Rosalie remained silent for a long while.

Was now truly the right time to dissolve their mate bond?

It was not Cassian she feared facing.

It was the rest of the Ironclaw Pack.

Alpha Rowan and Luna Adelaide had always loved her as though she were their own daughter. They had never once made her feel like an outsider after she entered the family. If they pleaded with her to reconsider... if they asked her to remain by Cassian's side...

She did not know whether she possessed the strength to refuse them.

She was simply too tired.

Too tired to explain.

Too tired to defend a marriage that had already died in her heart.

At last, she lifted her eyes toward Belinda.

"What if I entrust everything to you?" she asked quietly. "Speak to Cassian on my behalf and obtain his agreement before the Moonstone. Once that is done, I'll return to complete the severing ritual myself. Would that be acceptable?"

Belinda regarded her thoughtfully.

After a moment, she inclined her head.

"It can be arranged," she replied. "You'll need to grant me authority before the Council of Elders and sign the necessary documents."

Rosalie accepted the parchment without another word.

Though her fingers trembled ever so slightly as she pressed her name into the agreement with her wolf's aura, she never allowed the weakness to show upon her face.

When everything had been completed, Belinda accompanied her toward the entrance.

The moment they stepped outside, a crowd surged forward.

No warning.

No chance to react.

Clay cups filled with bitter herbal tea, bowls of cooled broth, and handfuls of mud came flying toward her from every direction.

The foul liquid soaked through her cloak and hair, dripping down her face before splattering across the stone road beneath her feet.

For a heartbeat, Rosalie simply stood there.

Too stunned to move.

"You shameless thief!"

One young she-wolf pointed at her with undisguised hatred.

"You stole Lady Arabella's mate!"

"The Moon Goddess will punish you!"

"Stay away from our future Luna!"

The accusations came one after another, sharper than claws.

Before Rosalie could gather herself, someone shoved her violently from behind.

Already weakened by the darkness consuming her wolf, she failed to steady herself.

She stumbled backward.

Then fell hard onto the stone pavement.

Pain shot through her side, forcing the air from her lungs.

"Enough!"

Belinda's voice rang through the courtyard with unmistakable authority.

Without hesitation, she pushed through the furious crowd and hurried toward Rosalie.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded coldly. "Do you understand that assaulting another wolf before witnesses is a crime under pack law?"

The young she-wolf leading the group folded her arms across her chest.

"A crime?" she scoffed. "We're only giving her what she deserves after everything she's done to Lady Arabella."

Belinda's expression did not change.

"Lady Arabella?"

"Who else?" another she-wolf snapped.

Belinda regarded them calmly.

"Did Lady Arabella order you to come here?"

The leader immediately shook her head.

"Lady Arabella would never do something like that. She's too kind. She's suffered because of this woman for years, so we're simply seeking justice for her."

"That's right!"

"Our Lady Arabella has endured enough because of this witch!"

Belinda gave a faint, humorless smile.

"Very well."

Her gaze swept over every face before her.

"I hope that same devotion remains when each of you stands before the Council of Elders to answer for today's actions."

Almost as if summoned by those words, several pack warriors arrived at a run.

The furious crowd scattered immediately.

Many fled before the warriors could seize them, though several were caught before they escaped.

Belinda helped Rosalie to her feet.

Her clothing was soaked, her silver hair clung messily to her face, and her complexion had turned frighteningly pale.

Without another word, Belinda guided her back inside.

After helping Rosalie clean herself as best they could, they made their way to the Hall of Judgment to report the assault.

During the journey, Belinda received several urgent messages through her communication crystal.

Someone had preserved the entire incident inside a memory crystal.

By then, it had already spread across countless packs through the shared communication network.

The comments beneath it overflowed with ridicule and condemnation.

Rosalie quietly read them all.

With every cruel remark...

The last trace of hesitation inside her disappeared.

She looked toward Belinda, her voice calm enough to send a chill through the room.

"Elder Sawyer."

Belinda lifted her eyes.

"I wish to entrust another matter to you."

"Go on."

"I want every wolf who deliberately spread false accusations against me to answer before the Council of Elders. As for those who assaulted me today..."

She paused briefly.

"...I will accept no private settlement."

"I intend to pursue every charge permitted under pack law."

Belinda nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"I understand."

"I'll see to it personally."

By the time Rosalie finished giving her statement at the Hall of Judgment, the little strength she had been clinging to had nearly vanished.

The corruption within her wolf had been worsening by the day, and the ordeal had drained what little remained.

She leaned back in her chair, her face almost devoid of color.

Belinda watched her with growing concern.

"Lady Rosalie," she said gently, "shall I escort you back to the Alpha Manor?"

Rosalie slowly shook her head.

"Thank you... but I'd rather walk for a while."

"I need the quiet."

Belinda hesitated before finally nodding.

"As you wish. Please take care of yourself."

She waited until Rosalie disappeared beyond the stone gates before taking out her communication crystal and reaching through the mindlink to Freya.

"Rosalie just left my chambers. She doesn't look well. I offered to accompany her, but she refused. Go after her."

Freya was in the middle of a council meeting when the message reached her.

She answered almost immediately.

"I'm on my way."

The moment Freya withdrew from the mindlink with Belinda, she excused herself from the council chamber and hurried into the corridor. Without wasting another heartbeat, she reached for her communication crystal and sought Rosalie through their private connection.

The link formed almost immediately.

To Freya's surprise, Rosalie sounded perfectly at ease.

"I'm alright," she said with a light laugh. "Don't leave your duties because of me. Finish your work first, and then we'll have supper together."

Hearing that familiar warmth in her voice eased the tightness in Freya's chest.

After a brief silence, she smiled.

"Then spend the Winter Moon Festival with me this year."

There was a quiet hope hidden beneath her words.

Rosalie answered without hesitation.

"Of course. But don't disappear into your work again."

Freya laughed softly.

"I won't. If there's anything left unfinished, I'll bring it home instead."

Rosalie let out an amused snort.

"Some things never change."

The sound made Freya's heart ache in a way she could not explain.

"Now go back to your meeting," Rosalie urged gently. "I'm truly alright."

Only after the connection faded did Freya return to the council chamber.

**

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the neighboring manor had become unusually tense.

The memory crystal recording Rosalie's assault had spread through the territories with astonishing speed, and every shared communication network was filled with heated discussions.

Arabella had become the center of attention once again.

Her steward, Vanessa Coleman, stood before her with an expression weighed down by worry, while Cassian remained seated nearby, silently watching the images preserved inside his own communication crystal.

Rosalie's pale face...

Her soaked clothing...

The moment she was shoved to the ground...

Each scene tightened something painfully inside his chest.

"When did this happen?" he asked quietly.

Vanessa hesitated before answering.

"Roughly an hour ago. The warriors escorted the attackers to the Hall of Judgment shortly afterward."

Cassian rose without another word.

He immediately reached through the mate bond.

Silence.

He tried again.

Nothing answered him.

His expression darkened.

Without bothering to explain himself, he seized his cloak and strode from the manor.

Arabella watched his retreating figure until the doors closed behind him.

Only then did she turn toward Vanessa.

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"This is becoming dangerous."

Vanessa released a weary sigh.

"It was meant to force the Alpha to make a choice."

She lowered her voice further.

"No matter how much time he spends here, he still hasn't dissolved his mate bond with Rosalie. If the pack begins to question his intentions, all of our efforts may be wasted."

Arabella lowered her eyes, saying nothing more.

---

Cassian rode hard through the territory, the wind whipping past him as his thoughts refused to settle.

Rosalie had returned alone from the Sacred Moon Temple.

She had never reached for him through the mate bond.

She had not asked him to fulfill the promise he had broken.

She had not confronted him.

She had simply... grown farther away.

The realization left him strangely unsettled.

Before he reached the Hall of Judgment, a familiar figure appeared farther down the stone road.

Rosalie.

She walked alone beneath the winter sky, carrying a small travel chest behind her.

Cassian immediately pulled his horse to a stop before her.

"Rosalie."

She paused.

Slowly, she lifted her eyes toward him.

There was no warmth in them.

No joy.

Not even resentment.

Only a quiet emptiness that made his heart tighten.

He dismounted almost immediately and crossed the short distance between them before taking the chest from her hand.

"I'll carry this."

She neither thanked him nor objected.

Instead, she simply stood where she was.

"You returned from the Sacred Moon Temple without telling me," Cassian said. "Why didn't you reach out? I would have come for you."

Rosalie offered no reply.

She merely climbed onto the horse behind him as though his words had never been spoken.

Cassian remained motionless for a brief moment before mounting in front of her.

As they rode back toward the Alpha Manor, he found himself glancing over his shoulder more than once.

Rosalie sat quietly behind him, her gaze fixed on the distant mountains.

Her face had become noticeably thinner.

Even beneath the heavy winter cloak, he could tell she had lost weight.

The sight unsettled him.

After a long silence, he finally spoke again.

"Have you eaten today?"

"No."

"We should stop somewhere before returning."

"I'm not hungry."

Her voice was calm.

Too calm.

The wind carried the silence between them until Cassian asked the question that had been haunting him ever since he saw the memory crystal.

"Were you hurt?"

Only then did Rosalie slowly lift her eyes.

Their gazes met briefly through the faint thread of the mate bond.

So...

He had seen it after all.

That was why he had suddenly appeared before her.

Why he was looking at her with concern now.

The thought crossed her mind without stirring even the slightest ripple in her heart.

For a fleeting moment, Rosalie found herself wondering whether Cassian's concern had truly been for her.

The thought vanished almost as quickly as it came.

No...

He was here because the wolves who had attacked her were all devoted followers of Arabella. If they were judged too harshly, whispers would inevitably spread through every territory, staining Arabella's reputation along with theirs.

Keeping her gaze fixed on the passing forest, she spoke without emotion.

"If you've come to persuade me on Arabella's behalf, don't waste your breath. Those wolves knew exactly what they were doing. They should answer for their actions."

Her voice was calm.

Too calm.

Cassian felt an unfamiliar unease settle over him.

After a brief silence, he answered quietly,

"I'm not here because of Arabella."

Rosalie merely gave a faint hum of acknowledgment before falling silent once more, as though nothing else he said mattered.

The rest of the journey passed without another word.

---

They had only just returned to the Alpha Manor, their travel chest still resting untouched near the entrance, when hurried footsteps echoed from outside.

Arabella appeared at the doorway.

Her long hair had been cut short to treat the burns along the side of her face. Pale bandages disappeared beneath the collar of her robe, and her complexion was so colorless that she seemed as though a strong wind might carry her away.

Vanessa supported her carefully as they crossed the threshold.

The moment Cassian saw her sway unsteadily, he instinctively strode forward.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his brows drawing together. "You should still be resting."

Arabella reached for his hand as though seeking comfort.

"I had to come."

Her voice was weak enough to tug at anyone's sympathy.

"I heard what happened to Mrs. Ironclaw." Her eyes slowly turned toward Rosalie, already shimmering with tears. "Those wolves acted because they admired me. I should have guided them better. I never imagined they would hurt someone."

She lowered her head.

"Mrs. Ironclaw... I'm truly sorry. Please allow me to apologize in their place."

Before Rosalie could answer, Cassian spoke first.

"This isn't your responsibility."

His tone carried quiet certainty.

"You've done nothing wrong. Rosalie won't blame you."

Arabella slowly shook her head.

"Whether Mrs. Ironclaw forgives them is entirely her choice."

She looked at Rosalie once more.

"But I still owe her an apology."

Only then did Rosalie lift her eyes.

Her gaze passed over Arabella before settling on the hands she and Cassian still held together.

Cassian seemed to notice it as well.

His fingers stiffened.

For the first time in years, he hesitated, uncertain whether he should withdraw his hand or continue supporting Arabella.

Rosalie looked away before he could decide.

"Lady Arabella," she said evenly, "you are not your followers, and your followers are not you. I don't require an apology from you."

Her voice remained composed.

"But I have no intention of withdrawing the charges. They knowingly harmed another member of the pack, and they will answer for it."

Arabella bit her lip.

"They're still young," she pleaded softly. "Young wolves make foolish mistakes. Please... show them mercy."

Rosalie regarded her quietly.

Then she asked,

"Why are you so determined to protect them?"

A brief silence settled over the room.

Finally, she continued.

"Unless..."

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"...they acted because you asked them to."

The words struck Arabella like a blow.

The color drained completely from her face.

Before she could answer, Vanessa stepped forward.

"Luna Rosalie," she said firmly, "you were right earlier. Lady Arabella is not responsible for the actions of her followers. She came here only to apologize."

Her expression hardened.

"Please don't accuse her without evidence."

Cassian also frowned.

"Rosalie."

His voice carried quiet disapproval.

"Arabella would never resort to something like that."

Rosalie looked at him for only a heartbeat.

Then she turned away.

Without another word, she climbed the staircase, leaving the three of them standing together in the great hall.

Not long afterward, Cassian personally escorted Arabella back to the neighboring manor.

---

Only when the silence returned did Rosalie realize how hungry she was.

The housekeeper prepared a simple bowl of slow-cooked venison stew, though even after finishing it, she found little satisfaction in the meal.

Cassian had still not returned.

Remembering the property deeds she intended to take with her, Rosalie made her way toward his study.

The room remained exactly as she remembered.

As she searched the shelves, her sleeve brushed against a small wooden bear resting near the edge.

It toppled onto the floor.

The carving split cleanly in half.

Instead of solid wood, countless tiny folded pieces of parchment spilled from its hollow center.

Frowning slightly, Rosalie knelt to gather them.

One unfolded in her hands almost by accident.

Her eyes drifted across the faded ink.

"One hundred and one days since Arabella left."

"The Moon Goddess may pair me with another someday, but it makes little difference. Whoever becomes my mate will never be the one I truly wanted."

Rosalie's breathing caught.

Slowly, she opened another.

"During Mark's mating ceremony, I caught the blessing ribbon."

"When I looked up, Rosalie was standing there smiling at me."

"On impulse, I asked her to accept me."

"I already knew she would never refuse."

"She tried to pretend she felt nothing for me afterward, but it was obvious she had loved me for years."

"Since fate had already made the choice for us... I simply played my part."