stool.

The sharp pain made my head spin.

Instinctively, I raised my hand to touch the wound and felt sticky warmth against my palm.

Everyone in the chamber witnessed my humiliation clearly, yet not a single one of them showed any intention of relenting.

The next moment, the door was sealed shut.

Immediately after, a basin of icy water was poured over my head.

The cold drenched me in an instant.

The biting chill spread down my spine like frozen claws.

"Look at this one like this. Does she not resemble a stray cur?"

"Ha! You speak true. That description fits perfectly."

Laughter erupted throughout the chamber, every word dripping with mockery and contempt.

The temperature wards were set high, and my soaked garments clung tightly to my trembling form.

A gust of cold air passed through, and I could not suppress a shiver.

Water dripped from my hair, blurring my vision.

When I fully understood that this was nothing more than a cruel game, my expression did not change in the slightest.

Amid their laughter, I calmly wiped my face.

Seeing that I showed no reaction, some grew bored, while others thought the entertainment was still not sufficient.

Soon, someone drew out a scrying glass and projected an image.

"Listen well, little lapdog. We summoned you here tonight to ensure you understand that Kael's true intended has returned."

I lifted my head just as the vision appeared on the surface.

It seemed to show another chamber.

Kael was halfcrouched before Lyra, gently rubbing her ankle, his brows and eyes filled with a tenderness I had never once witnessed directed at me.

"Did you see clearly?"

"Today, Kael abandoned you on that ridge just to host a welcome feast for Lyra."

"She only twisted her ankle slightly, and he immediately grew so distressed that he carried her away himself."

"Have you ever enjoyed such treatment in all these years?"

"Know your place and step aside willingly. Do not cling to a position that was never meant for you, or one day you will be cast out from the pack, and that will be far more shameful."

They still refused to relent.

Bracing myself against the cold stone floor, I slowly rose to my feet, doing my best to ignore the pain radiating from my blistered soles.

When I looked upon them again, my gaze had turned completely cold.

Yet my voice remained calm, without a ripple.

"Do not trouble yourselves."

"I will step aside."

"Because I do not want him either."

My voice carried no particular force, yet every wolf in the private den seemed to freeze where they stood, as if the moon itself had stopped in the sky.

At that moment, the heavy oak door behind me swung open once more.

Kael strode in from the corridor beyond.

When his gaze swept across the destruction scattered throughout the chamber, then settled on my drenched form, his brow furrowed immediately. His voice held an unmistakable edge of displeasure.

"What is the meaning of this."

No one had expected him to show anger on my account.

After a stretch of tense silence, someone finally managed a strained laugh and attempted to offer an explanation.

"Kael, we were merely having a bit of sport with Aurelia. No need to take it so seriously."

"You call this sport."

He refused to let the matter pass with such a flimsy excuse.

If anything, I found myself more startled than anyone else gathered in that moonlit room.

Throughout the years of our mating arrangement, his cold indifference toward me had given his packmates free reign to mock and belittle me openly. I had long since grown accustomed to such humiliation and deliberate cruelty.

Yet now, he was actually defending me.

"We simply thought that since the shewolf you've been longing for all these years has finally returned to the territory, we ought to help clear the path for her, so that…"

Someone tried to ease the tension, their awkward laughter trailing off.

Before the words could fully form, Kael cut them short with a sharp growl.

"Enough."

Ignoring the stunned expressions around him, he reached out with a darkened expression, seized my wrist, and turned to leave.

But in the very next heartbeat, his steps faltered.

Lyra walked in from outside.

Seeing that he was about to depart, displeasure immediately crossed her delicate features.

"Kael, the game is only half finished. We haven't even begun to truly enjoy ourselves."

"I've only just returned to the territory. We've finally gathered together, and already you wish to leave?"

The moment she finished speaking, his previously firm resolve visibly wavered.

He turned to look at me, his tone softening just slightly.

"Aurelia, can you manage a while longer?"

I lowered my head and let out a quiet, hollow laugh.

In my current state, anyone with working eyes could see that my clothes were thoroughly soaked, and blood still trickled slowly down my forehead.

Yet he was asking me whether I could manage.

By this point, I truly had no strength remaining to argue over anything.

"Go ahead and continue your game."

The moment those words left my lips, it was as though he had finally received the permission he sought. He released a clear sigh of relief.

The others quickly moved to smooth things over, pulling him back down onto the cushioned bench.

The game resumed.

They continued with the same round of Truth they had been playing earlier.

In the first round, Kael lost.

"Kael, how old were you when you first felt the pull of attraction?"

Someone's gaze flickered back and forth between Lyra and me.

And just as everyone anticipated, he gave an answer that satisfied them all.

"Fifteen."

He spoke it calmly.

When I heard that number, a detail from the information I had gathered surfaced in my mind.

The year Lyra's family established their den adjacent to Blackthorn territory, he had been exactly fifteen.

It seemed his luck truly was poor tonight. In the following two rounds, he lost again.

The questions grew increasingly intimate.

"How old were you when you first dreamed of a mate?"

"Seventeen."

"And whose scent filled that dream?"

The moment the final question was posed, the teasing howls and cheers grew louder and louder.

This time, he fell silent.

Just as he was about to choose the punishment and drink from his cup, someone pressed down on his hand.

"Kael, if you don't wish to speak the name aloud, simply give us a letter."

I sat quietly off to the side and watched as he finally released his grip on the glass.

Then, in a low voice, he uttered a single letter.

"L."

L.

Lyra.

The answer was so obvious that not only I, but every wolf present understood it instantly.

The cheers grew even more raucous.

Lyra's cheeks flushed deeper and deeper.

Amid the noise, he finally lifted his head and, with a faint trace of satisfaction, looked toward where I sat not far away.

"Aurelia, isn't it tiresome sitting there alone? Come join us."

I did not refuse.

I rose to my feet and walked over.

The cards were reshuffled, and the game continued.

Soon enough, fortune shifted.

This round, the one who lost was me.

I casually drew a card from the scattered deck and turned it over.

On it was a single question.

Is the one you love most present in this room right now?

"That's far too simple."

"Indeed, everyone knows Aurelia has always been devoted to our Kael."

Voices of protest rose from all around.

Yet under the weight of every gaze upon me, I slowly shook my head.

"No. He is not here."

The moment those two words left my mouth, the council chamber erupted into chaos. Every wolf present stared at me with wide eyes, their shock rippling through the air like a physical thing. Even Kael, who had always appeared indifferent to me in everyone's eyes, darkened visibly. His jaw tightened, and I caught the faint glow of amber bleeding into his irises.

The atmosphere remained stiff for a long time before someone finally forced a nervous laugh and tried to change the subject. But after what had just happened, no one had the mood to keep the gathering going. The pack elders exchanged uneasy glances, and the evening ended hastily, wolves dispersing with murmured excuses.

He did not say a word on the way back to the estate. He looked as though he had not taken the incident to heart, yet the moment the carriage began moving through the darkened forest paths, I could feel his gaze fixed on me the entire time. His presence pressed against my senses, heavy and watchful.

"What did you mean by what you said just now?"

I looked at him and parted my lips, about to answer, but he spoke again before I could.

"Are you still angry because I left you behind when we were watching the moonrise?"

Only then did I realize that in his mind, I was still the omega who loved him to the point of losing all reason. He had never once considered the possibility that I might stop loving him. That was why he took it for granted that my words were nothing more than a petty act of anger, a small rebellion meant to draw his attention.

Since that was the case, I no longer felt like explaining.

He could think whatever he wanted.

When he saw that I did not respond, he took it as confirmation. The gloom between his brows eased slightly, and after a moment, he spoke again, his voice carrying that familiar tone of casual authority.

"The weather hasn't been very good lately. I'll take you to watch the moonrise another time."

I nodded perfunctorily in response. Only I knew that there would be no next time for us.

The carriage soon arrived at the Blackthorn estate.

After bathing and changing, he lay down beside me in our shared chambers and instinctively reached out to hold me, only to be pushed away once again.

"No need. I don't need to listen to a heartbeat anymore to fall asleep on my own."

This was the second time I had said this.

In the past, he probably would have felt relieved hearing it. Yet for some reason, this time, an inexplicable irritation rose in his chest. I could sense it through the faint traces of our incomplete bond—a flicker of something unsettled beneath his calm surface.

He did not want to hear such words again. He leaned down, intending to silence me with a claiming kiss, but just as he drew close, I turned my head aside.

With my eyes closed, exhaustion seeped into my voice.

"I'm tired. Let's sleep."

The proud and aloof Alpha of the Blackthorn Pack had always been the one others chased after and coaxed. Wolves vied for his favor, sought his approval. But tonight, after being rejected by me again and again, his expression immediately sank. He turned over, his back facing me, and did not say another word. The space between us on the bed felt vast as a frozen lake.

Early the next morning, he went to the central den to handle pack affairs.

My injuries had not yet healed, so I stayed home to rest. The claw marks on my arm still ached when I moved wrong, and the healers had ordered me to remain still.

Not long after the midday meal, my communication crystal suddenly hummed with an incoming call. It was a message from his pack liaison.

The moment I answered, an anxious voice came through the magical connection, saying that his heart was acting up—the old wound from the HeartRite transplant flaring with pain—the healing herbs at the den had run out, and asking whether I could bring some over.

This was not the first time.

In the past, they would not even need to remind me. I would have prepared the medicine in advance, keeping careful stock of every remedy he might need. Every time he felt unwell, I was more nervous than anyone else. Anyone could tell that I loved him to the point of losing all reason.

But this time, I listened quietly before speaking slowly.

"It's too far from the estate. He can obtain it himself."

There was a clear pause on the other end of the connection. The liaison sounded shocked and troubled, saying he did not know which remedies to procure, and mentioning that it had always been me who delivered them in the past.

Before he could finish, I interrupted him.

"That won't be happening anymore."

My voice was completely calm. I listed a few remedy names—moonwort extract, heartsbane tincture, the silverroot salve—then added,

"You're his pack liaison. From now on, these things are your responsibility."

The connection ended.

That evening, he returned to the estate. The moment he stepped inside and saw me sitting on the cushioned bench by the fire, calmly reading a bound volume of old territory records, his expression immediately turned unpleasant. His scent sharpened with displeasure, filling the room with the bitter edge of an alpha's irritation.

"My heart wasn't feeling well today. Didn't you know that?"

The familiar accusatory tone reached my ears, yet it failed to draw my gaze away from the pages before me.

I did not even lift my head, replying flatly.

"I knew."

He clearly had not expected that answer. Disbelief filled his face, his brows drawing together.

"You knew, and you still didn't come?"

"I told you already. It was too far."

He lowered his gaze and refused to meet my eyes again. His voice carried the same dismissive edge as if he were merely declining a meal he had no appetite for.

I remained standing beside the leather settee, staring at the crown of his dark hair, my emotions knotted in ways I could not untangle.

I had indeed changed.

In earlier days, even the smallest sign of discomfort from him—a headache, a restless night—would send me into a spiral of worry far deeper than his own. I would never have stood here so detached, treating him as though he were merely some stranger passing through my life.

He sensed the shift as well.

Perhaps he believed I still harbored resentment over the evening he had abandoned me beneath the fading sunset.

The thought barely formed before irritation flickered across his features. He pressed two fingers against his brow, forcing himself to set the matter aside, and spoke instead.

"Go change and make yourself presentable. There is a formal feast at the ancestral den tonight. You will accompany me."

At those words, I finally lifted my head to look at him.

But the surprise he anticipated never surfaced. What filled my eyes instead was unmistakable astonishment.

Three years of being bonded, and aside from the rushed signing of our mating contract, he had given me nothing.

No bonding ceremony. No introduction to the pack elders. The Blackthorn Pack held their monthly gatherings at the ancestral den without fail, yet he had never once permitted me to attend.

As for the reason, I only discovered it later.

I still remembered that year—our first bondmark anniversary. I had wanted to ask whether we should observe it together, but instead, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his parents through the partially open door.

On the other end, Matriarch Selene was saying that he had been mated for a full year now and asking when he intended to bring his mate home to meet the pack. The MoonJade heirloom was already prepared. The Ashenvale bloodline might not hold the highest standing, but if the bond could help him forget Lyra, it would be worth every concession.

Separated by oak and distance, the words were not entirely clear.

But his reply was cold beyond any concealment.

"It was an arrangement of convenience. There is no need for introductions."

Eight short words explained everything.

Matriarch Selene continued to press him, saying she had hoped the mating would help him release his attachment.

He answered simply.

"I tried. I cannot forget her scent."

The conversation ended amid a heavy sigh.

I quietly eased the door shut and slipped away, pretending I had heard nothing.

From that moment forward, I had already accepted that I would never set foot inside the Blackthorn ancestral den in this lifetime.

Yet now—after realizing I had given my heart to the wrong wolf, after I had already resolved to leave—he suddenly declared he wanted to bring me before his parents.

"Forget it."

I shook my head and declined softly.

This time, he finally lost his patience.

"What has gotten into you lately? No matter what I say, you refuse. You were never like this before."

By the end, his tone had grown noticeably sharp.

I fell silent for a moment. Thinking of my former self—the one who had obeyed his every word without question—I ultimately nodded and agreed to accompany him to the ancestral den.

The estate was not far from our territory quarters, and the carriage soon rolled to a stop.

The moment I stepped through the entrance, I spotted someone already seated inside through the tall glass panels.

Lyra Frostvein.

She was chatting warmly with Patriarch Alaric and Matriarch Selene. The Matriarch held a jadegreen pendant in her weathered hands, her expression full of open affection as she pressed it into Lyra's palm.

Seeing this, Kael's expression shifted slightly, and he explained in a low voice.

"The Frostvein bloodline has been allied with ours for generations. Lyra is always invited to pack gatherings."

As he spoke, he turned to gauge my reaction, only to find my expression perfectly calm—even carrying a faint trace of a smile at the corner of my lips.

"You do not need to explain."

He was clearly taken aback.

At that moment, Lyra approached and informed him that Patriarch Alaric and Matriarch Selene wished to speak with him privately in the warroom.

He nodded and moved to bring me along, but Lyra stopped him, saying only the Alpha heir was needed.

The instant his figure disappeared around the stone corridor, Lyra dangled the jade pendant before my face, her eyes bright with undisguised triumph.

"Do you know what this is? It is the Blackthorn MoonJade heirloom. The Matriarch just placed it in my hands herself."

"She even said that now I have returned, Kael's life is finally complete."

"After all these years, I only just understood. He has wanted me all along."

She watched me intently, searching for even the smallest trace of loss or pain across my features.

But my expression did not waver. My gaze never lingered on the pendant for even a heartbeat.

I waited until she finished speaking before replying calmly.

"You truly did not know?"

She froze.

I continued.

"You grew up together—childhood companions, your scents intertwined since you were pups. The way he looks at you is obvious to anyone with eyes."

"You really did not know?"

I deliberately stressed the word truly, fixing him with a heavy, unwavering gaze.

Lyra was clearly startled for a moment. A trace of panic flashed through his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. He even smiled.

"So what if I knew."

"Of course I knew Kael desired me."

"I just never agreed to accept his claim. I let him pine for me without hope, keep me in his thoughts at every waking moment, watch a socalled Alpha heir circle around me like a lovesick pup. That's interesting, isn't it."

"Besides me, who else could do something like that."

When he reached this point, his tone was full of smug satisfaction. His scent shifted, turning sharp with arrogance. After a pause, he added leisurely,

"But I also understand that nothing stays at its peak forever. So now I'm done playing. I plan to accept his mating claim."

"Guess what. If I tell him I'm willing to bond with him, do you think he'll reject your bond immediately and throw you away like discarded prey."

"Oh."

I responded flatly.

Those provocative words fell on my ears, yet they stirred no ripples in my heart at all.

I turned and walked away.

Being completely ignored, he flew into a rage. He suddenly reached out, trying to grab me.

I dodged quickly.

But in the next second, he ripped the matetoken necklace from around my neck.

He glanced at it, frowned deeply, his face full of disdain, then tossed it aside without a second thought.

"Such a worn out piece of junk. What even is this."

A faint sizzling sound followed.

I turned back, only to see the necklace fall straight into the fire basin used for outdoor feasts.

In that instant, my mind went completely blank.

There was no time to think.

I rushed over and, ignoring the burning charcoal inside the basin, plunged my hand straight into the flames.

"My lady."

A servant's scream rang in my ears, but it was already too late.

Even Lyra cried out in shock.

"Are you insane? It's just a worthless trinket."

I could barely feel the pain.

All I could think about was pulling the necklace out of the fire.

But the pendant had already been burned out of shape. The once bright surface was now covered in scorched black marks, unrecognizable from what it used to be.

Tears spilled uncontrollably.

I did not even bother to wipe them away.

This was the coming of age matetoken Soren had given me when I was eighteen.

And now, it was completely ruined.

I carefully put away the damaged necklace. Then I lifted my head and walked toward Lyra.

Before he could react, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.

The sharp sound exploded through the courtyard.

It was not enough.

I swung my hand again.

By the time the third slap landed, he was already dizzy, staring at me in disbelief.

The anger in my chest still had not subsided. I raised my hand again, about to strike him once more, when Kael suddenly rushed out and shoved me away.

"Have you lost your mind."

He was both shocked and furious, his Alpha pheromones spiking with rage. As soon as he said that, he immediately turned to check on Lyra.

He never looked back.

That shove sent me stumbling. I fell straight into the reflecting pool behind me.

"Help."

The pool was deep.

I could not swim.

The sudden plunge filled me with terror. I choked on several mouthfuls of water, my throat and nose burning with pain.

My consciousness began to sink.

Through the haze, I vaguely heard the servants shouting in panic.

"Alpha, the lady doesn't seem to know how to swim."

Kael stood at the edge of the pool.

I thought he would turn around.

But after a brief silence, he spoke coldly.

"No one is allowed to help."

"When she admits her mistake, then you can let her come up."

After saying that, he carefully supported Lyra and turned away.

No one entered the water.

Again and again, I sank, then struggled desperately to surface.

As my consciousness blurred, Soren's face suddenly appeared in my mind.

No.

I still had not met the person who truly received his heart through the HeartRite.

I could not die here.

In the end, relying on the last bit of strength I had left, I crawled out of the pool by myself.

The moment I left the water, my body finally gave out.

My vision went black, and I lost consciousness completely.