- 10 hours ago
I thought I was above destiny when I abandoned her, but the silver moon turned my blood to ice. Witness my agonizing punishment in The Silver Judged His Betryal as fate collects its debt. Catch the full web series now to see me lose everything!
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00:00For a hundred years, the Blackwood Pack held one sacred law.
00:03No male shall take a mistress or reject his mate.
00:06Those who violated it faced the Silver Whip.
00:08Yet in the third year of our mating,
00:11Silas knelt before the Pack Council chamber and pleaded for Pack Law.
00:14He wanted to break our bond,
00:16because his female trainee who'd been missing for three years had returned.
00:20The same hands that once traced my brows in tender strokes
00:23now pushed the rejection papers toward me.
00:25Pain spilled from his eyes like a wound torn open.
00:28Laya suffered because of me.
00:31I cannot betray her.
00:33I held our daughter tighter.
00:34My wolf whimpered in my chest, already feeling the severing to come.
00:38What about Iris?
00:39He stayed silent for a long moment, then looked away.
00:42Laya can no longer bear children.
00:44She cannot stand the sight of my pup.
00:46Iris will be removed from the Pack Records.
00:49I'll find another family to place her properly.
00:51I remembered the full moon hunt when he'd won that white stag for me.
00:54Brought me its heart still warm, claiming the victory was mine.
00:58His wolf had howled for mine that night.
01:01Pure and true.
01:02I tucked the rejection papers into my sleeve.
01:05Everything had signs all along.
01:07I accept the bond breaking.
01:10But Iris stays with me.
01:12From this day forward.
01:13Iris and I have nothing to do with the Blackwood Pack.
01:16Not in life, not in death.
01:18The council chamber went silent.
01:20I tightened my hold on Iris.
01:22This tiny pup was my only anchor now.
01:25My wolf curled protectively around her presence.
01:27Silas stared at me, confusion flickering in his eyes.
01:31He hadn't expected me to agree so readily.
01:34Luna Blackwood rushed forward, reaching for my hand.
01:37Elara, you're being foolish.
01:40Pack law is iron.
01:42How can he reject his mate on a whim?
01:45We will never allow this.
01:46Alpha Blackwood's beard trembled with rage, his pointing finger shaking.
01:51Ungrateful wretch.
01:52Elara bore you a child.
01:54Managed your household.
01:55What wrong has she done?
01:57You would reject your mate and abandon your pup?
02:00You lost your mind!
02:01The elders shook their heads.
02:03Silas, the Blackwood Pack has held its honor for a century.
02:07We have never rejected mates or abandoned pups.
02:11If you insist on this, you must endure a hundred lashes first.
02:15Silas kept his spine straight, cold sweat beating on his forehead.
02:19His wolf's presence flickered, conflicted weak.
02:23Father, mother, honored elders.
02:25This is my fault alone.
02:28But Lyra suffered for years because of me.
02:31Now that she's returned, I cannot betray her.
02:34He turned to me.
02:35His gaze flickered with struggle when it touched Iris,
02:37but quickly hardened into resolve.
02:40Iris.
02:42I cannot keep her.
02:44Lyra cannot bear children.
02:46She cannot stand the sight of my pup.
02:49After removing her from the records,
02:51I'll find her a good family.
02:54She'll want for nothing.
02:57Good!
02:58Excellent!
02:59Bring the whip!
03:03A dark silver-laced whip was brought forth,
03:06each strand woven with threads of pure silver,
03:08blessed by the moon goddess herself.
03:10Silas shed his outer shirt and knelt in submission.
03:13When the lash fell, gasps filled the hall.
03:16His back loomed with blood, silver burning into his flesh.
03:19But he bit down hard, refusing to make a sound.
03:22His wolf cowled silently at him.
03:24After a hundred lashes,
03:26Alpha Blackwood threw down the whip and pointed to the door.
03:29Get out!
03:29Kneel until you come to your senses!
03:32Snow was falling outside.
03:34Silas staggered to his feet,
03:36walked to the courtyard,
03:37and knelt rigid in the snow.
03:39His face was pale as paper,
03:41lips turning purple from cold.
03:43Still, he held on to those words.
03:45Even if I freeze to death here,
03:46I will break this bond.
03:48I watched him willing to die for Lyra,
03:50a sharp pain piercing my chest.
03:52My wolf keened, confused and betrayed.
03:55Onsay, he had knelt before his parents just as determined,
03:58saying he would marry no one but me.
04:00Back then, he was the capital's elite pack beta,
04:03and I was an Omega's daughter.
04:05The gap between us was vast.
04:07Everyone said he'd gone mad,
04:09yet he insisted on a proper courtship,
04:11a blood bond ceremony to bring me into his pack.
04:13His wolf had reached for mine,
04:15their energies intertwining as he said tenderly,
04:17Lyra, I will treat you well for all my life.
04:22How did we end up here?
04:23Yesterday was Iris' full moon celebration.
04:26Guests filled the halls.
04:28That was when Lyra appeared.
04:29In tattered clothes, Hagar.
04:31She stood at the door and called out timidly.
04:34I'm talking.
04:38Just that one word,
04:39and Silas always composed,
04:41always said he dropped his wine cup.
04:43He pushed through the congratulating guests,
04:45nearly stumbling as he rushed to her
04:47and pulled her into his arms.
04:48Eyes bloodshot,
04:50voice breaking,
04:51repeating I am sorry over and over.
04:53I'm sorry.
04:54It was my fault, Lyra.
04:57I shouldn't have said those terrible things.
04:59I harmed you.
05:01Everyone watched this reunion unfold.
05:03His friends murmured in sympathy.
05:04Silas is devoted beyond measure.
05:07He finally waited for her return.
05:09I stood outside the crowd holding Iris
05:11like a stranger at my own celebration.
05:13In that moment, I still thought it is all right.
05:16He is just feeling guilty.
05:18Until last night when he came to my chamber.
05:20After a long silence, he finally spoke.
05:23Alara, let's break our hand.
05:25I'm sorry,
05:26but Lyra was taken because of me.
05:28She endured unspeakable abuse.
05:30Now she cannot bear children.
05:31I owe her too much.
05:33I must spend the rest of my life making amends.
05:36The word struck like lightning.
05:38Break our bond?
05:40What about Iris?
05:42What about our daughter?
05:44Voice hoarse.
05:45Lyra cannot stand the sight of my pup.
05:48Iris, I'll remove her name and send her away.
05:51I beat his chest like a madman.
05:53Screaming how could he be so cruel.
05:55He didn't dodge.
05:56Didn't avoid.
05:56He let me rage.
05:57Pain filling his eyes,
05:59but he never took back his words.
06:00By dawn, I was exhausted.
06:03I said,
06:03Fine.
06:07The whip wounds and the cold
06:08made Silas collapse in the snow.
06:11Servants scrambled to carry him back to his chamber
06:13and called for a healer.
06:15I stood outside the courtyard,
06:16watching shadows move inside,
06:18listening to Luna Blackwood's quiet sobs.
06:21My heart turned to ice.
06:23My wolf went silent.
06:25Back in my own quarters,
06:27I began packing.
06:28In three years at the Blackwood estate,
06:31I'd accumulated so much.
06:32All of it,
06:34jewelry,
06:34fabric,
06:35paintings,
06:35gifts from him.
06:36Now they seemed like a cruel joke.
06:38I was folding everyday clothes
06:40into my travel sack
06:41when footsteps sounded outside.
06:43One servant helped Silas inside.
06:45His face was ashen,
06:47his back wounds bandaged,
06:48yet he still needed support to stand.
06:51I didn't turn around.
06:52I kept packing.
06:53Alara,
06:54this is my wrongling.
06:55My stubbornness.
06:57The world will know this was my fault.
06:59I'll make it clear,
07:00we're breaking the bond mutually,
07:01not a rejection.
07:02I'll protect your reputation as much as possible.
07:04You're still young.
07:06You'll find another mate.
07:07I'll give you sufficient compensation.
07:08I stopped and turned to face him.
07:11His eyes were full of remorse,
07:12sincere as if he truly had my best interests at heart.
07:16Silas,
07:17there's no need for such hypocrisy.
07:19He froze.
07:20I walked up to him,
07:21looking up at this face I once loved deeply.
07:24You just want peace of mind
07:25so you can mate with Lyra without guilt.
07:27You say,
07:28you won't miss this chance again.
07:31But these three years,
07:32what was I to you?
07:34His lips moved,
07:35his throat worked.
07:36Finally,
07:36words came out.
07:37Alara,
07:39in this world regrets are common.
07:45Not everything can be perfect.
07:47I watched him quietly,
07:48watched that face that once made my heart race,
07:51now wearing false apology.
07:53So Iris and I together matter less than your regret.
07:56I heard my own voice,
07:57terrifyingly calm.
07:59Pain flashed through his eyes,
08:00but still he repeated,
08:01I'm sorry.
08:03I turned away and continued packing,
08:05but my mind drifted to the past.
08:06It was the full moon gathering.
08:09I watched the pack's unmated males compete in the hunt,
08:12a tradition where wolves ran wild under the moon's light,
08:15seeking to prove their worth.
08:17I stood among the other females
08:18when a magnificent black wolf emerged from the forest,
08:21a white stag's heart in his jaws.
08:23He shifted back to human form,
08:26elegant and refined in the moonlight.
08:28He knelt before me,
08:29offering the still warm heart.
08:31For you, Alara.
08:33My hunt,
08:34my victory,
08:35my heart,
08:35all yours.
08:36His wolf's eyes gleamed gold in the darkness,
08:39calling to mine.
08:40I was enchanted,
08:41captivated.
08:42He said his name was Silas.
08:44From that day on,
08:45he often appeared on my path,
08:47sometimes with gifts,
08:49sometimes with books on wolf lore.
08:50My father was wary,
08:52investigated his background,
08:53and was shocked to discover
08:55he was the elite pack alpha.
08:57Father warned me not to dream impossible dreams,
08:59but Silas knelt before my father in submission,
09:02saying he wanted to court me properly.
09:04Father couldn't believe it.
09:05Silas was sincere and patient,
09:07visiting repeatedly to prove his intentions.
09:10Finally,
09:10father relented.
09:11On our mating ceremony,
09:12the moon hung high.
09:14Silas lifted my veil,
09:15gazed at me,
09:16and said,
09:17Alara,
09:18I will protect you for life.
09:19His wolf sang to mine,
09:21their energies intertwining in the blood bond.
09:23I believed him.
09:24Who knew it would all become a joke?
09:26Now as I packed,
09:27I found a small carved wolf totem in a corner,
09:30a gift from our mating night.
09:31I stared at it for a long time,
09:33then threw it in the trash.
09:35Behind me,
09:36Silas's voice came hoarse.
09:37Don't throw it away.
09:39I didn't look back.
09:40It's just nothing.
09:44Before leaving the Blackwood estate,
09:46Luna Blackwood came to see me.
09:48She wept as she held Iris,
09:50her tears falling on the pup's small face.
09:53Alara,
09:54this child cannot be without a mother.
09:56Please,
09:57stay.
09:58I gently took Iris back.
09:59Luna,
10:00Iris won't be without a mother.
10:02She has me.
10:03That ungrateful Rhett.
10:05I should never have born him.
10:06How did I raise such a heartless son?
10:09I said nothing.
10:10What could I say?
10:12Silas made his choice.
10:13Nothing I could do would change it.
10:15Luna Blackwood suddenly grabbed my hand,
10:17pressing something into my palm.
10:19This is a crescent locket passed down through the Blackwood line.
10:22Take it for Iris.
10:23She carries Blackwood blood.
10:26This is her birthright.
10:27I wanted to refuse,
10:29but seeing the grief in her eyes,
10:30I accepted it silently.
10:32When Iris grows up,
10:33if she asks about her father,
10:37tell her he wasn't always heartless.
10:39Then I left the Blackwood estate with Iris,
10:42never looking back.
10:43My family's territory was in the southern woodlands.
10:46The journey south was long.
10:48On the road Iris would sometimes cry from hunger.
10:52I'd stop to feed her,
10:53soothing her softly.
10:54My wolf crooned to the pup,
10:56protective and fierce.
10:58Looking at this tiny child,
11:00my heart ached with tenderness.
11:02She was so small,
11:03so innocent.
11:04Yet she'd been abandoned by her own father.
11:06I swore silently,
11:08I would protect her,
11:09raise her well.
11:10Never let her suffer the slightest grievance.
11:15Finally reached southern territory.
11:18Father was shocked to see me.
11:19Alara?
11:20Why are you here?
11:21Where's Silas?
11:22I set down Iris and knelt before father.
11:24Father,
11:25the bond is broken.
11:27From now on,
11:28Iris and Ima rely on you.
11:30Father's expression went through shock,
11:32fury,
11:33then pain.
11:33He helped me up,
11:35trembling.
11:37That's Silas.
11:38How dare he?
11:40I'll take you to confront the Blackwoods!
11:42Demand justice!
11:44Father,
11:45it's over.
11:47I don't want to entangle with them anymore.
11:51I only want to live peacefully with Iris.
11:53Father saw my hollow eyes and finally said nothing more.
11:56He just held Iris,
11:58sighing deeply.
12:00Poor child.
12:01Born into such fate.
12:03I stayed at my family estate,
12:05living quietly.
12:06Father invited healers to check on me.
12:08She said I'd suffered severe emotional trauma
12:11and needed rest and care.
12:13But how could a heart wound heal?
12:15How could a shattered bond mend?
12:17Every night I dreamed of the past.
12:19Dreamed of Silas saying he'd protect me for life.
12:22Dreamed of our mating ceremony.
12:24Our wolves dancing together under the full moon.
12:27Then I'd wake, reality crashing down.
12:29Those vows were all lies.
12:31Iris grew day by day.
12:33She had Silas's brows and eyes.
12:35Sometimes looking at her,
12:37my heart would twist.
12:38But more often,
12:39she was my only comfort.
12:41Half a year passed.
12:42News came from the capital.
12:44Lyra had been exposed.
12:50The letter was from Luna Blackwood.
12:52Her handwriting trembled with rage.
12:54Alara, that vicious woman Lyra,
12:56her disappearance was a scheme.
12:58She wasn't abducted at all.
13:00She staged it herself to test Silas's feelings.
13:03That lowborn wretch.
13:04She fooled us all.
13:05I read the letter slowly,
13:07feeling nothing but cold emptiness.
13:08After Lyra returned,
13:10Silas broke our bond
13:12and brought her into the household as his mistress.
13:14Though he claimed they would mate properly
13:16once enough time had passed.
13:18But Lyra's behavior grew increasingly strange.
13:20She was jealous and controlling,
13:22forbidding Silas from mentioning my name.
13:24When the incident was exposed,
13:26Silas interrogated her.
13:28Under pressure, Lyra finally confessed.
13:30Three years ago,
13:31I had deliberately disappeared
13:32to test whether Silas still had feelings for me.
13:35I hid in a remote village,
13:37living simply,
13:37waiting for Silas to search for me desperately.
13:40I thought if I returned haggard and pitiful,
13:43Silas would feel guilty
13:44and bring me into his pack.
13:45Her plan succeeded.
13:47Silas truly felt guilty,
13:49truly wanted to make amends.
13:51So he abandoned mate and pup,
13:53breaking pack law for her.
13:55But Lyra's jealousy didn't end there.
13:57She couldn't tolerate Iris' existence,
13:59couldn't stand that Silas had loved another.
14:02So she plotted to eliminate Iris.
14:04When the truth came out,
14:06the capital was in uproar.
14:07Silas was shattered.
14:09That ungrateful wretch finally realized his mistake.
14:12He is kneeling at the pack council chamber,
14:14begging forgiveness.
14:19Come back?
14:20Give him a chance?
14:22I walked to the window,
14:23looking at the southern spring scenery.
14:26Iris toddled in the courtyard,
14:28a maid watching over her carefully.
14:30My pup,
14:31so innocent,
14:32so pure,
14:33almost killed because of her father's foolishness.
14:35I would never forgive Silas.
14:38Never.
14:38I wrote back to Luna Blackwood with just one line.
14:41What Silas chooses to do is his own business.
14:44It has nothing to do with me.
14:46After sending the letter,
14:48I thought this chapter was finally closed.
14:51But a month later,
14:52news came again.
14:53Lyra was sentenced for attempting to murder a pack pup
14:56and deceiving the elite pack beta.
14:58She received 200 lashes of the silver whip
15:01and exile to the borderlands as a rogue.
15:03Silas personally executed the sentence.
15:06When the whip fell,
15:07he showed no mercy.
15:08Lyra screamed,
15:10begging him to remember their past feelings.
15:17You deceived me into abandoning mate and pup.
15:21There are no past feelings.
15:25After the punishment,
15:26Lyra was dragged away.
15:28She screamed Silas' name,
15:30cursing him.
15:31Lyra brought it on herself.
15:33As for Silas,
15:35his regret came too late.
15:43Southern Territory's spring was always gentle.
15:46Magnolia flowers bloomed white throughout the courtyard.
15:50I held Iris,
15:51teaching her to walk beneath the trees.
15:53She wobbled on unstable legs,
15:55sizzling when she stumbled.
15:56I caught her,
15:57my heart melting.
15:58Iris, walk slowly.
16:00Mother's here.
16:01Sometimes I wondered if she'd ask about her father when she grew up.
16:05What would I tell her?
16:06That her father abandoned her when she was barely a month old.
16:09I couldn't bear to see hurt in those innocent eyes.
16:12I decided when she asked,
16:13I'd say her father died,
16:15died before she was born.
16:16That would be kinder than the truth.
16:20Miss,
16:21there's a visitor.
16:23Who?
16:24Says his name is Rowan Ashford.
16:26I was surprised.
16:28Rowan?
16:29The name was unfamiliar.
16:33Show him to the receiving hall.
16:36I handed Iris to the nanny
16:38and went to receive this unexpected guest.
16:42In the hall sat a young man
16:44with refined features and a gentle bearing.
16:46Seeing me,
16:47he rose and bowed respectfully.
16:49Miss Wintons,
16:50forgive my introsion.
16:53Master Ashfield,
16:54what brings you here?
16:56I heard Miss Wintons return to Southern Territory,
16:59so I came to pay my respects.
17:01We've met before,
17:02though you may not remember.
17:04Years ago at the full moon hunt,
17:06you watched the competition.
17:08Someone won
17:09and brought you a white stag's heart.
17:12I was competing that night too.
17:14I remember you clearly.
17:16The way you smiled when he knelt before you.
17:21My heart skipped.
17:23That full moon hunt.
17:26I remembered Silomus appearing,
17:29victorious,
17:30offering me the stag's heart.
17:33But I didn't recall anyone else being there.
17:37You only had eyes for him then.
17:39Of course you wouldn't notice me.
17:41I just wanted to say,
17:42that night I saw your smile.
17:44I thought,
17:44what a lovely person.
17:46Later I heard you mated with the Elite Pack Beta.
17:48I was happy for you.
17:50But now hearing of your troubles,
17:51I thought I should visit.
17:52I studied him.
17:53This man was straightforward and sincere.
17:56No ulterior motives.
17:58Thank you for your concern,
17:59Master Ashfield.
18:00But I'm fine now.
18:02You needn't worry.
18:04Rowan nodded.
18:05As long as you're well.
18:07If you ever need help,
18:09please don't hesitate.
18:10I'm not far from here.
18:16I thanked him,
18:17and he took his lead.
18:22After he left,
18:23I stood in the courtyard for a long time.
18:26That full moon hunt seemed like a lifetime ago.
18:29Back then,
18:30I thought meeting Silas was destiny.
18:32Now I realize some meetings are nothing but empty promises.
18:36Just ghosts.
18:37Just shadows.
18:42After that,
18:43Rowan visited occasionally.
18:45Sometimes bringing books,
18:46sometimes medicinal herbs for Iris.
18:49He never overstepped.
18:50Always respectful and proper.
18:52Young Master Ashfield is learned and well-mannered.
18:55A good man.
18:57Father approved of him.
18:58I knew father was thinking of my future.
19:01But I had no such intentions.
19:03The wound in my heart hadn't healed.
19:05How could I think of another bond?
19:07For Miss Iris.
19:08I noticed she likes looking at pictures.
19:10I accepted it gratefully.
19:13Rowan watched Iris toddle around.
19:15She's a bright child.
19:17She'll grow up well.
19:18A gentle smile on his face.
19:20I'll do my best to raise her.
19:22Miss Wintons,
19:23I know you're still hurting.
19:24But pain will fade with time.
19:26I hope you'll allow me to stay by your side.
19:28Not as anything more.
19:30Just as a friend.
19:31When you need someone to talk to, I'll listen.
19:33And his sincerity touched me.
19:34From then on,
19:35Rowan visited often.
19:36He played with Iris,
19:38spoke with father,
19:39and brought southern treats.
19:40Gentle and unassuming,
19:41he made me comfortable.
19:42We talked late of books and life.
19:44He never spoke of Silas or my past hurts.
19:47Just listening when I shared.
19:48Half a year passed like this.
19:50News came from the capital again.
19:53Simus had resigned from his position.
19:55He was coming south to find me.
20:00The news made my heart sink.
20:02I didn't want to see Silas.
20:03Didn't want to open old wounds.
20:05But he came anyway.
20:06Miss!
20:07Master Blackwood is at the gates!
20:09My hand trembled,
20:10nearly dropping my teacup.
20:12My wolf stirred uneasily.
20:16Take Iris inside.
20:18Silas kneeling in the mud,
20:20soaked through.
20:21His face haggard.
20:22Clothes travel worn.
20:23He was nothing like the proud Elite Pack Alpha.
20:26His wolf's presence was dim and broken.
20:28Hey Lyra!
20:30What are you doing here?
20:31I came to apologize.
20:33I stood under the eaves,
20:34rain dripping from the roof between us.
20:36I watched him bow again and again,
20:38blood mixing with rainwater.
20:40Once, his pain would have destroyed me.
20:42I told Silas to get up.
20:44I pressed him on what he would have done
20:46if Lyra hadn't deceived him.
20:48I asked if he would abandon me and Iris for her.
20:51Silas froze.
20:51I laughed bitterly.
20:53You would have.
20:54You know you would have.
20:56So whether Lyra deceived you or not doesn't matter.
20:58That choice revealed who you truly are.
21:00Rain poured harder.
21:02Lyra!
21:03I...
21:04Go.
21:05I turned away,
21:06went inside and shut the door.
21:08Iris and I don't need you.
21:09His anguished cries and wolf's agonized howls
21:12mixed with thunder behind me.
21:13The one who'd sworn to protect me broke his vow.
21:16Nothing left to save.
21:20Silas stayed outside our gates for three days and nights.
21:23No food,
21:24no shelter,
21:24just kneeling in the rain and sun.
21:27Neighbors whispered,
21:28Father wanted to chase him away.
21:30I stopped him.
21:31Let him kneel.
21:33It's his own decision.
21:36On the third day,
21:37Silas collapsed.
21:38Servants found him unconscious and brought him to a physician.
21:41The physician said he had a severe fever from exposure.
21:45If untreated,
21:46he might not survive.
21:47Father looked at me.
21:49I thought of Iris.
21:51No matter how much I hated Silas,
21:53he was still her father.
21:54If he died here,
21:56Iris would carry that shadow forever.
21:58Save him.
21:59Then send him away.
22:01Silas was treated and recovered after a few days.
22:03When he woke,
22:04he asked for me.
22:05Let me see her.
22:06I refused to see him.
22:07So he wrote letters.
22:09Every day,
22:09a thick letter arrived.
22:11I didn't read them.
22:12Just threw them in a box.
22:14Rowan visited during this time.
22:16He knew Silas was in town,
22:18but said nothing.
22:19Just stayed by my side quietly.
22:24One day,
22:25Iris was fussing.
22:26The wet nurse couldn't calm her.
22:29I took her.
22:30Noticing she kept grabbing at the crescent locket Luna Blackwood had given me.
22:34I took it off and handed it to her.
22:36As I did,
22:37I noticed something.
22:38The locket felt heavy,
22:39heavier than it should.
22:45I examined it closer.
22:47There was a hidden clasp.
22:49I pressed it,
22:50and the locket opened.
22:51Inside was a piece of folded paper.
22:54To my future grandchild,
22:55if you are reading this,
22:56it means the Blackwood pack has failed you.
22:59This locket is your birthright.
23:01More than that,
23:02it is proof of your bloodline.
23:04Present it to the Alpha Council if you ever need sanctuary.
23:07The Blackwoods may have abandoned you,
23:09but the pack has not.
23:10I held the locket to my chest and wept.
23:13Not for Silas.
23:14Not for what we'd lost.
23:16But for Luna's love.
23:18For her foresight.
23:19For her ensuring Iris would never be completely alone.
23:25Weeks passed,
23:27Silas remained in Southern Territory,
23:28but I never saw him.
23:30Rowan's visits became more frequent.
23:32He'd bring gifts for Iris,
23:33chat with father,
23:34sometimes stay for dinner.
23:36Father clearly hoped something would develop between us.
23:39But I wasn't ready.
23:40One afternoon,
23:41Rowan asked if I'd like to visit the downtown square.
23:44The Harvest Moon Festival is coming.
23:46The pack puts on quite a show.
23:48I hesitated.
23:49That full moon hunt became my shadow.
23:52Which is why I've never attended
23:53any other festivals or celebrations all these years.
23:57Iris should see it.
23:59Rowan added gently.
24:00She is old enough now to enjoy the celebration.
24:03Alright, let's go.
24:03That decided we went downtown.
24:05Iris riding on my hip.
24:07String lights blowed warm across every street hunt.
24:09Street performers breathed fire and shifted mid-dance.
24:13Iris squealed with delight, pointing at everything.
24:15Rowan bought her a small stuffed wolf toy with silver-tipped fur.
24:19She clutched it, beaming.
24:21For a moment, I felt light.
24:22Almost happy,
24:24we stopped at the great hall steps where pack elders told stories.
24:28An old woman was recounting the legend of the first alpha and his destined mate.
24:32No distance could break it.
24:33No betrayal could sever it.
24:35Only death.
24:37Rowan listened intently then turned to me with a gentle smile.
24:41Do you remember the old stories?
24:42Finding their true mates under the full moon?
24:43About wolves who found their true mates under the full moon?
24:45Yes.
24:46I nodded.
24:46As we walked past the bonfire circle, I noticed a figure in the shadows.
24:50Silas.
24:51He stood alone at the edge of the firelight, watching us.
24:54His wolf's presence was barely a flicker now.
24:56Broken, fading.
24:57Rowan noticed my gaze and looked over.
24:59Ignored him.
25:00I have no mind.
25:00He said quietly.
25:01Today is yours and Iris's.
25:02His wolf rising protectively.
25:03Today is for you and Iris.
25:05I nodded and turned away.
25:06Silas had made his choice.
25:08Now I was making mine.
25:09I was making mine.
25:12Spring turned to summer.
25:14Rowan had become part of our daily lives.
25:17Iris adored him, calling him Uncle Rowan, and demanding he play with her.
25:22Even the servants smiled seeing us together.
25:25One evening, Rowan asked to speak with me privately.
25:29We walked in the garden, magnolia petals drifting around us.
25:36Alera, I know it hasn't been long.
25:39His voice was gentle but serious.
25:42And I know your heart is still healing.
25:45But I want you to know, my feelings are sincere.
25:49I'm not asking you to forget the past, or to love me the way you loved him.
25:53I just want to be by your side.
25:55To protect you and Iris.
25:56To give you both a safe harbor.
25:58I want to be the man you can always count on.
26:01He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.
26:05Inside was a simple ring, engraved with wolf patterns and pack rooms.
26:09Will you consider becoming mate?
26:15My breath caught.
26:16I looked at this man who'd shown me nothing but kindness.
26:19Who'd never rushed me.
26:21Never demanded anything who loved Iris like she was his own.
26:25His wolf reached for mine gently, not pushing, just offering.
26:31Rowan, I...
26:34You don't have to answer now.
26:36Take your time.
26:37Think about it.
26:38I nodded, taking the box.
26:41I'll wait.
26:42That night, I couldn't sleep.
26:44I thought about Silas's promises now broken.
26:46About pain and betrayal.
26:48About trust shattered.
26:50But I also thought about Rowan's steadiness.
26:52His patience.
26:53His genuine care for both Iris and me.
26:56Could I love again?
26:58Did I want to?
26:58Or would I let one betrayal poison the rest of my life?
27:02Iris stirred in her sleep, reaching for me.
27:05I held her close.
27:06I had to think of her future too.
27:08She deserved a complete family.
27:11Deserved a father who would truly cherish her.
27:13Rowan would be that father.
27:15I knew he would.
27:16As for love, maybe, it would grow with time.
27:19Maybe steady warmth was better than passionate fire anyway.
27:23Fire burned bright but left only ashes.
27:28I agreed to Rowan's proposal.
27:30The news spread quickly.
27:32Father was overjoyed.
27:33The household buzzed with excitement.
27:35Only one person's reaction I didn't know.
27:38Silas.
27:39The day before our mating ceremony, I went to the sacred grove to pray.
27:43It was a small clearing.
27:46Ancient trees surrounding a stone altar to the moon goddess.
27:49I lit wolf's bane incense and bowed my head.
27:52Moon goddess.
27:53Please bless Iris.
27:55Keep her safe and happy.
27:57As I turned to leave, I saw him.
27:59Silas stood at the edge of the grove.
28:02He looked like a shadow of his former self.
28:04Thin, worn.
28:05Eyes hollow.
28:06His wolf was barely present.
28:08A ghost of what it once was, Illera.
28:11His voice was barely a whisper.
28:12I should have walked past him.
28:14Should have ignored him completely.
28:16But something made me stop.
28:21What do you want, Silas?
28:23I said nothing.
28:24I am glad.
28:25His voice cracked.
28:26I heard you're mating tomorrow.
28:29Glad you're moving forward.
28:31That Iris will have a father who deserves her.
28:34I failed you both.
28:35I know that now, but I need to tell you.
28:37I'm leaving.
28:38Going into self-exile.
28:41Leaving.
28:45I stared at him.
28:47Living as a rogue.
28:49Nameless and alone.
28:51I won't return to the capital.
28:53Won't take another mate.
28:55Won't have any other life.
28:56This is my penance.
28:58Tears streamed down his face.
29:01Illera, I loved you.
29:02I truly did.
29:05I was just too foolish to see what I had until I'd destroyed it.
29:11I hope.
29:12I hope you'll be happy.
29:14That's all I want now.
29:16He bowed deeply in submission, then turned and walked away.
29:19I watched him disappear into the trees.
29:22A part of me felt vindicated.
29:24He was suffering.
29:25Paying for his choices.
29:26But another part felt only emptiness.
29:29What good was his suffering now?
29:32I touched the crescent locket around my neck.
29:35It wouldn't change the past.
29:37It wouldn't undo the pain.
29:39I left the sacred grove and went home.
29:42Tomorrow I would mate with Rowan.
29:44Tomorrow I would start anew.
29:46The past was dead.
29:47Let it stay buried.
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