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Betrayal And Rebirth Ep,24 - Ep
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00:00Seven years ago, my parents adopted daughter.
00:02My younger sister, Selina, a delicate Omega,
00:05got drunk, caused a hit and run,
00:06and left blood spilled across the human territory border.
00:09My Alpha father, my Luna mother,
00:11and my biological younger sister
00:13all came to me with the same patronizing plea.
00:16Selina is an Omega.
00:17She's too fragile for prison.
00:18If she goes to Silvermoon Penitentiary,
00:20her wolf won't survive it.
00:22Lyra, take her place.
00:24I refused.
00:25But on a stormy night filled with thunder,
00:27my father used absolute Alpha command.
00:29He crushed my will, took control of my mind,
00:31and personally delivered me to the prison transport.
00:34My fiancé, my fated mate, Kalen,
00:36the strongest Alpha in the pack,
00:37held back his raging wolf era and said to me,
00:39Lyra, when you get out, we'll complete the mate bond.
00:42Endure these seven years for now.
00:46Seven years later.
00:48Lyra, once you leave Silvermoon Penitentiary,
00:51keep your wolf under control and do not look back.
00:53I took the mold-smelling canvas bag from the guard's hand
00:56and limped through the iron gates,
00:58dragging the leg that had been ruined by four silver shackles.
01:01A black military SUV waited outside the territory.
01:04The window rolled down revealed Kalen's sharp, striking face.
01:06Seven years had passed, and he looked exactly the same.
01:09The suffocating pressure of a top-tier Alpha still radiated from him.
01:12Lyra.
01:12Instinctively, I shrunk back before forcing myself in the passenger seat.
01:15In the rearview mirror, I caught sight of my own reflection.
01:18Pale, gaunt, my neck covered in burn scars left by silver weapon.
01:22You've suffered these past seven years.
01:24I'll keep my promise, Kalen said.
01:27At the next full moon night, I'll officially mark you and make you my Luna.
01:30He reached over and covered my rough hand with his.
01:33There was no spark, no shiver, no bond.
01:35I looked into his golden-green eyes, where my withered reflection stared back at him and
01:40slowly pulled my hand away.
01:42Even the wolf inside me could not be bothered to whimper.
01:44Okay.
01:46Seven years in Silvermoon Penitentiary.
01:492,557 days soaked in blood and violence.
01:52Long enough to see Kalen and my family for what they truly were.
01:54They had never loved me, and I no longer wanted to be his mate.
01:56Sensing my indifference, Kalen let out a low, irritated sound.
01:59Selina knows you're coming back today.
02:01Her trauma response disorder is acting up again.
02:04Your parents and your sister are all at PAC Medical Center calming her down.
02:08I closed my eyes.
02:10The SUV drove into the heart of Crescent Moon PAC territory.
02:13An hour later, we arrived at my home.
02:16Only the Beta Butler and a few Omega Solvents were inside the manor.
02:19They caught the cheap, sour prison smelt clinging to me,
02:21and the disgust in their eyes was impossible to hide.
02:24My parents loved only Selina.
02:25To the servants, I had never been the eldest daughter of this house.
02:29The Beta Butler bowed respectfully to Kalen first.
02:32Only then did he turn to me.
02:33Miss Lyra, Luna says that now you've returned,
02:35you are to stay inside your own scent circle.
02:37Do not wander around and disgrace the PAC.
02:39Disgrace.
02:40I had endured seven years of silver burns in Salou's place.
02:43How had I become the shameful one?
02:45But my expectations had died seven years ago.
02:48On that storm-filled night when they used Alpha Command to force my confession.
02:52I understand.
02:53I turned toward the side entrance.
02:55Then Kalen stiffened, receiving an urgent mind link.
02:58His pupils sharpened into slits.
03:00Lyra, Selen's scent is weakening.
03:03She needs me.
03:03Go rest.
03:04He did not wait for a reply.
03:06He turned at once and disappeared into the night.
03:09I limped back to the storage room that belonged to me and curled up on the narrow wooden bed.
03:15Late that night, drifting between sleep and exhaustion,
03:19I heard voices downstairs in the living room.
03:22It was my Beta sister, Chloe.
03:24Alpha father, Luna mother.
03:26Selina is in terrible shape mentally.
03:28Shouldn't we move Lyra out of the manor?
03:30If Selina catches her scent, she'll have another episode.
03:32My father sighed, but said nothing.
03:34My mother answered first.
03:35She carries our blood.
03:36If we throw her out the moment she gets back from prison,
03:38what will the other pack say?
03:39Then what are we supposed to do?
03:41Chloe paced the room.
03:42Agitation sharpened her voice.
03:44My father finally spoke.
03:45When Selina returns, order Lyra to suppress every trace of her scent.
03:50She is not to appear in front of Selina.
03:52She is not to leave her room for any reason.
03:54My eyes stayed shut, but a burning ache rose behind them.
03:58Then the custom comm device hidden beneath my pillow began to vibrate.
04:01An encrypted message.
04:03Miss Lyra, congratulations.
04:04You have passed the evaluation for the Global Institute for Werewolf and Supernatural Secrecy.
04:09Once you accept the contract, you will depart in ten days, on the night of the full moon,
04:13under a new identity for Sanctum Isle on Dominica Island.
04:16Your pack identity will be permanently erased.
04:19You may not contact any outside wolves for five years.
04:22I did not hesitate.
04:23On the holographic display, I signed my name.
04:26Lyra.
04:27I had passed the Institute's selection process seven years ago.
04:30Before I could take the oath and join, my parents sent me to Silvermoon Penitentiary.
04:35Shortly before my release, I applied again.
04:38As expected, I passed.
04:40Ten days.
04:40If I could endure ten more days, I would sever the pack bond tying me to this frozen family forever.
04:48The next morning, I washed up and pushed open the warped door.
04:52A rich, sugary omega scent flooded the hallway.
04:56Selina was back.
04:57Dressed in a flowing white gown, she sat in the center of the leather sofa like a princess on display.
05:03My alpha father, my luna mother, Chloe, and Kaylin all surrounded her as if she was the center of their
05:09world.
05:10The beta butler set down an elegant cake.
05:13In perfect unison, everyone said,
05:15Happy Awakening Day, Selina.
05:17Selina smiled sweetly and thanked them all.
05:19Then she lifted her chin.
05:21I just got out of the sterile recovery room.
05:23Did anyone get me something special?
05:25My parents and Chloe each presented expensive gifts.
05:29Kaylin was reaching for his own.
05:31When his sharp gaze found me standing in the shadows.
05:35Lyra, you're awake. Come here. Celebrate with us.
05:38Selina turned toward me, releasing a cloud of innocent pheromones.
05:41Sorry, sis.
05:42My nerve pain flared up yesterday, so I couldn't come pick you up.
05:46You're not mad, are you?
05:47Before I could answer, Kaylin spoke for me.
05:49Lyra isn't petty.
05:51She wouldn't blame you.
05:53At that, Selina boldly slipped her arm through his and looked straight at me.
05:56Since it's my Awakening Day, give me a present too.
06:00She smiled.
06:01I want Kaylin as my mate.
06:03Stealing another wolf's mate was one of the greatest taboons in pack law.
06:06Yet after she said it openly, no one in the room object.
06:09Every wolf there stayed silent.
06:11Their status, their pressure, their authority all pushed toward one thing.
06:15My surrender.
06:16Rage surged through my blood.
06:18I clenched my fists.
06:19And if I say no?
06:22Selina froze for half a second, then switched to French and whimpered dramatically.
06:26I was only joking.
06:28I didn't realize my sister's feral instinct was this savage.
06:32My Luna mother answered her in the same flawless French.
06:35Don't be afraid, Selina.
06:36Lyra spent too long out in the wild.
06:38Her bloodline is beneath yours.
06:40My alpha father released the calming scent of pine.
06:43Blood means nothing.
06:45Your mother and I have only one true daughter.
06:47Chloe joined in without hesitation.
06:49That's right, Selina.
06:50You're my only sister.
06:51I forced down the bitterness rising in my chest and pretended not to understand a word.
06:55And instead, I turned to Kaylin.
06:57What are they saying?
06:58His throat tightened before he answered.
07:01Selina said she was joking.
07:03Everyone just thinks you're being too sensitive.
07:05The room reeked of lies.
07:07What none of them knew was that I had understood every word.
07:11My Luna mother was a world-renowned painter.
07:13My alpha father had once ruled the business world.
07:16But ever since they brought me back from St. Mary's home,
07:18they despised the habits I had picked up surviving on my own.
07:22Every resource, every ounce of love, they gave it all to Selina.
07:26Ten years ago, when Selina was accepted into Elite Art Academy,
07:29the entire pack celebrated her.
07:31What they never knew was that I had been admitted to the most
07:33prestigious university in the country.
07:35I had also taught myself French, Italian, and Spanish.
07:37None of it mattered now.
07:39Soon, I would be gone from this territory for good.
07:41I just got out of Silvermoon Penitentiary.
07:43I want some air outside the territory.
07:44You all enjoy the party.
07:46Under their contemptuous stares, I dragged my damaged leg towards the door.
07:49Behind me, their laughter and French mockery tangled together.
07:53Not one of them remembered.
07:54Today was my awakening day, too.
07:56Once I left the territory, I suppressed my wolf aura
07:58and took a bus to downtown Seattle.
08:00Because of my prison record, the pack had erased my education
08:03and every official file tied to my name.
08:05With a ruined leg and no history, I could only find work at a run-down roadside diner.
08:09It would be enough to survive the next 10 days.
08:12The irony was almost funny.
08:14Ever since they brought me back at 15,
08:16they had resented me for not being as accomplished as Selina and cut me off completely.
08:20I had paid for school, food, and survival by working in the human world.
08:24At 11.30 that night, I finished washing the last dish.
08:27When I stepped outside, freezing rain hit my face.
08:31Then another scent cut through the storm.
08:33Cold fur. Powerful. A top-tier alpha.
08:36Kalen stepped out of a black SUV and strode straight toward me.
08:40Lyra, why have you been gone so long?
08:43He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the car.
08:45The rear door was already open.
08:48Lyra, happy awakening day.
08:50The words hit me like a blow. I stood there, frozen.
08:53Kalen's pack and mine had been alive for generations.
08:56Our territories shared a border.
08:58And our families had been bound by an old promise long before either of us was born.
09:02Even after I went missing in Blackwood Forest at the age of two and was not found again until I
09:07was 15,
09:08bruised and scarred, that ancient agreement never changed.
09:13I still remember the first time I saw Kalen after I was brought back.
09:16He stood in the sunlight wearing a white shirt, powerful enough to command submission, yet somehow warm at the same
09:23time.
09:23In that cold territory, he was the only one who never recoiled from the wild scent clinging to me.
09:29He used his alpha pressure to shield me.
09:31He brought me prey and gifts on holidays.
09:34He was the only person in that steel and stone world who had ever been kind to me.
09:39And when he was ambushed by a rival pack and left greatly wounded, I gave him my kidney.
09:43I poured the core of my wolf vitality into him without hesitation.
09:47Yet, in the end, he was also the one who used alpha authority to send me to Silver Moon
09:52and Penipotentiary with his own hands.
09:54Lyra, what is it?
09:56Kalen's deep voice pulled me back to the present.
09:58Did you think I forgot your awakenation day?
10:01I answered evenly, thank you.
10:02Then he handed me another beautifully wrapped box.
10:05When I opened it, I found a custom-made red wedding gown for a bonding rite.
10:10Do you remember telling me as a child that you wanted to wear a red dress when we completed our
10:14mate bond?
10:15I had it made early.
10:18Do you like it?
10:19Bitterness filled my throat.
10:21Alpha, you remembered wrong.
10:23I don't like wedding dresses, and I hate red.
10:26The headmistress at St. Mary's home once told me she had found me abandoned outside a bridal shop.
10:31At the time, I had been wearing an expensive red dress.
10:33After I was old enough to remember, every full moon night, I would return to bridal shop windows by instinct,
10:40wearing red clothes so my people could follow my scent signature and bring me home.
10:45Kalen's eyes tightened, just like he had years ago.
10:48He reached over and ruffled my hair.
10:50I'm sorry.
10:50I remembered wrong.
10:52Come on.
10:52I'll take you to dinner.
10:53On the drive back, he kept my hand clasped tightly in his.
10:57Lyra, why is your scent so faint?
10:59Why are you thinner than before?
11:01And your leg, he never finished.
11:03A shrink ringtone cut through the car.
11:05The screen flashed one name, Selina.
11:08The moment he answered, panic flooded his face.
11:11Turn around.
11:12Now, back to the territory.
11:13The whole drive back, he spoke into the comdebeshan nonstop, trying to soothe her.
11:18When we rushed into the manor grounds, I looked up.
11:22Selina stood on the rooftop in a white dress, swaying at the edge.
11:26The moment she caught our scent, Selina looked down at us from above.
11:29Her face was pale as paper.
11:31My sister is back, she whispered.
11:33A worthless Omega like me should step aside now.
11:36Goodbye?
11:37Then she jumped.
11:38The Pac-Manon was only one story high.
11:40The roof was barely 30 feet above the ground.
11:42But when Selina fell, every one of my so-called family moved on instinct.
11:46My father, my mother, Chloe, even Kaylin.
11:48All of them lodged forward in a frenzy to save the weaker wolf.
11:51That night, the scream of ambulance sirens echoed over the territory.
11:56After they all left for the hospital, I dragged my ruined leg back to the storage
12:00room and collapsed onto the hard wooden bed.
12:02I turned on my comm device.
12:0412.20 AM, the top tier Alpha had broken his promise.
12:07He had not stayed to celebrate my awakening day.
12:09But my wolf made no wounded cry.
12:11Inside me, there was only emptiness.
12:13I closed my eyes and fell into a heavy sleep.
12:15Eight days left.
12:16For the next five days, I hid my scent and worked at the diner.
12:19My parents and Chloe stayed at the hospital, wrapping Selina in layers of protective scent.
12:23Not once did they return home.
12:24Then, on the 5th, the television above the counter played a news report.
12:27Alpha King announces his engagement to Selim of Crescent Moon Pack.
12:31My pupils snapped into slits.
12:32That night, I pushed open the wooden door and returned to the territory.
12:36The thick scent of a gathering hit me immediately.
12:39My parents were there.
12:40Chloe was there.
12:41Selina was there.
12:42Kaylin's cold fur scent filled the living room.
12:44My Luna mother caught the smell of grease and dirt clinging to me,
12:48and began criticizing me sharply in French.
12:51My father silenced her with a hard look.
12:53Only then did she force a smile.
12:56Lyra, you're finally home.
12:58My father released a wave of alpha pressure and spoke like a judge delivering sentence.
13:02The healers say Selina's omega depression syndrome is getting worse.
13:05So we made a decision for you.
13:07Your mate bond will be transferred to Selina.
13:09You have no objection, do you?
13:10I listened in silence to the verdict they had already decided.
13:13They had used power to cut away everything that was mine.
13:15Now they pretended to ask for my opinion.
13:17I turned to Kaylin.
13:18And you agreed to this too?
13:19He crossed the room in a few strides and seized my cold hand.
13:23Selina's only obsession right now is completing the bonding right with me.
13:27Don't worry little wolf.
13:28I would never betray you.
13:30I'm only going through the motions.
13:31He was going to mark another she-wolf.
13:33How could that be anything but betrayal?
13:35I ripped my hand from his grasp.
13:37Fine.
13:38Do whatever you want.
13:39Something in Kaylin's chest seemed to tighten and he reached for me again.
13:45Then Selina released a flood of sorrowful pheromones.
13:48If you don't want this sister, then forget it.
13:50Her voice broke.
13:50She dug her nails into the back of her own hand until blood welled up,
13:53filling the room with the metallic smell of it.
13:55Chloe rushed to stop her from hurting herself.
13:57Lyra!
13:58Then she turned on me, baring her fangs.
14:00Can't you smell how sick Selina is?
14:02Do we all have to get on our knees and beg before you'll finally say yes?
14:05My own blood sister had long since been twisted by this diseased pack.
14:09Chloe's furious shout dragged me back into old memories.
14:12When I first returned to the territory, they forced me to give my best den to Selina.
14:16Later, they took away my chance for higher education and handed it to her instead.
14:21Then seven years ago, Selina broke the pack's highest law.
14:24The memories crashed over me like a tidal wave and set my anger ablaze.
14:27I met Chloe's hostile blares with a cold smile.
14:30Fine.
14:30If every one of you gets on your knees and submits to me,
14:33I'll agree to give Selina the mate contract.
14:35The living room fell silent.
14:36They had never expected the obedient Lyra to say something so defiant.
14:40I dragged my damaged leg back to my cramped room.
14:43Late that night, my comm device vibrated.
14:45Kaelin.
14:48Lyra, Selina once saved my life.
14:50She even gave me her kidney, the core of her wolf vitality.
14:53That's why I have to complete the bonding rite with her this time.
14:55It felt as if a silver hammer had smashed straight into my chest.
14:59Alpha, when you were injured, I was the one who saved you.
15:01I gave you my kidney.
15:02Silence answered me.
15:03Then Kaelin spoke, his voice colder than ice.
15:05When did you learn to lie, Lyra?
15:06Selina saved me.
15:08Your parents and the healers can swear to it in the pack's name.
15:11I'm disappointed in you.
15:12The blood in my body turned to ice.
15:14I laid there on the cold bed, unable to speak.
15:16Eight years ago, when Kaelin was nearly killed in that ambush, I never hesitated.
15:20I was tested as a match.
15:21I gave away a piece of self to save him.
15:24Now my devotion had become a wedding gift for another Omega.
15:26And I, a discarded wolf with no records and no standing,
15:29did not even have the right to defend my own truth.
15:31After a long time, I spoke softly.
15:33Believe whatever you want.
15:34I had already decided to abandon you completely.
15:36I ended the call and closed my eyes.
15:39The second to last day.
15:41After finishing another shift of miserable labor, I stepped out of the diner.
15:44That familiar black SUV was parked outside the shopping center.
15:47Then fireworks flowed over Grand Avenue district.
15:49Hundreds of drones rose into the sky and formed a glowing message.
15:52Alpha Kaelin will love Lyra forever.
15:53I stared upward for a long time, unable to move.
15:56Kaelin strode toward me, his voice low and gentle.
15:59What happened yesterday was my fault.
16:00But you have to believe me.
16:02The one I truly love, deep in my soul, is you.
16:05So you don't need to lie just to claim someone else's credit.
16:07For a moment, I wanted to throw back my head and howl.
16:10Not because I was touched, because he was absurd.
16:12How could he join hands with my own family to tear me apart again and again,
16:16then look me in the eye and call it love?
16:17He pinched my hollow cheek, lightly.
16:19You're too thin. Why aren't you eating proper, Lily?
16:23I lifted my eyes sharply.
16:24I survived seven years in Silvermoon Penitentiary surrounded by silver.
16:28My wolf barely stayed alive.
16:29Did you think I was going to come out healthy and whole?
16:31Kaelin's massive frame stiffened.
16:33Maybe only now did he remember that he had personally sent me into that hell.
16:37He opened his mouth to speak.
16:38Before he could, the SUV door swung open.
16:40Salona's sugary voice drifted out.
16:42Kaelin, Lyra, don't stand out there in the cold.
16:45Bad weather is hard on a wolf.
16:47The last trace of warmth inside me died.
16:49Kaelin explained quickly.
16:50Selene followed my scent here because she wanted to see you.
16:53She said she appreciates your generosity for stepping aside.
16:56He ushered me into the vehicle.
16:58Inside the enclosed cabin, Selene glanced at my stained, worn uniform.
17:03Lyra, don't our parents send supplies through the butler every month?
17:06Why are you doing menial labor in a human restaurant?
17:08It embarrasses the pack.
17:10She removed a jeweled bracelet from her wrist and held it out to me.
17:13If you need resources, this bracelet is worth three million dollars.
17:16That should keep you fed for a while.
17:19Three million dollars.
17:20A casual toy for an Omega was worth more than everything I had ever been given.
17:25I still remembered begging my Luna mother for tuition when I first wanted to attend a human
17:29high school after returning to the territory.
17:31It was only three thousand dollars.
17:32She had blared her fangs and answered coldly.
17:35Resources, resources.
17:37Do I owe you something?
17:38I gave you life.
17:40You should be grateful for that alone.
17:43Why are you never satisfied?
17:45After that day, I never asked this territory for another scrap of meat.
17:49The story about the butler delivering supplies had always been a lie.
17:53Their hearts were never with me, I said.
17:55Look at your expensive perfume, your polished fur, your perfect life.
17:58Then look at me, covered in scars.
18:01I slapped the bracelet from her hand.
18:02Keep your Omega pheromones to yourself.
18:04Stop pretending in front of me.
18:06I'm not that naive 15-year-old pup anymore.
18:08When I was 15, I had desperately wanted to form a true pact bond with Selina.
18:11Instead, she framed me again and again.
18:13Every wrong thing she did became my crime.
18:15By the time I understood what was happening, the entire pack already saw me as an outsider.
18:19My outburst sent tears spilling down her face.
18:21The air filled with the heartbreaking scent of distress.
18:23The instant Kalen caught it, his protective instinct exploded.
18:26He stepped in front of Zina, shielding her against his chest, and snarred at me.
18:29Lyra, she was trying to be kind.
18:31If you don't want the bracelet, fine.
18:34But there was no reason to speak to her like that.
18:36I almost laughed.
18:37This was the male who swore that deep in his soul, he loved me most.
18:41Whenever Selina and I stood on opposite sides, he chose her.
18:44Always.
18:45Alpha, I said, staring directly at him.
18:47If a starving wolf is thrown rotten meat as charity,
18:52is she supposed to swallow it gratefully and wag her tail at the one who tossed it?
18:57Even if you grind me into the dearth, my wolf still has pride.
19:00Kalen had no answer.
19:01Beside him, Selina's breathing suddenly turned racked.
19:03She whimpered weakly.
19:04I'm sorry.
19:05This is my fault.
19:06Don't blame Lyra.
19:07Kalen's protective instincts ignited completely.
19:09He barked at the driver.
19:10Turn around now.
19:11Take us to Pack Medical Center.
19:13Then he looked at me with icy contempt.
19:14Lyra, your behavior just now was vicious.
19:16You can walk home yourself.
19:18The door slammed shut.
19:19I was left alone on the freezing street.
19:21As I watched the taillight disappear, I realized I felt nothing.
19:24No pain.
19:25No heartbreak.
19:25No grief at being abandoned by my mate.
19:27At some point, white snow began drifting from the sky.
19:30The first snowfall of the year.
19:31The last one I would ever smell before I escaped.
19:33I limped all the way back to Pack Manor.
19:35The house was decorated lavishly for the coming bonding rite.
19:38My Luna mother smiled brightly.
19:40The full moon is the day after tomorrow.
19:42An auspicious day.
19:43Selimi's ceremony must be magnificent.
19:45My Alpha father sighed with pride.
19:47Our greatest daughter is about to become someone else's Luna.
19:49I stood in the shadows and watched them.
19:51They had truly given all their love to that Omega.
19:54The extraction vehicle would arrive at 9 o'clock the night after tomorrow.
19:58After that, the open wilderness would be mine.
20:01I would run free.
20:02And I would never beg for the scraps of Bloodlands again.
20:05The day after tomorrow was Selene and Kaylin's bonding rite.
20:07Chloe threw them a wild pre-wedding party.
20:10By the next morning, the manor still reeked of alcohol and hormones from the night before.
20:15There was no running water in my storage room, so I had to limp across the house to wash up.
20:20As I passed the living room, I saw a crowd of young wolves playing games.
20:23Selene and Kaylin sat in the center, surrounded like royalty.
20:26One spoiled young Alpha shouted.
20:27Alpha, you lost. Truth or dare?
20:28Kaylin leaned back lazily.
20:30Dare.
20:30Kiss Selene in front of everyone for one full minute.
20:32Then the young Alpha spotted me nearby and grinned coolly.
20:35Actually, better idea.
20:36Kiss any she-wolf here for one minute.
20:38He pointed straight at me.
20:39Lyra, weren't you always obsessed with Alpha?
20:41He's about to mark someone else.
20:42Why not give her one last kiss and leave her with something hopeless to remember?
20:45Kaylin rose to his feet at once and started walking toward me.
20:48One step, then another.
20:49But when he was less than three feet away, Selene's trembling voice stopped him cold.
20:54Kaylin!
20:56He froze.
20:57He looked back at Selene, then turned to me and lowered his voice.
21:01There are too many people here.
21:02Tomorrow, I'm making Selene my Luna.
21:04I can't humiliate her in front of everyone.
21:07You understand, don't you?
21:08I answered calmly.
21:09Sure.
21:10Then I turned and walked toward the washroom.
21:12Behind me, I heard the sound of Kaylin kissing Selene.
21:14Then came the excited howls of the pack.
21:16In this game where I was always the one left behind, I almost wanted to thank him.
21:19At last, he had let me go.
21:20Night fell.
21:21Kaylin lit the entire sky above the territory with fireworks for Selene.
21:24He followed my scent and pulled me into the shadows.
21:26Lyra, once tomorrow's full moon is over, once Selene and I finish this fake bonding writ,
21:31we can finally be together the way we should be.
21:34My throat felt dry and raw.
21:36I'm sorry.
21:36I won't.
21:37Before I could finish, Chloe came running over.
21:40Come on, future brother-in-law.
21:42We're starting another game.
21:43Kaylin glanced back at her, then at me.
21:46What were you saying?
21:46I gave him a faint, bitter smile.
21:49Nothing.
21:50Go celebrate with your pack.
21:53He squeezed my cold fingers.
21:55After tomorrow's ceremony, everything will be over.
21:58Then he turned and walked back into the light and noise.
22:01I watched his back in silence.
22:03He was right.
22:03Everything was over.
22:05Every wolf in the house crowded into Selene's lavish room.
22:08I walked alone into the shadows of the Manon and checked my comm device.
22:117.15 PM.
22:13One hour and 45 minutes left.
22:14I washed myself with cold water, scrubbing away every trace of the territory sent from
22:18my skin and fur.
22:19The body in the mirror was covered in burn scars and whip marks left by Silvermoon Penitentiary.
22:23I changed into the cleanest clothes I owned and waited.
22:26The final hour.
22:30I looked around the room that had trapped me for years.
22:33A few worn out clothes.
22:35A thin blanket.
22:36A journal on the table.
22:38A framed photograph.
22:40I threw away the old clothes and picked up the frame.
22:42It was a family photo taken 12 years ago, shortly after I was brought back to the territory.
22:47Both families stood together, smiling.
22:49That picture had once carried every hope I had for belonging.
22:52Now I tore it into pieces and dropped it in the trash.
22:55Then I opened the journal.
22:56December 6, 2016.
22:58Sunny.
22:59I came home today.
23:00I met my Alpha and Luna.
23:02I have a family now.
23:03I'm not a stray anymore.
23:04April 1, 2017.
23:06Cloudy.
23:07I wasn't given food or money.
23:08I'll have to hunt for myself.
23:10July 7, 2018.
23:12Sunny.
23:12I traded prey for a necklace.
23:14My sister didn't like it.
23:15I need to earn more money so I can buy her something better.
23:18I turned to the final page.
23:20The night before prison.
23:22There was only one sentence.
23:23This pack never loved me.
23:25A familiar burn sting behind my eyes.
23:27I picked up a pen and wrote one final message in French.
23:31I'm leaving, Alpha and Luna.
23:33Before I go, my wolf still cannot understand one thing.
23:36If my scent disgusted you so much, why did you search for me in Blackwood Forest at all?
23:40Why do other strays find their parents and receive endless love while the day you found me was the day
23:44I truly lost mine?
23:45Chloe.
23:46You said Selena was your only sister.
23:48Today you get your wish.
23:49Kaylin.
23:49You said we would be together after your fake bonding rile.
23:52I'm sorry.
23:53My wolf is dead.
23:54I won't wait for you anymore.
23:55May your bond last forever.
23:57I abandon this territory forever.
23:59We will never meet again.
24:00When I finished, I slapped the journal onto the table.
24:03Then I pulled out my prison medical records and placed them on top.
24:06The scan clearly showed one undeniable fact.
24:08I had only one kidney.
24:11The clock struck nine.
24:13I grabbed my canvas bag and limped out of the territory.
24:16Behind me, the manor blazed with light and the wolves' celebration shook the night.
24:22Ahead of me, several black armored tactical vehicles waited in silence.
24:26Without hesitation, I crossed the territory border and walked toward a new life.
24:32Engines roared.
24:33The convoy sped away, carrying me into the endless dark.
24:36The next day, as a long wolf howl pierced the sky,
24:39Selena and Kaylin's mating ceremony officially began.
24:41My Luna mother looked around the gathering, searching the air for Lyla's scent.
24:44When she found nothing, she snarowned and,
24:46Chloe, where is Lyra?
24:47If she is absent today, the other packs will start talking about division in our bloodline again.
24:51Go drag her out here.
24:52Chloe said, stopping the servants.
24:53I'll get her myself.
24:54Which room does she sleep in?
24:55The servant hesitated.
24:56The storage room.
24:57Every alpha in the room went still.
24:59Why would Lyra be sleeping in the storage room?
25:01When Miss Lyra was first brought back,
25:03she smelled like dirt and wilderness.
25:06There was no suitable room prepared.
25:09Luna said she would stay there, temporarily.
25:12Temporary.
25:13That temporary arrangement had lasted 12 years.
25:15A flush of embarrassment crossed my mother's face,
25:17and she immediately covered it with a burst of pressure.
25:20Selena, dressed in white silk, released a sweet cloud of pheromones.
25:23Our storage room was still better than the forest where she fought stray dogs for scraps.
25:26I'm sure she wasn't suffering.
25:27A strange discomfort flickered through Chloe.
25:30Frowning, she headed down the hallway to the sunless corner at the far end.
25:33She pushed open the heavy wooden door.
25:35No warmth of family lingered inside.
25:37Only dust.
25:38Only mildew.
25:39The cramped room was packed with discarded junk.
25:41Lyra's bed sat beside rusted shelves.
25:43Next to it stood an abandoned water tank that served as a table.
25:45On top of it rested an old lamp, a yellowed journal, and a stack of medical records.
25:51Lyra was gone.
25:52Chloe's heart began to pound.
25:53She rushed to the tank and picked up the journal and documents with shaking hands.
25:56Alpha father!
25:57Luna mother!
25:58Her voice rang through the hall.
26:01Lyra isn't in the territory, but she left these behind.
26:05Before my father could look at them, the roar of an engine came from outside.
26:10Then came the pressure of a top-tier alpha.
26:13Kaylin had arrived.
26:14My Luna mother spoke first.
26:16She's probably throwing a tantrum and ran off to the border.
26:19Chloe, put those down and come out.
26:20Alpha is here for Selina.
26:23My father hesitated, then forced down his doubts and turned toward the front hall.
26:27Kaylin stood in the center of the manor holding a bouquet.
26:30There was no joy on his face.
26:32His senses swept through the air again and again.
26:35Nothing.
26:36No trace of Lyra.
26:37His brows drew tight.
26:40Where is Lyra?
26:41Jealousy flashed in Selina's eyes, but her scent turned weak and soft.
26:45Kaylin, Lyra probably couldn't handle it and ran out of the territory.
26:47My Luna mother quickly added,
26:49Alpha, we failed to tame Lyra's wild nature.
26:52Kaylin's wolf growled restlessly inside him.
26:55Irritated, he pulled out his comm device and sent Lyra a message.
26:59Why are you acting so childish?
27:00Where did you go?
27:01No reply.
27:02Whether through mind link or text, Lyra answered nothing.
27:06Chloe came into the hall still clutching the journal and medical file.
27:08She had only skimmed the report, but one thing had already shaken her.
27:11How could Lyra's body be in such terrible condition?
27:14Why did she have only one kidney?
27:16She had already ordered her deputy date everything Lyra endured during those seven years in silver moon pen.
27:20Alpha, the mating ceremony is starting.
27:22Selina said brightly, breaking the silence as she wrapped herself around Kaylin's arm.
27:26If Lyra left, then she left.
27:28Selina did not seem concerned about Lyra at all.
27:31Chloe and my father both frowned.
27:32This fake bond doesn't need all this.
27:35Kaylin's voice turned cold.
27:36You wanted to wear a wedding dress and walk into Moon Goddess Temple.
27:41Fine.
27:41We'll do that and nothing more.
27:45He pulled his arm free and walked out first, carrying winter cold with him.
27:49Moon Goddess Temple.
27:50Because it was only a false ceremony, Kaylin invited no guests.
27:54Inside the temple were only the Alpha Lineage families and the Elder presiding over the right.
27:58This is nothing like I imagined.
28:00Selina finally broke.
28:01Lyra left?
28:02So what?
28:03You still have me.
28:04Am I really worth less than that stray wolf?
28:05She's an ex-convict.
28:06How could she ever deserve you?
28:08Kaylin's patience was gone.
28:10All that remained was growing panic over Lyra's disappearance.
28:14Selina, you threatened to die.
28:15You jumped from the roof.
28:16That is the only reason I agreed to this sham ceremony.
28:18Everything you wanted has been done.
28:19I'm going to find Lyra.
28:20Then he fixed her with a hard stare.
28:22And don't forget, Lyra went to Silvermoon Penitentiary in your place.
28:25Every wolf in the temple froze.
28:27Selina suddenly let out a shrill cry.
28:29No one saw where she got it.
28:30But a silvered blade was suddenly at her throat.
28:32I don't care.
28:33How am I less than Lyra?
28:34When you were dying, I was the one who gave you my kidney.
28:36My Luna mother lunged toward her.
28:38Selina, don't do this.
28:39Stay back.
28:40Selina swung wildly, and the silver blade sliced open my mother's arm.
28:44Her eyes burned red as she muttered like someone possessed.
28:46I only want Kaylin.
28:47Why can't I have the one mate I want?
28:49It's all Lyra's fault.
28:50She should have died.
28:51Her hysterical curses echoed through the temple as everything descended into chaos.
28:55The scene ended only when ambulances arrived.
28:58Kaylin wrestled the blade from her barehanded and badly burned his palms in the process.
29:02He sat in the ambulance like a man losing his mind, calling and messaged Lyra again and again.
29:06Lyra, the fake ceremony is over.
29:08Where are you?
29:09Don't let anger cloud your judgment.
29:12Let me come find you.
29:14But Lyra's message screen remained completely silent.
29:18PAC Medical Center.
29:20Outside the operating room.
29:22My Luna mother ignored the blood still seeping from her own wound as she anxiously grabbed
29:26the healer's arm.
29:27My daughter is a fragile omega.
29:29She has depression and she's missing a kidney.
29:32Be gentle when you stitch her up.
29:33The nurse blinked in confusion.
29:35Ma'am, we completed a full body scan.
29:37She is in excellent health and she is not missing a kidney.
29:39What did you say?
29:40My alpha father released a blast of pressure so sharp it made the nurse flinch.
29:44Shaken, she repeated herself.
29:46Both leaders stared in stunned disbelief.
29:48At that same moment, Chloe was reading the files her deputy had just sent her.
29:54They matched the medical report Lyra had left behind.
29:58There were also two blurry surveillance videos.
30:01The first showed Lyra and Kaylin being wheeled side by side into surgery for an organ transplant.
30:10The second came from inside Silvermoon Penitentiary.
30:14In the dark footage, several large female wolves tore into Lyra, beating and torturing her without
30:20mercy. Chloe's eyes instantly turned red.
30:23How dare they treat the leader's bloodline like this?
30:26My father had supposedly made arrangements.
30:29Kaylin had supposedly sent supplies.
30:31Then why did Lyra look so thin?
30:33So broken?
30:34So helpless in those recordings?
30:36Her comm device rang.
30:37When the call ended, Chloe collapsed to the floor.
30:41The one behind everything?
30:43It was Selina.
30:44She could not hold herself together any longer.
30:47Then she realized, our parents were already gone.
30:51Clutching the journal, she ran through the halls and slammed open Selene's hospital room.
30:59Alpha father, Luna mother, read Lyra's journal first.
31:04She flipped to the final pages.
31:06Lyra always understood French.
31:08Every cruel thing we said to exclude her, she understood all of it.
31:11The blood in both leaders seemed to freeze.
31:15My father snatched the journal from her hands and read line by line,
31:18his breathing growing heavier with every page.
31:21Chloe turned to Selene, her voice cold as steel.
31:24Were you ever the one who gave Kaylin your kidney?
31:26Selene froze.
31:28That guilty pause destroyed the last hope Chloe had left.
31:31Why did you cut off the supplies meant for Lyra?
31:33Why did you bribe prison guards to torture her?
31:36Selene released a weak wave of pheromones and played innocent.
31:40Little sister, what are you talking about?
31:44By then, both leaders stepped through after finishing the journal.
31:48Chloe gave an order to her deputy.
31:50Bring them in.
31:51Five minutes later, the deputy entered with prison guards,
31:54a finance officer, and a heaviest female inmate.
31:57At the same moment, another presence entered the room, Kaylin.
32:01The freezing scent of fur rolled off him like winter death itself.
32:06His face looked carved from ice. His gaze pinned to Selene's pale face.
32:11As Lyra's mate, I have every right to uncover the truth behind this.
32:16Selene's face drained of all color.
32:18Kaylin, what truth?
32:20I don't understand anything you're saying.
32:22Chloe snapped.
32:23Still lying? Even now? How many times did you frame Lyra over the years?
32:27Do I need to expose every filthy thing you've done in front of Alpha himself?
32:32Selene collapsed to the floor, eyes red with tears.
32:34Chloe, I'm your real sister. How can you speak to me like this?
32:37Chloe laughed bitter.
32:38Have you forgotten?
32:39Lyra is the one who shares my blood.
32:41Selene began breathing hard, pretending to spiral into another episode.
32:47That's enough. My Luna mother stepped forward again,
32:50blind protectness rising in her voice.
32:52Are you trying to drive your sister to death?
32:54Mom, you're still protecting her?
32:58Chloe's voice cracked.
33:01Do you even know which child is truly yours?
33:04She lifted the medical reports high.
33:06Lyra only has one kidney.
33:08She was the one who saved Kaylin.
33:09The critical condition reports from Silver Moon Atentary show she was nearly beaten to death.
33:13She lived in our territory for 12 years and we gave her nothing.
33:16We hated her because of Selene's lies.
33:18We exiled her while loving the wolf who betrayed us.
33:20Selene's depression was fake.
33:21Then Chloe revealed the final evidence.
33:23A scan showing both of Selene's kidneys intact.
33:25And a psychological evaluation describing her as emotionally stable, manipulative,
33:29and displaying antisocial traits.
33:30Kaylin, who had stood silent stone, finally moved.
33:32A terrifying wave of alpha pressure flooded the room.
33:35Chloe, give me Lyra's records.
33:38He took them with shaking hands.
33:40Critical condition notices, x-rays, photographs stained with blood.
33:43He turned each page one by one.
33:45Then he reached the chart documenting Lyra's injuries.
33:48Arms, abdomen, back, eyes.
33:49There was almost no unmarked skin left.
33:51Only bite wounds.
33:52Only scars from silver burns.
33:54Something inside the top tier.
33:56Alpha snap.
33:56He leaned towards Selene and towered over her.
33:58Tell me, what did you do to my mate?
34:00How dare you torture her?
34:02Unable to hide any longer, Selene twisted into a smile and turned to my Lyra mother.
34:06Mom, I'm hurting.
34:07Chloe stepped in front of her.
34:08Enough with the act.
34:09For years, you used our sympathy.
34:11You used our mother's love and turned her into a knife that stabbed her own daughter in the heart.
34:15Selene, do you understand what you've done?
34:17You've condemned this entire family to a lifetime of regret.
34:20Selene turned to my father instead.
34:22Dad, you always loved me most.
34:24My father gripped the journal so tightly, his knuckles whitened.
34:27He could not meet her eyes.
34:28In that moment, Selene lost everything.
34:30Her expression went empty.
34:31Then she spoke in a flat, weightless voice.
34:33I only wanted Lyra dead.
34:34That's all.
34:37Selene!
34:37You will confess every crime.
34:40Every single one.
34:42Kaylin's voice tore out of him like it came through shredded flesh.
34:45My father spoke heavily.
34:47Kaylin, you will have justice.
34:49But first, read what Lyra left for you.
34:52Kaylin took the journal in a daze.
34:54And opened to the final page.
34:56There, in neat and rude of French handwriting, were the last words I had left behind.
35:01At last, I am gone.
35:03From this moment on, we'll never meet again.
35:05So that was when she had truly given up.
35:07The day he kissed Selene in front of everyone.
35:10While he still imagined he could reclaim her after the fake, bonding right.
35:15Lyra had already cut every tie in that mold-filled room.
35:19Kaylin crushed the journal against his chest.
35:22Under the eyes of everyone present, the coldest alpha among them finally looked shattered.
35:30A single tear of regret slipped quietly from his golden green eyes.
35:35Selene was still crying.
35:36I didn't mean for any of this.
35:38I was just afraid of losing you.
35:40There was no mercy left in Kaylin's gaze.
35:42You didn't mean it?
35:44Then who did?
35:45Lyra, the one you framed and sent to prison?
35:48Or me, the fool you played for years?
35:51Selene, you had everything.
35:53The leaders favored you.
35:55The entire pack treasured you.
35:58Lyra's return never threatened your place.
36:00Selene's face twisted.
36:02And what about you?
36:03Didn't her return threaten my place in your heart?
36:06The question stole the air from his lungs.
36:09She gave a bitter laugh.
36:10See?
36:11Your wolf answered for you.
36:14After Lyra came back, you changed.
36:18The way you looked at her was full of possession.
36:23As the balance slowly tipped toward her, how was I supposed not to hate her?
36:27How was I supposed not to be jealous?
36:29So I had to make her disappear.
36:31I had to let her rot in that filthy prison.
36:33Kaylin stared at the stranger before him.
36:36All that remained in his eyes was despair.
36:38Selene laughed and cried at once.
36:41It's all Lyra's fault.
36:43Why did she have to come back?
36:45Every time I saw her, I was reminded that I was nothing but a cheap replacement.
36:49Selene, Chloe's eyes overflowed.
36:53Selene, how did you become this?
36:56We always stood beside you.
36:58And you turned the protection of your own family into a weapon.
37:01Selene wiped away her tears.
37:03I was always like this.
37:05I was born rotten.
37:07Is that what you wanted to hear?
37:09Chloe shook with grief.
37:10No one ever said you did not belong here.
37:12Even after Lyra returned, we still protected you.
37:16And Lyra never once tried to take anything from you.
37:19A broken laugh escaped her.
37:23We really were fools beyond saving.
37:27A house full of sinners.
37:29Smack.
37:30The crack of a violent slap rang through the room.
37:34Selene clutched her swollen cheek and stared in disbelief at the Alpha Father who had once treated
37:39her like treasure. His face was hard as stone, but remorse flooded his eyes.
37:44She whispered, reaching for whatever pity might still remain.
37:49You do not deserve to use that title again.
37:51His voice shook with fury.
37:53You have stained the honor of this family.
37:55What we owe Lyra, we will repay.
37:57What you owe her, you will repay in blood.
38:01Chloe looked at the sister she had lived beside for years.
38:04You stole someone else's life. You betrayed your pack. I will never forgive you.
38:10Then she turned and ran from the room.
38:13Kaelin, I-
38:13Selene faced him next.
38:16Quiet.
38:16His voice was colder than death.
38:18You do not deserve to say my name.
38:21Her lips trembled.
38:22So there's no fixing this?
38:24Kaelin gave a hollow laugh.
38:26You still think this is something small?
38:29Isn't it? Selene screamed.
38:31Lyra only spent seven years in prison.
38:34She didn't die.
38:35Every trace of restraint vanished from him.
38:38She was covered in scars from the wolves you sent to tear her apart.
38:41So what? Selene shrieked.
38:43She deserved it.
38:44She lunged for him, trying to wrap her arms around his neck.
38:47Crack.
38:48The snap of bone cut through the room.
38:51Kaelin's wolf claws locked around her wrist.
38:53With one brutal twist, he shattered the bones beneath his grip.
38:57Selene's scream was inhuman.
38:59At that same moment, aboard a flight bound for Dominina Island,
39:02I stared through the window into the dark sky.
39:05All that gray misery had become dust behind me.
39:09This aircraft will arrive in Dominina in five minutes.
39:12The announcement echoed through the cabin.
39:14I let the past fall away completely.
39:16Ahead, the coastline grew brighter and brighter.
39:19A small smile touched my lips.
39:22Wild.
39:22Free.
39:24Dominanica had arrived.
39:25So had my new life.
39:28Six years passed in the blink of an eye.
39:31Kaelin and Kristen Moonpack still found no trace of me.
39:35When a soul chooses to vanish from its old life, even the moon goddess cannot easily find it.
39:41And I had been erased completely by the Global Institute for Werewolf and Supernatural Secrecy.
39:47Kaelin had grown visibly thinner.
39:49The sharp, aggressive scent of fur that once defined him was now shadowed by constant gloom.
39:54The calm device on his desk began to ring.
39:56He rubbed his tired brow and answered.
39:59Alpha, Selene's mental state has fully collapsed.
40:01She attacks herself every day and has entered feral collapse.
40:04The doctors recommend transferring her to a psychiatric facility.
40:07Kaelin's voice was glacial.
40:09This time, is it real?
40:11Or another act?
40:12It's real.
40:13Her wolf has withered from prolonged fear.
40:16Good.
40:17I'll send a vehicle.
40:19He ended the call without emotion.
40:21For six years, he had arranged special treatment for Selene in prison.
40:25Every ounce of suffering I endured in Silvermoon Penitentiary, she had repaid in full.
40:31Crescent Moonpack maintained a silence as cold as death.
40:34The night the truth came out, they had abandoned the wolf they could never tame.
40:38Kaelin lowered his gaze to the photograph on his desk.
40:41It was a picture of me the day I left prison, thin as bone, expressionless.
40:47He traced the features in the photo with his fingertips, drowning in regret.
40:51Where are you hiding, Lyra?
40:52I know apologies mean nothing, unless those who hurt you feel the same pain they gave you.
40:56But if you never come back, how am I supposed to return the soul I owe you?
41:04Hear me.
41:04I'm sorry.
41:04Hear me.
41:04Have a great day.
41:04The little taste.
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