"Moon Goddess, I'd like to go home," says Seraphina Jarett.

The Will of the Moon Goddess speaks to her in her mind. She doesn't reply in any form of language. Instead, it is a calm and saddened torrent of consciousness.

"Alright, my child. Your mission is about to be completed. In a week, your soul can leave this place."

The usually authoritative voice pauses for a few seconds, which is a rare occurrence.

Unable to understand my choice, she says, "My child, you have a mate who loves you deeply and sees you as the light of his life. Your pup puts you first in everything. Isn't this your home now? They are your family… your pack."

When Seraphina hears the word "family", her gaze lands on the Moon Pool that is in the middle of the room.

At the moment, the pool is showing the Alpha of the Blackwood pack, Caelum Blackwood, and his son, Liam Blackwood, touching down in the pack's private airport.

Caelum Blackwood strode forward with his son, Liam Blackwood, in his arms. His Alpha aura forces the surrounding werewolves to part and make way for him automatically.

A messenger from a neighboring pack hurried after them.

He asked, "Alpha Caelum, I heard you wrapped up the border negotiations in Freca yesterday and rushed back overnight. Why the hurry? Did something urgent concerning the pack require your immediate return?"

Among the werewolf packs, Caelum was well-known for having an icy disposition. But upon being asked those questions, he unexpectedly showed an incredibly gentle smile to the transmission crystal in the messenger's hand.

"It's my Luna's birthday today. So, of course, my pup and I have to return to spend time with her."

His voice was low and powerful, and it spread through all his territories via the transmission crystal.

He added, "To me, anything that has to do with my Luna is of the highest priority."

The tiny Liam raised the leather pouch in his hands as well. "Mom, Dad and I prepared a gift for you! We'll be home soon!"

The messenger wanted to ask more, but Caelum silenced him with a look that made it clear that he wouldn't entertain any more questions. His figure quickly moved out of frame and disappeared.

The messenger sighed and said with deep envy, "The Blackwood pack Alpha's devotion to his Luna hasn't changed even after ten years. Their mate bond is still going strong. He truly is the best mate a she-wolf could ask for.

"Even the heir of the Blackwood pack behaves just like him. With an Alpha like that and a pup like that, Luna Seraphina must have a very happy and wholesome family life."

Seraphina Jarrett waved her hand to erase the image on the Moon Pool's surface and let out a bitter smile.

Was she happy?

A month ago, she would have answered without hesitation that she was absolutely blissful.

But now, she couldn't bring herself to say such words.

No one knew that she wasn't originally from this world.

Ten years ago, the Moon Goddess had sent her soul here with a single mission. She was tasked with saving Caelum, who had witnessed his parents' brutal deaths as a pup. The tragic experience left his soul shattered ever since.

When Seraphina first met him, he was a gloomy, feral, and withdrawn teenager who shut himself off from the world. It took her three full years to slowly guide him out of the darkness and help him grow into the powerful and respected Alpha he was today.

The moment he fully took control of the Blackwood pack, her mission was complete.

However, when the Moon Goddess had asked whether she wanted to leave, she hesitated.

Images of Caelum clinging to her, growling and pleading for her not to go, flashed in her mind. He had already lost his parents once. She couldn't imagine what would become of him if his fated mate left him too.

Therefore, Seraphina chose to stay in this world, and she became his mate by undergoing the mate-bonding ceremony with him.

During the moonlit ceremony, she had solemnly told Caelum that if he ever betrayed their mate bond, her soul would disappear from this world.

At that time, Caelum had held her hand and promised such a day would never come. He swore his love for her would be as eternal as the moon.

After their bonding, his love for her stayed passionate just as he had sworn it would.

For every big or small anniversary, Caelum pushed aside all pack affairs to be with Seraphina. When other she-wolves flirted with him during meetings, he crushed their advances without mercy, making use of his Alpha dominance.

When Seraphina gave birth to Liam, she had a very difficult labor. She spent one whole day in the delivery room. Caelum knelt outside the entire time, praying to the Moon Goddess for her well-being.

When word came that she survived the ordeal, he stumbled to her bedside. He didn't care about his legs that had gone completely numb. With tears streaming down his face, he gripped her hands emotionally.

"It's all my fault, Sera. I never should've said I wanted an heir. We won't have a second pup. I can't let you risk your life again," he said tearfully.

To show his resolve, he had the pack shaman perform an ancient ritual that very day to ensure he would never father another pup.

When naming their pup, he chose "Liam" without hesitation. It was because the name meant "resolute protector". Caelum said it reflected his feelings for her.

With him as a role model, little Liam grew into Seraphina's tiny protector.

Even at a young age, he tore off the softest parts of their prey's flesh and fed it to her. When she accidentally scratched her finger on thorns, he immediately licked the wound in distress and ran to get herbs to bandage her.

Outsiders joked that in the Blackwood pack, it wasn't the pup who needed care. Instead, it was Seraphina who was constantly doted on.

Liam puffed out his chest proudly and declared, "Mom is my Luna. Of course, I must take care of her."

Caelum patted his head with a similar proud smile. "My Luna doesn't need to do anything. She only needs to be loved by us."

Seraphina once firmly believed she would stay happy forever. However, nothing was meant to last. Caelum's steadfast vows were gone with the wind as time passed.

The Alpha and his pup, who once loved her so deeply, had now built a "home" with another she-wolf named Rayna Klein.

The two of them had secretly visited her countless times.

Seraphina's mate of seven years now wrapped his arm around Rayna's waist and called her "baby" affectionately.

Her pup, whom she carried in her belly for nine months, now lay curled up in Rayna's arms while softly calling her name.

In truth, they hadn't gone to Freca for negotiations at all. They had accompanied Rayna on a hunting trip in the Azmurs.

Seraphina's warning during the mate-bonding ceremony had become a prophecy.

The moment she learned the truth, she had made up her mind to leave this world. She would leave Caelum and Liam, the father and son who were full of lies.

Staring at the cake melting in front of her, Seraphina whispered, "They are no longer my family. I'm leaving them."

The moment the words left her lips, two voices rang out behind her.

"Who's leaving?"

Seraphina looked up. Caelum and Liam were standing at the doorway.

Liam climbed down from Caelum's arms and sprinted over with his short little legs. He threw himself into Seraphina's arms.

"Mom, who did you say was leaving just now?" he asked curiously.

In a soft voice, Seraphina answered, "A human friend of mine. Her marriage fell apart, and she's planning to leave her husband and child."

Liam tilted his head up and rubbed his cheek against hers. This was the way young pups expressed affection.

He said, "Your friend is so pitiful. Luckily, Dad and I will love you forever."

Caelum set down his coat and walked over to pull both of them into his arms. As usual, the Alpha scent he gave off was possessive yet gentle.

"Liam is right, Sera. Our family will be together forever. It's a vow we made to the Moon Goddess," Caelum said lovingly.

Seraphina didn't respond. She looked down, and her long lashes hid the bitterness in her eyes.

What was this talk about being together forever? Their bond was already showing cracks.

Liam spotted the cake on the table. He quickly reached out to hand over the leather pouch he had been holding.

"Mom, this is the gift Dad and I picked for you."

Caelum opened the gift box inside the pouch. It was a necklace carved from moonstone.

He sounded a little apologetic as he said, "Sera, the negotiations in Freca were difficult. That's why Liam and I returned later than planned. Please don't be upset with us."

As he spoke, he took out the necklace and lowered his head to put it on her.

But the moment he leaned closer, Seraphina smelled a strong scent that wasn't hers. There was another she-wolf's scent mixed into Caelum's.

She herself never carried any foreign scents. This caused her stomach to churn violently. She pushed Caelum and Liam away hastily. She ran to one side and started gagging uncontrollably.

Caelum had always been extremely concerned about her health. Even the slightest cough drove him into panic mode. Upon seeing her in such a condition, he became frantic and immediately wanted to summon the pack healer.

Seraphina grabbed his hand. Her eyes were still reddened from retching. She stared at him unblinkingly.

She breathed, "I'm fine. I just thought of my friend's husband and child… I felt disgusted by their behavior. Caelum, if you don't love me anymore, I will—"

"That's impossible!" Caelum cut her off before she could finish her sentence.

He stepped forward and wrapped her into his arms. It was as if he was trying to rub her scent all over himself again to emphasize that they would always be bound together and would never part ways.

Tenderly, he said, "Sera, you should know how deep my feelings run for you. You are the only mate I'll ever have in this life. I will never let you leave me!"

Liam clenched his fists and said seriously, "Don't worry, Mom. Dad and I would never do anything to hurt you. I'll watch Dad for you. If he ever misbehaves, I'll tell you right away. I'll always be on your side."

Caelum couldn't help but laugh. "Liam, do you seriously take me for that kind of person?"

Liam rolled his eyes at him and said, "Hmph! I love Mom the most. I'll always protect Mom."

Their bickering didn't stir any feelings of amusement or joy in Seraphina. She felt terrible, like invisible claws were tearing her heart to pieces.

Caelum said he loved her, yet he carried another she-wolf's scent. Liam said he would protect her, yet he helped Caelum hide the truth.

She no longer knew whether they meant those words sincerely or if it was all just a lie.

The next morning, Caelum personally roasted the freshest cut for Seraphina, as usual, and set it before her with loving eyes.

"Sera, let's go hunting at Mount Neviah after breakfast. We came home late, so we'll make it up to you for missing your birthday," Caelum suggested casually.

Liam handed her a cup of fresh goat milk and snuggled against her waist. "Let's go, Mom! Hunting is so much fun."

Seraphina had no interest in hunting. However, before she had even finished breakfast, Caelum and Liam had packed all the gear. They then pulled her into the SUV without asking if she wanted to go.

It wasn't until they reached Mount Neviah that she realized why they had insisted on coming.

The moment she stepped out of the car, she saw Rayna in a form-fitting hunting outfit. She was standing at the entrance and looking around expectantly.

As soon as Caelum and Liam got out of the car, Rayna's eyes lit up.

She jogged over and wrapped a scarf, which was infused with her own pheromones, around Liam's neck as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Then, she handed Caelum a steaming thermos and gazed at him with sparkling eyes.

Seraphina watched her smooth, practiced movements wordlessly.

Despite his young age, Liam had always disliked being touched by anyone outside their family. Caelum had the unfortunate experience of being drugged by an enemy pack six years ago. Since then, he never accepted drinks or items handed to him by other she-wolves, except for Seraphina.

Caelum cleared his throat and spoke up in a voice that sounded a little strained. "Sera, this is my assistant, Rayna Klein. She planned the route for this hunt, so having her around makes things easier. That's why I invited her along."

Liam hurriedly chimed in, "Yeah, Mom. All we need to do is focus on having fun. Isn't that great?"

Was it really for convenience, or was it because they wanted Rayna with them at all times? Seraphina no longer cared to decipher their true thoughts.

Only then did Rayna pretend like she had just noticed her.

She reached out a hand shyly and greeted, "Hello, Luna Seraphina. I won't intrude on your family time."

Seraphina's sharp eyes caught a flash of green on Rayna's wrist. "What's that on your wrist?"

Rayna pulled up her sleeve to reveal a green moonstone bracelet.

Her face glowed with happiness as she said, "This is a gift from my family."

In the past five years, Caelum had given Seraphina many pieces of jewelry. She could tell at a glance that the bracelet and the moonstone necklace from the night before had been carved from the same rare moonstone. It was originally meant to be a matching set.

Seraphina's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Ms. Klein, it seems your family loves you very much."

Caelum and Liam had split a complete set of jewelry into two pieces—one for her and one for Rayna. It was just like their love, which was apparently also divisible.

Rayna smiled so brightly that her eyes were all scrunched up. "Yes, they always say they love me the most. They also spoil me silly."

Caelum and Liam seemed to be afraid that Seraphina might notice something, so they fussed over her throughout the entire journey.

When she gave a light cough, Caelum immediately removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Then, he poured warm water from the thermos and brought it to her lips with gentle concern.

Liam also took off the scarf around his neck and put it on her, reminding her to stay warm like a mature little man.

However, Seraphina didn't want items carrying another she-wolf's scent to contaminate her body. She said she wished to return to the villa to rest and walked away.

Caelum and Liam exchanged a look. Without exchanging a word, they accompanied her back to the villa and stayed with her.

When evening came, Caelum's phone rang.

He quickly silenced it. After confirming that Seraphina seemed to be asleep, only then did he let out a breath he'd been holding in relief.

Rayna's name flashed repeatedly on the screen.

Liam tugged his sleeve and said in a lowered voice, "Dad, I want to go see Rayna."

Caelum immediately put up a finger to shush him. The two exchanged a glance and tiptoed out of the room sneakily.

The moment the door closed, Seraphina opened her eyes. She put on her clothes and silently followed them.

Caelum and Liam moved quickly and eventually arrived at the place where Rayna was staying.

The moment the door opened, Rayna threw herself into Caelum's arms.

She sounded aggrieved as she said, "Caelum, you finally came. I was so scared when I was all alone here today. I don't expect to be with you 24 hours a day like Luna Seraphina. I'm happy enough if you can give me two hours to be with you every day."

As she spoke, she raised her shimmering doe eyes to look at him.

Caelum couldn't bear to watch her cry. The moment he saw her tears, his heart went out to her.

He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly to comfort her. "Two hours isn't enough. Liam and I will stay with you the whole night."

Liam chimed in, "As soon as Mom fell asleep, Dad and I rushed over. We really wanted to spend time with you."

Rayna looked moved, but then her expression faltered as she recalled something.

She said pitifully, "Actually… I felt very cold earlier. But you only had eyes for Luna Seraphina. You even gave her the scarf and thermos I prepared for you…"

Liam didn't want her to be sad, so he quickly grabbed her hand and comforted her. "Don't be upset, Rayna. We're sorry. I'll warm you up. My hands are much warmer than a scarf."

Caelum gently tapped her nose. "You get jealous so easily. How can you get upset over something so small? You didn't get enough of skiing in Sornland, so I picked this place especially for you. Isn't that good enough?"

Upon hearing that, Rayna rose on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on the corner of his lips. "Thank you, Alpha Caelum."

Caelum's gaze immediately darkened. He held the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Their lips and tongues entwined in a heated kiss.

Liam covered his eyes and ran into the room. "Ah! I don't want to be a third wheel!"

After a long while, Caelum finally released Rayna. Her face was flushed as she hit his chest shyly.

"Liam was right there," she huffed.

Caelum caught her hand and kissed it. "So what? It's not like he hasn't seen it before."

Then, he wrapped an arm around Rayna's waist and grabbed Liam. He pulled both of them into the room and closed the door behind them.

Behind a nearby pillar, tears flowed from Seraphina's eyes freely and soundlessly.

Even though she had known of their betrayal, it did nothing to mitigate the pain of witnessing it firsthand. Every word she had heard stabbed into her heart and tore it asunder.

They had promised that this trip was their way of making it up to her for missing her birthday. However, it was actually to compensate for Rayna's disappointment from not having enough fun at the Azmurs.

Seraphina crouched and clutched her chest. Caelum and Liam's words from last night echoed in her ears.

They said they would never let her leave.

"But Caelum and Liam… I've already made up my mind to leave you," Seraphina thought, feeling utterly heartbroken.