Ella suddenly let out a whimper, sounding like an injured pup. "Ethan, don't fight with Ivy because of me. It's okay. She has every right to be angry with me…"

Ella cried softly, acting as if she had been wronged in the worst way. The sight stirred the overflowing protective instincts within Ethan.

His gaze upon me finally froze over completely as he said, "You're jealous that my wolf chose Ella, jealous that I treat her well, and jealous that all the pack members adore her.

"Ivy, you've changed. Now, your heart has been twisted by jealousy, just like those depraved Rogues."

After he said this, he turned and left, carrying Ella. He left behind a room mixed with the scent of his angry pheromones.

I watched their retreating figures and suddenly realized my tears had dried up at some point.

I suppose that was a good thing. These past days, I had cried many times because of the mate bond that was about to break.

From now on, I wouldn't feel sad over him or shed a single tear anymore.

…

That evening, our group chat for the younger members of several families within the pack—"Wolf Den"—suddenly became lively.

Ethan had posted a message in the group, saying, "I suddenly feel like completing the marking ceremony. What should I do?"

The group instantly erupted into a commotion.

"Ethan, are you finally going to officially become mates with Ivy under the Moon Goddess's witness?"

"Time to start calling her the Luna, right?"

People in the group started tagging me one after another.

"Congratulations, Ivy! Why not treat us to some moonlight wine?"

"Ethan, when is your and Ivy's grand marking ceremony?"

The group chat was chaotic, with many messages starting to flood the screen.

I was just about to post a message to clarify that I wasn't the future Luna, and that the one Ethan wanted to mark wasn't me.

However, Ethan beat me to it.

"You've all got it wrong. I never said the mate my wolf chose was Ivy."

After saying that, he added Ella to the group. Then he tagged everyone and said, "Take a good look. This is the future Luna of the Silvermoon pack."

The clamoring group chat suddenly fell silent, as if an Alpha had cast a silencing command.

For a long while, no one spoke.

That was when Ethan sent another message.

"Why is everyone silent? Greet your future Luna. That's an Alpha's order."

The people in the chat began greeting Ella sparsely, carrying a clearly awkward and submissive tone.

After thinking about it, I sent over a message as well.

"Congratulations. May the Moon Goddess bless you both."

Following that, I immediately left the group chat, thus severing my contact with them.

I had just left the group when Ethan's call came through. As he was an Alpha, I couldn't refuse him.

"Ivy, come over right now," he demanded.

"Where?"

"You know where. The pack house."

I scoffed. "What for?"

"To apologize to Ella."

"Why should I apologize?"

"You leaving the group like that is an open provocation. Do you realize how the other families will see her now?" Ethan's tone was harsh, carrying the usual forcefulness of an Alpha.

"I don't want others to slander her. My wolf chose her as my mate, and I need to give her the rightful status. She's innocent. She shouldn't bear the reputation of a homewrecker because of your recklessness."

Even though I no longer let his actions rattle my emotions, the phantom ache of being rejected now spread through my chest.

My fingers trembled slightly as I gripped the phone, and my nails nearly transformed into claws, threatening to pierce my palms.

When I spoke, my voice trembled too. "Ethan, you can't use your Alpha authority to bully someone like this. What right do you have to treat me this way? You were the one who first abandoned our fated bond. I felt your rejection, yet I did nothing. I even congratulated you. Isn't that enough?"

I stubbornly refused to cry or show weakness to him, but my voice still carried a sob.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. It was as if the wolf inside him felt unsettled in that instant.

"Ivy, I can let your disrespect slide this time, but I hope you remember—Ella is innocent. Don't take your anger out on her or hurt her."

He then ended the call.

I sat on the carpet as my whole body shook. On the nightstand was a photo of my mother. In the picture, she was looking at me gently and lovingly.

My mother had been a highly respected and high-ranking healer of the previous generation.

Suddenly, I burst into tears and threw myself over, hugging the photo frame tightly. Through a layer of cold glass, I lightly pressed my face against my mother's.

My tears kept falling, and in the photo, my mother seemed to grieve for me too.

I didn't want to cry anymore. I didn't want to worry Mom, who had already returned to the Moon Goddess's embrace.

Once the anniversary of Mom's passing was over, I would take the moonstone necklace she left me and leave the Silvermoon pack forever—whether it was to become a lone wolf with freedom, or the Luna of another pack.

Ella soon moved into my bedroom.

Meanwhile, I didn't choose to live in her small, dark room. Instead, I temporarily stayed in a guest room I picked at random.

The maids, after judging who was the current favorite, prepared bedding for me that was damp and musty-smelling. It was pure torture for a werewolf with a keen sense of smell.

I simply decided to sleep in my going-out clothes.

It was only for a few more days, after all. I just had to endure it, and everything would be completely over soon.

But the next morning, as soon as I got up and went downstairs, I found the side hall—where a memorial altar had been dedicated to Mom—in utter chaos.

Mom's photo had been thrown on the floor, the frame shattered, and the picture smudged with muddy footprints. My once-smiling mother appeared to be gazing at me, now weeping in anguish.

The evening primroses meant for the altar—flowers of great significance to my mother—were scattered across the floor, while the mutt Ella kept was tearing at the petals.

Ella stood to the side, clapping and cheering with a malicious gleam in her eyes.

As I took in the scene, I felt my blood boil and rush to the top of my head.

All my rationale and thoughts of restraint vanished in an instant. I felt my nails lengthening and my fangs itching.

I snapped and grabbed the crystal candlestick nearby before throwing it at the dog.

The little dog, terrified, tucked its tail and ran. Ella screamed as shards from the candlestick cut her arm.

"Ivy! What are you doing? How could you hit someone!" Dad's voice rang out, carrying the roar of a Beta and an Elder.

Ella had already tearfully thrown herself into his arms. "Dad, save me! Ivy's wolf is losing control! She wants to kill me…"

"Ivy, you're going too far!" Dad yelled.

"Are you blind? She destroyed my mother's memorial and ruined her photo…"

My whole body shook as tears streamed down uncontrollably. I felt aggrieved and heartbroken for Mom.

But Dad only glanced at the mess on the floor and frowned. "That doesn't give you the right to hurt someone! In the pack, we have our rules!"

I opened my mouth to speak up. "Dad…"

"Ivy, your mother has been gone a long time. The dead aren't as important as the living! And anyway, Ella is the one Ethan cares about now."

As a pale-faced and timid Ella spoke, she emitted submissive pheromones. "Dad, it was my dog who accidentally knocked things over. I was going to apologize to Ivy, but as soon as she came downstairs, she unleashed her dominance and charged over to hit me. I didn't even get a chance to say anything…"

She raised her bleeding arm, looking pitifully at Dad. "Dad, maybe Mom and I should just move out of the pack…"

I scoffed. "Even if the mutt doesn't know better, shouldn't you?"

Dad glared at me, suddenly raised his hand, and delivered a heavy slap. I forgot to dodge—or rather, I didn't bother to.

The crisp sound echoed through the hall.

Dad seemed to freeze for a moment, but in the end, he said nothing. He turned away and led Ella off to call a healer for her wound.

I watched their backs as they walked away. Only after a long while did I feel the burning pain on my face.

The humiliation I felt ran deeper than any physical hurt could within me.

I raised my hand to cover my slightly swollen face. As tears fell, I let out a mocking laugh. I knew that this pack and the Turner family no longer had a place for me.

…

That afternoon, I accidentally overheard Dad's conversation with the pack's Elder Council.

"Yes, Ella's bloodline may be mixed, but her bond with Ethan could bring new genetic advantages. As for Ivy… Her mother's lineage is indeed noble, but our alliance with the Nightblood pack has been precarious in recent years. We need new ties."

I leaned against the wall and dug my nails deep into my palms.

It turned out to be more than an emotional betrayal—it was a meticulously planned political maneuver. To them, I was worth no more than a bargaining chip.

That same night, I contacted a diplomatic envoy of the northern Nightblood pack through an encrypted channel.

"Tell Lucas Knight that I'm willing to accept his offer to bond as mates, but on one condition. I want the Silvermoon pack to pay for their betrayal."