For the 100th time, my Alpha mate, Ryker, used his command on me, threatening to reject our bond if I didn't sacrifice myself for my twin sister, Ivy.

I didn't cry or protest. I simply signed the mate bond rejection papers.

I surrendered the Alpha I had loved for ten years to my sister.

A few days later, Ivy caused a scene at the Pack Alliance Banquet, humiliating the Silvermoon Alpha's daughter.

Once again, I stepped forward to take her place, enduring the pain of a disfiguring silver brand.

Later, when they demanded I test the safety of the Wolf Spirit Regeneration Ritual with my own body for my sister, I accepted with a smile.

My Beta parents, their eyes red-rimmed, told me I was finally being the older sister I was supposed to be.

Even Ryker, who had always been so distant toward me, stood before the cellar. He gently stroked my cheek for the first time in ages and said softly,

"Harper, don't be afraid. As soon as the trial is over, I'll take you to see the auroras at Moon Goddess Lake."

But he didn't know that, regardless of the trial's outcome, he would never see me again.

My wolf spirit was already fading. Nothing could save me.

This time, when I closed my eyes, it would be forever.

My Alpha mate, Ryker, always threatened to reject our bond to make me submit to my twin sister. My Beta parents always threatened to disown me, demanding I sacrifice everything for my frail and sickly sister.

Before, I didn't understand. I would cry and scream, demanding to know why they were so unfair.

But when Ryker slammed the papers on the table for the 100th time, forcing me to be the test subject for Ivy's ritual, I agreed.

Not only did I agree, but I became completely obedient to Ivy. Everyone praised me, the Luna of the Blackmoon Pack, for finally showing some sense. But they didn't know the truth. I was already dying.

A dying Luna has no use for dignity or love.

The healer had just told me my fading wolf spirit was a death sentence when Ryker pushed the mate rejection papers in front of me for the hundredth time.

"Harper, Ivy's wolf is getting weaker. She can't endure the risks of an unproven ritual. If the spirit regeneration isn't completed within a month, she could die."

"You're twins, your genes are nearly identical. You have a strong, dominant wolf spirit. The witch said you can test the ritual's safety for her."

"If you don't agree, I'll reject our bond. Ivy doesn't have much time left. Her last wish is to be with me."

I listened quietly as he said those utterly absurd words with a straight face.

In reality, they'd been planning this from the moment they saw Ivy cough a little as the seasons changed.

My parents, my Alpha husband... the three of them took turns pressuring me.

It wasn't persuasion. It was coercion.

My parents threatened that if I didn't verify the ritual for her, I would lose the protection of my family and pack and become Rogue.

And Ryker, once again, threatened to reject our fated bond.

By then, my body was already failing me, and even maintaining my human form was becoming a struggle.

So, I instinctively refused.

The moment I said "no," the disgust in Ryker's eyes was palpable. My parents pointed at me and screamed.

"Your sister is dying! You cold-hearted monster! You starved her in the womb, and now you won't even help save her life!"

"Harper, you're such a disappointment! If you won't help Ivy, then there's no longer a place for you in this family!"

Even now, the memory of those harsh words sends a sharp, stabbing pain through my heart.

But that's all in the past now.

Now, my wolf spirit has reached the final stage of its decay. The healer told me I only have seven days left.

I'm going to die either way. Better to die on that cursed experimental table and become the hero of their story than to die alone in the wilderness.

Seeing my silence, Ryker's brow furrowed. He looked ready to unleash another wave of his Alpha command to force my compliance.

But I looked up, a faint smile touching my pale lips. "Alright."

"I'll test the ritual for Ivy."

Ryker froze, his head snapping up as he stared at me in delighted surprise.

"Really? Harper, you've finally come to your senses! Now we can safely cure Ivy!"

He rushed to the balcony, sharing the good news with my parents through the mind link.

I watched him rush away, ecstatic, and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

My gaze fell on the forgotten mate bond rejection papers on the table. I reached out and picked them up.

I pulled a pen from my bag and, without the slightest hesitation, signed my name.

The first tremor of the severing bond made my hand shake uncontrollably, but I forced myself to swallow the metallic tang of blood rising in my throat.

When Ryker returned, he saw me putting the rejection papers back where I'd found them.

He stopped short, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "What are you doing?"

I smiled, hiding my blood-stained fingers behind my back. "Nothing. Just tidying the table."

Seeing my subdued expression, a flicker of guilt crossed his face. He quickly stuffed the papers back into his briefcase.

"I was just angry. I didn't mean it. You're my mate. That will never change."

I hummed softly, my face devoid of expression.

Ryker gave me a long look but didn't say anything more.

But on the way back to the Alpha's residence, he did something out of character.

He started asking if I'd been tired lately and even stopped at the market to buy some expensive healing herbs.

But I knew all this concern was just to get me in better shape, to make sure I could last a little longer during the trial.

I tossed the herbs onto the back seat and stared blankly out the window.

The sunlight is so beautiful today.

A pity I'll never see it again.

The moment I stepped through the door, I heard my parents' excited cheers. My mother was holding Ivy, who was feigning weakness, and crying with relief.

"My precious Ivy, you're saved! You don't have to be afraid of the ritual's side effects anymore..."

My father, terrified I would change my mind, shoved a prepared Trial Consent Form in front of me the second I took my shoes off.

He didn't relax until he watched me sign the form.

"Harper, you've finally grown up. This is how an older sister should act."

"And don't resent us. Your birth was so difficult that it left your sister weakened. Compared to you, who is so healthy, she needs our protection more."

"But we won't be unfair to you," my mother added, wiping her tears. "After the trial, the family's assets and land will be split evenly between you and Ivy. You won't be shorted."

I shook my head, swallowing the bitterness in my heart. I pushed the signed consent form back toward them.

"Give it all to Ivy. I won't be needing it anymore."

My mother paused, biting back the words on the tip of her tongue. She then patted my shoulder gently.

"Don't say such things. Of course you'll need it. Ryker may be a wealthy Alpha, but you shouldn't look down on your own family's wealth!"

I stared blankly at my parents' anxious faces. They had never cared about me this much in my entire life.

Because I had always been slightly larger than Ivy in the womb, they stubbornly believed I had greedily starved her, causing her to be born frail, with an even weaker wolf.

And because of this, I was seen as the family's curse from a young age.

At every birthday party, they would dress Ivy up like an exquisite princess, the center of attention as everyone sang her praises.

Other twins wore matching outfits, but I was usually left in a corner, staring blankly at a velvet dress worthy of an Alpha's daughter.

I often felt like an outsider, watching the three of them as a perfect, happy family.

When I was little, I used to wish I had been the one born second.

Her wolf was a late bloomer and lacked any real strength, but in return, she had all the love in the world.

Even so, Ivy was never satisfied. She wanted everything I had.

My toys, my grades, and after I came of age, even my fated mate.

After I was bonded with Ryker, she became even more relentless.

I cried, I fought, I even tried to use my status as Luna to put her in her place.

All it earned me was my parents' disgust and Ryker's cold words, "You're suffocating me, Harper."

Now, I've finally learned to keep my mouth shut.

I'm dying anyway. I don't want this suffocating love anymore.

Seeing me remain silent, my parents wasted no more time on me, gathering around the dining table to dote on Ivy.

On the table, Ivy's plate was piled high with prime venison, a delicacy reserved for the pack's elite.

I quietly cut the few vegetables on my plate.

Ivy savored her perfectly cut venison while shooting me a triumphant smirk.

There wasn't a trace of weakness in her eyes, only the gloating of a victor.

For the next few days, to celebrate Ivy's "impending recovery," the family doted on her endlessly.

At the annual Pack Alliance Banquet, Ryker guided her to the center of the room.

In front of everyone, he even bent down and gently wiped a bit of cream from the corner of her mouth.

And I, the rightful Luna, could only stand alone in the shadows, holding a wine glass.

The members of the other packs glanced between them and me, their eyes filled with ridicule.

"Look, it's the Blackmoon Pack's unloved Luna."

"I heard she's about to lose her position. Even her own Alpha can't be bothered to look at her."

I swirled the red wine in my glass, enduring their mocking gazes without a word.

Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed from the center of the hall.

"You worthless half-breed! How dare you wear the same color dress as me!"

My head snapped up. I saw Ivy grab a tureen of scalding seafood chowder and dump it all over a young woman across from her.

That was Chloe, the beloved daughter of the Alpha from the Silvermoon Pack, the most powerful pack in the north.

The chowder streamed down Chloe's delicate face, scalding her tender skin and ruining her priceless couture gown.

But Ivy wasn't finished. She pointed at Chloe and shrieked, "What right does a half-breed like you have to even be near Ryker? Get out!"

My eyes widened in terror. Ivy had been so coddled and sheltered her whole life, she had no idea who she had just provoked.

Werewolves despise nothing more than insults to their bloodline.

I was about to step in and stop her, but I was too late.

In an instant, my sister was surrounded by guards.

The Silvermoon Alpha, seeing the burns on his daughter's face, was enraged.

He declared in front of all the assembled packs that any alliance with Blackmoon was now an act of enmity against Silvermoon.

Unless a price was paid in blood, there would be no peace tonight.

My parents begged and pleaded, but the Silvermoon Alpha's heart remained hard. He had us thrown out.

Ryker tried to use diplomatic pressure.

But the Silvermoon Alpha offered only one condition: the perpetrator had to come to their territory in person and accept a blood rite.

Back home, Ivy was curled up on the sofa, trembling and sobbing so hard she could barely draw a breath.

"Dad, Mom, save me... I don't want to die... The Silvermoon Pack will kill me!"

Their hearts ached for her as they all hugged and cried together, a truly touching scene.

I watched them coldly and turned to go upstairs.

Just as I was about to close my bedroom door, a large hand slammed against it, holding it open. It was Ryker.

He looked at me, his gaze shifty. "Harper, you go in Ivy's place."

"You're identical twins. As long as you don't speak, the Silvermoon Pack will never know."

"It's just an apology and a small punishment. You're the older sister, and you're strong. You won't refuse, will you?"

A small punishment? My heart ached with bitterness.

Everyone knew the Silvermoon Alpha was notoriously ruthless. Any werewolf who offended him was lucky to survive, and none escaped without being maimed.

As an Alpha, Ryker knew better than anyone what I would face.

But he didn't care. He would casually throw me to the wolves to protect the one he cherished, Ivy.

I lowered my head and said nothing.

Behind me, my parents heard Ryker's suggestion, and their eyes lit up as if they'd just grasped a lifeline.

"Yes! Harper, you go!" My mother rushed over and grabbed my hand. "Your sister is too weak, they'll kill her! "Your wolf is strong. You have to go for her!"

"But you still have to try and protect yourself. After all, you have the Spirit Regeneration Trial to undergo soon."

I looked wearily at the four of them, then finally forced a smile and nodded.

"Fine. I understand."

The moment I turned and closed the door, I saw the flash of triumph in Ivy's eyes, and a single thought struck me.

When I'm dead, with no one left to shield her from disaster or take the blame for her, I wonder how quickly this coddled, poisonous flower will wither.

The room was dark and oppressive. Listening to the sounds of laughter and celebration from downstairs, a single tear slid down my cheek.

I wiped it away hastily and decided to get rid of everything in the room.

I was dying anyway. Better to throw it all out than leave it behind as a painful reminder.

There wasn't much in the room. Besides my daily necessities, there were only a few picture frames: one of our family of four, and one from my bonding ceremony with Ryker.

I stared at them for a long time, then, without hesitation, tossed them into the trash can.

When I was finished, a wave of dizziness washed over me, and I collapsed onto the bed, gasping for breath.

Suddenly, a warm liquid flowed from my nose.

I instinctively covered my nose, but blood still flowed freely between my fingers, dripping onto the white sheets.

Six days left. My body was already failing in every way.

Just then, the door was thrown open. I frantically grabbed a pillow to cover the bloodstains.

Ryker stood in the doorway, his face a mask of indifference. "The Silvermoon Pack's enforcers are here. Come out."

I had barely been dragged into the Silvermoon Pack's territory when a guard kicked me onto a training ground covered in sharp gravel.

The Silvermoon Alpha stood on a high platform, his gaze as cold as ice, as if he were looking at a filthy stray.

"Since those hands enjoy throwing filth, she can use them to clear the thorns from the training grounds."

This was the obstacle course used for training young wolves, but today, it was filled with thorny black briars soaked in wolfsbane juice, which weakens werewolves.

And so, under the cold moonlight, wearing only a thin dress, I knelt on the training ground and began to pull up the hard thorns with my bare hands.

The sound of my skin tearing was sickeningly clear. Blood dripped from my fingertips, mixing with the dirt.

The young wolves watching whistled and jeered, mocking the Blackmoon Pack's weakness.

"Is this Blackmoon's idea of an apology? Sending a useless piece of trash like her?"

"What good is Ryker's arrogance? He still has to bow his head to us."

I listened to the insults, mechanically repeating the motion.

I don't know how much time passed. My hands were a mangled mess, and my vision blurred from blood loss.

My consciousness began to drift. I imagined my parents were probably raising a toast right now, celebrating how their precious Ivy had escaped this fate.

My haze was shattered when a leather-booted foot stomped down hard on the back of my hand, forcing a gasp of pain from me.

"Weren't you so arrogant when you threw that soup? Why are you acting like a half-dead dog now?"

The Silvermoon Alpha snorted coldly.

With a wave of his hand, two tall enforcers seized my shoulders and forced my head up.

A glowing red, sizzling silver brand was held before my face.

"My daughter has three scars on her face. You will receive ten in return."

This was the Sinner's Mark, used to punish grave offenders. The scars it left could not be healed, not even by an Alpha's power.

I watched the glowing metal approach and shut my eyes in despair.

A hiss of searing flesh filled my nostrils.

I let out a gut wrenching scream, struggling and clawing at the raw, bloody mess of my face.

On the other end of our mate bond, Ryker suddenly jerked, breaking out in a cold sweat.

He wondered how Harper was doing. But she was one of the pack's best Beta warriors. She would surely be back on her own in a few days.

Three days later, when I appeared before Ryker with my face covered in brands, he froze.

At first, he clearly didn't recognize me.

A full five seconds passed before the searing pain from our mate bond snapped him back to his senses.

"Harper, you..." He stepped forward, instinctively reaching to embrace me, but froze when he saw the ugly, still-weeping brand on my face.

He couldn't bring himself to look at my ruined face any longer. Instead, as if to offer some comfort, he took my hand.

"You've suffered... Don't worry, I'll make it up to you. I'll spend the rest of my life taking care of you!"

He used to be obsessed with my face, calling it the Moon Goddess's most perfect creation.

He pursued me relentlessly, showering me with expensive moonstones and wiping away my tears as I told him about the injustices at home.

He promised me a new life, one filled with happiness and affection.

Back then, his love for me was genuine. But when did things start to change?

It was probably at our bonding ceremony, the first time he saw my sister's face. It was identical to mine, yet softer, more fragile, inspiring a protective instinct.

He had fallen for me at first sight because of my looks, and he felt the same pull toward the sister who was my mirror image.

In fact, her novelty made him even more infatuated.

And now that my face was ruined, his love for me vanished along with it.

I pulled my hand free, pushed him away, and walked upstairs without a word.

I had just reached the top of the stairs when I heard him on the balcony, talking to my parents on the phone.

"It's a good thing it's just her face. She can still walk and move. If her body had been seriously injured, it would have jeopardized the upcoming trial."

Every word was a poisoned dagger, twisting in my already shredded heart.

In that moment, I suddenly felt that death might be a release.

I would finally be free from all this misery.

I pushed open my bedroom door, only to find Ivy sprawled on my bed, wearing my silk nightgown.

When she saw the hideous scars on my face, she first stared in shock, then covered her mouth and burst into laughter, doubling over until she was breathless.

Her rosy cheeks and loud laughter showed no sign of weakness.

I had long known she was faking it. I'd seen her pouring her healing potions down the drain at the wolf academy.

What's more, after my own health began to fail, the healer told me I had a congenital condition, something I'd had since the womb.

It wouldn't show symptoms, and I might even seem stronger than a normal wolf.

But once it manifested, death from spirit failure would be swift.

I had tried to tell my parents, but they never believed me. They were convinced that Ivy was the weak one.

"My dear sister, we finally don't look alike anymore."

She walked up to me barefoot and reached out, maliciously poking at the wounds on my face.

The sharp pain made me suck in a breath, but I didn't flinch away.

"The Alpha will probably have nightmares just looking at you now, won't he?"

I grabbed her wrist and said softly, "That's fine by me."

"He's all yours now."

Three days remained until the Wolf Spirit Regeneration Ritual, and three days until the end of my life.

My body would break down. My wolf spirit would disintegrate in agony. I would become a rotting corpse.

I couldn't help but be a little curious. What would their reactions be then? My parents, my Alpha.

Would they shed a single tear for me?

I doubted it.

It would be a release, to no longer be entangled with people who didn't love me.

They would probably just be disappointed that this 'guinea pig' had failed to pave the way for Ivy.

The three days passed in a blur. My parents and Ryker escorted me to the ancient witchcraft cellar.

At the cellar entrance, a damp, cold wind chilled me to the bone.

My parents were huddled around Ivy, excitedly discussing the celebration they would have after the trial's success.

"Ivy, when we know it's safe for you, Mom will take you shopping in Europe."

"We'll go enjoy a feast in a bit to celebrate early. We'll have your favorite roasted venison."

I was the one walking to my death, yet I didn't cross their minds once.

Ryker didn't say anything, but his gaze fell on me. "The test will be over soon. I'll come get you then."

There was no warmth in his tone. He had spoken to me like this for a long time, but at the end of my life, my heart still gave an uncontrollable pang of pain.

So, I couldn't stop myself from turning back to ask them, "If I go in and never come out… will you miss me?"