The Alpha's Dead Luna Engsub

Name: The Alpha's Dead Luna Engsub
Uploaded: 2026-04-26T01:56:32+00:00
Duration: 1 h 27 min 8 s
Channel: Shutter.Shifts
Description: The Alpha's Dead Luna Engsub

Shutter.Shifts

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00:00:00Five years into our marriage, it all turned out to be lies.

00:00:04My Alpha Cain had an affair with his mistress Beta the day before our mating ceremony.

00:00:09He assumed I, being a wolfless wretch, couldn't hear a thing, unaware that I had awakened, and could clearly perceive

00:00:17every betrayal we uttered.

00:00:20Luna, we've prepared the substitute blood and staged a fake death scene exactly as you requested.

00:00:26In ten days, your death will be revealed at mate ceremony.

00:00:29The voice on the other end finally took the edge off the anger I'd been holding back for far too

00:00:34long.

00:00:35Good.

00:00:36My voice came out low, a restrained edge of something feral beneath it.

00:00:41Rest assured, no one will question it. We'll simulate a death by silver. No wolf survives that kind of damage.

00:00:49Only then, did I let out a slow breath.

00:00:52After confirming the remaining details, I hung up, and pushed open the door, to the private room.

00:01:00The noise inside died the instant I stepped in.

00:01:03Every wolf there could catch the faint pine scent clinging to me.

00:01:07The unmistakable mate mark left by Alpha Cain.

00:01:12Cain, seated at the center, rose immediately.

00:01:16His long fingers closed around my hand, his eyes filled with concern.

00:01:21His voice dropped, rough with Alpha authority.

00:01:25My little wolf, where did you go?

00:01:28I can smell fear on you.

00:01:30He started to pull me away, but I caught the possessiveness in his gaze,

00:01:35and forced down the bitterness rising in my chest.

00:01:38I shook my head.

00:01:40I'm fine. Let's just keep going.

00:01:43Still holding my hand, Cain led me back to my seat.

00:01:47The room gradually came back to life, until someone spoke up.

00:01:51Cain, you and your wild cat are about to seal your mate bond.

00:01:56So what are you planning to do with your little beta pet?

00:01:58My nails dug into my palm.

00:02:01Being the useless one who couldn't shift,

00:02:04I'd long since gotten used to names like that.

00:02:07But I could still clearly smell another woman's scent, lingering on Cain.

00:02:15Someone beside the speaker nudged him.

00:02:18Hey, watch it. Your Luna's right here.

00:02:21He just shrugged, completely unconcerned.

00:02:24What's the problem?

00:02:26It's not like the useless one understands the werewolf kind language anyway.

00:02:30I'm just curious how Cain plans to deal with his little bitch.

00:02:34All eyes turned to Cain.

00:02:36A flicker of disdain passed through his gaze.

00:02:40I'll keep her.

00:02:41He peeled a shrimp and placed it into my bowl before continuing casually.

00:02:47She's just a pet I keep around.

00:02:49My only mate is Aria.

00:02:51He smirked faintly.

00:02:53But if my wild bot Aria ever found out the truth, she'd run.

00:02:57So I've kept it well hidden.

00:03:00Even after the mate bond.

00:03:02I won't let her find out.

00:03:05His gaze swept across the room, a surge of alpha pressure thickening the air.

00:03:10Watch your mouths.

00:03:11If anyone slips up in front of her, I'll tear you apart.

00:03:16These were all dominant alphas from the same circle.

00:03:19And none of this shocked them.

00:03:21If anything, they sounded amused.

00:03:24Cain's got it bad.

00:03:26Can't even let his little toy get exposed.

00:03:29Well, she can't shift.

00:03:30Figures she'd be fragile.

00:03:33Someone's eyes lit up.

00:03:35Curiosity getting the better of him.

00:03:37Cain, if Aria can't sense anything, then you and that beta pet, have you ever, you know, at home?

00:03:47Cain chuckled, idly spinning the ring on his finger.

00:03:51Of course.

00:03:53It's been wild.

00:03:56The room erupted into crude laughter and wolfish howls.

00:04:00Cain really knows how to play!

00:04:02Yeah!

00:04:03A useless one like that?

00:04:05Easy to fool.

00:04:07Bet the whole place is covered in your mess.

00:04:13Man, I'd love to see that wild cat's face when she finds out.

00:04:18Their laughter cut through the room, sharp and vicious.

00:04:23No one noticed how tightly I was gripping my silver fork.

00:04:27My knuckles had gone white.

00:04:29No one knew.

00:04:30Three days ago, I had my awakening.

00:04:35And no one knew that I had already decided to leave.

00:04:38I would never complete a mate bond with Cain.

00:04:43On the day of the ceremony, the only thing waiting for him would be a blood-soaked corpse.

00:04:49A fake one.

00:04:50Cain glanced at the man whose eyes were filled with nothing but carefully crafted concern and forced a faint smile.

00:05:07What were you all talking about that got you so excited?

00:05:11Cain smiled softly and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of my hand.

00:05:17They were just saying they envy, envy our bond.

00:05:20That will be the most devoted pair there is.

00:05:24Inside the private room, people exchanged knowing looks.

00:05:28I caught every single one of them.

00:05:30The mockery.

00:05:31The cruelty.

00:05:32It burned.

00:05:34My heart felt like it had been soaked in liquid silver.

00:05:38The pain sharp enough to cut through bone.

00:05:41They had been talking about him and that woman.

00:05:44Yet somehow twisted it into admiration for what we had.

00:05:48Cain, I never realized you could lie so easily.

00:05:53I set my silver fork down and stood.

00:05:56I didn't want to hear another word of it.

00:05:59The moment I moved to leave, Cain was on his feet.

00:06:02A flicker of panic crossing his face.

00:06:05Little wolf, what's wrong?

00:06:08I shook my head.

00:06:10My voice came out soft.

00:06:12Barely more than a breath.

00:06:14I'm tired.

00:06:16I want to go back to the pack house.

00:06:19I didn't wait for his response.

00:06:20I turned and walked out.

00:06:23Out on the street, I looked up and saw the massive LED screen across the road.

00:06:29A mating display was playing.

00:06:32Aria, be my mate.

00:06:34The words stretched across the center in bold, impossible-to-miss letters.

00:06:41People passing by slowed down, their voices full of envy.

00:06:48Oh my god.

00:06:49I heard Alpha Cain's girl can't shift, so he rented the biggest screen in the city just

00:06:53so she could clearly see the words, be my mate?

00:06:56That's insanely romantic.

00:06:59He treats that girl so well.

00:07:01After the mate bond, he's going to be the perfect Alpha.

00:07:05I stood there, the subject of their admiration, and let out a quiet, self-mocking smile.

00:07:13A week ago, I would have reacted the same way.

00:07:17I would have believed in Cain's love without question.

00:07:20I was born into a declining pack.

00:07:25From the moment I came into this world, I couldn't shift.

00:07:29Among the werewolf kind, that made me a disgrace.

00:07:33A failure.

00:07:35Cain entered my life under those circumstances.

00:07:38He claimed it was love at first sight and pursued me relentlessly.

00:07:43But I had seen this kind of attention before.

00:07:47Cruel games disguised as affection.

00:07:50So I avoided him.

00:07:5299 times he confessed.

00:07:5599 times I turned him down.

00:07:59Until the night the Silver Hunters attacked.

00:08:02He threw himself over me without hesitation.

00:08:05Even when Silver pierced straight through his shoulder blade, he didn't move.

00:08:10He held his position, shielding me with his body.

00:08:14When he woke up in the hospital, his condition was so weak he could barely maintain human form.

00:08:20And yet, the first thing he did when he saw me was reach out and gently touch my face.

00:08:27My little wolf, as long as you're safe.

00:08:31That was the moment everything changed.

00:08:33For the first time, I believed that even someone like me, someone who couldn't shift, could be worth risking everything

00:08:41for.

00:08:41The walls around my heart cracked open for him.

00:08:45The wound from the Silver never fully healed.

00:08:49It left behind a permanent circular scar.

00:08:52Every time I saw it, my heart would ache in a way that felt dangerously close to love.

00:08:59For five years, he never wavered.

00:09:02He treated me with the same devotion, the same care, as if I were the only one who mattered.

00:09:11Even when the pack opposed us, he stood his ground and asked me to be his mate.

00:09:17And for that upcoming ceremony, I wanted to give him something real.

00:09:22Something more.

00:09:24I risked my life to undergo blood awakening, just so I could truly experience his wild side during the mate

00:09:30ritual.

00:09:31If it failed, I would have died.

00:09:34But I survived.

00:09:36Not only that, I gained something rare.

00:09:40Empathic sense.

00:09:41I decided to keep it a secret.

00:09:44I wanted to surprise him on the day of the ceremony.

00:09:48But on the very day I awakened, everything fell apart.

00:09:53Through that new ability, I sensed him.

00:09:56Kane.

00:09:57Talking to his beta pet.

00:09:59Their voices were intimate, careless, filled with open flirtation.

00:10:04That was when I learned the truth.

00:10:07He had already betrayed our bond.

00:10:10For an entire year.

00:10:12And I had known nothing.

00:10:14A sharp pain twisted through my chest, forcing me to crouch down and wrap my arms around myself.

00:10:21His words from earlier echoed in my mind, over and over again.

00:10:26Even with the mate ceremony approaching, he had no intention of ending that relationship.

00:10:32Did he really think I was so worthless that he could deceive me forever?

00:10:37The winter wind cut through me, cold and merciless.

00:10:41But my mind had never been clearer.

00:10:44I would show Kane the truth.

00:10:46Lies don't last forever.

00:10:49And I would never forgive betrayal.

00:10:52I took a slow breath, forcing down the ache in my chest.

00:10:56Just as I was about to head back, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind.

00:11:03Kane's scent surrounded me at once, rich with cedar and thick with possessiveness.

00:11:08It pressed in from all sides, leaving no space to breathe.

00:11:13Little wolf, why didn't you wait for me?

00:11:15Are you in a bad mood today?

00:11:18Then let me take you to see your mate dress.

00:11:21The custom piece just arrived.

00:11:24He pulled me into his arms, his hands sliding up to the back of my neck,

00:11:28gently stroking the spot where his marking remained.

00:11:35I don't feel like going.

00:11:36Just pick it yourself.

00:11:39I would be gone on the day of the mate ceremony.

00:11:42There was no reason for me to wear a mate dress.

00:11:46Kane seemed to sense the distance in my tone.

00:11:49His voice softened, almost cautious.

00:11:53Little wolf,

00:11:54why does it feel like you're not excited about the mate bond at all?

00:11:58Do you not want to bond with me anymore?

00:12:01I looked at him, at the flicker of panic in his alpha eyes.

00:12:05I almost told him the truth.

00:12:08Yes, I don't want this anymore.

00:12:11You were the one who betrayed us first.

00:12:14You were the one who dragged our bond through the dirt.

00:12:17You were the one who destroyed any anticipation I had for that ceremony.

00:12:21And now you're asking me why?

00:12:24But I wasn't ready to expose everything.

00:12:27Not yet.

00:12:29At the dress boutique,

00:12:31the moment we stepped inside,

00:12:33an attendant drew back a curtain to reveal the mate dress prepared in advance.

00:12:38Miss,

00:12:39the gown Alpha Kane had blessed by the moon goddess has arrived.

00:12:42Please let us know if you'd like any alterations.

00:12:46The dress was pure white,

00:12:48flowing and luminous.

00:12:50Moonstones were set into the bodice,

00:12:53casting a soft, sacred glow.

00:12:56Kane wrapped an arm around my waist.

00:12:58My little wolf,

00:13:00do you like it?

00:13:01I couldn't deny it.

00:13:03The design was exactly my taste.

00:13:06But no matter how beautiful it was,

00:13:08it couldn't mend what had already been broken.

00:13:12Look closer,

00:13:13Kane said softly,

00:13:15at the center of the moonstone.

00:13:17I followed his gaze.

00:13:19Engraved deep within the gem were the letters.

00:13:22A and K,

00:13:24forever.

00:13:25The moon goddess is our witness.

00:13:28My love for you will last forever too.

00:13:31I stared at the stone,

00:13:33at the tiny letters carved into its heart.

00:13:36Then I turned to him and met his eyes,

00:13:40eyes filled with something that looked like love.

00:13:44Will your love for me really last forever?

00:13:49A flicker of unease crossed his face before he answered quickly.

00:13:53I, Kane, swear, swear that I will love Arya forever.

00:13:58For my entire life.

00:14:00If I break this oath,

00:14:02may the moon goddess strip me of my wolf spirit.

00:14:06Such a solemn vow.

00:14:08And yet,

00:14:09it couldn't warm a heart that had already gone cold.

00:14:13He had already broken it.

00:14:16And still,

00:14:17he kept acting.

00:14:19Didn't he get tired?

00:14:21I turned my face away,

00:14:23unwilling to look at him any longer.

00:14:26Kane seemed about to say something else,

00:14:28but his phone suddenly rang.

00:14:30His expression shifted,

00:14:31just slightly,

00:14:33before he stepped aside to answer.

00:14:35When he returned,

00:14:36there was a trace of apology on his face.

00:14:40Little wolf,

00:14:41something urgent just came up.

00:14:43Go ahead and try the dress.

00:14:44If anything needs adjusting,

00:14:46just tell the staff.

00:14:48He left in a hurry,

00:14:50not even waiting for a response.

00:14:52I watched his retreating figure,

00:14:55a bitter thought settling in.

00:14:58Kane had never walked away from me for pack business.

00:15:01And just before he left,

00:15:03I had caught it.

00:15:05That flicker in his eyes.

00:15:07Raw,

00:15:08instinctive desire.

00:15:11Work?

00:15:12Hardly.

00:15:14He was going to see her.

00:15:16When I returned to the pack house,

00:15:18I immediately felt it.

00:15:20The slight dip in the mattress.

00:15:23The air carried a cloying mix of vanilla

00:15:26and lingering scent,

00:15:27thick with unmistakable desire.

00:15:30The thought hit me all at once.

00:15:32Kane and that beta had been here,

00:15:35on this bed.

00:15:37Entwined.

00:15:37My stomach twisted violently.

00:15:40I rushed into the bathroom and threw up,

00:15:42unable to stop.

00:15:44Kane had just come back.

00:15:46The moment he saw me like that,

00:15:49panic flashed across his face.

00:15:51Little wolf,

00:15:52did you eat something bad?

00:15:53I'll call a healer right now.

00:15:57I grabbed his wrist,

00:15:59my eyes still red.

00:16:01I'm fine.

00:16:02I just

00:16:03thought of something disgusting.

00:16:06Kane dropped to his knees beside me,

00:16:09gently patting my back,

00:16:10his expression full of distress.

00:16:13Don't think about things like that.

00:16:15Seeing you like this,

00:16:17it hurts me too.

00:16:19I looked down at him,

00:16:21at the open collar of his shirt,

00:16:23and the marks on his skin.

00:16:26Bite marks,

00:16:27fresh,

00:16:27obvious.

00:16:29Another wave of nausea rose in my throat.

00:16:32How strong did Kane have to be

00:16:34to carry another woman's marks on his body

00:16:37and still look at me

00:16:38like I was the only one he cared about?

00:16:41His voice grew sharper,

00:16:43more agitated.

00:16:45Who did this to you?

00:16:47Who made maid?

00:16:49My little wolf like this.

00:16:51Tell me.

00:16:53I'll tear them apart.

00:16:55A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

00:16:59Kane,

00:16:59you're the one who did this to me.

00:17:03Sometime deep into the night,

00:17:04I woke to the sound of a low,

00:17:07restrained growl.

00:17:08Half asleep,

00:17:09I reached out,

00:17:11instinctively searching for the alpha beside me.

00:17:14But the bed was empty.

00:17:16I sat up and went downstairs.

00:17:18As I reached the second floor,

00:17:20I heard it.

00:17:22A woman's breathless voice.

00:17:25Soft,

00:17:26broken.

00:17:27I froze for a second,

00:17:28forcing down the sharp ache rising in my chest,

00:17:32then walked toward the guest room.

00:17:34The door was wide open.

00:17:36Moonlight spilled across the room,

00:17:38illuminating two bodies tangled together.

00:17:42Inside,

00:17:43Kane was bare from the waist up.

00:17:45The beta wore a strapless mermaid gown.

00:17:48The long skirt pushed up to her waist.

00:17:51Her pale legs were wrapped tightly around him.

00:17:54Her cheeks were flushed as she clung to his neck,

00:17:58her voice unsteady.

00:17:59Alpha,

00:18:00the dress I just got today,

00:18:03you already torn it.

00:18:05Kane let out a low chuckle,

00:18:07leaning in close to her ear,

00:18:09his voice rough.

00:18:09You wore it for me,

00:18:13didn't you?

00:18:15I even had the designer make one just for you.

00:18:18So tonight,

00:18:20shouldn't you be satisfying me?

00:18:22She clung to him,

00:18:24her voice breaking,

00:18:26hoarse.

00:18:27Alpha,

00:18:28I can't,

00:18:30I can't take ache anymore.

00:18:32Then,

00:18:33breathless,

00:18:34she tilted her head back.

00:18:36What if Aria sees us?

00:18:39Kane stilled,

00:18:40his expression turning cold as he cut her off.

00:18:43She's useless.

00:18:45She doesn't understand anything.

00:18:47Don't you dare tell her about us.

00:18:49The beta traced circles against his chest,

00:18:52her tone soft,

00:18:53almost hurt.

00:18:54I know,

00:18:55I just,

00:18:57she's about to become your mate,

00:18:59and I'll always have to stay hidden.

00:19:03It makes me sad.

00:19:06Kane's expression softened slightly.

00:19:08You jealous little thing.

00:19:11I already brought you into this house.

00:19:13Isn't that enough?

00:19:14Don't worry.

00:19:16Even after the mate bond,

00:19:18I won't leave you.

00:19:19Whatever area has,

00:19:21you'll have too.

00:19:23Moonlight lit up my face

00:19:25where I stood outside the door.

00:19:27I covered my mouth,

00:19:29but the tears were already falling,

00:19:31blurring everything.

00:19:33Every sound from inside the room

00:19:35pierced into me like silver blades,

00:19:38carving wound after wound into my chest.

00:19:41I turned and ran.

00:19:43Barefoot.

00:19:44Straight out into the rain.

00:19:46Cold water soaked through me,

00:19:49but I didn't stop.

00:19:50I just needed to get away.

00:19:52As far away as possible.

00:19:54Through the haze,

00:19:55I thought I saw him.

00:19:57A younger Kane.

00:19:59The one I had once loved.

00:20:02His eyes were clear,

00:20:04sincere,

00:20:05filled with something real.

00:20:08Little Wolf,

00:20:09leave him.

00:20:11Leave the man who doesn't love you anymore.

00:20:13And never forgive him.

00:20:15My vision burned

00:20:17as I looked at that memory.

00:20:19At the Alpha,

00:20:21I had once given my heart to.

00:20:23Okay.

00:20:24I whispered.

00:20:26I will leave you.

00:20:29And I will never forgive you.

00:20:32I didn't make it back until dawn.

00:20:35The moment I lay down,

00:20:37Kane slipped quietly into the room.

00:20:39He moved carefully,

00:20:41just like always,

00:20:42pulling the blanket over me

00:20:43before drawing me into his arms.

00:20:45His lips brushed softly

00:20:47against my forehead.

00:20:49Little Wolf,

00:20:50I really do love you.

00:20:53In three days,

00:20:54you'll become my mate.

00:20:56We'll be together forever.

00:20:59I once saw a line online.

00:21:01When an Alpha suddenly becomes gentle,

00:21:05it is usually guilt after betrayal.

00:21:08I never understood it before.

00:21:10Now I did.

00:21:12More than anything,

00:21:13I just wanted time to move faster.

00:21:15I wanted the day I left to come sooner.

00:21:18When I woke up,

00:21:20Kane and the Beta were already downstairs

00:21:22having breakfast.

00:21:23The moment he saw me,

00:21:25Kane stood

00:21:26and pulled out a chair for me.

00:21:29He watched as I calmly finished my meal.

00:21:32Then guilt flickered across his face.

00:21:36Little Wolf,

00:21:38I have to leave for a few days on short notice.

00:21:40For the mate ceremony,

00:21:42just work with the planner.

00:21:43I'll be back as soon as I can.

00:21:45After the ceremony,

00:21:46I'll make it up to you.

00:21:47Wherever you want to go for our honeymoon,

00:21:49I'll take you.

00:21:50I already knew the truth.

00:21:52This wasn't a trip.

00:21:54He was going to take care of her.

00:21:55But I didn't care anymore.

00:21:58I simply nodded.

00:22:01Just before he walked out the door,

00:22:03I called his name one last time.

00:22:05Kane.

00:22:06He paused,

00:22:08then turned back,

00:22:09his expression softening

00:22:11as he reached out to cut my face.

00:22:13Can't bear to see me go, Little Wolf.

00:22:15It's only a few days.

00:22:18Once we complete the mate bond,

00:22:19you'll see me every day.

00:22:21Kane!

00:22:22From outside,

00:22:23the beta called out to him.

00:22:25Kane leaned in,

00:22:26kissed my cheek,

00:22:27and left in a hurry.

00:22:29I stood there,

00:22:30watching his retreating figure.

00:22:33This was probably the last time

00:22:35I would ever see him.

00:22:38Not long after Kane and the beta left,

00:22:41I received a message from her.

00:22:43Miss Aria,

00:22:44you sensed everything last night,

00:22:46didn't you?

00:22:46I didn't expect you to be this good

00:22:48at holding it in.

00:22:49Kane already promised to spend

00:22:51the next few days with me.

00:22:53Imagine that,

00:22:54your future mate staying with another wolf

00:22:56right before your ceremony.

00:22:58You might be the most pathetic woman

00:23:00in the world.

00:23:02I didn't reply.

00:23:04Instead,

00:23:05I told the servants to gather

00:23:06everything in the villa that belonged to me

00:23:09and pile it in the backyard.

00:23:12Once everything was brought out,

00:23:14I lit a fire.

00:23:15I stood there in silence,

00:23:18watching five years of memories

00:23:20burn away piece by piece.

00:23:23When the last corner turned to ash,

00:23:26so did everything I once felt.

00:23:28There were two days left before I left.

00:23:31Another message came from the beta.

00:23:34This time,

00:23:35it was a photo.

00:23:37A pregnancy test report.

00:23:39Well,

00:23:40looks like I'm really pregnant.

00:23:42Kane's first pup.

00:23:44He's so excited.

00:23:45I still didn't respond.

00:23:48I took out the mate dress and,

00:23:50with my claws,

00:23:51tore it apart piece by piece.

00:23:54This dress,

00:23:55created for me,

00:23:57no longer had any meaning.

00:23:58On the day I was leaving,

00:24:01she sent one last message.

00:24:04Kane is going to complete a mate bond with me.

00:24:06He said he'll give me the same ceremony.

00:24:08He won't let me,

00:24:09or the child suffer.

00:24:11Miss Aria,

00:24:12you should know your place,

00:24:13and give up the Luna position.

00:24:15Kane doesn't love you anymore.

00:24:18This time,

00:24:19I replied,

00:24:20I hope your dream comes true soon.

00:24:23After that,

00:24:24I pulled up the villa's surveillance footage.

00:24:26It wasn't just once.

00:24:29Kane had brought her back here again and again,

00:24:32chasing excitement.

00:24:34I copied the videos,

00:24:35and sent them to the ceremony planner.

00:24:38This is a surprise I prepared for Kane.

00:24:40Make sure it's played-played during the ceremony.

00:24:43Keep it confidential.

00:24:47Once everything was arranged,

00:24:49my phone rang.

00:24:50Kane!

00:24:51There was a trace of apology on his face.

00:24:54Little wolf,

00:24:55things here aren't finished yet.

00:24:57I won't be back until tomorrow morning.

00:24:59Don't worry,

00:25:00I'll make it before the ceremony.

00:25:02I let out a soft laugh.

00:25:05Okay,

00:25:05I've prepared a surprise for you at the ceremony.

00:25:08His eyes lit up with anticipation.

00:25:11My little wolf prepared something for me?

00:25:14I can't wait.

00:25:16Little wolf,

00:25:17I've waited five years for you to become my mate.

00:25:19Tomorrow,

00:25:19when you finally become my Luna,

00:25:21I'm so happy.

00:25:23His voice cut off abruptly.

00:25:25His body stiffened for a split second,

00:25:28and a suppressed breath escaped him.

00:25:31A trace of cold mockery flickered in my eyes.

00:25:35Kane,

00:25:36I hope you like the surprise.

00:25:39I hung up before he could respond and walked out of the villa.

00:25:42The car from the fake death agency was already waiting outside.

00:25:47At the airport,

00:25:48I typed a few final lines on my phone before handing it to the staff.

00:25:53Tomorrow,

00:25:54deliver this phone along with the body to the Alpha.

00:25:57Tell him I died at six in the evening,

00:25:59and that I left him a final message.

00:26:02Six o'clock.

00:26:03The exact moment I ended the call.

00:26:07I wanted Kane to believe,

00:26:09that while he was tangled up with that beta,

00:26:11I had died.

00:26:13That I had chosen death.

00:26:15Those final words I left behind would stay with him forever.

00:26:20A lifetime of guilt he would never escape.

00:26:23The staff member nodded,

00:26:25taking the phone and handing me a new ID and boarding pass.

00:26:28Miss Phoenix,

00:26:31We will erase all surveillance along your route.

00:26:34We wish you a safe journey and a happy life ahead.

00:26:36Phoenix,

00:26:38the name I chose for myself.

00:26:41A symbol of rising from the ashes.

00:26:44Of leaving everything behind.

00:26:47After today,

00:26:48my life would begin again.

00:26:51At the beta's house.

00:26:53The woman was still softly begging when Kane finally let her go.

00:26:58He caught her wrist,

00:26:59his voice rough.

00:27:00You're pregnant and still acting like this?

00:27:04She leaned into his chest,

00:27:06her tone sweet and coaxing.

00:27:09I was just worried you might be

00:27:10holding back too much.

00:27:13Kane let out a low chuckle

00:27:15and pinched her cheek.

00:27:18Jealous, aren't you?

00:27:19She huffed and turned her face away.

00:27:22You're completing a mate bond with Aria tomorrow?

00:27:25Am I not allowed to feel anything about that?

00:27:27Kane's expression darkened.

00:27:29He released her hand and looked down at her from above.

00:27:32His voice edged with warning.

00:27:35As long as you don't front send life in my front,

00:27:37I can spoil you however I want.

00:27:39But if you forget your place...

00:27:41Her expression shifted.

00:27:43She hadn't expected that even carrying his pup

00:27:46wouldn't change his tone.

00:27:48But she knew how to read the situation.

00:27:51Alpha, I understand.

00:27:52I never intended to compete with Miss Aria

00:27:54for the Luna position.

00:27:56Kane pulled her back into his arms.

00:27:58Good.

00:27:59Don't overthink it.

00:28:01After the honeymoon,

00:28:02I'll spend a full week with you.

00:28:03And don't worry.

00:28:05Even after the mate bond,

00:28:06I won't neglect you or the child.

00:28:08The next day,

00:28:09the mate ceremony.

00:28:11Kane stood at the center of the stage,

00:28:14dressed impeccably,

00:28:15a white rose in his hand.

00:28:17Below him,

00:28:19guests filled the venue,

00:28:20cameras from major media outlets

00:28:22broadcasting the event live across the world.

00:28:53At exactly 12 noon,

00:28:55so we've added an extra segment to today's ceremony.

00:28:58Kane relaxed slightly.

00:29:01So this was the surprise I had mentioned.

00:29:04Please direct your attention to the main screen.

00:29:07All eyes lifted.

00:29:09Kane smiled faintly,

00:29:11anticipation in his gaze.

00:29:13But the next second,

00:29:15everything changed.

00:29:19On the screen,

00:29:21two bodies were tangled together on a couch,

00:29:24their movements unmistakable.

00:29:27At first,

00:29:28the guests were confused.

00:29:30Who are they?

00:29:31How dare they disrupt Alpha Kane's ceremony?

00:29:33But Kane recognized it instantly.

00:29:36It was him.

00:29:37And the Beta.

00:29:39Turn it off!

00:29:40Shut it down right now!

00:29:42His roar tore through the hall.

00:29:45The host rushed backstage,

00:29:47trying to stop the video.

00:29:48But the system had frozen.

00:29:50Nothing responded.

00:29:52The footage continued.

00:29:54And then,

00:29:56their faces came clearly into view.

00:29:58The entire venue erupted.

00:30:01Oh my god!

00:30:03That's Alpha Kane!

00:30:05Did he betray the mate bond?

00:30:07Wasn't he supposed to only love Aria?

00:30:09What is this?

00:30:11Online,

00:30:12the live stream had already drawn

00:30:14nearly 5 million viewers.

00:30:16Comments flooded in.

00:30:18So he's just another Alpha

00:30:19who can't control himself.

00:30:20I can't believe I ever thought he was perfect.

00:30:23Shut down the stream and the screen!

00:30:25Immediately!

00:30:26Kane immediately ordered

00:30:27the stream and screen to be shut down,

00:30:29then grabbed the microphone.

00:30:31Is allowed to speak of this.

00:30:33Not a word!

00:30:35Someone muttered under their breath.

00:30:38Didn't they say this was Aria's surprise?

00:30:40Maybe she already knew.

00:30:43Kane's face went pale.

00:30:45That was the one possibility

00:30:47he refused to accept.

00:30:49He clung to the belief

00:30:50that I was oblivious,

00:30:52that I never checked the surveillance,

00:30:53that as long as no one said anything,

00:30:56I would never know.

00:30:58But I still hadn't appeared.

00:31:00And now,

00:31:02panic began to take hold.

00:31:04He pulled out his phone

00:31:06and sent a message.

00:31:07Little Wolf,

00:31:08are you here?

00:31:10One minute.

00:31:11Two minutes.

00:31:12No reply.

00:31:13His hands began to sweat

00:31:16as he prepared to call.

00:31:18Then,

00:31:19slowly,

00:31:20the doors to the hall opened.

00:31:23Every head turned.

00:31:27Hope lit up Kane's face.

00:31:29He thought his little wolf

00:31:31had finally arrived.

00:31:32The video had already been dealt with.

00:31:35Holding the bouquet,

00:31:37he stepped forward,

00:31:38ready to welcome his mate.

00:31:40He began to extend his hand.

00:31:43And then he froze.

00:31:46The ones entering

00:31:48were not the woman

00:31:49he had been waiting for.

00:31:51It was a group of staff

00:31:52dressed in black.

00:31:54Behind them,

00:31:55they carried a coffin.

00:31:57Rage ignited in Kane's eyes.

00:32:00One of the staff stepped forward,

00:32:02sympathy written across his face.

00:32:05Alpha Kane,

00:32:07your mate took her own life yesterday.

00:32:09Please accept our condolences.

00:32:11Kane didn't believe a word of it.

00:32:13Just yesterday,

00:32:15we had spoken.

00:32:16I had sounded completely fine.

00:32:19How could I be dead?

00:32:21He let out a cold laugh.

00:32:23The video wasn't enough,

00:32:25so now you're making up lies

00:32:26about my mate's death?

00:32:27Tell me,

00:32:29who sent you?

00:32:30The staff member's expression

00:32:32grew even more sympathetic.

00:32:34He gestured toward the coffin.

00:32:37If you don't believe it,

00:32:38you can see for yourself.

00:32:41Kane laughed again,

00:32:42anger sharpening his voice.

00:32:45Fine.

00:32:46Let's see what kind of trick

00:32:48you're trying to pull.

00:32:49He strode toward the coffin,

00:32:51but the moment he looked inside,

00:32:53all the strength

00:32:55drained from his body.

00:32:56Arya.

00:32:57He stumbled forward,

00:32:59dropping to his knees

00:33:00beside the coffin,

00:33:02his hands trembling

00:33:03as he searched

00:33:04for even the slightest difference

00:33:05between the person inside

00:33:06and me.

00:33:08His gaze moved

00:33:09inch by inch.

00:33:11But there was no difference.

00:33:13The woman lying there was me,

00:33:15the same Arya

00:33:16who had been by his side

00:33:18for five years.

00:33:19How could this be?

00:33:20Just yesterday,

00:33:22we had spoken.

00:33:24There had been no sign,

00:33:25no hint that I would choose death.

00:33:30No,

00:33:31this couldn't be real.

00:33:33He clung to denial,

00:33:35telling himself

00:33:35that his little wolf

00:33:37was just angry,

00:33:38that I was upset

00:33:39he hadn't been with me

00:33:40these past few days,

00:33:42that this was some kind

00:33:43of cruel joke.

00:33:44Kane reached out,

00:33:45his hand shaking

00:33:46as he tried to touch my face,

00:33:48as if convincing himself

00:33:50I was only asleep.

00:33:51Little wolf,

00:33:52why is your body so cold?

00:33:55Let me warm you up,

00:33:56okay?

00:33:57Today is our mate ceremony.

00:33:59You wouldn't leave me here alone,

00:34:01would you?

00:34:03By the end,

00:34:04his voice had begun

00:34:05to tremble.

00:34:07A staff member

00:34:08stepped forward

00:34:09and tried to help him up.

00:34:10Alpha Kane,

00:34:11please accept our condolences.

00:34:14Miss Arya has passed.

00:34:17That sentence

00:34:18snapped something

00:34:19inside him.

00:34:20He shoved the man away,

00:34:21his eyes bloodshot

00:34:23as he roared.

00:34:24No,

00:34:25Arya isn't dead!

00:34:27She's just asleep!

00:34:29The staff fell silent

00:34:31for a moment

00:34:31before handing him

00:34:32my phone.

00:34:33Alpha Kane,

00:34:34Miss Arya took her own life

00:34:35yesterday at 6 in the evening.

00:34:36When we arrived,

00:34:37she said she left you

00:34:38a final message

00:34:38on her phone.

00:34:39The moment

00:34:40those words registered,

00:34:41Kane's heart lurched.

00:34:43If he remembered correctly,

00:34:45that was exactly

00:34:46when our call

00:34:47had ended.

00:34:48Right after that,

00:34:50he had been

00:34:50with the beta.

00:34:52His face turned

00:34:53even paler.

00:34:54With shaking hands,

00:34:56he unlocked the phone.

00:34:57The moment

00:34:58the screen lit up,

00:34:59he saw the note

00:35:00I had left behind.

00:35:02Kane,

00:35:03when I was 22,

00:35:05you were the one

00:35:06who pulled me

00:35:07out of a barren world.

00:35:08You gave me a kind of love

00:35:10I had never known before.

00:35:11These five years

00:35:12with you have been

00:35:13the happiest time

00:35:14of my life.

00:35:16I just never expected

00:35:17that happiness

00:35:18would end so quickly.

00:35:19In only five years,

00:35:21the man who once

00:35:22held me

00:35:23and promised to love me

00:35:24forever disappeared.

00:35:26For you,

00:35:27half a wink ago,

00:35:29I risked my life

00:35:30to undergo blood awakening.

00:35:31I only wanted to

00:35:32fully feel your emotions

00:35:33during our mate ceremony.

00:35:36But I never imagined

00:35:37that the first thing

00:35:38I would sense

00:35:38after awakening

00:35:39would be your desire

00:35:40intertwined with another beta.

00:35:42These past two weeks,

00:35:43I broke down.

00:35:44I despaired.

00:35:45And in the end,

00:35:47everything went quiet.

00:35:49I understand now.

00:35:51There is no such thing

00:35:53as forever.

00:35:56Thank you for once

00:35:57being part of my life.

00:35:58But in the next life,

00:36:00no,

00:36:01in any life,

00:36:03I never want to

00:36:04meet you again.

00:36:05By the third line,

00:36:07Kane had already

00:36:07lost control.

00:36:09He had never cried

00:36:10in front of anyone.

00:36:12Now,

00:36:13tears fell

00:36:14uncontrollably

00:36:15onto the screen.

00:36:17His face drained

00:36:18of all color.

00:36:19His body swayed,

00:36:21unsteady,

00:36:22before his legs

00:36:23gave out

00:36:24and he collapsed

00:36:25to his knees.

00:36:26Only now

00:36:27did he understand.

00:36:29I had awakened

00:36:30long ago.

00:36:31I had known everything.

00:36:33Fragments

00:36:34of the past

00:36:35two weeks

00:36:35flooded his mind.

00:36:37The gathering

00:36:38where his friends

00:36:39joked about him

00:36:40and the beta.

00:36:41The nights

00:36:42he brought her home.

00:36:43The way he left me

00:36:44before the ceremony

00:36:45just to be with her.

00:36:47Even that call,

00:36:49when he let

00:36:50the beta interrupt

00:36:51without a second thought.

00:36:53The more he remembered,

00:36:55the sharper

00:36:56the pain

00:36:56in his chest became,

00:36:58until he could

00:36:58barely breathe.

00:36:59What had he done?

00:37:01I had risked my life

00:37:02for blood awakening.

00:37:03And he had taken

00:37:05advantage of what

00:37:06he believed

00:37:06was my weakness.

00:37:08Indulging himself

00:37:09without restraint,

00:37:10he couldn't even

00:37:11begin to imagine it.

00:37:13I had returned home,

00:37:15heart full of anticipation,

00:37:17after awakening.

00:37:18Only to be met

00:37:20with the overwhelming

00:37:21sensation of his desire

00:37:22tangled with someone else's.

00:37:24The despair.

00:37:26The collapse.

00:37:28It must have shattered me.

00:37:30Endless pain spread

00:37:31through him.

00:37:32Suffocating.

00:37:34Inescapable.

00:37:35That day,

00:37:36when he heard me say

00:37:37I was leaving,

00:37:38it hadn't been

00:37:39about a friend.

00:37:41It had been about me.

00:37:42The signs

00:37:43had always been there.

00:37:45My death

00:37:46hadn't come out of nowhere.

00:37:47He had simply

00:37:49never seen it.

00:37:50In a daze,

00:37:52he thought he saw

00:37:53himself at 22.

00:37:54That younger version

00:37:56of him looked at him

00:37:57with nothing but disappointment.

00:37:59You betrayed Area.

00:38:01You broke your

00:38:02mate bond.

00:38:03This is your punishment.

00:38:05Area has left you forever.

00:38:07And the final lines

00:38:08of my message

00:38:09cut deeper than

00:38:10anything else.

00:38:11The little wolf

00:38:12he loved

00:38:13never wanted

00:38:14to meet him again.

00:38:17Only then

00:38:18did he realize

00:38:19how deeply

00:38:20I must have been hurt

00:38:21to write those words.

00:38:23And the one

00:38:24responsible for

00:38:25all of it

00:38:25was him.

00:38:26The moment

00:38:27the guests

00:38:27saw the coffin,

00:38:28shock rippled

00:38:29through the entire venue.

00:38:31Then,

00:38:32everything clicked.

00:38:34The delayed

00:38:35entrance.

00:38:36The explosive

00:38:37video.

00:38:38They understood.

00:38:40I had known

00:38:41all along.

00:38:42The video

00:38:43had been my doing.

00:38:44The coffin,

00:38:46delivered to the ceremony

00:38:47after my death,

00:38:48had been my final arrangement.

00:38:51A heavy silence

00:38:53settled over the crowd,

00:38:54followed by quiet sighs.

00:38:57One by one,

00:38:58the guests

00:38:59who had arrived

00:38:59in celebration

00:39:00began to leave,

00:39:02shaking their heads.

00:39:03In the end,

00:39:04only Kane remained.

00:39:06Kneeling in front

00:39:07of the coffin.

00:39:08At the burial,

00:39:09Kane stood off

00:39:11to the side

00:39:11like a man hollowed out,

00:39:13his expression numb,

00:39:14his soul already broken.

00:39:16Only when the coffin

00:39:17was about to be sealed

00:39:19beneath the earth

00:39:20did he suddenly

00:39:20snap back to himself.

00:39:23He lunged forward,

00:39:24eyes bloodshot,

00:39:25refusing to let

00:39:26anyone touch it.

00:39:28It took several people

00:39:29working together

00:39:30to drag him back

00:39:31and hold him in place.

00:39:33When the final

00:39:34shovel full of dirt

00:39:35fell,

00:39:36all that remained

00:39:37for him

00:39:37was a gravestone.

00:39:39And the black and white

00:39:40photograph of

00:39:41my smiling face.

00:39:43He broke free

00:39:44from their grip,

00:39:45dropped heavily

00:39:46to his knees,

00:39:47and leaned his forehead

00:39:48against the stone.

00:39:50His hand traced

00:39:51my name as tears

00:39:52slid endlessly

00:39:53down his face.

00:39:54Little wolf,

00:39:55this is all my fault,

00:39:57I'm sorry.

00:39:58But apologies

00:39:59that come too late

00:40:00never reached

00:40:01the one who needed them.

00:40:03Kane returned home

00:40:05like a walking corpse.

00:40:06There was no life

00:40:08left in his face.

00:40:09The moment he pushed

00:40:11open the door,

00:40:12he froze.

00:40:14It had only been

00:40:15three days.

00:40:16Yet the entire house

00:40:18felt unbearably cold.

00:40:20After we got together,

00:40:22I had always liked

00:40:23adding small things

00:40:24to the house,

00:40:25little decorations,

00:40:27soft touches,

00:40:28warm details

00:40:29that slowly turned

00:40:30that cold villa

00:40:32into something

00:40:32that felt like home.

00:40:33Now,

00:40:35there was nothing.

00:40:36Everything was gone.

00:40:38The house had reverted

00:40:40to what it had been

00:40:41five years ago.

00:40:44Cold,

00:40:45empty,

00:40:46lifeless.

00:40:48Kane stood there,

00:40:49staring at the

00:40:50unfamiliar familiarity

00:40:51of it all,

00:40:53on the verge

00:40:53of losing his mind.

00:40:55He summoned

00:40:56all the servants,

00:40:57his voice sharp

00:40:58with anger.

00:40:59Who threw away

00:41:00Arya's things?

00:41:01I never gave that order.

00:41:03Who dared to do it?

00:41:05The servants exchanged

00:41:06uneasy glances.

00:41:08Sir,

00:41:10Miss Arya told us

00:41:11to clear everything out

00:41:12three days ago.

00:41:14She had us pile it

00:41:15all in the backyard,

00:41:16then she set it

00:41:18on fire herself.

00:41:20The last trace of light

00:41:22drained from Kane's eyes.

00:41:24At that moment,

00:41:25one of the servants

00:41:26stepped forward hesitantly

00:41:28and opened her palm.

00:41:29Sir,

00:41:30I found this

00:41:31while cleaning

00:41:32a few days ago.

00:41:33It looked valuable.

00:41:34Maybe Miss Arya

00:41:35threw it away

00:41:36by accident.

00:41:37Another servant

00:41:38approached,

00:41:39holding a bundle

00:41:40of white fabric strips.

00:41:42Sir,

00:41:43this was left

00:41:43in the house yesterday.

00:41:45It looked like

00:41:45a mate dress.

00:41:47There was a moonstone

00:41:48in the center,

00:41:48so I didn't dare

00:41:49throw it away.

00:41:53Kane reached out

00:41:54with trembling hands.

00:41:56In one hand,

00:41:57he picked up the ring.

00:41:59In the other,

00:42:00he touched the torn

00:42:02remains of the dress,

00:42:03his fingers brushing

00:42:04over the moonstone

00:42:05engraved with A and K,

00:42:07forever.

00:42:08The engagement ring

00:42:10he had made himself.

00:42:11The mate dress

00:42:12he had specially commissioned.

00:42:14A sharp,

00:42:15bone-deep pain

00:42:16spread from his chest

00:42:17through his entire body.

00:42:19He might have wondered,

00:42:20deep down,

00:42:21Arya,

00:42:22did you hate me that much?

00:42:27So much that you chose

00:42:28death to punish him?

00:42:31So much that you erased

00:42:33every trace of the happiness

00:42:34we once had?

00:42:35After the pain

00:42:36came something worse.

00:42:38Endless regret.

00:42:40Today was supposed

00:42:41to be the day

00:42:42he had looked forward to

00:42:43more than anything.

00:42:44The day he would

00:42:46finally complete

00:42:47the mate bond

00:42:47with the woman he loved.

00:42:49But he hadn't realized

00:42:51that he had already

00:42:52been standing

00:42:53at the edge of an abyss.

00:42:54And just as he was

00:42:56about to reach happiness,

00:42:58it struck.

00:42:59Dragging him down.

00:43:01Into a darkness

00:43:02with no end.

00:43:04No light.

00:43:06Not even a single trace.

00:43:10Kane drove everyone

00:43:11out of the house.

00:43:12Alone,

00:43:13he sat on the floor,

00:43:14holding the torn remains

00:43:16of the mate dress

00:43:16in his arms.

00:43:18The ring that once

00:43:19belonged to me

00:43:19now hung from his neck,

00:43:21threaded onto a cord.

00:43:23These were the last things

00:43:24that still carried my scent.

00:43:26With them,

00:43:27it almost felt

00:43:28like I was still there.

00:43:29Then,

00:43:30my phone in his pocket

00:43:32vibrated.

00:43:33He glanced down.

00:43:34A message.

00:43:36From the beta.

00:43:37Arya,

00:43:38so what if today

00:43:39is your mate ceremony?

00:43:41Do you believe

00:43:42I can still call Kane away

00:43:43with just one message?

00:43:45Don't think

00:43:46becoming Luna

00:43:47means anything.

00:43:48I'm carrying

00:43:49Kane's first pup.

00:43:50Tell me,

00:43:51what matters more?

00:43:52Your ceremony

00:43:53or his child?

00:43:55Last night,

00:43:56he had his face

00:43:57against my stomach,

00:43:59saying he couldn't wait

00:44:00for the baby

00:44:00to be born.

00:44:01He's already excited

00:44:03to be a father.

00:44:04That Luna position

00:44:05of yours

00:44:06won't last long.

00:44:07Another message followed.

00:44:09A photo.

00:44:11Kane.

00:44:12Pressing his face

00:44:13against her stomach.

00:44:14Kane's fingers

00:44:16tightened around the phone.

00:44:18Then he scrolled up.

00:44:20Message after message.

00:44:22All sent to me.

00:44:24I'm pregnant.

00:44:25Kane and I

00:44:26have been together

00:44:27for a year.

00:44:28You're a pretty

00:44:29pathetic Omega.

00:44:31Not just words.

00:44:32There were

00:44:34countless

00:44:34intimate photos.

00:44:36And even a video.

00:44:38The beta

00:44:39wearing a mate dress

00:44:41beneath him.

00:44:43Kane's breathing

00:44:44grew heavier.

00:44:45He remembered.

00:44:46When she found out

00:44:48about the ceremony,

00:44:49she had insisted

00:44:50on having a dress too.

00:44:52He hadn't thought

00:44:53much of it.

00:44:54Just a dress.

00:44:55He told the designer

00:44:56to make her one as well.

00:44:58By then,

00:44:59I had already awakened.

00:45:01Kane shut up.

00:45:02His eyes.

00:45:03The memory of the boutique

00:45:05flashed through his mind.

00:45:06My expression.

00:45:08My silence.

00:45:09A sharp pain

00:45:10twisted through his chest.

00:45:12Now he understood.

00:45:14That was why I had

00:45:15torn the mate dress

00:45:16to pieces.

00:45:18His gaze dropped

00:45:19back to the screen.

00:45:21His grip tightened

00:45:22until his knuckles

00:45:23turned white.

00:45:24Rage burned in his eyes.

00:45:27That beta.

00:45:28He had warned her

00:45:29countless times

00:45:30not to tell me anything.

00:45:32And yet she had gone

00:45:33behind his back,

00:45:35provoking me

00:45:36again and again.

00:45:39His phone suddenly rang.

00:45:42He answered.

00:45:43On the other end,

00:45:45her voice was trembling,

00:45:46on the verge of tears.

00:45:48Kane,

00:45:49my stomach

00:45:50doesn't feel right.

00:45:51Do you think

00:45:52something's wrong

00:45:53with the baby?

00:45:54Can you take me

00:45:55to the hospital?

00:45:58Of course.

00:45:59I'll be right there.

00:46:00I'll be waiting.

00:46:01The fragile tone

00:46:02was nothing like

00:46:03the messages on my phone.

00:46:05As if she were

00:46:06two completely

00:46:07different people.

00:46:08A cold aura

00:46:09settled over Kane.

00:46:11Her voice

00:46:12immediately brightened.

00:46:13Kane's eyes darkened.

00:46:15Since she wanted

00:46:16to see him

00:46:17so badly,

00:46:18he would make sure

00:46:20she got exactly

00:46:21what she wanted.

00:46:23On the other side,

00:46:24the beta froze

00:46:25for a moment

00:46:26when she heard

00:46:26how quickly Kane agreed.

00:46:28Then a surge

00:46:29of excitement

00:46:30rushed through her.

00:46:31She had assumed

00:46:32that today was

00:46:33Kane's mate ceremony

00:46:34with me.

00:46:35Even if she used

00:46:36the child as an excuse

00:46:37to pull him away,

00:46:38she expected

00:46:39it would take

00:46:40a lot of effort.

00:46:41But he agreed

00:46:42without hesitation.

00:46:44Did that mean

00:46:45her place in Kane's heart

00:46:46had already

00:46:47surpassed mine?

00:46:49Besides,

00:46:50she was carrying

00:46:51his only pup.

00:46:53A determined glint

00:46:54flashed across her eyes.

00:46:56She was probably

00:46:58thinking that

00:46:58even if I became

00:46:59Luna today,

00:47:00there was no guarantee

00:47:01I could hold on

00:47:02to that position.

00:47:04Before Kane arrived,

00:47:06she hurriedly changed

00:47:07into a sheer nightgown,

00:47:09sprayed on his

00:47:10favorite scent-based

00:47:11perfume,

00:47:12and reclined

00:47:13on the couch

00:47:13to wait.

00:47:15When Kane opened

00:47:16the door,

00:47:16the first thing

00:47:17he saw was

00:47:18her lying there

00:47:19in the thin fabric.

00:47:20A trace of coldness

00:47:22flickered through

00:47:23his eyes.

00:47:24So much for

00:47:25a stomach ache.

00:47:26More likely,

00:47:28this was just

00:47:28another trick

00:47:29to pull him

00:47:30away from Arya.

00:47:32It wasn't the

00:47:33first time

00:47:33she had used

00:47:34tactics like this.

00:47:36In the past,

00:47:37Kane treated her

00:47:38as nothing more

00:47:38than a distraction

00:47:39when he was bored.

00:47:41As long as

00:47:42she stayed obedient

00:47:43and catered to him,

00:47:45he didn't mind

00:47:46indulging her a little.

00:47:47But that never

00:47:48meant he would

00:47:49tolerate her

00:47:50trying to take

00:47:50a place that

00:47:51wasn't hers.

00:47:53In his mind,

00:47:54there had only

00:47:55ever been one mate,

00:47:57from beginning

00:47:57to end,

00:47:58that was me.

00:48:00And for my death,

00:48:01she would have

00:48:02to pay the price.

00:48:05The Beta

00:48:06didn't notice

00:48:07the chill

00:48:07radiating from him,

00:48:08she was still

00:48:09lost in her

00:48:10fantasy of

00:48:11becoming Luna.

00:48:12When she saw him,

00:48:13she put on

00:48:14a fragile expression

00:48:15and gently

00:48:16touched her

00:48:16flat stomach.

00:48:18Kane,

00:48:18I know today

00:48:19is your mate

00:48:20ceremony with Arya.

00:48:21I shouldn't have

00:48:22called you back,

00:48:23but my stomach

00:48:24really hurts.

00:48:25This is your

00:48:26first pup.

00:48:27I was worried

00:48:28something might

00:48:28go wrong,

00:48:29so I had no

00:48:30choice but to

00:48:30call.

00:48:32Kane looked

00:48:33at her coldly.

00:48:36Where does

00:48:36it hurt?

00:48:37She didn't

00:48:38catch the icy

00:48:38edge in his

00:48:39voice.

00:48:40She thought

00:48:41he was concerned

00:48:41about her.

00:48:42Just like

00:48:43before,

00:48:44she stepped

00:48:44closer,

00:48:45wrapping her

00:48:46arms around

00:48:46his neck

00:48:47and breathing

00:48:48softly near

00:48:49his ear.

00:48:49The baby

00:48:50says it

00:48:51misses its

00:48:51father.

00:48:53She had

00:48:53always been

00:48:54bold about

00:48:54things like

00:48:55this.

00:48:56She believed

00:48:57that my

00:48:57empathic sense

00:48:58was weak,

00:48:59that I could

00:48:59never give a

00:49:00man the same

00:49:01kind of

00:49:01experience in

00:49:02bed.

00:49:03That,

00:49:03in her mind,

00:49:04was the key

00:49:05to keeping

00:49:06Kane.

00:49:06And with

00:49:07the mate

00:49:07ceremony

00:49:08today adding

00:49:09an extra

00:49:09thrill,

00:49:10she was certain

00:49:11she could

00:49:11make him

00:49:11stay the

00:49:12night.

00:49:13She was

00:49:14already

00:49:14imagining how

00:49:15she would

00:49:16message me

00:49:16the next

00:49:17day to

00:49:17provoke me,

00:49:18completely

00:49:19missing the

00:49:20darkening

00:49:20expression on

00:49:21Kane's

00:49:22face.

00:49:22She took

00:49:23one of his

00:49:24hands and

00:49:24placed it

00:49:25on her

00:49:25stomach.

00:49:26When he

00:49:26didn't react,

00:49:27she guided

00:49:28his hand

00:49:28upward.

00:49:29Just as

00:49:29it was

00:49:30about to

00:49:30reach her

00:49:30chest,

00:49:31Kane slapped

00:49:32her heart

00:49:32across the

00:49:32face.

00:49:33Who gave

00:49:33you permission

00:49:34to touch

00:49:34me?

00:49:36She was

00:49:37knocked to

00:49:38the floor,

00:49:38five clear

00:49:39finger marks

00:49:40blooming

00:49:41across her

00:49:41cheek.

00:49:42Clutching

00:49:43her swollen

00:49:43face,

00:49:44she stared

00:49:45at him

00:49:45in disbelief.

00:49:47She had

00:49:47been with

00:49:48him for

00:49:48a full

00:49:49year,

00:49:49and he

00:49:50had never

00:49:50laid a

00:49:51hand on

00:49:51her before.

00:49:52What had

00:49:53changed?

00:49:54And she

00:49:55was carrying

00:49:55his child.

00:49:56How could

00:49:57he be so

00:49:58ruthless?

00:49:59Kane,

00:50:01what did

00:50:01I do

00:50:02wrong?

00:50:02Why would

00:50:02you hit

00:50:03me?

00:50:03Haven't

00:50:04we always

00:50:04been like

00:50:05this?

00:50:06Her

00:50:06voice

00:50:07trembled,

00:50:07tears

00:50:08welling in

00:50:09her eyes.

00:50:10But the

00:50:11sight of

00:50:11her crying

00:50:12did nothing

00:50:12to soften

00:50:13him.

00:50:13His

00:50:14expression

00:50:14grew even

00:50:15darker,

00:50:16like a

00:50:16storm

00:50:17about to

00:50:17break.

00:50:18Who

00:50:19gave you

00:50:19the nerve

00:50:20to tell

00:50:20Aria about

00:50:21us?

00:50:23The

00:50:24beta's

00:50:24face went

00:50:25pale.

00:50:25She

00:50:26hadn't

00:50:26expected

00:50:27Kane to

00:50:27find out,

00:50:28but she

00:50:28still denied

00:50:29it on

00:50:29instinct.

00:50:30Kane,

00:50:30what are

00:50:31you talking

00:50:31about?

00:50:32I didn't

00:50:32say anything

00:50:33to Aria.

00:50:35Kane let

00:50:36out a

00:50:36cold

00:50:36laugh,

00:50:37his hand

00:50:37clamping

00:50:38down hard

00:50:38on her

00:50:39chin.

00:50:40You're

00:50:40still

00:50:40trying

00:50:40to

00:50:40lie?

00:50:42If I

00:50:42hadn't

00:50:42seen

00:50:43those

00:50:43messages

00:50:43myself,

00:50:44I

00:50:44never

00:50:45would

00:50:45have

00:50:45guessed

00:50:45best

00:50:46you

00:50:46had

00:50:46two

00:50:46faces,

00:50:48playing

00:50:48the

00:50:48obedient

00:50:49little

00:50:49lamb

00:50:49in front

00:50:50of me,

00:50:50while

00:50:51acting

00:50:51arrogant

00:50:52as

00:50:52hell

00:50:52in front

00:50:52of

00:50:53Aria.

00:50:54I've

00:50:55warned

00:50:55you

00:50:55countless

00:50:56times,

00:50:57Aria is

00:50:57the only

00:50:58Omega I

00:50:58have ever

00:50:58truly

00:50:59loved.

00:51:00You

00:51:00are

00:51:00nothing

00:51:01more than

00:51:01a pet

00:51:01I kept

00:51:02around for

00:51:02amusement.

00:51:04You

00:51:05had a

00:51:05hand

00:51:05in

00:51:06Aria's

00:51:06death,

00:51:06and you're

00:51:07going to

00:51:08pay for

00:51:08it.

00:51:09His

00:51:10grip

00:51:10shifted

00:51:11to her

00:51:11throat,

00:51:12fingers

00:51:13tightening

00:51:13with each

00:51:14second.

00:51:14The

00:51:15veins in

00:51:15his

00:51:15arms

00:51:16stood

00:51:16out

00:51:16sharply,

00:51:17making

00:51:18him

00:51:18look

00:51:18terrifying.

00:51:20Driven

00:51:20by the

00:51:21instinct

00:51:21to

00:51:21survive,

00:51:22the

00:51:22beta

00:51:23clawed

00:51:23at

00:51:23his

00:51:23hand

00:51:24with

00:51:24both

00:51:24of

00:51:24hers,

00:51:25but

00:51:25he

00:51:25didn't

00:51:25loosen

00:51:26his

00:51:26grip.

00:51:27She

00:51:27stared

00:51:28at

00:51:28the

00:51:28face

00:51:28she

00:51:29had

00:51:29once

00:51:29been

00:51:29obsessed

00:51:30with,

00:51:30and

00:51:31for the

00:51:31first

00:51:31time,

00:51:32she

00:51:32felt

00:51:33nothing

00:51:33but

00:51:33fear.

00:51:34As

00:51:35the

00:51:35air

00:51:35in

00:51:36her

00:51:36lungs

00:51:36ran

00:51:36out,

00:51:37she

00:51:37forced

00:51:38out

00:51:38a

00:51:38single

00:51:39word.

00:51:43At

00:51:44that

00:51:44word,

00:51:45Kane

00:51:45abruptly

00:51:45released

00:51:46her.

00:51:47She

00:51:47collapsed

00:51:47to the

00:51:48ground,

00:51:49gasping

00:51:49for air,

00:51:50coughing

00:51:51violently,

00:51:52overwhelmed

00:51:52by the

00:51:53relief

00:51:53of still

00:51:54being

00:51:54alive.

00:51:55Kane

00:51:56looked

00:51:56down

00:51:57at

00:51:57her

00:51:57pathetic

00:51:57state

00:51:58without

00:51:58the

00:51:58slightest

00:51:59flicker

00:51:59of

00:51:59emotion,

00:52:00all he

00:52:01could

00:52:01think

00:52:01about

00:52:02was

00:52:02getting

00:52:02rid

00:52:02of

00:52:02the

00:52:03child.

00:52:04It

00:52:04was

00:52:04because

00:52:05of

00:52:05her

00:52:05that

00:52:05I

00:52:05had

00:52:06taken

00:52:06my

00:52:06own

00:52:06life.

00:52:07Now,

00:52:08every

00:52:09time he

00:52:09saw

00:52:09her,

00:52:10he

00:52:10was

00:52:10reminded

00:52:11that

00:52:11she

00:52:11had

00:52:11destroyed

00:52:12the

00:52:12person

00:52:12he

00:52:13loved

00:52:13most.

00:52:14Even

00:52:14the

00:52:15pup

00:52:15in

00:52:15her

00:52:15womb

00:52:15filled

00:52:16him

00:52:16with

00:52:16disgust.

00:52:18But

00:52:18as

00:52:19the

00:52:19beta

00:52:19recovered,

00:52:20a

00:52:20strange

00:52:20sense

00:52:21of

00:52:21joy

00:52:21rose

00:52:22in

00:52:22her

00:52:22heart.

00:52:23It

00:52:23was

00:52:23as

00:52:24if

00:52:24she

00:52:24had

00:52:24forgotten

00:52:25the

00:52:25terror

00:52:25from

00:52:26moments

00:52:26ago,

00:52:27only

00:52:27one

00:52:28thought

00:52:28echoed

00:52:29in

00:52:29her

00:52:29mind.

00:52:30Aria

00:52:31was

00:52:31dead.

00:52:34Out

00:52:35of

00:52:35jealousy,

00:52:36she

00:52:36hadn't

00:52:37watched

00:52:37the

00:52:37mate

00:52:37ceremony

00:52:38or

00:52:38looked

00:52:39up

00:52:39any

00:52:39news

00:52:39about

00:52:40it.

00:52:40She

00:52:41hadn't

00:52:41expected

00:52:41something

00:52:42so

00:52:42drastic

00:52:43to

00:52:43happen.

00:52:44To

00:52:44her,

00:52:45it

00:52:45had

00:52:45only

00:52:46been

00:52:46a

00:52:46few

00:52:46provocative

00:52:47messages

00:52:48and

00:52:48some

00:52:48suggestive

00:52:49photos.

00:52:50She

00:52:50never

00:52:51imagined

00:52:51I

00:52:51would

00:52:52be

00:52:52so

00:52:52fragile.

00:52:53Still,

00:52:54she

00:52:54felt

00:52:55grateful.

00:52:56This

00:52:56was

00:52:56her

00:52:56chance.

00:52:58Struggling

00:52:59to

00:52:59her

00:52:59feet,

00:53:00tears

00:53:00pooling

00:53:01in

00:53:01her

00:53:01eyes,

00:53:02she

00:53:02grabbed

00:53:02the

00:53:02hem

00:53:03of

00:53:03his

00:53:03shirt

00:53:03and

00:53:04pleaded.

00:53:05Cain,

00:53:06I

00:53:06didn't

00:53:06mean

00:53:06it.

00:53:07I

00:53:07just

00:53:07love

00:53:07you

00:53:08too

00:53:08much.

00:53:08I

00:53:09didn't

00:53:09want

00:53:09our

00:53:10child

00:53:10to

00:53:10be

00:53:10born

00:53:10with

00:53:11a

00:53:11bad

00:53:11name.

00:53:12I

00:53:12never

00:53:12thought

00:53:13Aria

00:53:13would

00:53:13take

00:53:13her

00:53:14own

00:53:14life

00:53:14over

00:53:14this.

00:53:15I

00:53:15was

00:53:15devastated

00:53:16when

00:53:16I

00:53:16heard.

00:53:17But

00:53:21as

00:53:24she

00:53:24spoke,

00:53:25she

00:53:25gently

00:53:26stroked

00:53:26her

00:53:26still

00:53:27flat

00:53:27stomach.

00:53:28She

00:53:29knew

00:53:29Cain

00:53:29had

00:53:29always

00:53:30cared

00:53:30about

00:53:30the

00:53:31child.

00:53:32She

00:53:32assumed

00:53:33he

00:53:33had

00:53:33let

00:53:33her

00:53:33go

00:53:34earlier

00:53:34because

00:53:34he

00:53:35didn't

00:53:35want

00:53:35anything

00:53:35to

00:53:36happen

00:53:36to

00:53:36it.

00:53:37As

00:53:37long

00:53:38as

00:53:38she

00:53:38carried

00:53:38his

00:53:38pup,

00:53:39she

00:53:39believed

00:53:40she

00:53:40held

00:53:40a

00:53:40shield

00:53:41that

00:53:41would

00:53:41protect

00:53:42her

00:53:42from

00:53:42anything.

00:53:43She

00:53:44was

00:53:44wrong.

00:53:45Cain

00:53:46lifted

00:53:46his

00:53:46hand

00:53:47and

00:53:47lightly

00:53:47patted

00:53:48her

00:53:48cheek,

00:53:49his

00:53:49expression

00:53:50utterly

00:53:50cold.

00:53:51If

00:53:52you

00:53:52hadn't

00:53:52mentioned

00:53:52the

00:53:52child,

00:53:53I

00:53:54might

00:53:54have

00:53:54forgotten.

00:53:55Every

00:53:56time I

00:53:56think

00:53:57about

00:53:57how

00:53:57you

00:53:57caused

00:53:58Aria's

00:53:58death,

00:53:59I

00:53:59can't

00:53:59stand

00:54:00the

00:54:00sight

00:54:00of

00:54:00you.

00:54:01A

00:54:02child

00:54:02born

00:54:03from

00:54:03someone

00:54:03like

00:54:03you

00:54:04would

00:54:04only

00:54:04disgust

00:54:05me.

00:54:05The

00:54:06darkness

00:54:06in

00:54:06his

00:54:06tone

00:54:07finally

00:54:07made

00:54:08fear

00:54:08sink

00:54:08in.

00:54:09She

00:54:10stumbled

00:54:10back,

00:54:11clutching

00:54:11her

00:54:11lower

00:54:12abdomen

00:54:12with

00:54:12both

00:54:13hands,

00:54:13her

00:54:18What

00:54:18are

00:54:18you

00:54:18going

00:54:19to

00:54:19do

00:54:19to

00:54:19my

00:54:19child?

00:54:20He

00:54:21stepped

00:54:21closer,

00:54:22his

00:54:22voice

00:54:23cold

00:54:23and

00:54:23venomous.

00:54:24I'm

00:54:25having

00:54:25someone

00:54:25take

00:54:26you

00:54:26to

00:54:26the

00:54:26hospital

00:54:26to

00:54:26get

00:54:27rid

00:54:27of

00:54:27it.

00:54:28As

00:54:28soon

00:54:29as

00:54:29he

00:54:29finished

00:54:29speaking,

00:54:30he

00:54:30pulled

00:54:31out

00:54:31his

00:54:31phone

00:54:31and

00:54:32ordered

00:54:32his

00:54:32bodyguards

00:54:33to take

00:54:34her

00:54:34away

00:54:34for

00:54:34the

00:54:34procedure.

00:54:35Come

00:54:36up,

00:54:37take

00:54:37her

00:54:37to

00:54:37the

00:54:37hospital

00:54:37and

00:54:38arrange

00:54:38the

00:54:38procedure

00:54:39immediately.

00:54:40Tears

00:54:40streaming

00:54:40down

00:54:41her

00:54:41face.

00:54:42No!

00:54:43This

00:54:43is

00:54:43your

00:54:44child

00:54:44too

00:54:45Cain!

00:54:45How

00:54:46can

00:54:46you

00:54:46do

00:54:47this?

00:54:47Despair

00:54:48filled

00:54:48her

00:54:48expression.

00:54:49She

00:54:50couldn't

00:54:50believe

00:54:50he

00:54:51could

00:54:51be

00:54:51this

00:54:51heartless,

00:54:52completely

00:54:53indifferent

00:54:53to the

00:54:54life

00:54:54inside

00:54:54her.

00:54:57Just

00:54:58yesterday,

00:54:58he

00:54:59had pressed

00:54:59his

00:54:59ear

00:55:00against

00:55:00her

00:55:00stomach.

00:55:01I

00:55:01want

00:55:01our

00:55:01child's

00:55:01first

00:55:02word

00:55:02to

00:55:02be

00:55:03dad.

00:55:05And

00:55:05now,

00:55:06he

00:55:06could

00:55:06order

00:55:07its

00:55:07death

00:55:07without

00:55:07even

00:55:08blinking.

00:55:09No,

00:55:10she

00:55:10would

00:55:10never

00:55:11accept

00:55:11this.

00:55:12This

00:55:13is a

00:55:13living

00:55:13being.

00:55:14It's

00:55:15the

00:55:15result

00:55:15of

00:55:15our

00:55:15love.

00:55:17Cain,

00:55:18just

00:55:18imagine

00:55:18it.

00:55:19Our

00:55:19child

00:55:20growing

00:55:20up,

00:55:20calling

00:55:21you

00:55:21dad

00:55:21and

00:55:21me

00:55:22mom.

00:55:23Wouldn't

00:55:24that

00:55:24be a

00:55:24beautiful

00:55:24life?

00:55:26She

00:55:27knew

00:55:27Cain

00:55:27hated

00:55:28being

00:55:28threatened,

00:55:29so she

00:55:29tried

00:55:30to

00:55:30appeal

00:55:30to

00:55:30his

00:55:31emotions.

00:55:32But

00:55:32he

00:55:32remained

00:55:33towering

00:55:33over

00:55:34her,

00:55:34his

00:55:34expression

00:55:35cold

00:55:35and

00:55:36unfeeling.

00:55:37Love?

00:55:38There's

00:55:39nothing

00:55:39noble

00:55:40about

00:55:40what

00:55:40we

00:55:40have.

00:55:41It's

00:55:42nothing

00:55:42but a

00:55:42physical

00:55:43relationship.

00:55:44The

00:55:44only

00:55:45person

00:55:45I

00:55:45love

00:55:45is

00:55:45Aria.

00:55:46The

00:55:46bodyguards

00:55:47rushed

00:55:47in as

00:55:47soon

00:55:48as

00:55:48they

00:55:48got

00:55:48the

00:55:48call.

00:55:49They

00:55:49pushed

00:55:50the

00:55:50door

00:55:50open

00:55:50and

00:55:51grabbed

00:55:51the

00:55:51trembling

00:55:51beta,

00:55:52preparing

00:55:53to

00:55:53take

00:55:53her

00:55:53to

00:55:54the

00:55:54hospital

00:55:54as

00:55:54ordered.

00:55:59professionally

00:55:59trained.

00:56:00There

00:56:01was

00:56:01no

00:56:01way

00:56:01she

00:56:02could

00:56:02break

00:56:02free.

00:56:03As

00:56:03she

00:56:04was

00:56:04about

00:56:04to

00:56:04be

00:56:04dragged

00:56:05out,

00:56:05she

00:56:06screamed

00:56:06at

00:56:06Cain

00:56:07with

00:56:07everything

00:56:07she

00:56:08had

00:56:08left.

00:56:09Cain,

00:56:10you

00:56:10say

00:56:11you

00:56:11only

00:56:11love

00:56:11Aria,

00:56:12but

00:56:12we

00:56:12spent

00:56:12so

00:56:13many

00:56:13nights

00:56:13together.

00:56:14Did

00:56:15none

00:56:15of that

00:56:15mean

00:56:15anything

00:56:16to

00:56:16you?

00:56:17You

00:56:17told

00:56:17me

00:56:17you

00:56:18loved

00:56:18me

00:56:18too!

00:56:19Cain

00:56:20didn't

00:56:20react

00:56:20at

00:56:21all.

00:56:21He

00:56:21simply

00:56:22motioned

00:56:22for

00:56:22the

00:56:23bodyguards

00:56:23to

00:56:23take

00:56:24her

00:56:24away.

00:56:25All

00:56:25the

00:56:25way

00:56:26to

00:56:26the

00:56:26hospital

00:56:26she

00:56:27fought

00:56:27against

00:56:27them,

00:56:28even

00:56:28trying

00:56:29to

00:56:29call

00:56:29out

00:56:29to

00:56:30the

00:56:30doctors

00:56:30and

00:56:30nurses

00:56:31for

00:56:31help.

00:56:32But

00:56:32this

00:56:33was

00:56:33a

00:56:33private

00:56:33hospital

00:56:34owned

00:56:34by

00:56:35Cain's

00:56:35company.

00:56:36Everyone

00:56:36there

00:56:37knew

00:56:37exactly

00:56:37who

00:56:38he

00:56:38was.

00:56:39Whatever

00:56:39he

00:56:39said,

00:56:40they

00:56:40followed.

00:56:41She

00:56:42was

00:56:42strapped

00:56:43to

00:56:43the

00:56:43operating

00:56:44table.

00:56:44As

00:56:45the

00:56:45anesthesia

00:56:46was

00:56:46injected,

00:56:47her

00:56:47consciousness

00:56:48slowly

00:56:48faded

00:56:49away.

00:56:50When

00:56:50she

00:56:51woke

00:56:51up

00:56:51again,

00:56:53sent a

00:56:54heavy

00:56:54ache

00:56:54through

00:56:55her

00:56:55lower

00:56:55abdomen.

00:56:56Her

00:56:57pup

00:56:57was

00:56:57gone.

00:56:59The

00:56:59light

00:57:00in

00:57:00her

00:57:00eyes

00:57:00had

00:57:01completely

00:57:01faded.

00:57:02She

00:57:03stared

00:57:03blankly

00:57:03at

00:57:04the

00:57:04ceiling,

00:57:04hollow

00:57:05and

00:57:05motionless.

00:57:06After

00:57:07confirming

00:57:07with the

00:57:08doctor

00:57:08that the

00:57:08procedure

00:57:09was

00:57:09complete,

00:57:10Cain

00:57:10came to

00:57:11her

00:57:11bedside.

00:57:12When

00:57:13you're

00:57:13discharged,

00:57:13leave

00:57:14this

00:57:14city.

00:57:14I

00:57:15don't

00:57:15want

00:57:15to

00:57:15see

00:57:15you

00:57:15again.

00:57:18Every

00:57:19time

00:57:19he

00:57:19looked

00:57:20at

00:57:20her,

00:57:20he

00:57:20was

00:57:20reminded

00:57:21of

00:57:21his

00:57:21betrayal,

00:57:22reminded

00:57:23of

00:57:23my

00:57:23death.

00:57:24It

00:57:24felt

00:57:24like

00:57:24his

00:57:25heart

00:57:25was

00:57:25being

00:57:25carved

00:57:26apart.

00:57:27The

00:57:28beta's

00:57:28eyes

00:57:28shifted

00:57:29slightly.

00:57:30She

00:57:30already

00:57:30understood

00:57:31that

00:57:31becoming

00:57:32Luna

00:57:32was

00:57:32no

00:57:32longer

00:57:33possible.

00:57:34Now,

00:57:35she

00:57:35couldn't

00:57:36even

00:57:36remain

00:57:36as

00:57:36his

00:57:37lover.

00:57:37So,

00:57:38she

00:57:38gave

00:57:39up

00:57:39on

00:57:39everything.

00:57:41Cain,

00:57:42do you

00:57:43think

00:57:43you're

00:57:44some

00:57:44kind

00:57:44of

00:57:44tragic

00:57:45romantic

00:57:45now?

00:57:46You

00:57:46got

00:57:46rid

00:57:47of

00:57:47the

00:57:47illegitimate

00:57:47child,

00:57:48drove

00:57:49away

00:57:49your

00:57:49mistress,

00:57:50and

00:57:51now you

00:57:51get to

00:57:51mourn

00:57:52your

00:57:52dead

00:57:53lover

00:57:53all

00:57:54by

00:57:54yourself?

00:57:55mocking

00:57:55tone

00:57:56made

00:57:56Cain's

00:57:56fists

00:57:57clench.

00:57:57He

00:57:58shot

00:57:58her a

00:57:58sharp

00:57:59warning

00:57:59look.

00:58:00Enough.

00:58:01The

00:58:01first time

00:58:02we slept

00:58:02together,

00:58:03I didn't

00:58:03beg you.

00:58:04You

00:58:04were the

00:58:05one who

00:58:05couldn't

00:58:05resist

00:58:06and pushed

00:58:06me down.

00:58:07And a

00:58:08few days

00:58:08ago,

00:58:09you were

00:58:09the one

00:58:10who brought

00:58:10me home.

00:58:11You

00:58:11came

00:58:11downstairs

00:58:12in the

00:58:12middle

00:58:12of the

00:58:13night

00:58:13to

00:58:13find

00:58:13me.

00:58:14I

00:58:14never

00:58:14forced

00:58:15you.

00:58:16Arya's

00:58:17death

00:58:17was

00:58:17your

00:58:17doing.

00:58:18You're

00:58:19the

00:58:19one

00:58:19who

00:58:19drove

00:58:19her

00:58:19to

00:58:20it.

00:58:21Cain

00:58:22had

00:58:22already

00:58:23known,

00:58:23deep

00:58:24down,

00:58:24that his

00:58:25betrayal

00:58:25was what

00:58:26led to

00:58:26my

00:58:27death.

00:58:27But

00:58:28hearing it

00:58:29spoken so

00:58:29bluntly

00:58:30felt like

00:58:31a knife

00:58:31plunging into

00:58:32his heart

00:58:32all over

00:58:33again,

00:58:34tearing it

00:58:35open and

00:58:35leaving it

00:58:36bleeding.

00:58:37After a

00:58:37full day of

00:58:38spreading

00:58:38online,

00:58:39the news of

00:58:40Cain

00:58:40cheating with

00:58:41Abeda had

00:58:41completely

00:58:42exploded

00:58:43across the

00:58:43internet.

00:58:45Trending

00:58:45topics were

00:58:46flooded with

00:58:46his name.

00:58:48Cain

00:58:48scandal.

00:58:49Cain

00:58:50cheating with

00:58:51Abeda.

00:58:52Arya

00:58:52suicide.

00:58:54A month

00:58:55ago,

00:58:55Cain's

00:58:56public

00:58:56courtship

00:58:57had already

00:58:57caused a

00:58:58massive

00:58:58sensation.

00:58:59He had

00:59:00even

00:59:00promised

00:59:00the

00:59:01upcoming

00:59:01mate

00:59:02ceremony

00:59:02will be

00:59:02more

00:59:03spectacular

00:59:03than

00:59:04anything

00:59:04anyone

00:59:05has

00:59:05ever

00:59:05seen.

00:59:06People

00:59:07everywhere

00:59:08had been

00:59:08waiting to

00:59:09witness

00:59:09what they

00:59:09called

00:59:10the

00:59:10mate

00:59:11ceremony

00:59:11of the

00:59:12century.

00:59:13So when

00:59:14that

00:59:14highly

00:59:15anticipated

00:59:15ceremony

00:59:16turned into

00:59:17a funeral,

00:59:18when news

00:59:19broke that

00:59:19an Omega

00:59:20had taken

00:59:21her own

00:59:21life after

00:59:22discovering

00:59:22her Alpha's

00:59:23betrayal,

00:59:24and even

00:59:25had her

00:59:25coffin

00:59:26delivered to

00:59:26the ceremony

00:59:27site,

00:59:28it instantly

00:59:29captured

00:59:29everyone's

00:59:30attention.

00:59:32Cain's

00:59:32carefully

00:59:33crafted

00:59:33image

00:59:34shattered

00:59:34overnight.

00:59:36He

00:59:37went from

00:59:38being the

00:59:38most desired

00:59:39Alpha

00:59:39online to

00:59:40a man

00:59:40universally

00:59:41condemned

00:59:42for destroying

00:59:43the person

00:59:43he claimed

00:59:44to love.

00:59:45I'm done

00:59:46believing

00:59:47in love.

00:59:47What kind

00:59:48of trash

00:59:48Alpha is

00:59:49this?

00:59:50Aria

00:59:51deserved

00:59:51so much

00:59:52better.

00:59:52Why would

00:59:53she end

00:59:54her life

00:59:54over someone

00:59:55like him?

00:59:56Are all

00:59:57Alphas

00:59:57like this?

00:59:58Acting

00:59:58one way

00:59:59in public

00:59:59and another

01:00:00behind closed

01:00:00doors?

01:00:01It's

01:00:01disgusting.

01:00:02I actually

01:00:03believed in

01:00:04their perfect

01:00:04love story.

01:00:05The backlash

01:00:06was relentless.

01:00:10Companies that

01:00:10had partnered

01:00:10with Cain's

01:00:11group began

01:00:12cutting ties

01:00:12one after

01:00:13another.

01:00:14In no time

01:00:15the entire

01:00:16corporation was

01:00:17thrown into

01:00:17turmoil.

01:00:19But Cain

01:00:20himself had

01:00:21shut himself

01:00:21inside his

01:00:22bedroom.

01:00:23He lay

01:00:24curled up on

01:00:25the bed,

01:00:25eyes closed,

01:00:26clutching the

01:00:27torn mate

01:00:28ceremony suit

01:00:29I had ripped

01:00:29apart, as if

01:00:30holding it close

01:00:31could somehow

01:00:32bring back my

01:00:33scent.

01:00:33His parents,

01:00:35who had been

01:00:35overseas on

01:00:36business, rushed

01:00:37back as soon

01:00:38as they heard

01:00:39the news.

01:00:40It took

01:00:40everything

01:00:41on the

01:00:41part to

01:00:41step back

01:00:42to plan

01:00:43the

01:00:43business

01:00:43and keep

01:00:44the company

01:00:45from spiraling

01:00:46further.

01:00:47The moment

01:00:48they finished

01:00:48handling corporate

01:00:49matters, they

01:00:50hurried straight

01:00:51to the villa.

01:00:53As soon as

01:00:53they walked

01:00:54in, a servant

01:00:55approached them

01:00:56anxiously.

01:00:57Sir, ma'am,

01:00:58the young master

01:00:59hasn't left his

01:01:00room for over a

01:01:01day.

01:01:02We've brought

01:01:02food upstairs,

01:01:03but he won't

01:01:04eat.

01:01:04He won't

01:01:05answer the

01:01:06door either.

01:01:07We didn't

01:01:07dare force

01:01:08our way in,

01:01:09but it's been

01:01:10so long, we're

01:01:11worried something

01:01:11might have

01:01:12happened.

01:01:12The moment

01:01:13they heard

01:01:13this, both

01:01:14of them felt

01:01:15their hearts

01:01:15drop.

01:01:16They hadn't

01:01:17realized their

01:01:18son had

01:01:18deteriorated to

01:01:19the point of

01:01:20refusing to

01:01:21eat.

01:01:22They rushed

01:01:23upstairs, just

01:01:24as the servant

01:01:24had said.

01:01:25No matter how

01:01:26hard they

01:01:27knocked, there

01:01:28was no

01:01:28response.

01:01:29No matter

01:01:29how many times

01:01:30they called

01:01:31his name, there

01:01:32was only

01:01:32silence.

01:01:34Kane's

01:01:34mother's voice

01:01:35trembled with

01:01:35fear.

01:01:36Do you think

01:01:36something's

01:01:37happened to

01:01:37him?

01:01:40Break the

01:01:40door down.

01:01:44When the

01:01:45door was

01:01:45forced open,

01:01:46they found

01:01:46the curtains

01:01:47drawn tightly

01:01:48shut, blocking

01:01:49out every trace

01:01:50of light.

01:01:50Kane remained

01:01:51curled up on

01:01:52the bed, still

01:01:53clutching the

01:01:54torn mate

01:01:54ceremony suit.

01:01:55Even with

01:01:56everyone entering

01:01:57the room, he

01:01:58didn't react at

01:01:59The moment

01:02:00his mother

01:02:00saw how

01:02:01gaunt his

01:02:01face had

01:02:02become, her

01:02:03eyes filled

01:02:03with tears.

01:02:07England.

01:02:08Standing in

01:02:09front of the

01:02:09sprawling Ashford

01:02:11Manor, I

01:02:12still felt like

01:02:12I was dreaming.

01:02:14I was no

01:02:15longer Phoenix.

01:02:16Now, I was

01:02:18Lyra Phoenix.

01:02:19I never

01:02:20imagined that a

01:02:21simple trip abroad

01:02:22would lead me to

01:02:23finding my

01:02:24biological parents.

01:02:27On the

01:02:27plane, a

01:02:28well-dressed

01:02:29woman seated

01:02:30next to me kept

01:02:31glancing in my

01:02:31direction.

01:02:33Out of

01:02:33politeness, I

01:02:34greeted her

01:02:35first, and we

01:02:36quickly fell into

01:02:37conversation.

01:02:38She told me she

01:02:40was part of the

01:02:40werewolf kind, a

01:02:42Chinese family

01:02:43settled in

01:02:43England.

01:02:44This trip back

01:02:45had been for

01:02:46one reason only,

01:02:47she was searching

01:02:48for her missing

01:02:49daughter.

01:02:50She and her

01:02:51husband had been

01:02:52running businesses

01:02:53overseas for

01:02:54years.

01:02:54When their

01:02:55youngest daughter

01:02:56was born, it

01:02:57happened to be

01:02:57during a full

01:02:58moon, and they

01:02:59were in China at

01:03:00the time.

01:03:01They decided to

01:03:02stay an extra

01:03:03month, and leave

01:03:04after the baby's

01:03:05one-month

01:03:06milestone.

01:03:07But the day

01:03:08before they were

01:03:09supposed to leave,

01:03:10their daughter

01:03:11disappeared.

01:03:12They called the

01:03:13police immediately,

01:03:15and searched with

01:03:16friends, but after

01:03:17an entire month,

01:03:18there was still

01:03:19no trace.

01:03:20The authorities

01:03:21believed the

01:03:22child had likely

01:03:23been trafficked,

01:03:24and the chances

01:03:24of finding her

01:03:25were slim.

01:03:26With their

01:03:26visas expiring,

01:03:28they had no

01:03:28choice but to

01:03:29leave the country.

01:03:31Even so, they

01:03:33never gave up.

01:03:34They entrusted

01:03:35friends in China

01:03:36to continue

01:03:37searching, and

01:03:38every year, they

01:03:39returned to that

01:03:40same city, staying

01:03:41for a full month

01:03:42to look for her.

01:03:44This was the

01:03:4526th year.

01:03:47Everyone around

01:03:48them had urged

01:03:49them to let go,

01:03:50but they held on

01:03:51to the smallest

01:03:52thread of hope.

01:03:53This time, they

01:03:54had returned

01:03:55empty-handed once

01:03:56again.

01:03:57But when she saw

01:03:58me, she felt an

01:04:00unexplainable sense

01:04:01of familiarity.

01:04:02That was why she

01:04:04had kept looking at

01:04:05me.

01:04:06Strangely enough, I

01:04:07felt the same

01:04:08warmth from her.

01:04:10Without even

01:04:10realizing it, I

01:04:12began telling her

01:04:13about my past.

01:04:15When she learned I

01:04:16was an orphan, and

01:04:17that I came from the

01:04:18same city where her

01:04:19daughter had gone

01:04:20missing, her

01:04:21emotions became

01:04:21visibly stirred.

01:04:23She grasped my

01:04:24hands tightly, and

01:04:26asked if I would be

01:04:27willing to take a

01:04:28DNA test after we

01:04:29landed.

01:04:30Looking at the

01:04:31hopeful expressions

01:04:32on both her face

01:04:33and her husband's, I

01:04:35found myself

01:04:36nodding.

01:04:40The moment we got

01:04:41off the plane, they

01:04:42had their driver take

01:04:43us straight to the

01:04:44fastest GenCore lab

01:04:46available, the

01:04:47wait felt endless.

01:04:49But when the

01:04:50results finally came

01:04:51back, everything

01:04:52changed.

01:04:53I was their

01:04:54daughter.

01:04:56The moment they

01:04:57saw the confirmation,

01:04:58they pulled me into

01:04:59their arms and broke

01:05:00down in tears.

01:05:02And for the first

01:05:03time in my life, I

01:05:05understood something I

01:05:06had never known

01:05:07before.

01:05:07I was not

01:05:09unwanted.

01:05:10My parents loved

01:05:11me.

01:05:11They had spent 26

01:05:13years searching for

01:05:14me.

01:05:16After asking for my

01:05:17opinion, they kept

01:05:18the name Phoenix for

01:05:19me, but added a

01:05:21first name.

01:05:22Lyra.

01:05:23From that moment

01:05:24on, I became

01:05:25Lyra Phoenix.

01:05:27Ever since they

01:05:28found out who I

01:05:29was, my mother

01:05:30refused to let go

01:05:32of my hand, her

01:05:33eyes filled with

01:05:34warmth and

01:05:34affection.

01:05:36Even my father

01:05:37who carried himself

01:05:38with quiet

01:05:38restraint, couldn't

01:05:40hide the redness

01:05:41in his eyes as he

01:05:42looked at me.

01:05:44When we arrived at

01:05:45the estate, my

01:05:46mother led me eagerly

01:05:47to a bedroom door,

01:05:49like she had been

01:05:49waiting for this

01:05:50moment forever.

01:05:51Phoenix, your

01:05:53father and I have

01:05:54been waiting for you

01:05:55to come home.

01:05:56We've kept your

01:05:57room exactly as it

01:05:58was for 26 years.

01:05:59Now you're finally

01:06:01here, and it

01:06:02finally has its

01:06:03owner.

01:06:03Her voice trembled

01:06:05as she spoke.

01:06:06My father gently

01:06:07placed a hand on

01:06:08her shoulder, then

01:06:09nodded toward the

01:06:10door.

01:06:10Go on, take a

01:06:12look, see if you

01:06:13like what we

01:06:14prepared for you.

01:06:16A warmth spread

01:06:17through my chest,

01:06:18something I had

01:06:19never felt before.

01:06:21Family.

01:06:22I pushed open the

01:06:23heavy door.

01:06:24Inside was a

01:06:26beautifully styled

01:06:27European vintage

01:06:28bed.

01:06:29A window beside it

01:06:30looked out over the

01:06:31back garden, the

01:06:32view stretching

01:06:33peacefully into the

01:06:34distance.

01:06:36The entire room

01:06:37was covered in

01:06:38soft carpeting, and

01:06:39right in the center

01:06:40sat a neat stack of

01:06:41boxes.

01:06:45Curious, I asked,

01:06:46what's in these?

01:06:48My father stepped

01:06:49forward, picked one

01:06:50up, and handed it

01:06:51to me.

01:06:52Open it and see.

01:06:54I carefully

01:06:55unwrapped it.

01:06:56Inside was a

01:06:58diamond bracelet.

01:06:59A realization hit me

01:07:01instantly.

01:07:02I rushed to open the

01:07:03rest.

01:07:03A princess dress.

01:07:06A crown.

01:07:07A necklace.

01:07:09One after another.

01:07:11There were exactly

01:07:1226 items.

01:07:15No more, no less.

01:07:17My eyes burned as

01:07:19tears welled up.

01:07:21These were birthday

01:07:22gifts.

01:07:23Even when I wasn't

01:07:24with them, they had

01:07:25prepared one for me

01:07:26every single year,

01:07:28waiting for the day I

01:07:29would finally come

01:07:30home and open them.

01:07:32Growing up in the

01:07:33orphanage, the

01:07:34bullying had convinced

01:07:35me that no one in

01:07:37this world would ever

01:07:38love me.

01:07:39So when Cain entered

01:07:40my life like a blazing

01:07:42light, I fell for him

01:07:43without hesitation.

01:07:45But now I finally

01:07:46understood.

01:07:48Even when I didn't

01:07:49know it, my parents

01:07:50had always loved me.

01:07:52I stepped forward and

01:07:54wrapped my arms

01:07:55tightly around them.

01:07:56Mom, Dad, I'm

01:07:58home.

01:08:00My mom looked at me

01:08:01helplessly.

01:08:02Phoenix, I promise

01:08:04he's a good person.

01:08:05Just meet him once.

01:08:07If you don't like him,

01:08:09I'll find a way to

01:08:10call it off, okay?

01:08:12The first problem I

01:08:13faced after coming

01:08:14home turned out to be

01:08:15an arranged match.

01:08:17Back when my mom and

01:08:19her best friend were

01:08:20pregnant at the same

01:08:21time, they made a

01:08:22promise.

01:08:22If one had a boy and

01:08:24the other a girl, they

01:08:25would arrange a future

01:08:26match.

01:08:27If the children were

01:08:28the same gender, they

01:08:30would grow up like

01:08:30siblings.

01:08:31When they found out it

01:08:32was a boy and a girl,

01:08:34they were thrilled.

01:08:35They thought their

01:08:36friendship would turn

01:08:37into family.

01:08:38But not long after, I

01:08:40was taken.

01:08:41The arrangement was

01:08:43put on hold.

01:08:44A few days ago, after

01:08:46confirming that I was

01:08:47single, my mom and

01:08:49her friend brought it

01:08:50up again at the same

01:08:51time.

01:08:51The man was still

01:08:53single too.

01:08:54So the two mothers

01:08:55decided to revive the

01:08:57arrangement and let us

01:08:58meet.

01:09:00After five years in a

01:09:02failed relationship, I

01:09:04still hadn't fully

01:09:05recovered.

01:09:06The idea of starting

01:09:07something new made me

01:09:08uneasy.

01:09:09But I didn't want to

01:09:10tell my mom everything

01:09:11I had been through.

01:09:12I didn't want her to

01:09:13worry, so I agreed to

01:09:15meet him.

01:09:16I figured I would just

01:09:18explain things clearly

01:09:19in person.

01:09:20Even being friends would

01:09:22be fine.

01:09:23The moment I nodded, my

01:09:24mom lit up with

01:09:25excitement, and

01:09:26immediately started

01:09:27setting a time, as if

01:09:29afraid something might

01:09:30change.

01:09:31The two mothers

01:09:32scheduled dinner for

01:09:33that very afternoon at

01:09:35the estate.

01:09:36By the afternoon, my

01:09:38mom had even called in

01:09:39a stylist to get me

01:09:40ready.

01:09:41I had no choice but to

01:09:43let her fuss over me.

01:09:45What I didn't expect was

01:09:47that when I finally met my

01:09:48so-called fiancé, I

01:09:50recognized him instantly.

01:09:54You?

01:09:56You?

01:09:57We spoke at the same

01:09:58time.

01:09:59I stared at the man in

01:10:00front of me, surprised.

01:10:02It was Vincent Gray.

01:10:03Vincent clearly hadn't

01:10:05expected it either.

01:10:06My mom and his mother

01:10:08exchanged a knowing

01:10:09look, smiles flickering

01:10:11across their faces as

01:10:12they quickly made

01:10:13excuses to leave, giving

01:10:14us space.

01:10:15For a moment, the large

01:10:17garden felt awkwardly

01:10:18quiet with just the two

01:10:20of us.

01:10:21Vincent broke the

01:10:22silence first.

01:10:24Aria.

01:10:25I didn't expect the

01:10:26daughter the Lyra family

01:10:27found to be you.

01:10:28We had gone to the

01:10:29same university back in

01:10:31China, studying in the

01:10:32same major.

01:10:33I nodded.

01:10:34Given the relationship

01:10:36between our families, he

01:10:38must have already heard

01:10:39what happened to me.

01:10:40There was no need to

01:10:42explain further.

01:10:43He hesitated slightly

01:10:45before speaking again.

01:10:47Aria.

01:10:49I remember your

01:10:50empathic sense.

01:10:52I instinctively touched

01:10:53the back of my neck.

01:10:55I had never told my

01:10:56parents about my weak

01:10:57empathic sense.

01:10:59I didn't want them to

01:11:00know how unhappy my

01:11:02childhood had been.

01:11:03It would only make them

01:11:04feel guilty, so I told

01:11:06him everything.

01:11:07My five-year relationship

01:11:09with Cain, how it

01:11:10ended, and how my

01:11:11empathic sense finally

01:11:13went through its

01:11:14awakening.

01:11:15At the end, I added

01:11:16quietly,

01:11:17Vincent, I need you to

01:11:19keep this between us.

01:11:21I don't want my parents

01:11:22to worry.

01:11:23He pretended to think

01:11:24for a moment, then said

01:11:26with a hint of

01:11:27reluctance,

01:11:27I can do that.

01:11:31But I have one condition.

01:11:35I blinked in surprise.

01:11:37I hadn't interacted with

01:11:39Vincent much before, but I

01:11:40remembered him as easy-going

01:11:42and kind.

01:11:43Still, I was asking him

01:11:45for a favor.

01:11:46It was only fair.

01:11:47What's the condition?

01:11:49He smiled, a playful

01:11:51glint in his eyes.

01:11:53Can I stop calling you

01:11:55Aria and call you

01:11:56Phoenix instead?

01:11:57And you don't have to

01:11:58call me Vincent so

01:11:59formally either.

01:12:01I hadn't expected

01:12:02something so simple.

01:12:03Ever since I changed

01:12:04my name, people around

01:12:06me had been calling

01:12:07me Phoenix.

01:12:08But somehow, hearing

01:12:10it from him felt

01:12:11different.

01:12:13Of course, Vincent.

01:12:15Thinking about the

01:12:16arranged match, I

01:12:17hesitated before finally

01:12:19gathering the courage

01:12:20to speak.

01:12:21Vincent, you already

01:12:25know I just came out

01:12:26of a failed

01:12:26relationship.

01:12:28I'm not ready for

01:12:29anything new right

01:12:30now.

01:12:32About the arrangement.

01:12:33I had assumed that

01:12:34me being an Omega

01:12:35might make him feel

01:12:37embarrassed or slighted,

01:12:38but his expression

01:12:39stayed calm.

01:12:40It's fine.

01:12:43I'll explain it to

01:12:44my mom.

01:12:46Honestly, on my way

01:12:47here, I was already

01:12:48thinking about how to

01:12:49bring this up.

01:12:51restrewn this up, without

01:12:52affecting our family's

01:12:53relationship.

01:12:54He paused, then

01:12:56smiled.

01:12:57I didn't expect the

01:12:58Lyra family's daughter

01:12:59to be you.

01:13:01Even if we call off the

01:13:03arrangement, we can

01:13:04still be good friends,

01:13:05right?

01:13:06Relief washed over me.

01:13:08I smiled and nodded.

01:13:10Of course.

01:13:10Maybe it was because we

01:13:12had shared the same

01:13:13university, the same

01:13:15memories.

01:13:15Having just arrived in

01:13:17England, everything still

01:13:19felt unfamiliar, but with

01:13:21Vincent, I felt a sense

01:13:22of ease I hadn't

01:13:24expected.

01:13:25We started talking about

01:13:26the past, and I realized

01:13:28we had so many shared

01:13:30interests.

01:13:31Before long, we grew

01:13:32closer, even meeting up

01:13:34from time to time to hang

01:13:35out.

01:13:37One day, after feeding

01:13:39seagulls by the coast,

01:13:40Vincent walked me back

01:13:42home.

01:13:42We ended up standing by

01:13:44the front gate, laughing

01:13:45and talking about

01:13:46everything that had

01:13:47happened earlier.

01:13:48I don't know how long

01:13:49we stood there.

01:13:50Then, from behind me, I

01:13:52heard a familiar voice.

01:13:54Little wolf.

01:13:57After spotting a familiar

01:13:59figure in the news, Kane

01:14:00used every connection he

01:14:02had to track down her

01:14:03identity.

01:14:04Because the Lyra family

01:14:06had deep roots overseas

01:14:07while Kane remained in

01:14:08China, it took him half a

01:14:10month to finally uncover

01:14:12information about me.

01:14:14The moment he saw the

01:14:15photo from the banquet, he

01:14:18knew that was his

01:14:19little wolf.

01:14:20Even with a different

01:14:22name, he was certain

01:14:23there was no mistaking

01:14:25it.

01:14:26He immediately began

01:14:28digging for the Lyra

01:14:29family's address.

01:14:30Once he confirmed it, he

01:14:32rushed to catch the

01:14:33earliest flight to

01:14:34England.

01:14:35On the way, he must have

01:14:37imagined countless

01:14:38scenarios of seeing me

01:14:39again.

01:14:40He thought the most

01:14:41likely outcome was that

01:14:43I would still be angry and

01:14:44refuse to speak to him.

01:14:46But that didn't matter.

01:14:48As long as he could see

01:14:49me, that would be

01:14:50enough.

01:14:51After experiencing my

01:14:53death, he had come to

01:14:54realize more than ever

01:14:56that he could not live

01:14:57without me.

01:14:58He planned to apologize

01:15:00sincerely.

01:15:01To promise that he would

01:15:02never be tempted by

01:15:03another Omega again.

01:15:05He even imagined that

01:15:07once I forgave him, he

01:15:09would hold an even grander

01:15:10mate ceremony, one that

01:15:13would surpass anything

01:15:14before it, and declare his

01:15:16love to the world.

01:15:17What he didn't expect was

01:15:19that when he finally saw me

01:15:21again, a month later, I was

01:15:23already standing beside another

01:15:25Alpha.

01:15:27Vincent and I had been

01:15:28talking, completely absorbed,

01:15:31for nearly an hour.

01:15:32Cain stood behind a wall like an

01:15:35intruder peeking into someone

01:15:36else's happiness.

01:15:38But the moment he saw that

01:15:40familiar figure, longing

01:15:42crashed over him like a

01:15:44tidal wave.

01:15:45Just before he could no longer

01:15:47hold it in, he finally called

01:15:49out the name he had been

01:15:50repeating in his mind.

01:15:52After nearly a month, he was

01:15:54seeing me again, alive.

01:15:57His eyes reddened, his voice

01:15:59unsteady.

01:16:00Little wolf, I finally found

01:16:03you.

01:16:03You're not dead.

01:16:05You're really here.

01:16:09He instinctively ignored the

01:16:11Alpha, standing beside me.

01:16:13The moment I heard that

01:16:15familiar voice, I let out a

01:16:17quiet sigh.

01:16:18I had always known the fake

01:16:20death wouldn't fool Cain

01:16:21forever.

01:16:22I just hadn't expected him to

01:16:25track me down in England this

01:16:26quickly.

01:16:28I gave Vincent a subtle look,

01:16:30signaling him to leave first.

01:16:32Then I turned around, my

01:16:34expression cold as I looked

01:16:36straight at Cain.

01:16:37Why are you here?

01:16:39Area is dead.

01:16:40I'm Phoenix now.

01:16:43Cain finally recalled everything

01:16:45he had learned over the past

01:16:46two weeks.

01:16:47His little wolf was never an

01:16:49orphan.

01:16:50I was Phoenix, the lost

01:16:52daughter of the Lyra family,

01:16:54their most cherished child.

01:16:56Little wolf, no, Phoenix.

01:17:00I know I was wrong.

01:17:02I've already dealt with the

01:17:03beta.

01:17:03The child is gone too.

01:17:07Can you forgive me?

01:17:09With his intelligence, it

01:17:11didn't take much to figure out

01:17:13that the body at the mate

01:17:14ceremony had been staged.

01:17:16It was nothing more than my way

01:17:17of escaping after my heart had

01:17:19already died.

01:17:21Now that he had finally found me

01:17:23again, the person he had thought

01:17:25about day and night, he was

01:17:26determined to apologize and beg

01:17:28for forgiveness.

01:17:30I let out a quiet laugh.

01:17:32I had seen with my own eyes how

01:17:34he treated the beta.

01:17:36And now he could dismiss everything

01:17:38so easily, saying he had taken

01:17:41care of her and the pup as if it

01:17:42meant nothing.

01:17:44I used to think he had simply

01:17:46transferred his love from me to

01:17:47someone else.

01:17:49Now, I understood the truth.

01:17:52He was rotten to the core.

01:17:54He didn't truly love anyone.

01:17:56Only himself.

01:17:58Kane, I regret ever loving you.

01:18:01Those few simple words drained

01:18:03all the color from Kane's face.

01:18:06He couldn't understand it.

01:18:08For five years, we had been so

01:18:10in love.

01:18:11We had been happy.

01:18:12How could I regret it now?

01:18:14And that word regret, did it mean

01:18:17I didn't love him anymore?

01:18:21The thought alone made his chest

01:18:24tighten with pain.

01:18:25No, that couldn't be true.

01:18:28It had only been a month.

01:18:30How could I have stopped loving

01:18:32him so quickly?

01:18:33In his mind, I was still angry.

01:18:36I just hadn't forgiven him yet.

01:18:38Kane stepped forward reaching for

01:18:41my hand, wanting to explain

01:18:43before he could touch me.

01:18:45I took a step back, putting

01:18:47distance between us.

01:18:49The hurt in his expression was

01:18:51obvious, but he quickly tried

01:18:53to explain himself.

01:18:55Phoenix, I don't mean anything

01:18:56else.

01:18:57I just want to explain.

01:18:59Believe me, I've only ever

01:19:02loved you.

01:19:05I never had real feelings for

01:19:06that beta.

01:19:09Can you forgive me and come

01:19:11back with me?

01:19:12I promise, there will never be

01:19:14another Omega around me again.

01:19:16I swear I'll only love you.

01:19:18We can have an even grander

01:19:20mate ceremony.

01:19:22By the end, there was a flicker

01:19:25of hope in his eyes.

01:19:26I didn't react.

01:19:28My expression remained cold.

01:19:30Five years ago, when you got

01:19:32together with me, you made the

01:19:33same promise.

01:19:35You said you would only love me.

01:19:38And you still cheated.

01:19:40I won't believe you again.

01:19:43And I will never forgive you.

01:19:46You should leave.

01:19:48Don't come back.

01:19:50When I first discovered his

01:19:52betrayal, the pain had been

01:19:54unbearable.

01:19:55There was even a moment when I

01:19:57hesitated.

01:19:58Because he still treated me the

01:20:00same as before, I thought maybe

01:20:02I could pretend nothing had

01:20:04happened.

01:20:05Maybe we could complete the mate

01:20:07bond.

01:20:08And he would continue to treat me

01:20:10well.

01:20:11Maybe he would keep the other

01:20:13Omega out of my sight.

01:20:15But after lie, after lie, after

01:20:18seeing him entangled with the beta,

01:20:20with my own eyes, I realized I

01:20:23couldn't do it.

01:20:24I couldn't live like nothing had

01:20:26happened.

01:20:28What I wanted had always been

01:20:30something real, a love that was

01:20:32honest.

01:20:35And once Kane tainted that love, I

01:20:38no longer wanted it.

01:20:40Back then, I had already made my

01:20:43decision.

01:20:43I would never forgive him.

01:20:45I turned to leave.

01:20:47But Kane wasn't ready to give up.

01:20:50In a moment of panic, he grabbed my

01:20:53wrist.

01:20:55Little wolf, I swear.

01:20:57My heart has always belonged to you.

01:20:59You're the only one I love.

01:21:01I pulled free from his grip and

01:21:04looked at him.

01:21:05The urgency and sincerity on his face

01:21:07didn't seem fake.

01:21:09But I only let out a soft, humorless

01:21:12laugh.

01:21:12Love me?

01:21:15You talked about the beta with your

01:21:17friends right in front of me.

01:21:20Was that love?

01:21:23You had my mate ceremony designer

01:21:25make a dress for her.

01:21:27Was that love?

01:21:30You snuck downstairs in the middle of

01:21:32the night to see her while I was

01:21:33asleep.

01:21:34Was that love?

01:21:35If that's your version of love,

01:21:37it's cheap.

01:21:38I don't want it.

01:21:40With every word Kane's,

01:21:42face grew paler.

01:21:44By the end, he looked like he could

01:21:46barely stand.

01:21:48My words cut into him like a blade,

01:21:50tearing his heart apart piece by

01:21:52piece.

01:21:53Never in his life had Kane hated

01:21:55himself this much.

01:21:57If he had never gotten involved with

01:21:58the beta in the first place,

01:22:00none of this would have happened.

01:22:05Kane's voice trembled slightly.

01:22:07Little wolf,

01:22:08are you really never going to forgive me?

01:22:11I nodded without hesitation.

01:22:14That's right.

01:22:15Never.

01:22:16I didn't wait to see his reaction.

01:22:19I turned and walked inside.

01:22:22The next day,

01:22:24Vincent and I had plans to attend a concert.

01:22:27Ever since my empathic sense went through

01:22:30its awakening,

01:22:31I had grown especially sensitive to emotions.

01:22:34The calm of nature.

01:22:36The intensity of music.

01:22:38The sincerity or deceit in people's voices.

01:22:41Vincent happened to be a huge fan of

01:22:44classical music,

01:22:44and every time I went to a concert with him,

01:22:47I learned something new.

01:22:52Kane's stood outside the estate the entire night.

01:22:55My words from yesterday echoed endlessly in his mind.

01:22:59What once felt like relief after his first time with the beta

01:23:03had now come back like a blade,

01:23:05striking him full force.

01:23:07Still,

01:23:08he wanted one more chance.

01:23:10He refused to believe that five years of love

01:23:13could be erased so completely.

01:23:16After getting Vincent's message,

01:23:18I headed downstairs,

01:23:20humming like a carefree bird.

01:23:22My mom,

01:23:23who was having breakfast,

01:23:25teased me when she saw me.

01:23:27Who was the one who said they didn't want to meet him?

01:23:29Now it looks like you can't wait to see him every day.

01:23:32I'd say this match is looking pretty promising.

01:23:34Mom,

01:23:35we're just friends.

01:23:37But for some reason,

01:23:38I felt my cheeks warm.

01:23:41I quickly ran out the door.

01:23:42The tickets for today's concert were hard to get,

01:23:46and Vincent had told me that one of his favorite cellists would be performing.

01:23:51The moment I stepped outside,

01:23:53I saw Kane standing off to the side,

01:23:56completely still.

01:23:57I acted as if I hadn't seen him,

01:24:00and ran straight toward Vincent.

01:24:03He was holding a sandwich,

01:24:05and handed it to me naturally.

01:24:07My mom asked me to bring this for you.

01:24:10I took a bite.

01:24:14My eyes lighting up.

01:24:16Aunt Grace's cooking is as amazing as ever.

01:24:19Come on, we're gonna be late.

01:24:22You still haven't told me who else is performing today.

01:24:26Kane remained where he was,

01:24:28watching as I walked farther and farther away.

01:24:31The moment I stepped out,

01:24:33he had wanted to call out to me,

01:24:36to try one last time.

01:24:38But then,

01:24:39he saw the light in my eyes.

01:24:41That bright,

01:24:42eager happiness.

01:24:44It was a look he knew all too well.

01:24:47Back when we were together,

01:24:49I used to look at him like that all the time.

01:24:51But now,

01:24:52he hadn't seen it,

01:24:54in nearly two months.

01:24:58When he thought back to the days before I staged my death,

01:25:02he realized something.

01:25:04Back then,

01:25:05my eyes had been empty,

01:25:07like still water without a ripple.

01:25:09Nothing could stir any emotion in me.

01:25:12And yet,

01:25:13at the beginning of our relationship,

01:25:15I had looked at him the way I had just looked at Vincent.

01:25:20That was when he finally understood.

01:25:23What this relationship had left me with,

01:25:26was nothing but pain.

01:25:28He had no right to ask for my forgiveness anymore.

01:25:31He booked a flight back home that same afternoon.

01:25:34Before leaving,

01:25:36he realized he didn't have my current number.

01:25:39So he borrowed a piece of paper and a pen from a passerby,

01:25:42and wrote a message.

01:25:44He placed it somewhere visible by the gate.

01:25:48After one last look at the place where I would spend the rest of my life,

01:25:53he got into the car,

01:25:54and left.

01:25:58A gust of wind lifted the paper into the air.

01:26:05On it,

01:26:06there was only one sentence.

01:26:09Little wolf,

01:26:10please let me call you that a last time.

01:26:12Little wolf,

01:26:13please let me call you that a last time.

01:26:15I'm sorry.

01:26:15I wish you a lifetime of happiness.

01:26:19Spring in England.

01:26:20Vincent and I walked through the rose garden at Ashford Manor.

01:26:25Phoenix.

01:26:26Vincent said stopping in his tracks.

01:26:28His expression was more serious than I had ever seen before.

01:26:32I know you're not ready right now,

01:26:34but I want you to know,

01:26:36if one day you're willing to believe in love again.

01:26:39I'll be here waiting.

01:26:40I looked at him,

01:26:41warmth spreading through my chest.

01:26:44Maybe,

01:26:45one day,

01:26:46I would believe in love again.

01:26:49But for now,

01:26:50I was content.

01:26:52Loved by my parents.

01:26:54Surrounded by friends.

01:26:56Running freely under the moonlight.

01:26:58Feeling the breeze,

01:27:00and breathing in the scent of flowers.

01:27:03I am Phoenix.

01:27:05And I have risen from the ashes.

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