The extended period of neglect by Caelum made Rayna feel threatened, so she revealed her true colors.

Early the next morning, Seraphina saw message after taunting message Rayna had sent the previous night through a maid upon waking up.

"Seraphina, I know you saw everything. So? How does it feel watching your mate kiss another she-wolf while your pup helps cover for him?"

"Caelum loves it when I cry. He says my tears give him a special kind of satisfaction, especially in bed."

"Every time I cry, he gets rougher in bed. My voice becomes hoarse from sobbing so much, but he still won't stop. He says he wishes he could be with me 24 hours a day. He's never treated you like that, has he?"

"Even your pup likes being with me. He says he feels relaxed around me. Once, he thought I was asleep and called me Mom."

"You're a complete failure as a Luna."

Staring at the barrage of provocations, Seraphina forced down the storm of emotions inside her and calmly took screenshots of everything.

Only three days remained before she would leave this world. This would be part of her final gift to Caelum and Liam.

That morning, she requested to be discharged from the healer's sanctuary. The healer informed Caelum, and soon she received a call from him.

His tone was apologetic as he said, "I'm busy with pack affairs right now, so I can't leave. I'll have someone take you home. I'll take care of Liam. Rest well at home."

She knew they were with Rayna. So, she just said a perfunctory "okay" and hung up.

Three days before her departure from this world, Seraphina returned to their mansion. She instructed the maids to gather all her belongings and burn them.

A maid asked in confusion, "Luna Seraphina, are you replacing them with new ones?"

She nodded and answered, "Yes."

They didn't know that not only the belongings would be replaced, but the lady of the house as well.

Two days before departure, Seraphina opened the secret chamber that only she, Caelum, and Liam could enter.

Various hunting trophies accumulated over the last ten years hung densely on the walls. There were also the family tapestries made each year since Liam's birth.

Over ten years, the people captured in those tapestries went from being youthful to looking mature and serious. In the beginning, there were only two people. Then, it became three.

But now, one face would disappear.

Seraphina retrieved a ceremonial dagger and spent the entire day cutting her own likeness out of every tapestry, leaving only Caelum and Liam behind.

Then, she retrieved the bloodstone from their mate-bonding ceremony that Caelum had solemnly locked in the safe five years ago. Upon opening the stone, she was surprised to find the vow he had written for the ceremony tucked inside.

He had written, "Sera, you are my entire world. Thanks to you, my world is filled with light again. I will love you and protect you forever. I believe we will grow old together. We'll love each other for the rest of our lives."

Seraphina read each line slowly.

The piece of paper held 19-year-old Caelum's deep, youthful devotion.

When she reached the end, she smiled in silence as moisture pooled in the corners of her eyes.

She placed the vow back beside the bloodstone and carried both, along with the pieces of tapestry she had cut, into the garden. There, she lit them all on fire.

Wordlessly, she watched as the tapestries and the bloodstone turned into a handful of ash.

One day before departure, Seraphina printed out the screenshots of Rayna's messages and the photos she sent over the past few days.

There were photos of Caelum shirtless and holding Rayna, whose neck was covered in kiss marks. In some photos, Liam leaned against Rayna, gazing at her with admiration, as she read him a bedtime story. Some even showed the three of them wearing matching cartoon headbands at an amusement park.

Seraphina thought her heart would break all over again. But when she looked at the photos, all she felt was calm.

She placed every printed photo into a folder. Then, she removed the ring symbolizing her status as Luna and put it inside as well.

On the day she was set to leave, it happened to be the seventh anniversary of her becoming Caelum's mate.

Caelum and Liam, whom she hadn't seen in days, returned early that morning.

Caelum was holding a heart-shaped cake. "Sera, the pack affairs have kept me busy lately. I'm sorry about that. Today is our mate-bonding anniversary. Liam and I won't go anywhere. We'll spend the whole day with you."

Liam raised his little fist and vowed, "Mom, I swear Dad has been busy with pack work every day. And I never forgot my duty to help you keep an eye on him!"

Seraphina looked impassively at the two of them as they enthusiastically made all those fake promises.

She asked softly, "Are you tired?"

They were running back and forth between her and Rayna while pretending to be the devoted mate and pup in front of her. Weren't they exhausted?

Caelum and Liam answered in unison, "We're not tired at all!"

Liam held her hand. His eyes were sparkling. "It's something I'm doing for you. I could never be tired, Mom."

Caelum gently pinched her cheek with affection. "Sera, no matter how busy or exhausting pack affairs are, the moment I see you, all my fatigue disappears. Besides, today is our anniversary. We celebrate it every year. No matter how busy I am, I'll still come back."

Seraphina simply smiled and said nothing more.

Caelum set down the cake and immediately went to the kitchen. He had given all the maids the day off and planned to personally cook several of her favorite dishes for their anniversary.

Liam refused to be outdone. He pulled over a small stool. Then, he began to cut some fruit to make juice.

They busied themselves the whole morning. By the time all the dishes were finally placed on the table, it was already afternoon.

Caelum lit the candle shaped like a seven. He held her hand with eyes filled to the brim with love.

He said appreciatively, "Sera, if you hadn't stayed by my side back then…"

Liam clapped enthusiastically beside them. "Wow! This is so romantic, Mom and Dad!"

Then, Caelum's shrill ringtone shattered the warm atmosphere.

Seraphina retracted her hand and handed him the phone. The name Rayna flashed repeatedly on the screen.

Caelum smiled and said he wouldn't answer anyone's calls today, but Seraphina still insisted on giving it to him. When he saw the name, he hesitated for a brief second before finally picking up.

"Sera, it's my assistant. I'm worried there's a pack emergency. Give me a moment," he said.

With that, he stepped aside to take the call. And when he returned, he wore the familiar and predictable apologetic expression.

"Sera, I'm sorry. Something urgent happened in the pack. I have to go," Caelum said.

Liam didn't know what the caller had said, but he had seen Rayna's name on the screen. So, he jumped off his chair and ran to Caelum.

"Mom, I want to go too! I can help you supervise Dad so he finishes faster and comes home sooner!" Liam made up an excuse.

As she looked at the pair who were secretly eager to leave, Seraphina nodded lightly.

"Go on, then."

Caelum let out a silent breath of relief. He picked Liam up, and the two kissed her on each cheek.

"Wait for us to come back," he said.

"See you soon, Mom!" Liam chirped.

They hurried out the door and didn't even notice Seraphina's odd silence.

Caelum and Liam had no idea that this would be the last time the three of them would ever be together.

Once Seraphina saw that Caelum's car was out of sight from the window, she threw the burnt-out candle and the cake into the trash. She then went to the bedroom, picked up the prepared folder, and stepped out of the mansion.

Ten years ago, Seraphina had first met Caelum at a sanatorium on the outskirts of the city.

The sanatorium had long since become abandoned. Creeping ivy covered the desolate building.

Seraphina followed the route engraved in her memory. She would take a few steps and stop along the way. Various memories of her time with Caelum flashed through her mind.

When they first met, Caelum ignored her existence completely. Gradually, he grew used to her presence. Then, at long last, there came the moment he held her tightly in a torrential downpour and refused to let go.

Seraphina stopped beneath the large oak tree in the garden at the back. The tree that had been lush a decade ago still stood tall and vigorous now.

Her fingers brushed the trunk where two names were carved. By now, they had faded so much that they were almost invisible. In her mind, she saw again that nervous young man who had a stubborn look in his eyes that was full of love for her.

He had said that he would only ever love her in this lifetime. He had also said that he wouldn't let her leave him and that they would be together forever.

After that, he had carved their names carefully on the tree trunk with an intensely serious expression.

However, as time went by, he split his heart into two. Half of it still belonged to her, but the other half had gone to another she-wolf. His so-called "forever" lasted no longer than ten years.

The 19-year-old Caelum would never know that his 29-year-old self would lose Seraphina forever.

Seraphina dug a small hole bit by bit using a stone. She placed the folder she brought inside and covered it carefully with soil.

With that done, she used her transmission crystal to send Caelum one last message.

He answered almost immediately. His voice was as gentle as ever. "Sera, what's wrong? Do you need something?"

She looked at the oak tree and asked softly, "Do you still remember the oak tree at the sanatorium?"

Caelum had a smile on his face when he responded, "Of course. I remember confessing my love to you under that tree. Time really flies. It's been almost ten years since then."

Seraphina smiled as well. "Good. I buried a gift for you and Liam under that tree. Don't forget to come get it."

"Liam heard what you said and got all excited. I'm looking forward to it too. Once we're done with the pack matters, we'll go get it. Tonight, the three of us can look at it together at home," Caelum said.

Seraphina didn't respond and simply ended the call.

There would never again be the three of them. She knew they would not return home that night.

And she would never return.

From this moment on, the Blackwood pack would no longer have a Luna named Seraphina.

At long last, she heard the Will of the Moon Goddess, who had been silent all the while, speak to her telepathically. "My child, preparations for the separation ritual have been done. Are you sure you want to leave?"

"Yes," Seraphina whispered.

The moment the word left her lips, a blinding column of moonlight descended from the sky and formed a glowing sky corridor. A fierce wind rose, shaking the oak tree and sending its leaves swirling through the air.

Without a moment's hesitation, Seraphina stepped into the light.

She thought solemnly, "Caelum and Liam, we shall never meet again."