I kept an expressionless face as I walked into the pack meeting hall.

Since Wisteria arrived, Lucius had grown careless with pack matters, leaving me no choice but to step in.

From when no one believed in me at first, to now, when every Beta there treated me with respect, only heaven knew how much work I had put in.

I walked straight to Alpha’s seat and sat down, beginning to host the meeting.

A Beta said respectfully, “Luna, the northern defenses have been reinforced following your command, however…”

He paused for a moment, lowering his voice.

“Alpha sent word that he plans to use a large portion of the funds to purchase something for Wisteria…”

“Not permitted.”

I replied with two cold words, and he gave a knowing nod before withdrawing.

“Next, I have something to tell everyone. Starting today, I will no longer handle pack matters.”

Everyone gasped, then exchanged looks. I stayed calm, rose to my feet, and got ready to leave.

“Wait! The Alpha has returned! In the study room!”

Returned?

For three full days, he had sealed off the mind link and cut all contact.

Now that he had come back, instead of going straight to the treatment center to see his father-in-law or heading to the meeting room to take control, what was he doing hiding in the study?

I walked down the long hallway and pushed open the study door. A heavy, sweet scent rushed toward me; it was the smell of Wisteria.

The one carrying that scent sat sideways on Lucius’s lap, her hands lightly moving over his chest.

The instant I opened the door, they both turned their heads toward me, and the room fell into silence.

“Luna, you misunderstood. I only accidentally…” Wisteria quickly rose from Lucius.

I curled my lips slightly. “Misunderstood? Misunderstood you accidentally ending up on his lap?”

I had neither the interest nor the time to get involved in their little game.

Lucius’s gaze moved to the documents in my hand. “I heard you’re planning to withdraw from the pack meeting? You’re Luna, that goes against the rules.”

“As Alpha, failing to check on the pack or even your own wife for three days did not seem to follow the rules either,” I replied calmly.

Lucius’s brows drew together, though he quickly hid his feelings. “Never mind, you have been working hard these past few days. Come with me.”

He rose and casually placed his arm around Wisteria, then tipped his head, signaling for me to follow.

I quietly followed behind them and reached the pack’s private horse grounds.

“Newly delivered snowfield breed, its nature is very wild.” Lucius brought out a fully white young horse. “Didn’t you say before you wanted to give one to your father?”

My father was already dead.

Lucius did not meet him for the last time, nor did he know he had already become ashes, only using these external displays to preserve his fake dignity.

But I said nothing and simply nodded without any expression.

Lucius did not notice my cold reaction at all. He got onto his horse, then extended his hand toward Wisteria.

Wisteria, feeling honored, placed her hand in his and used his help to jump up and sit in front of him.

Her small figure was fully tucked into Lucius’s wide arms, her face turning red.

A faint smile formed on Lucius’s lips as his chin rested near her neck, murmuring something softly.

I quietly stood beyond the fence, like someone not involved.

“Alpha treated me so kindly, Luna, you would not feel jealous, right?” Wisteria looked at me nervously, yet her eyes were slightly provoking. “Do not take it the wrong way, this was all to help my strength recover faster, so I could treat the old man sooner…”

“Hmm, I understood.” I interrupted her.

In the end, Lucius got an urgent call, so he told me to bring Wisteria back home.

Soon after he turned away, Wisteria laughed sharply. “Luna, you were truly generous.”

I ignored her.

But she kept laughing softly, then leaned near my ear and lowered her voice.

“That day when you called me, pleading for me to go to the treatment center, you already knew who I was with and what I was doing, didn’t you?”

I felt the look on my face shake along with my heart.

But I drew a deep breath, calmly looked at her, then turned my head and kept walking.

Wisteria would not give up and ran after me, still talking next to my ear.

“Alpha told me, you don’t move at all in bed, like a dead fish, just looking at you is boring.”

“Can’t blame him either. After all, what man can bear such a boring mate?”

“Have you talked enough or not!”

I could not take it anymore, and without thinking, I directly reached out my hand, wanting to hit her.

At that moment, however, the ground suddenly shook hard; the stone columns around us were old and worn, and they broke apart at once.

“Ah!”

Wisteria screamed, tightly holding my arm, her nails digging into my skin.

Several big rocks fell down, just blocking our only way out, trapping us in a small gap.

“Help! Lucius! Hurry and save me!” Wisteria wildly hit the rocks.

And a broken stone pillar pressed against my leg, I only felt stabbing pain.

Soon after, Lucius’s worried shout came through the stones.

“Wisteria! Rosalie! Can you hear me?”

“Lucius! I’m trapped!” Wisteria seemed to catch a last hope, crying out in fear. “It’s about to fall here, save me!”

Then, a Beta’s frightened voice sounded. “Alpha! There’s no time left! We can only pull one person out before everything falls down; it must be fast!”

The air seemed to turn still at that moment.

I leaned against the stone wall, listening to Wisteria’s broken pleading, listening to my Alpha husband’s silence at that moment.

“Save Wisteria first.”

Just a few words, clear, cold, cutting off the last bit of love I had for him.

When Wisteria was pulled out, she turned back and gave me a mocking look.

Then the place where I was fully fell apart, and I was swallowed by darkness.

At the moment I fully lost consciousness, I prayed to the Moon Goddess.

Moon Goddess, if you permit it, please let me see my father’s spirit again. I was too tired.

When I opened my eyes once more, my whole body ached, and my leg was covered in thick plaster.

A man sat by the bed, his eyes dark, his face tired; it was Lucius, who had once been full of spirit.

When he saw me wake, he suddenly grabbed my hand, his voice rough. “Awake?”

I pulled my hand away with dislike and turned my head aside.

“Don’t touch me.”

His hand stayed in the air, stiff as he said, “Wisteria is young, and she is a healer. I must first make sure she is safe. And, we need her; only then can we save your father’s life, right?”

I listened to his big reasons, only feeling my stomach turn.

“Lucius, if she were not a healer, would you save me first or her?”

Lucius paused, then hesitated and said, “Of course you…”

“Do you dare to swear in the name of the Moon Goddess that what you say next is true?”

The room became terribly quiet.

He said nothing.

This brief moment of pause made me feel more sick than anything else.

At that time, the room door was pushed open, and Wisteria, wrapped in a light shawl, weakly leaned by the doorway.

“Alpha… I think I am pregnant.”

Pregnant?

Lucius, who had promised he would love me for his whole life, let this woman, who watched my father die without helping, become pregnant.

I softly closed my eyes, and the tears at the corners of my eyes finally could not be stopped and fell down.

One week later, I was discharged from the hospital and went back home, coming back alone to an empty house.

Lucius stayed caught up in the happiness of becoming a father for the first time, staying beside Wisteria every day and paying no attention to me.

I slowly started to pack my things in the room, and I did not know how much time had passed before Lucius suddenly pushed the door open and walked in.

“Rosalie, don’t forget there is a shared charity auction of the northern packs tonight.” He frowned as he looked at me. “Wisteria said she wants to get along well with you, just bring her with you, and you two build your relationship.”

“Not going,” I said coldly.

As soon as I spoke, Lucius stepped forward and held my shoulders, forcing me to face him.

“You are the Luna of our pack, don’t make me lose face. You have to go.”

I looked into his cold gray eyes and nodded without any feeling.

Fine, I only treated it as the final time completing the duty of this Luna.

At the auction, Lucius, trying to please Wisteria, offered bids for several valuable pieces of jewelry.

Until the last one, when Lucius shouted an extremely high price, I finally could not stop myself and stopped him.

“The defense project in the north needs money, or it may not hold against the next attack of rogue wolves.”

Lucius’s movement of lifting the sign stopped.

“Rosalie, don’t spoil the atmosphere. I know what I’m doing.” His tone sounded unhappy.

Wisteria’s face looked wronged. “Alpha, then forget it, the pack’s defense is truly more important. I can accept a little discomfort; it’s fine.”

“Fifty million.” Lucius looked at me in a provoking way and raised the sign again.

One strike made the decision.

Under the jealous eyes of everyone, that priceless necklace was put onto Wisteria’s neck.

She leaned against Lucius, and Lucius lowered his head to look at her, his eyes full of deep affection that made people feel uncomfortable.

I could not continue watching, stood up, and went to the restroom.

When I stepped out, Wisteria stopped me in a corner of the hallway.

“Luna, Alpha gives me everything I ask for. Are you mad?”

“I am not mad. I just don’t care anymore.”

What I said was true. My bags were already ready, and I could leave whenever I wanted.

Wisteria’s face changed, turning dark and tense. “So you mean I am not even worth being your rival?”

I did not feel like explaining her wrong idea. I turned around and walked away, but after a few steps, I felt a sudden shove from behind.

In the next second, everything in front of me spun, and then severe pain hit.

Only then did I understand that I had been pushed down the stairs.

I had just forced myself through the pain and tried to get up when I saw Wisteria pull off the necklace from her neck with one hand, crying in a weak and pitiful way.

“Lucius, help me! Luna, she…”

Three seconds later, Lucius rushed over, went straight to Wisteria, and only after that did he look at me.

He turned and tried to rush down the steps to lift me up, but paused when he heard Wisteria speak in complaint.

“Alpha, Luna, she got mad, it’s all my mistake…”

“She kept telling me to remove the necklace you gave me, and even tried to do something to me, I accidentally pushed her…”

Lucius’s movement toward me stopped.

“Rosalie, you truly make me feel more and more disappointed.” His face was cold. “Wisteria is your father’s lifesaver, is the mother of my child, how could you!”

“I…” I tried to speak, but was quickly cut off.

Wisteria’s eyes were wet with tears as she held onto Lucius’s sleeve. “Please don’t blame Luna, it’s all my mistake…”

“She acted first! Wisteria set me up!”

I finally couldn’t hold back my feelings, breaking down and crying out loud.

“She is carrying my flesh and blood, how could she ever do anything to you in this situation!”

While saying this, Lucius lifted Wisteria in his arms, his actions soft like he was holding the only precious thing in the world.

“Lucius, my leg is bleeding…”

I lowered my head and saw the bright red blood slowly soaking out of my dress.

Lucius lowered his gaze and glanced at me. Hesitation passed through his eyes, but it was quickly broken by Wisteria’s weak voice.

“My stomach hurts… the baby, will the baby be safe?”

Lucius did not look at me again; he carried Wisteria and turned away without stopping, coldly leaving his final words behind.

“You don’t have to go home tonight, think it through, figure out how to be a generous Luna, only then can you return.”

Blood kept running from my forehead, forming a pool of red on the ground.

In the empty corridor, no one answered my soft cries for help.

My awareness slowly faded, and I suddenly remembered the day we bonded. Lucius softly kissed my forehead.

“Rosalie, I will protect you for my whole life.”

So the whole life he mentioned was only a short five years.