The Alpha's Dead Luna Engsub

5 weeks ago

Transcript

00:00:00Five years into our marriage, it all turned out to be lies. My Alpha Cain had an affair with his

00:00:06mistress Beta, the day before our mating ceremony. He assumed I, being a wolf-less wretch, couldn't hear a thing,

00:00:14unaware that I had awakened, and could clearly perceive every betrayal we uttered.

00:00:20Luna, we've prepared the substitute blood and staged the fake death scene exactly as you requested. In ten days, your

00:00:27death will be revealed at mate ceremony.

00:00:29The voice on the other end finally took the edge off the anger I'd been holding back for far too

00:00:35long.

00:00:36Good.

00:00:36My voice came out low, a restrained edge of something feral beneath it.

00:00:41Rest assured, no one will question it. We'll simulate a death by silver. No wolf survives that kind of damage.

00:00:50Only then, did I let out a slow breath. After confirming the remaining details, I hung up and pushed open

00:00:58the door to the private room.

00:01:00The noise inside died the instant I stepped in. Every wolf there could catch the faint pine scent clinging to

00:01:07me.

00:01:07The unmistakable mate mark left by Alpha Cain.

00:01:12Cain, seated at the center, rose immediately. His long fingers closed around my hand, his eyes filled with concern.

00:01:21His voice dropped, rough with Alpha authority.

00:01:25My little wolf, where did you go? I can smell fear on you.

00:01:30He started to pull me away, but I caught the possessiveness in his gaze, and forced down the bitterness rising

00:01:37in my chest.

00:01:38I shook my head.

00:01:40I'm fine. Let's just keep going.

00:01:43Still holding my hand, Cain led me back to my seat.

00:01:47The room gradually came back to life, until someone spoke up.

00:01:51Cain, you and your wild cat are about to seal your mate bond.

00:01:56So what are you planning to do with your little beta pet?

00:01:59My nails dug into my palm.

00:02:01Being the useless one who couldn't shift, I'd long since gotten used to names like that.

00:02:07But I could still clearly smell another woman's scent, lingering on Cain.

00:02:15Someone beside the speaker nudged him.

00:02:18Hey, watch it. Your Luna's right here.

00:02:21He just shrugged, completely unconcerned.

00:02:24What's the problem?

00:02:26It's not like the useless one understands the werewolf kind language anyway.

00:02:30I'm just curious how Cain plans to deal with his little bitch.

00:02:34All eyes turned to Cain.

00:02:36A flicker of disdain passed through his gaze.

00:02:40I'll keep her.

00:02:42He peeled a shrimp and placed it into my bowl before continuing casually.

00:02:47She's just a pet I keep around.

00:02:49My only mate is Aria.

00:02:52He smirked faintly.

00:02:54But if my wild bot Aria ever found out the truth, she'd run.

00:02:57So I've kept it well hidden.

00:03:00Even after the mate bond.

00:03:03I won't let her find out.

00:03:05His gaze swept across the room, a surge of alpha pressure thickening the air.

00:03:09Watch your mouths.

00:03:12If anyone slips up in front of her, I'll tear you apart.

00:03:16These were all dominant alphas from the same circle, and none of this shocked them.

00:03:21If anything, they sounded amused.

00:03:25Cain's got it bad.

00:03:26Can't even let his little toy get exposed.

00:03:28Well, she can't shift.

00:03:31Figures she'd be fragile.

00:03:33Someone's eyes lit up.

00:03:35Curiosity getting the better of him.

00:03:38Cain, if Aria can't sense anything, then you and that beta pet, have you ever, you know, at home?

00:03:47Cain chuckled, idly spinning the ring on his finger.

00:03:51Of course.

00:03:53It's been wild.

00:03:56The room erupted into crude laughter and wolfish howls.

00:04:00Cain really knows how to play!

00:04:04A useless one like that?

00:04:05Easy to fool.

00:04:07Bet the whole place is covered in your mess.

00:04:13Man, I'd love to see that wild cat's face when she finds out.

00:04:19Their laughter cut through the room, sharp and vicious.

00:04:23No one noticed how tightly I was gripping my silver fork.

00:04:27My knuckles had gone white.

00:04:29No one knew.

00:04:30Three days ago, I had my awakening.

00:04:35And no one knew that I had already decided to leave.

00:04:39I would never complete a mate bond with Cain.

00:04:43On the day of the ceremony, the only thing waiting for him would be a blood-soaked corpse.

00:04:49A fake one.

00:04:51Cain glanced at my untouched shrimp and immediately turned back to me.

00:04:56My little wolf, why aren't you eating?

00:04:59I looked at him.

00:05:00At the man whose eyes were filled with nothing but carefully crafted concern and forced a faint smile.

00:05:08What were you all talking about that got you so excited?

00:05:11Cain smiled softly and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of my hand.

00:05:17They were just saying they envy, envy our bond.

00:05:20That will be the most devoted pair there is.

00:05:24Inside the private room, people exchanged knowing looks.

00:05:28I caught every single one of them.

00:05:30The mockery.

00:05:31The cruelty.

00:05:32It burned.

00:05:35My heart felt like it had been soaked in liquid silver.

00:05:38The pain sharp enough to cut through bone.

00:05:41They had been talking about him and that woman.

00:05:44Yet somehow twisted it into admiration for what we had.

00:05:49Cain, I never realized you could lie so easily.

00:05:53I set my silver fork down and stood.

00:05:56I didn't want to hear another word of it.

00:05:59The moment I moved to leave, Cain was on his feet.

00:06:02A flicker of panic crossing his face.

00:06:05Little wolf, what's wrong?

00:06:08I shook my head.

00:06:10My voice came out soft, barely more than a breath.

00:06:14I'm tired.

00:06:16I want to go back to the pack house.

00:06:19I didn't wait for his response.

00:06:21I turned and walked out.

00:06:24Out on the street, I looked up and saw the massive LED screen across the road.

00:06:29A mating display was playing.

00:06:32Aria, be my mate.

00:06:35The words stretched across the center in bold, impossible-to-miss letters.

00:06:41People passing by slowed down.

00:06:43Their voices full of envy.

00:06:48Oh my god, I heard Alpha Cain's girl can't shift,

00:06:51so he rented the biggest screen in the city just so she could clearly see the words,

00:06:55Be my mate?

00:06:56That's insanely romantic.

00:06:59He treats that girl so well.

00:07:01After the mate bond, he's going to be the perfect alpha.

00:07:06I stood there, the subject of their admiration, and let out a quiet, self-mocking smile.

00:07:13A week ago, I would have reacted the same way.

00:07:17I would have believed in Cain's love without question.

00:07:21I was born into a declining pack.

00:07:25From the moment I came into this world, I couldn't shift.

00:07:29Among the werewolf kind, that made me a disgrace.

00:07:33A failure.

00:07:35Cain entered my life under those circumstances.

00:07:39He claimed it was love at first sight and pursued me relentlessly.

00:07:43But I had seen this kind of attention before.

00:07:47Cruel games disguised as affection.

00:07:50So I avoided him.

00:07:5399 times he confessed.

00:07:5699 times I turned him down.

00:07:59Until the night the Silver Hunters attacked.

00:08:02He threw himself over me without hesitation.

00:08:06Even when Silver pierced straight through his shoulder blade, he didn't move.

00:08:10He held his position, shielding me with his body.

00:08:14When he woke up in the hospital, his condition was so weak he could barely maintain human form.

00:08:20And yet, the first thing he did when he saw me, was reach out and gently touch my face.

00:08:28My little wolf, as long as you're safe.

00:08:31That was the moment everything changed.

00:08:34For the first time, I believed that even someone like me, someone who couldn't shift, could be worth risking everything

00:08:41for.

00:08:42The walls around my heart cracked open for him.

00:08:45The wound from the Silver never fully healed.

00:08:49It left behind a permanent circular scar.

00:08:53Every time I saw it, my heart would ache in a way that felt dangerously close to love.

00:08:59For five years, he never wavered.

00:09:02He treated me with the same devotion, the same care.

00:09:06As if I were the only one who mattered.

00:09:11Even when the pack opposed us, he stood his ground, and asked me to be his mate.

00:09:17And for that upcoming ceremony, I wanted to give him something real.

00:09:22Something more.

00:09:24I risked my life to undergo blood awakening, just so I could truly experience his wild side during the mate

00:09:30ritual.

00:09:31If it failed, I would have died.

00:09:34But I survived.

00:09:36Not only that, I gained something rare.

00:09:40Empathic sense.

00:09:42I decided to keep it a secret.

00:09:44I wanted to surprise him on the day of the ceremony.

00:09:47But on the very day I awakened, everything fell apart.

00:09:53Through that new ability, I sensed him.

00:09:56Cain.

00:09:57Talking to his beta pet.

00:09:59Their voices were intimate, careless, filled with open flirtation.

00:10:05That was when I learned the truth.

00:10:07He had already betrayed our bond.

00:10:10For an entire year.

00:10:11And I had known nothing.

00:10:14A sharp pain twisted through my chest, forcing me to crouch down and wrap my arms around myself.

00:10:21His words from earlier echoed in my mind, over and over again.

00:10:26Even with the mate ceremony approaching, he had no intention of ending that relationship.

00:10:32Did he really think I was so worthless that he could deceive me forever?

00:10:37The winter wind cut through me, cold and merciless.

00:10:41But my mind had never been clearer.

00:10:44I would show Cain the truth.

00:10:46Lies don't last forever.

00:10:49And I would never forgive betrayal.

00:10:52I took a slow breath, forcing down the ache in my chest.

00:10:56Just as I was about to head back, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind.

00:11:03Cain's scent surrounded me at once, rich with cedar, and thick with possessiveness.

00:11:09It pressed in from all sides, leaving no space to breathe.

00:11:13Little wolf, why didn't you wait for me?

00:11:16Are you in a bad mood today?

00:11:18Then let me take you to see your mate dress.

00:11:21The custom piece just arrived.

00:11:24He pulled me into his arms, his hand sliding up to the back of my neck,

00:11:29gently stroking the spot where his marking remained.

00:11:35I don't feel like going.

00:11:36Just pick it yourself.

00:11:39I would be gone on the day of the mate ceremony.

00:11:42There was no reason for me to wear a mate dress.

00:11:46Cain seemed to sense the distance in my tone.

00:11:49His voice softened, almost cautious.

00:11:53Little wolf,

00:11:55why does it feel like you're not excited about the mate bond at all?

00:11:58Do you not want to bond with me anymore?

00:12:01I looked at him, at the flicker of panic in his alpha eyes.

00:12:06I almost told him the truth.

00:12:08Yes, I don't want this anymore.

00:12:11You were the one who betrayed us first.

00:12:14You were the one who dragged our bond through the dirt.

00:12:16You were the one who destroyed any anticipation I had for that ceremony.

00:12:21And now you're asking me why?

00:12:24But I wasn't ready to expose everything, not yet.

00:12:29At the dress boutique, the moment we stepped inside,

00:12:33an attendant drew back a curtain to reveal the mate dress prepared in advance.

00:12:38Miss, the gown Alpha Cain had blessed by the moon goddess has arrived.

00:12:42Please let us know if you'd like any alterations.

00:12:46The dress was pure white, flowing and luminous.

00:12:50Moonstones were set into the bodice, casting a soft, sacred glow.

00:12:56Cain wrapped an arm around my waist.

00:12:58My little wolf, do you like it?

00:13:02I couldn't deny it.

00:13:03The design was exactly my taste.

00:13:06But no matter how beautiful it was, it couldn't mend what had already been broken.

00:13:12Look closer, Cain said softly, at the center of the moonstone.

00:13:17I followed his gaze.

00:13:19Engraved deep within the gem were the letters.

00:13:22A and K, forever.

00:13:25The moon goddess is our witness.

00:13:28My love for you will last forever too.

00:13:31I stared at the stone, at the tiny letters carved into its heart.

00:13:36Then I turned to him, and met his eyes.

00:13:40Eyes filled with something that looked like love.

00:13:44Will your love for me really last forever?

00:13:49A flicker of unease crossed his face before he answered quickly.

00:13:53I Cain, swear, swear that I will love Arya forever.

00:13:58For my entire life.

00:14:01If I break this oath, may the moon goddess strip me of my wolf spirit.

00:14:06Such a solemn vow.

00:14:08And yet, it couldn't warm a heart, that had already gone cold.

00:14:14He had already broken it.

00:14:16And still, he kept acting.

00:14:19Didn't he get tired?

00:14:21I turned my face away, unwilling to look at him any longer.

00:14:26Cain seemed about to say something else.

00:14:28But his phone suddenly rang.

00:14:30His expression shifted, just slightly, before he stepped aside to answer.

00:14:35When he returned, there was a trace of apology on his face.

00:14:40Little wolf, something urgent just came up.

00:14:43Go ahead and try the dress.

00:14:45If anything needs adjusting, just tell the staff.

00:14:48He left in a hurry, not even waiting for a response.

00:14:53I watched his retreating figure, a bitter thought settling in.

00:14:58Cain had never walked away from me for pack business.

00:15:01And just before he left, I had caught it.

00:15:04That flicker in his eyes.

00:15:07Raw, instinctive desire.

00:15:11Work?

00:15:12Hardly.

00:15:14He was going to see her.

00:15:16When I returned to the pack house, I immediately felt it.

00:15:20The slight dip in the mattress.

00:15:23The air carried a cloying mix of vanilla, and lingering scent, thick with unmistakable desire.

00:15:30The thought hit me all at once.

00:15:33Cain and that beta had been here, on this bed.

00:15:37Entwined.

00:15:38My stomach twisted violently.

00:15:40I rushed into the bathroom and threw up, unable to stop.

00:15:45Cain had just come back.

00:15:46The moment he saw me like that, panic flashed across his face.

00:15:51Little wolf, did you eat something bad?

00:15:53I'll call a healer right now.

00:15:58I grabbed his wrist.

00:15:59My eyes still red.

00:16:01I'm fine.

00:16:02I just thought of something disgusting.

00:16:06Cain dropped to his knees beside me,

00:16:09gently patting my back, his expression full of distress.

00:16:13Don't think about things like that.

00:16:15Seeing you like this, it hurts me too.

00:16:19I looked down at him.

00:16:21At the open collar of his shirt.

00:16:23And the marks on his skin.

00:16:26Bite marks.

00:16:27Fresh.

00:16:28Obvious.

00:16:29Another wave of nausea rose in my throat.

00:16:32How strong did Cain have to be to carry another woman's marks on his body,

00:16:37and still look at me like I was the only one he cared about.

00:16:41His voice grew sharper.

00:16:43More agitated.

00:16:45Who did this to you?

00:16:47Who made Maid?

00:16:49My little wolf like this.

00:16:52Tell me.

00:16:53I'll tear them apart.

00:16:54A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

00:16:59Cain.

00:17:00You're the one who did this to me.

00:17:03Sometime deep into the night,

00:17:04I woke to the sound of a low, restrained growl.

00:17:08Half asleep, I reached out,

00:17:11instinctively searching for the alpha beside me.

00:17:14But the bed was empty.

00:17:16I sat up and went downstairs.

00:17:18As I reached the second floor,

00:17:21I heard it.

00:17:22A woman's breathless voice.

00:17:25Soft, broken.

00:17:27I froze for a second,

00:17:29forcing down the sharp ache rising in my chest,

00:17:32then walked toward the guest room.

00:17:34The door was wide open.

00:17:36Moonlight spilled across the room,

00:17:38illuminating two bodies tangled together.

00:17:42Inside, Cain was bare from the waist up.

00:17:45The beta wore a strapless mermaid gown.

00:17:48The long skirt pushed up to her waist.

00:17:51Her pale legs were wrapped tightly around him.

00:17:54Her cheeks were flushed as she clung to his neck,

00:17:58her voice unsteady.

00:17:59Alpha, the dress I just got today,

00:18:03you already torn it.

00:18:05Cain let out a low chuckle,

00:18:07leaning in close to her ear,

00:18:09his voice rough.

00:18:10You wore it for me, didn't you?

00:18:15I even had the designer make one just for you.

00:18:18So tonight, shouldn't you be satisfying me?

00:18:22She clung to him,

00:18:24her voice breaking, hoarse.

00:18:28Alpha, I can't,

00:18:30I can't take ache anymore.

00:18:33Then, breathless,

00:18:34she tilted her head back.

00:18:36What if Aria sees us?

00:18:39Cain stilled,

00:18:40his expression turning cold as he cut her off.

00:18:43She's useless.

00:18:45She doesn't understand anything.

00:18:47Don't you dare tell her about us.

00:18:49The beta trace circles against his chest,

00:18:52her tone soft,

00:18:53almost hurt.

00:18:54I know.

00:18:55I just...

00:18:58she's about to become your mate,

00:19:00and I'll always have to stay hidden.

00:19:03It makes me sad.

00:19:06Cain's expression softened slightly.

00:19:09You jealous little thing.

00:19:11I already brought you into this house.

00:19:13Isn't that enough?

00:19:15Don't worry.

00:19:16Even after the mate bond,

00:19:18I won't leave you.

00:19:19Whatever area has,

00:19:21you'll have too.

00:19:23Moonlight,

00:19:24lit up my face,

00:19:25where I stood outside the door.

00:19:27I covered my mouth,

00:19:29but the tears were already falling,

00:19:31blurring everything.

00:19:33Every sound from inside the room

00:19:35pierced into me like silver blades,

00:19:38carving wound after wound into my chest.

00:19:41I turned and ran,

00:19:43barefoot,

00:19:44straight out into the rain.

00:19:46Cold water soaked through me,

00:19:49but I didn't stop.

00:19:50I just needed to get away,

00:19:52as far away as possible.

00:19:54Through the haze,

00:19:55I thought I saw him,

00:19:57a younger Cain,

00:19:59the one I had once loved.

00:20:02His eyes were clear,

00:20:04sincere,

00:20:05filled with something real.

00:20:08Little wolf,

00:20:09leave him.

00:20:11Leave the man who doesn't love you anymore,

00:20:13and never forgive him.

00:20:16My vision burned

00:20:17as I looked at that memory.

00:20:19At the alpha,

00:20:21I had once given my heart to.

00:20:24Okay.

00:20:24I whispered.

00:20:26I will leave you,

00:20:29and I will never forgive you.

00:20:33I didn't make it back until dawn.

00:20:35The moment I lay down,

00:20:37Cain slipped quietly into the room.

00:20:39He moved carefully,

00:20:41just like always,

00:20:42pulling the blanket over me

00:20:43before drawing me into his arms.

00:20:45His lips brushed softly against my forehead.

00:20:49Little wolf,

00:20:50I really do love you.

00:20:53In three days,

00:20:55you'll become my mate.

00:20:56We'll be together forever.

00:20:59I once saw a line online.

00:21:02When an alpha suddenly becomes gentle,

00:21:05it is usually guilt after betrayal.

00:21:08I never understood it before.

00:21:10Now I did.

00:21:12More than anything,

00:21:14I just wanted time to move faster.

00:21:16I wanted the day I left to come sooner.

00:21:18When I woke up,

00:21:20Cain and the beta were already downstairs having breakfast.

00:21:24The moment he saw me,

00:21:26Cain stood,

00:21:26and pulled out a chair for me.

00:21:29He watched as I calmly finished my meal,

00:21:32then guilt flickered across his face.

00:21:37Little wolf,

00:21:38I have to leave for a few days on short notice.

00:21:41For the mate ceremony,

00:21:42just work with the planner.

00:21:43I'll be back as soon as I can.

00:21:45After the ceremony,

00:21:46I'll make it up to you.

00:21:47Wherever you want to go for our honeymoon,

00:21:49I'll take you.

00:21:50I already knew the truth.

00:21:52This wasn't a trip.

00:21:54He was going to take care of her.

00:21:56But I didn't care anymore.

00:21:58I simply nodded.

00:22:01Just before he walked out the door,

00:22:03I called his name one last time.

00:22:05Cain.

00:22:07He paused,

00:22:08then turned back,

00:22:09his expression softening

00:22:11as he reached out to cut my face.

00:22:14Can't bear to see me go, little wolf.

00:22:16It's only a few days.

00:22:18Once we complete the mate bond,

00:22:20you'll see me every day.

00:22:21Cain!

00:22:22From outside,

00:22:23the beta called out to him.

00:22:25Cain leaned in,

00:22:26kissed my cheek,

00:22:27and left in a hurry.

00:22:29I stood there,

00:22:31watching his retreating figure.

00:22:33This was probably the last time

00:22:35I would ever see him.

00:22:39Not long after Cain and the beta left,

00:22:41I received a message from her.

00:22:43Miss Aria,

00:22:44you sensed everything last night,

00:22:46didn't you?

00:22:47I didn't expect you to be this good

00:22:48at holding it in.

00:22:49Cain already promised to spend

00:22:51the next few days with me.

00:22:53Imagine that,

00:22:54your future mate staying with another wolf

00:22:56right before your ceremony.

00:22:58You might be the most pathetic woman

00:23:00in the world.

00:23:02I didn't reply.

00:23:04Instead,

00:23:05I told the servants to gather

00:23:06everything in the villa that belonged to me

00:23:09and pile it in the backyard.

00:23:12Once everything was brought out,

00:23:14I lit a fire.

00:23:15I stood there in silence,

00:23:18watching five years of memories

00:23:20burn away piece by piece.

00:23:22When the last corner turned to ash,

00:23:26so did everything I once felt.

00:23:28There were two days left before I left.

00:23:31Another message came from the beta.

00:23:34This time,

00:23:35it was a photo.

00:23:37A pregnancy test report.

00:23:39Well,

00:23:40looks like I'm really pregnant.

00:23:42Cain's first pup.

00:23:44He's so excited.

00:23:46I still didn't respond.

00:23:48I took out the mate dress and,

00:23:50with my claws,

00:23:52tore it apart piece by piece.

00:23:54This dress,

00:23:56created for me,

00:23:57no longer had any meaning.

00:23:59On the day I was leaving,

00:24:01she sent one last message.

00:24:04Cain is going to complete a mate bond with me.

00:24:06He said he'll give me the same ceremony.

00:24:09He won't let me,

00:24:10or the child suffer.

00:24:11Miss Aria,

00:24:12you should know your place,

00:24:13and give up the Luna position.

00:24:15Cain doesn't love you anymore.

00:24:18This time,

00:24:19I replied,

00:24:20I hope your dream comes true soon.

00:24:23After that,

00:24:24I pulled up the villa's surveillance footage.

00:24:27It wasn't just once.

00:24:29Cain had brought her back here again and again,

00:24:32chasing excitement.

00:24:34I copied the videos,

00:24:35and sent them to the ceremony planner.

00:24:38This is a surprise I prepared for Cain.

00:24:41Make sure it's played-flayed during the ceremony.

00:24:43Keep it confidential.

00:24:47Once everything was arranged,

00:24:49my phone rang.

00:24:51Cain!

00:24:52There was a trace of apology on his face.

00:24:54Little wolf,

00:24:55things here aren't finished yet.

00:24:57I won't be back until tomorrow morning.

00:24:59Don't worry,

00:25:00I'll make it before the ceremony.

00:25:02I let out a soft laugh.

00:25:05Okay,

00:25:06I've prepared a surprise for you at the ceremony.

00:25:08His eyes lit up with anticipation.

00:25:12My little wolf prepared something for me?

00:25:14I can't wait.

00:25:16Little wolf,

00:25:17I've waited five years for you to become my mate.

00:25:19Tomorrow,

00:25:19when you finally become my Luna,

00:25:21I'm so happy.

00:25:23His voice cut off abruptly.

00:25:25His body stiffened for a split second,

00:25:28and a suppressed breath escaped him.

00:25:31A trace of cold mockery flickered in my eyes.

00:25:35Cain,

00:25:36I hope you like the surprise.

00:25:38I hung up before he could respond

00:25:41and walked out of the villa.

00:25:42The car from the fake death agency

00:25:45was already waiting outside.

00:25:47At the airport,

00:25:49I typed a few final lines on my phone

00:25:51before handing it to the staff.

00:25:53Tomorrow,

00:25:54deliver this phone along with the body to the Alpha.

00:25:57Tell him I died at six in the evening,

00:26:00and that I left him a final message.

00:26:02Six o'clock.

00:26:04The exact moment I ended the call.

00:26:06I wanted Cain to believe

00:26:09that while he was tangled up with that beta,

00:26:11I had died.

00:26:13That I had chosen death.

00:26:15Those final words I left behind

00:26:17would stay with him forever.

00:26:20A lifetime of guilt he would never escape.

00:26:23The staff member nodded,

00:26:25taking the phone and handing me a new ID and boarding pass.

00:26:29Miss Phoenix,

00:26:31we will erase all surveillance along your route.

00:26:34We wish you a safe journey

00:26:35and a happy life ahead.

00:26:37Phoenix.

00:26:38The name I chose for myself.

00:26:41A symbol of rising from the ashes.

00:26:44Of leaving everything behind.

00:26:47After today,

00:26:48my life would begin again.

00:26:52At the beta's house.

00:26:54The woman was still softly begging

00:26:56when Cain finally let her go.

00:26:58He caught her wrist,

00:26:59his voice rough.

00:27:00You're pregnant and still acting like this?

00:27:04She leaned into his chest,

00:27:06her tone sweet and coaxing.

00:27:09I was just worried you might be

00:27:10holding back too much.

00:27:13Cain let out a low chuckle

00:27:15and pinched her cheek.

00:27:18Jealous, aren't you?

00:27:19She huffed and turned her face away.

00:27:22You're completing a mate bond with Aria tomorrow?

00:27:25Am I not allowed to feel anything about that?

00:27:28Cain's expression darkened.

00:27:29He released her hand and looked down at her from above,

00:27:33his voice edged with warning.

00:27:34As long as you don't front send life in my front,

00:27:37I can spoil you however I want.

00:27:39But if you forget your place...

00:27:41Her expression shifted.

00:27:43She hadn't expected that even carrying his pup

00:27:46wouldn't change his tone.

00:27:48But she knew how to read the situation.

00:27:51Alpha, I understand.

00:27:52I never intended to compete with Miss Aria

00:27:54for the Luna position.

00:27:56Cain pulled her back into his arms.

00:27:58Good.

00:28:00Don't overthink it.

00:28:01After the honeymoon,

00:28:02I'll spend a full week with you.

00:28:04And don't worry.

00:28:05Even after the mate bond,

00:28:06I won't neglect you or the child.

00:28:08The next day,

00:28:09the mate ceremony.

00:28:11Cain stood at the center of the stage,

00:28:14dressed impeccably,

00:28:15a white rose in his hand.

00:28:18Below him,

00:28:19guests filled the venue,

00:28:20cameras from major media outlets

00:28:22broadcasting the event live across the world.

00:28:26At exactly 12 noon,

00:28:28the ceremony began.

00:28:30The music for the Luna's entrance played.

00:28:33Cain's palms were damp with sweat.

00:28:36The song ended.

00:28:38But the doors remained closed.

00:28:40A murmur spread through the crowd.

00:28:43Just as Cain reached for his phone,

00:28:46the host stepped forward.

00:28:48Ladies and gentlemen,

00:28:49and our Alpha,

00:28:50thank you for your patience.

00:28:52Our Luna mentioned yesterday

00:28:53that she prepared a special surprise.

00:28:54So we've added an extra segment

00:28:56to today's ceremony.

00:28:59Cain relaxed slightly.

00:29:01So this was the surprise I had mentioned.

00:29:04Please direct your attention to the main screen.

00:29:07All eyes lifted.

00:29:09Cain smiled faintly,

00:29:11anticipation in his gaze.

00:29:13But the next second,

00:29:16everything changed.

00:29:19On the screen,

00:29:21two bodies were tangled together on a couch,

00:29:24their movements unmistakable.

00:29:27At first,

00:29:28the guests were confused.

00:29:30Who are they?

00:29:31How dare they disrupt Alpha Cain's ceremony?

00:29:33But Cain recognized it instantly.

00:29:36It was him.

00:29:37And the beta.

00:29:39Turn it off!

00:29:40Shut it down right now!

00:29:43His roar tore through the hall.

00:29:45The host rushed backstage,

00:29:47trying to stop the video.

00:29:48But the system had frozen.

00:29:51Nothing responded.

00:29:53The footage continued.

00:29:54And then,

00:29:56their faces came clearly into view.

00:29:59The entire venue erupted.

00:30:01Oh my god!

00:30:03That's Alpha Cain!

00:30:05Did he betray the mate bond?

00:30:07Wasn't he supposed to only love Aria?

00:30:09What is this?

00:30:11Online,

00:30:12the live stream had already drawn

00:30:14nearly 5 million viewers.

00:30:16Comments flooded in.

00:30:18So he's just another Alpha

00:30:19who can't control himself.

00:30:21I can't believe I ever thought he was perfect.

00:30:23Shut down the stream and the screen!

00:30:25Immediately!

00:30:26Cain immediately ordered the stream and screen

00:30:28to be shut down,

00:30:29then grabbed the microphone.

00:30:31Is allowed to speak of this.

00:30:34Not a word.

00:30:35Someone muttered under their breath.

00:30:38Didn't they say this was Aria's surprise?

00:30:41Maybe she already knew.

00:30:43Cain's face went pale.

00:30:45That was the one possibility he refused to accept.

00:30:49He clung to the belief that I was oblivious,

00:30:52that I never checked the surveillance,

00:30:54that as long as no one said anything,

00:30:56I would never know.

00:30:57But I still hadn't appeared.

00:31:00And now,

00:31:02panic began to take hold.

00:31:04He pulled out his phone and sent a message.

00:31:07Little Wolf,

00:31:08are you here?

00:31:09One minute.

00:31:11Two minutes.

00:31:12No reply.

00:31:14His hands began to sweat as he prepared to call.

00:31:18Then,

00:31:19slowly,

00:31:20the doors to the hall opened.

00:31:23Every head turned.

00:31:27Hope lit up Cain's face.

00:31:29He thought his little wolf had finally arrived.

00:31:32The video had already been dealt with.

00:31:35Holding the bouquet,

00:31:37he stepped forward,

00:31:39ready to welcome his mate.

00:31:41He began to extend his hand.

00:31:43And then he froze.

00:31:46The ones entering were not the woman he had been waiting for.

00:31:51It was a group of staff dressed in black.

00:31:54Behind them,

00:31:55they carried a coffin.

00:31:57Rage ignited in Cain's eyes.

00:32:00One of the staff stepped forward,

00:32:02sympathy written across his face.

00:32:06Alpha Cain,

00:32:07your mate took her own life yesterday.

00:32:09Please accept our condolences.

00:32:11Cain didn't believe a word of it.

00:32:14Just yesterday,

00:32:15we had spoken.

00:32:16I had sounded completely fine.

00:32:19How could I be dead?

00:32:21He let out a cold laugh.

00:32:23The video wasn't enough,

00:32:25so now you're making up lies about my mate's death?

00:32:28Tell me,

00:32:28who sent you?

00:32:30The staff member's expression grew even more sympathetic.

00:32:34He gestured toward the coffin.

00:32:37If you don't believe it,

00:32:38you can see for yourself.

00:32:41Cain laughed again,

00:32:43anger sharpening his voice.

00:32:45Fine.

00:32:47Let's see what kind of trick you're trying to pull.

00:32:49He strode toward the coffin.

00:32:51But the moment he looked inside,

00:32:54all the strength drained from his body.

00:32:56Arya.

00:32:57He stumbled forward,

00:32:59dropping to his knees beside the coffin,

00:33:02his hands trembling as he searched for even the slightest difference between the person inside and me.

00:33:07His gaze moved inch by inch.

00:33:10But there was no difference.

00:33:13The woman lying there was me.

00:33:15The same Arya who had been by his side for five years.

00:33:19How could this be?

00:33:21Just yesterday,

00:33:23we had spoken.

00:33:24There had been no sign,

00:33:25no hint that I would choose death.

00:33:30No,

00:33:31this couldn't be real.

00:33:33He clung to denial,

00:33:35telling himself that his little wolf was just angry,

00:33:38that I was upset he hadn't been with me these past few days,

00:33:42that this was some kind of cruel joke.

00:33:44Cain reached out,

00:33:46his hand shaking as he tried to touch my face,

00:33:49as if convincing himself I was only asleep.

00:33:51Little wolf,

00:33:52why is your body so cold?

00:33:55Let me warm you up,

00:33:56okay?

00:33:57Today is our mate ceremony.

00:33:59You wouldn't leave me here alone,

00:34:01would you?

00:34:03By the end,

00:34:04his voice had begun to tremble.

00:34:07A staff member stepped forward and tried to help him up.

00:34:11Alpha Cain,

00:34:11please accept our condolences.

00:34:14This area has passed.

00:34:17That sentence snaps something inside him.

00:34:20He shoved the man away,

00:34:22his eyes bloodshot as he roared.

00:34:24No,

00:34:25Aria isn't dead!

00:34:27She's just asleep!

00:34:29The staff fell silent for a moment before handing him my phone.

00:34:33Alpha Cain,

00:34:34Miss Aria took her own life yesterday at six in the evening.

00:34:36When we arrived,

00:34:37she said she left you a final message on her phone.

00:34:39The moment those words registered,

00:34:41Cain's heart lurched.

00:34:43If he remembered correctly,

00:34:45that was exactly when our call had ended.

00:34:48Right after that,

00:34:50he had been with the beta.

00:34:52His face turned even paler.

00:34:54With shaking hands,

00:34:56he unlocked the phone.

00:34:57The moment the screen lit up,

00:34:59he saw the note I had left behind.

00:35:02Cain,

00:35:04when I was 22,

00:35:05you were the one who pulled me out of a barren world.

00:35:08You gave me a kind of love I had never known before.

00:35:12These five years with you have been the happiest time of my life.

00:35:16I just never expected that happiness would end so quickly.

00:35:19In only five years,

00:35:21the man who once held me

00:35:23and promised to love me forever disappeared.

00:35:27For you,

00:35:28half a wink ago,

00:35:29I risked my life to undergo blood awakening.

00:35:31I only wanted to fully feel your emotions during our mate ceremony.

00:35:36But I never imagined that the first thing I would sense after awakening would be your desire intertwined with another

00:35:41beta.

00:35:42These past two weeks,

00:35:43I broke down.

00:35:44I despaired.

00:35:46And in the end,

00:35:47everything went quiet.

00:35:49I understand now.

00:35:51There is no such thing as forever.

00:35:56Thank you for once being part of my life.

00:35:59But in the next life,

00:36:01no,

00:36:01in any life,

00:36:03I never want to meet you again.

00:36:05By the third line,

00:36:07Cain had already lost control.

00:36:09He had never cried in front of anyone.

00:36:12Now,

00:36:13tears fell uncontrollably onto the screen.

00:36:17His face drained of all color.

00:36:19His body swayed,

00:36:21unsteady,

00:36:22before his legs gave out

00:36:24and he collapsed to his knees.

00:36:26Only now did he understand.

00:36:28I had awakened long ago.

00:36:31I had known everything.

00:36:33Fragments of the past two weeks flooded his mind.

00:36:37The gathering where his friends joked about him and the beta.

00:36:41The nights he brought her home.

00:36:43The way he left me before the ceremony,

00:36:46just to be with her.

00:36:48Even that call.

00:36:49When he let the beta interrupt without a second thought.

00:36:53The more he remembered,

00:36:55the sharper the pain in his chest became

00:36:58until he could barely breathe.

00:37:00What had he done?

00:37:01I had risked my life for blood awakening.

00:37:04And he had taken advantage of what he believed was my weakness.

00:37:08Indulging himself without restraint.

00:37:10He couldn't even begin to imagine it.

00:37:13I had returned home,

00:37:15heart full of anticipation,

00:37:17after awakening.

00:37:18Only to be met with the overwhelming sensation of his desire

00:37:22tangled with someone else's.

00:37:24The despair.

00:37:26The collapse.

00:37:27It must have shattered me.

00:37:30Endless pain spread through him.

00:37:33Suffocating.

00:37:34Inescapable.

00:37:35That day,

00:37:36when he heard me say I was leaving,

00:37:38it hadn't been about a friend.

00:37:41It had been about me.

00:37:43The signs had always been there.

00:37:45My death hadn't come out of nowhere.

00:37:48He had simply never seen it.

00:37:50In a daze,

00:37:52he thought he saw himself at 22.

00:37:54That younger version of him looked at him with nothing but disappointment.

00:37:59You betrayed Aria.

00:38:01You broke your mate bond.

00:38:03This is your punishment.

00:38:05Aria has left you forever.

00:38:07And the final lines of my message cut deeper than anything else.

00:38:11The little wolf he loved.

00:38:13Never wanted to meet him again.

00:38:18Only then did he realize how deeply I must have been hurt to write those words.

00:38:23And the one responsible for all of it was him.

00:38:26The moment the guests saw the coffin,

00:38:29shock rippled through the entire venue.

00:38:31Then,

00:38:32everything clicked.

00:38:34The delayed entrance.

00:38:36The explosive video.

00:38:38They understood.

00:38:40I had known all along.

00:38:42The video had been my doing.

00:38:44The coffin,

00:38:46delivered to the ceremony after my death,

00:38:49had been my final arrangement.

00:38:51A heavy silence settled over the crowd,

00:38:54followed by quiet sighs.

00:38:57One by one,

00:38:58the guests who had arrived in celebration began to leave,

00:39:02shaking their heads.

00:39:03In the end,

00:39:05only Cain remained.

00:39:06Kneeling in front of the coffin.

00:39:08At the burial,

00:39:10Cain stood off to the side like a man hollowed out,

00:39:13his expression numb,

00:39:14his soul already broken.

00:39:16Only when the coffin was about to be sealed beneath the earth,

00:39:20did he suddenly snap back to himself.

00:39:23He lunged forward,

00:39:24eyes bloodshot,

00:39:26refusing to let anyone touch it.

00:39:28It took several people working together to drag him back and hold him in place.

00:39:33When the final shovel full of dirt fell,

00:39:36all that remained for him was a gravestone.

00:39:39And the black and white photograph of my smiling face.

00:39:43He broke free from their grip,

00:39:45dropped heavily to his knees,

00:39:47and leaned his forehead against the stone.

00:39:50His hand traced my name as tears slid endlessly down his face.

00:39:54Little wolf,

00:39:55this is all my fault,

00:39:57I'm sorry.

00:39:58But apologies that come too late never reached the one who needed them.

00:40:04Cain returned home like a walking corpse.

00:40:07There was no life left in his face.

00:40:09The moment he pushed open the door,

00:40:12he froze.

00:40:13It had only been three days.

00:40:16Yet the entire house felt unbearably cold.

00:40:20After we got together,

00:40:22I had always liked adding small things to the house,

00:40:26little decorations,

00:40:27soft touches,

00:40:28warm details that slowly turned that cold villa into something that felt like home.

00:40:33Now,

00:40:35there was nothing.

00:40:36Everything was gone.

00:40:38The house had reverted to what it had been five years ago.

00:40:44Cold,

00:40:45empty,

00:40:47lifeless.

00:40:47Cain stood there,

00:40:49staring at the unfamiliar familiarity of it all,

00:40:53on the verge of losing his mind.

00:40:55He summoned all the servants,

00:40:58his voice sharp with anger.

00:40:59who threw away Aria's things.

00:41:02I never gave that order.

00:41:03Who dared to do it?

00:41:05The servants exchanged uneasy glances.

00:41:08Sir,

00:41:10Miss Aria told us to clear everything out three days ago.

00:41:14She had us pile it all in the backyard.

00:41:16Then she set it on fire herself.

00:41:20The last trace of light drained from Cain's eyes.

00:41:24At that moment,

00:41:25one of the servants stepped forward hesitantly,

00:41:28and opened her palm.

00:41:29Sir,

00:41:30I found this while cleaning a few days ago.

00:41:33It looked valuable.

00:41:34Maybe Miss Aria threw it away by accident.

00:41:38Another servant approached,

00:41:39holding a bundle of white fabric strips.

00:41:42Sir,

00:41:43this was left in the house yesterday.

00:41:45It looked like a mate dress.

00:41:47There was a moonstone in the center,

00:41:48so I didn't dare throw it away.

00:41:53Cain reached out with trembling hands.

00:41:56In one hand,

00:41:58he picked up the ring.

00:41:59In the other,

00:42:00he touched the torn remains of the dress,

00:42:03his fingers brushing over the moonstone engraved with A and K,

00:42:07forever.

00:42:08The engagement ring he had made himself.

00:42:11The mate dress he had specially commissioned.

00:42:14A sharp bone deep pain spread from his chest through his entire body.

00:42:19He might have wondered,

00:42:20deep down,

00:42:21Aria,

00:42:22did you hate me that much?

00:42:27So much that you chose death,

00:42:29to punish him?

00:42:31So much that you erased every trace of the happiness we once had.

00:42:35After the pain came something worse.

00:42:38Endless regret.

00:42:40Today was supposed to be the day he had looked forward to more than anything.

00:42:45The day he would finally complete the mate bond with the woman he loved.

00:42:49But he hadn't realized that he had already been standing at the edge of an abyss.

00:42:54And just as he was about to reach happiness,

00:42:58it struck.

00:42:59Dragging him down.

00:43:01Into a darkness with no end.

00:43:04No light.

00:43:06Not even a single trace.

00:43:10Kane drove everyone out of the house.

00:43:12Alone,

00:43:13he sat on the floor,

00:43:15holding the torn remains of the mate dress in his arms.

00:43:18The ring that once belonged to me now hung from his neck,

00:43:21threaded onto a cord.

00:43:23These were the last things that still carried my scent.

00:43:26With them,

00:43:27it almost felt like I was still there.

00:43:29Then,

00:43:30my phone in his pocket vibrated.

00:43:33He glanced down.

00:43:34A message.

00:43:36From the beta.

00:43:38Aria.

00:43:38So what if today is your mate ceremony?

00:43:41Do you believe I can still call Kane away with just one message?

00:43:45Don't think becoming Luna means anything.

00:43:48I'm carrying Kane's first pup.

00:43:50Tell me,

00:43:51what matters more?

00:43:52Your ceremony or his child?

00:43:56Last night he had his face against my stomach,

00:43:59saying he couldn't wait for the baby to be born.

00:44:02He's already excited to be a father.

00:44:04That Luna position of yours won't last long.

00:44:07Another message followed.

00:44:09A photo.

00:44:11Kane.

00:44:12Pressing his face against her stomach.

00:44:15Kane's fingers tightened around the phone.

00:44:18Then he scrolled up.

00:44:20Message after message.

00:44:22All sent to me.

00:44:24I'm pregnant.

00:44:25Kane and I have been together for a year.

00:44:28You're a pretty pathetic Omega.

00:44:31Not just words.

00:44:33There were countless intimate photos.

00:44:37And even a video.

00:44:39The beta.

00:44:39Wearing a mate dress.

00:44:41Beneath him.

00:44:43Kane's breathing grew heavier.

00:44:45He remembered.

00:44:46When she found out about the ceremony,

00:44:49she had insisted on having a dress too.

00:44:52He hadn't thought much of it,

00:44:54just a dress.

00:44:55He told the designer to make her one as well.

00:44:58By then,

00:44:59I had already awakened.

00:45:02Kane shut his eyes.

00:45:03The memory of the boutique flashed through his mind.

00:45:06My expression.

00:45:08My silence.

00:45:09My silence.

00:45:10A sharp pain twisted through his chest.

00:45:13Now he understood.

00:45:14That was why I had torn the mate dress to pieces.

00:45:18His gaze dropped back to the screen.

00:45:21His grip tightened until his knuckles turned white.

00:45:24Rage burned in his eyes.

00:45:27That beta.

00:45:29He had warned her countless times not to tell me anything.

00:45:32And yet she had gone behind his back.

00:45:35Provoking me again and again.

00:45:39His phone suddenly rang.

00:45:42He answered.

00:45:43On the other end,

00:45:45her voice was trembling,

00:45:46on the verge of tears.

00:45:48Kane,

00:45:49my stomach doesn't feel right.

00:45:52Do you think something's wrong with the baby?

00:45:53Can you take me to the hospital?

00:45:58Of course.

00:45:59I'll be right there.

00:46:00I'll be waiting.

00:46:01The fragile tone was nothing like the messages on my phone.

00:46:05As if she were two completely different people.

00:46:08A cold aura settled over Kane.

00:46:11Her voice immediately brightened.

00:46:13Kane's eyes darkened.

00:46:15Since she wanted to see him so badly,

00:46:19he would make sure she got exactly what she wanted.

00:46:23On the other side,

00:46:24the beta froze for a moment when she heard how quickly Kane agreed.

00:46:28Then a surge of excitement rushed through her.

00:46:31She had assumed that today was Kane's mate ceremony with me.

00:46:35Even if she used the child as an excuse to pull him away,

00:46:38she expected it would take a lot of effort.

00:46:41But he agreed without hesitation.

00:46:44Did that mean her place in Kane's heart had already surpassed mine?

00:46:50Besides,

00:46:50she was carrying his only pup.

00:46:53A determined glint flashed across her eyes.

00:46:57She was probably thinking that even if I became Luna today,

00:47:00there was no guarantee I could hold on to that position.

00:47:04Before Kane arrived,

00:47:06she hurriedly changed into a sheer nightgown,

00:47:09sprayed on his favorite scent-based perfume,

00:47:12and reclined on the couch to wait.

00:47:15When Kane opened the door,

00:47:17the first thing he saw was her lying there in the thin fabric.

00:47:21A trace of coldness flickered through his eyes.

00:47:24So much for a stomach ache.

00:47:27More likely,

00:47:28this was just another trick to pull him away from Arya.

00:47:32It wasn't the first time she had used tactics like this.

00:47:35In the past,

00:47:37Kane treated her as nothing more than a distraction when he was bored.

00:47:41As long as she stayed obedient and catered to him,

00:47:45he didn't mind indulging her a little.

00:47:47But that never meant he would tolerate her trying to take a place that wasn't hers.

00:47:53In his mind,

00:47:55there had only ever been one mate.

00:47:57From beginning to end,

00:47:58that was me.

00:48:00And for my death,

00:48:01she would have to pay the price.

00:48:05The beta didn't notice the chill radiating from him.

00:48:09She was still lost in her fantasy of becoming Luna.

00:48:12When she saw him,

00:48:13she put on a fragile expression,

00:48:15and gently touched her flat stomach.

00:48:18Kane,

00:48:18I know today is your mate ceremony with Arya.

00:48:21I shouldn't have called you back,

00:48:23but my stomach really hurts.

00:48:25This is your first pup.

00:48:27I was worried something might go wrong,

00:48:29so I had no choice but to call.

00:48:33Kane looked at her coldly.

00:48:36Where does it hurt?

00:48:37She didn't catch the icy edge in his voice.

00:48:40She thought he was concerned about her.

00:48:42Just like before,

00:48:44she stepped closer,

00:48:45wrapping her arms around his neck

00:48:47and breathing softly near his ear.

00:48:49The baby says it misses its father.

00:48:53She had always been bold about things like this.

00:48:56She believed that my empathic sense was weak,

00:48:59that I could never give a man the same kind of experience in bed.

00:49:03That, in her mind,

00:49:04was the key to keeping Kane.

00:49:06And with the mate ceremony today adding an extra thrill,

00:49:10she was certain she could make him stay the night.

00:49:13She was already imagining how she would message me the next day to provoke me,

00:49:18completely missing the darkening expression on Kane's face.

00:49:23She took one of his hands and placed it on her stomach.

00:49:26When he didn't react,

00:49:27she guided his hand upward.

00:49:29Just as it was about to reach her chest,

00:49:31Kane slapped her hard across the face.

00:49:33Who gave you permission to touch me?

00:49:36She was knocked to the floor,

00:49:39five clear finger marks blooming across her cheek.

00:49:42Clutching her swollen face,

00:49:44she stared at him in disbelief.

00:49:47She had been with him for a full year,

00:49:49and he had never laid a hand on her before.

00:49:52What had changed?

00:49:54And she was carrying his child.

00:49:56How could he be so ruthless?

00:50:00Kane!

00:50:01What did I do wrong?

00:50:02Why would you hit me?

00:50:04Haven't we always been like this?

00:50:06Her voice trembled,

00:50:08tears welling in her eyes.

00:50:10But the sight of her crying did nothing to soften him.

00:50:14His expression grew even darker,

00:50:16like a storm about to break.

00:50:19Who gave you the nerve to tell Arya about us?

00:50:23The beta's face went pale.

00:50:25She hadn't expected Kane to find out,

00:50:28but she still denied it on instinct.

00:50:30Kane, what are you talking about?

00:50:32I didn't say anything to Arya.

00:50:35Kane let out a cold laugh,

00:50:37his hand clamping down hard on her chin.

00:50:40You're still trying to lie?

00:50:42If I hadn't seen those messages myself,

00:50:44I never would have guessed best you had two faces.

00:50:48Playing the obedient little lamb in front of me,

00:50:50while acting arrogant as hell in front of Arya.

00:50:55I've warned you countless times.

00:50:57Arya is the only Omega I have ever truly loved.

00:51:00You are nothing more than a pet I kept around for amusement.

00:51:04You had a hand in Arya's death,

00:51:07and you're going to pay for it.

00:51:10His grip shifted to her throat,

00:51:12fingers tightening with each second.

00:51:14The veins in his arms stood out sharply,

00:51:17making him look terrifying.

00:51:20Driven by the instinct to survive,

00:51:22the beta clawed at his hand with both of hers,

00:51:25but he didn't loosen his grip.

00:51:27She stared at the face she had once been obsessed with,

00:51:30and for the first time,

00:51:32she felt nothing but fear.

00:51:34As the air in her lungs ran out,

00:51:37she forced out a single word.

00:51:42Child.

00:51:43At that word,

00:51:45Kane abruptly released her.

00:51:47She collapsed to the ground,

00:51:49gasping for air,

00:51:50coughing violently,

00:51:52overwhelmed by the relief of still being alive.

00:51:56Kane looked down at her pathetic state

00:51:58without the slightest flicker of emotion,

00:52:00all he could think about was getting rid of the child.

00:52:04It was because of her that I had taken my own life.

00:52:08Now,

00:52:08every time he saw her,

00:52:10he was reminded that she had destroyed the person he loved most.

00:52:14Even the pup in her womb filled him with disgust.

00:52:18But as the beta recovered,

00:52:20a strange sense of joy rose in her heart.

00:52:23It was as if she had forgotten the terror from moments ago.

00:52:27Only one thought echoed in her mind.

00:52:30Arya was dead.

00:52:34Out of jealousy,

00:52:36she hadn't watched the mate ceremony or looked up any news about it.

00:52:40She hadn't expected something so drastic to happen.

00:52:44To her,

00:52:45it had only been a few provocative messages,

00:52:48and some suggestive photos.

00:52:50She never imagined I would be so fragile.

00:52:53Still,

00:52:54she felt grateful.

00:52:56This was her chance.

00:52:58Struggling to her feet,

00:53:00tears pooling in her eyes,

00:53:02she grabbed the hem of his shirt,

00:53:04and pleaded.

00:53:05Cain,

00:53:06I didn't mean it.

00:53:07I just love you too much.

00:53:09I didn't want our child to be born with a bad name.

00:53:12I never thought Arya would take her own life over this.

00:53:15I was devastated when I heard.

00:53:18But she's gone now.

00:53:19We have to move forward,

00:53:20don't we?

00:53:23I'm carrying your pup.

00:53:24As she spoke,

00:53:25she gently stroked her still flat stomach.

00:53:28She knew Cain had always cared about the child.

00:53:32She assumed he had let her go earlier because he didn't want anything to happen to it.

00:53:37As long as she carried his pup,

00:53:39she believed she held a shield that would protect her from anything.

00:53:43She was wrong.

00:53:45Cain lifted his hand and lightly patted her cheek,

00:53:49his expression utterly cold.

00:53:51If you hadn't mentioned the child,

00:53:53I might have forgotten.

00:53:56Every time I think about how you caused Arya's death,

00:53:59I can't stand the sight of you.

00:54:02A child born from someone like you would only disgust me.

00:54:05The darkness in his tone finally made fear sink in.

00:54:09She stumbled back,

00:54:11clutching her lower abdomen with both hands,

00:54:14her voice trembling.

00:54:16Cain,

00:54:18what are you going to do to my child?

00:54:20He stepped closer,

00:54:22his voice cold and venomous.

00:54:24I'm having someone take you to the hospital to get rid of it.

00:54:28As soon as he finished speaking,

00:54:30he pulled out his phone

00:54:32and ordered his bodyguards to take her away for the procedure.

00:54:36Come up,

00:54:37take her to the hospital,

00:54:38and arrange the procedure immediately.

00:54:40Tears streaming down her face.

00:54:41No,

00:54:43this is your child too,

00:54:45Cain.

00:54:45How can you do this?

00:54:48Despair filled her expression.

00:54:50She couldn't believe he could be this heartless,

00:54:52completely indifferent to the life inside her.

00:54:57Just yesterday,

00:54:59he had pressed his ear against her stomach.

00:55:01I want our child's first word to be

00:55:03dad.

00:55:05And now,

00:55:06he could order its death without even blinking.

00:55:09No,

00:55:09she would never accept this.

00:55:12This is a living being.

00:55:14It's the result of our love.

00:55:17Cain,

00:55:18just imagine it.

00:55:19Our child growing up,

00:55:20calling you dad and me mom.

00:55:23Wouldn't that be a beautiful life?

00:55:26She knew Cain hated being threatened,

00:55:29so she tried to appeal to his emotions.

00:55:32But he remained towering over her,

00:55:34his expression cold and unfeeling.

00:55:37Love?

00:55:39There's nothing noble about what we have.

00:55:42It's nothing but a physical relationship.

00:55:44The only person I love is Aria.

00:55:46The bodyguards rushed in as soon as they got the call.

00:55:49They pushed the door open and grabbed the trembling beta,

00:55:52preparing to take her to the hospital as ordered.

00:55:56She struggled desperately,

00:55:58but they were professionally trained.

00:56:00There was no way she could break free.

00:56:03As she was about to be dragged out,

00:56:05she screamed at Cain with everything she had left.

00:56:09Cain,

00:56:10you say you only love Aria,

00:56:12but we spent so many nights together.

00:56:14Did none of that mean anything to you?

00:56:17You told me you loved me too!

00:56:19Cain didn't react at all.

00:56:21He simply motioned for the bodyguards to take her away.

00:56:25All the way to the hospital she fought against them,

00:56:28even trying to call out to the doctors and nurses for help.

00:56:32But this was a private hospital owned by Cain's company.

00:56:36Everyone there knew exactly who he was.

00:56:39Whatever he said,

00:56:40they followed.

00:56:42She was strapped to the operating table.

00:56:45As the anesthesia was injected,

00:56:47her consciousness slowly faded away.

00:56:50When she woke up again,

00:56:52even the slightest movement sent a heavy ache through her lower abdomen.

00:56:56Her pup was gone.

00:56:59The light in her eyes had completely faded.

00:57:02She stared blankly at the ceiling,

00:57:04hollow and motionless.

00:57:06After confirming with the doctor that the procedure was complete,

00:57:10Cain came to her bedside.

00:57:12When you're discharged,

00:57:14leave this city.

00:57:14I don't want to see you again.

00:57:18Every time he looked at her,

00:57:20he was reminded of his betrayal,

00:57:22reminded of my death.

00:57:24It felt like his heart was being carved apart.

00:57:28The beta's eyes shifted slightly.

00:57:30She already understood that becoming Luna was no longer possible.

00:57:34Now,

00:57:35she couldn't even remain as his lover.

00:57:38So,

00:57:38she gave up on everything.

00:57:41Cain,

00:57:42do you think you're some kind of tragic romantic now?

00:57:46You got rid of the illegitimate child,

00:57:48drove away your mistress,

00:57:50and now you get to mourn your dead lover all by yourself?

00:57:55Her mocking tone made Cain's fists clench.

00:57:58He shot her a sharp warning look.

00:58:00Enough.

00:58:01The first time we slept together,

00:58:03I didn't beg you.

00:58:04You were the one who couldn't resist and pushed me down.

00:58:07And a few days ago,

00:58:09you were the one who brought me home.

00:58:11You came downstairs in the middle of the night to find me.

00:58:14I never forced you.

00:58:16Aria's death was your doing.

00:58:18You're the one who drove her to it.

00:58:21Cain had already known,

00:58:23deep down,

00:58:24that his betrayal was what led to my death.

00:58:27But hearing it spoken so bluntly felt like a knife plunging into his heart all over again,

00:58:34tearing it open and leaving it bleeding.

00:58:37After a full day of spreading online,

00:58:39the news of Cain cheating with a beta had completely exploded across the internet.

00:58:45Trending topics were flooded with his name.

00:58:48Cain scandal.

00:58:50Cain cheating with a beta.

00:58:52Aria suicide.

00:58:54A month ago,

00:58:56Cain's public courtship had already caused a massive sensation.

00:59:00He had even promised,

00:59:01The upcoming mate ceremony will be more spectacular than anything anyone has ever seen.

00:59:06People everywhere had been waiting to witness what they called,

00:59:10the mate ceremony of the century.

00:59:13So when that highly anticipated ceremony turned into a funeral,

00:59:18when news broke that an Omega had taken her own life after discovering her Alpha's betrayal,

00:59:24and even had her coffin delivered to the ceremony site,

00:59:28it instantly captured everyone's attention.

00:59:32Cain's carefully crafted image shattered overnight.

00:59:37He went from being the most desired Alpha online to a man universally condemned for destroying the person he claimed

00:59:44to love.

00:59:45I'm done believing in love.

00:59:48What kind of trash Alpha is this?

00:59:50Aria deserved so much better.

00:59:53Why would she end her life over someone like him?

00:59:56Are all Alphas like this?

00:59:58Acting one way in public and another behind closed doors?

01:00:01It's disgusting.

01:00:02I actually believed in their perfect love story.

01:00:05The backlash was relentless.

01:00:09Companies that had partnered with Cain's group began cutting ties one after another.

01:00:14In no time the entire corporation was thrown into turmoil.

01:00:19But Cain himself had shut himself inside his bedroom.

01:00:23He lay curled up on the bed, eyes closed, clutching the torn mate ceremony suit I had ripped apart,

01:00:30as if holding it close could somehow bring back my scent.

01:00:34His parents, who had been overseas on business, rushed back as soon as they heard the news.

01:00:40It took everybody in the world to step back the client of the start of business.

01:00:44And keep the company from spiraling further.

01:00:47The moment they finished handling corporate matters, they hurried straight to the villa.

01:00:53As soon as they walked in, a servant approached them anxiously.

01:00:57Sir, ma'am, the young master hasn't left his room for over a day.

01:01:02We've brought food upstairs, but he won't eat.

01:01:05He won't answer the door either.

01:01:07We didn't dare force our way in.

01:01:09But it's been so long, we're worried something might have happened.

01:01:12The moment they heard this, both of them felt their hearts drop.

01:01:16They hadn't realized their son had deteriorated to the point of refusing to eat.

01:01:22They rushed upstairs.

01:01:24Just as the servant had said, no matter how hard they knocked, there was no response.

01:01:29No matter how many times they called his name, there was only silence.

01:01:34Cain's mother's voice trembled with fear.

01:01:36Do you think something's happened to him?

01:01:40Break the door down.

01:01:44When the door was forced open, they found the curtains drawn tightly shut, blocking out

01:01:49every trace of light.

01:01:51Cain remained curled up on the bed, still clutching the torn mate ceremony suit.

01:01:56Even with everyone entering the room, he didn't react at all.

01:01:59The moment his mother saw how gaunt his face had become, her eyes filled with tears.

01:02:07England

01:02:07Standing in front of the sprawling Ashford Manor, I still felt like I was dreaming.

01:02:14I was no longer Phoenix.

01:02:16Now, I was Lyra Phoenix.

01:02:19I never imagined that a simple trip abroad would lead me to finding my biological parents.

01:02:27On the plane, a well-dressed woman seated next to me kept glancing in my direction.

01:02:32Out of politeness, I greeted her first, and we quickly fell into conversation.

01:02:38She told me she was part of the werewolf kind, a Chinese family settled in England.

01:02:44This trip back had been for one reason only, she was searching for her missing daughter.

01:02:50She and her husband had been running businesses overseas for years.

01:02:55When their youngest daughter was born, it happened to be during a full moon, and they were in China

01:03:00at the time.

01:03:01They decided to stay an extra month, and leave after the baby's one-month milestone.

01:03:07But the day before they were supposed to leave, their daughter disappeared.

01:03:12They called the police immediately, and searched with friends, but after an entire month, there was still no trace.

01:03:20The authorities believed the child had likely been trafficked, and the chances of finding her were slim.

01:03:26With their visas expiring, they had no choice but to leave the country.

01:03:31Even so, they never gave up.

01:03:34They entrusted friends in China to continue searching, and every year, they returned to that same city,

01:03:41staying for a full month to look for her.

01:03:44This was the 26th year.

01:03:47Everyone around them had urged them to let go, but they held on to the smallest thread of hope.

01:03:53This time, they had returned empty-handed once again.

01:03:57But when she saw me, she felt an unexplainable sense of familiarity.

01:04:03That was why she had kept looking at me.

01:04:06Strangely enough, I felt the same warmth from her.

01:04:10Without even realizing it, I began telling her about my past.

01:04:15When she learned I was an orphan, and that I came from the same city where her daughter had gone

01:04:20missing,

01:04:20her emotions became visibly stirred.

01:04:23She grasped my hands tightly, and asked if I would be willing to take a DNA test after we landed.

01:04:30Looking at the hopeful expressions on both her face and her husband's, I found myself nodding.

01:04:40The moment we got off the plane, they had their driver take us straight to the fastest GenCore lab available.

01:04:47The wait felt endless.

01:04:49But when the results finally came back, everything changed.

01:04:53I was their daughter.

01:04:56The moment they saw the confirmation, they pulled me into their arms and broke down in tears.

01:05:02And for the first time in my life, I understood something I had never known before.

01:05:08I was not unwanted.

01:05:10My parents loved me.

01:05:11They had spent 26 years searching for me.

01:05:16After asking for my opinion, they kept the name Phoenix for me, but added a first name.

01:05:22Lyra.

01:05:23From that moment on, I became Lyra Phoenix.

01:05:27Ever since they found out who I was, my mother refused to let go of my hand, her eyes filled

01:05:34with warmth and affection.

01:05:36Even my father who carried himself with quiet restraint, couldn't hide the redness in his eyes as he looked at

01:05:42me.

01:05:44When we arrived at the estate, my mother led me eagerly to a bedroom door, like she had been waiting

01:05:50for this moment forever.

01:05:52Phoenix, your father and I have been waiting for you to come home.

01:05:56We've kept your room exactly as it was for 26 years.

01:05:59Now you're finally here, and it finally has its owner.

01:06:03Her voice trembled as she spoke.

01:06:06My father gently placed a hand on her shoulder, then nodded toward the door.

01:06:10Go on, take a look.

01:06:13See if you like what we prepared for you.

01:06:16A warmth spread through my chest, something I had never felt before.

01:06:21Family.

01:06:22I pushed open the heavy door.

01:06:25Inside was a beautifully styled European vintage bed.

01:06:29A window beside it looked out over the back garden, the view stretching peacefully into the distance.

01:06:36The entire room was covered in soft carpeting, and right in the center sat a neat stack of boxes.

01:06:45Curious, I asked, what's in these?

01:06:48My father stepped forward, picked one up, and handed it to me.

01:06:52Open it and see.

01:06:53I carefully unwrapped it.

01:06:57Inside was a diamond bracelet.

01:06:59A realization hit me instantly.

01:07:02I rushed to open the rest.

01:07:04A princess dress.

01:07:06A crown.

01:07:07A necklace.

01:07:09One after another.

01:07:11There were exactly 26 items.

01:07:15No more, no less.

01:07:18My eyes burned as tears welled up.

01:07:21These were birthday gifts.

01:07:22Even when I wasn't with them, they had prepared one for me every single year, waiting for the day I

01:07:29would finally come home and open them.

01:07:32Growing up in the orphanage, the bullying had convinced me that no one in this world would ever love me.

01:07:39So when Cain entered my life like a blazing light, I fell for him without hesitation.

01:07:45But now I finally understood.

01:07:48Even when I didn't know it, my parents had always loved me.

01:07:52I stepped forward and wrapped my arms tightly around them.

01:07:57Mom, Dad, I'm home.

01:08:00My mom looked at me helplessly.

01:08:02Phoenix, I promise he's a good person.

01:08:06Just meet him once.

01:08:07If you don't like him, I'll find a way to call it off, okay?

01:08:11The first problem I faced after coming home turned out to be an arranged match.

01:08:18Back when my mom and her best friend were pregnant at the same time, they made a promise.

01:08:23If one had a boy and the other a girl, they would arrange a future match.

01:08:27If the children were the same gender, they would grow up like siblings.

01:08:31When they found out it was a boy and a girl, they were thrilled.

01:08:35They thought their friendship would turn into family.

01:08:39But not long after, I was taken.

01:08:41The arrangement was put on hold.

01:08:44A few days ago, after confirming that I was single, my mom and her friend brought it up again at

01:08:51the same time.

01:08:52The man was still single too.

01:08:54So the two mothers decided to revive the arrangement and let us meet.

01:09:00After five years in a failed relationship, I still hadn't fully recovered.

01:09:06The idea of starting something new made me uneasy.

01:09:09But I didn't want to tell my mom everything I had been through.

01:09:12I didn't want her to worry, so I agreed to meet him.

01:09:16I figured I would just explain things clearly in person.

01:09:20Even being friends would be fine.

01:09:23The moment I nodded, my mom lit up with excitement and immediately started setting a time.

01:09:29As if afraid something might change.

01:09:31The two mothers scheduled dinner for that very afternoon at the estate.

01:09:36By the afternoon, my mom had even called in a stylist to get me ready.

01:09:41I had no choice but to let her fuss over me.

01:09:45What I didn't expect was that when I finally met my so-called fiancé, I recognized him instantly.

01:09:54You?

01:09:56You?

01:09:56We spoke at the same time.

01:09:59I stared at the man in front of me, surprised.

01:10:02It was Vincent Gray.

01:10:04Vincent clearly hadn't expected it either.

01:10:07My mom and his mother exchanged a knowing look, smiles flickering across their faces as they quickly made excuses to

01:10:14leave giving us space.

01:10:15For a moment, the large garden felt awkwardly quiet with just the two of us.

01:10:21Vincent broke the silence first.

01:10:24Aria.

01:10:25I didn't expect the daughter the Lyra family found to be you.

01:10:28We had gone to the same university back in China, studying in the same major.

01:10:34I nodded.

01:10:35Given the relationship between our families, he must have already heard what happened to me.

01:10:40There was no need to explain further.

01:10:43He hesitated slightly before speaking again.

01:10:46Aria.

01:10:49I remember your empathic sense.

01:10:52I instinctively touched the back of my neck.

01:10:55I had never told my parents about my weak empathic sense.

01:10:59I didn't want them to know how unhappy my childhood had been.

01:11:03It would only make them feel guilty.

01:11:05So I told him everything.

01:11:07My five-year relationship with Cain.

01:11:09How it ended.

01:11:11And how my empathic sense finally went through its awakening.

01:11:15At the end I added quietly.

01:11:17Vincent.

01:11:18I need you to keep this between us.

01:11:21I don't want my parents to worry.

01:11:23He pretended to think for a moment.

01:11:26Then said with a hint of reluctance.

01:11:28I can do that.

01:11:31But I have one condition.

01:11:35I blinked in surprise.

01:11:37I hadn't interacted with Vincent much before.

01:11:40But I remembered him as easygoing and kind.

01:11:43Still.

01:11:44I was asking him for a favor.

01:11:46It was only fair.

01:11:48What's the condition?

01:11:49He smiled.

01:11:51A playful glint in his eyes.

01:11:54Can I stop calling you Aria and call you Phoenix instead?

01:11:57And you don't have to call me Vincent so formally either.

01:12:00I hadn't expected something so simple.

01:12:03Ever since I changed my name.

01:12:05People around me had been calling me Phoenix.

01:12:08But somehow.

01:12:09Hearing it from him felt.

01:12:12Different.

01:12:13Of course Vincent.

01:12:15Thinking about the arranged match.

01:12:17I hesitated before finally gathering the courage to speak.

01:12:21Vincent.

01:12:24You already know I just came out of a failed relationship.

01:12:28I'm not ready for anything new right now.

01:12:32About the arrangement.

01:12:33I had assumed that me being an Omega might make him feel embarrassed or slighted.

01:12:38But his expression stayed calm.

01:12:41It's fine.

01:12:43I'll explain it to my mum.

01:12:46Honestly.

01:12:47On my way here I was already thinking about how to bring this up.

01:12:50Restrawn this up.

01:12:52Without affecting our family's relationship.

01:12:55He paused.

01:12:56Then smiled.

01:12:57I didn't expect the Lyra family's daughter to be you.

01:13:01Even if we call off the arrangement.

01:13:04We can still be good friends right?

01:13:06Relief washed over me.

01:13:08I smiled and nodded.

01:13:10Of course.

01:13:11Maybe it was because we had shared the same university.

01:13:14The same memories.

01:13:15Having just arrived in England.

01:13:18Everything still felt unfamiliar.

01:13:21But with Vincent.

01:13:22I felt a sense of ease I hadn't expected.

01:13:25We started talking about the past.

01:13:27And I realized we had so many shared interests.

01:13:31Before long.

01:13:32We grew closer.

01:13:33Even meeting up from time to time to hang out.

01:13:37One day.

01:13:38After feeding seagulls by the coast.

01:13:40Vincent walked me back home.

01:13:42We ended up standing by the front gate.

01:13:45Laughing and talking about everything that had happened earlier.

01:13:49I don't know how long we stood there.

01:13:51Then.

01:13:51From behind me.

01:13:52I heard a familiar voice.

01:13:54Little wolf.

01:13:57After spotting a familiar figure in the news.

01:14:00Kane used every connection he had to track down her identity.

01:14:04Because the Lyra family had deep roots overseas while Kane remained in China.

01:14:09It took him half a month to finally uncover information about me.

01:14:14The moment he saw the photo from the banquet.

01:14:17He knew.

01:14:18That was his little wolf.

01:14:21Even with a different name.

01:14:22He was certain.

01:14:24There was no mistaking it.

01:14:26He immediately began digging for the Lyra family's address.

01:14:30Once he confirmed it.

01:14:32He rushed to catch the earliest flight to England.

01:14:35On the way he must have imagined countless scenarios of seeing me again.

01:14:40He thought the most likely outcome was that I would still be angry and refuse to speak to him.

01:14:46But that didn't matter.

01:14:48As long as he could see me.

01:14:50That would be enough.

01:14:51After experiencing my death.

01:14:54He had come to realize more than ever that he could not live without me.

01:14:57He planned to apologize sincerely.

01:15:01To promise that he would never be tempted by another Omega again.

01:15:05He even imagined that once I forgave him.

01:15:09He would hold an even grander mate ceremony.

01:15:12One that would surpass anything before it.

01:15:15And declare his love to the world.

01:15:18What he didn't expect was that when he finally saw me again.

01:15:22A month later.

01:15:23I was already standing beside another Alpha.

01:15:27Vincent and I had been talking.

01:15:29Completely absorbed.

01:15:31For nearly an hour.

01:15:33Kane stood behind a wall like an intruder peeking into someone else's happiness.

01:15:38But the moment he saw that familiar figure.

01:15:42Longing crashed over him like a tidal wave.

01:15:45Just before he could no longer hold it in.

01:15:48He finally called out the name he had been repeating in his mind.

01:15:52After nearly a month he was seeing me again.

01:15:56Alive.

01:15:57His eyes reddened.

01:15:58His voice unsteady.

01:16:00Little wolf.

01:16:01I finally found you.

01:16:04You're not dead.

01:16:05You're really here.

01:16:08He instinctively ignored the Alpha.

01:16:11Standing beside me.

01:16:14The moment I heard that familiar voice.

01:16:16I let out a quiet sigh.

01:16:19I had always known the fake death wouldn't fool Kane forever.

01:16:23I just hadn't expected him to track me down in England this quickly.

01:16:28I gave Vincent a subtle look.

01:16:30Signaling him to leave first.

01:16:32Then I turned around.

01:16:34My expression cold as I looked straight at Kane.

01:16:37Why are you here?

01:16:39Area is dead.

01:16:41I'm Phoenix now.

01:16:43Kane finally recalled everything he had learned over the past two weeks.

01:16:47His little wolf was never an orphan.

01:16:50I was Phoenix.

01:16:52The lost daughter of the Lyra family.

01:16:54Their most cherished child.

01:16:56Little wolf.

01:16:57No.

01:16:58Phoenix.

01:17:00I know I was wrong.

01:17:02I've already dealt with the beta.

01:17:04The child is gone too.

01:17:07Can you forgive me?

01:17:09With his intelligence, it didn't take much to figure out that the body at the mate ceremony

01:17:14had been staged.

01:17:16It was nothing more than my way of escaping after my heart had already died.

01:17:21Now that he had finally found me again, the person he had thought about day and night,

01:17:26he was determined to apologize and beg for forgiveness.

01:17:30I let out a quiet laugh.

01:17:32I had seen with my own eyes how he treated the beta.

01:17:36And now he could dismiss everything so easily, saying he had taken care of her and the pup as if

01:17:42it meant nothing.

01:17:44I used to think he had simply transferred his love from me to someone else.

01:17:49Now, I understood the truth.

01:17:52He was rotten to the core.

01:17:54He didn't truly love anyone.

01:17:56Only himself.

01:17:58Kane.

01:17:59I regret ever loving you.

01:18:01Those few simple words drained all the color from Kane's face.

01:18:06He couldn't understand it.

01:18:08For five years, we had been so in love.

01:18:11We had been happy.

01:18:12How could I regret it now?

01:18:14And that word regret.

01:18:16Did it mean I didn't love him anymore?

01:18:21The thought alone made his chest tighten with pain.

01:18:25No.

01:18:26That couldn't be true.

01:18:28It had only been a month.

01:18:30How could I have stopped loving him so quickly?

01:18:33In his mind, I was still angry.

01:18:36I just hadn't forgiven him yet.

01:18:39Kane stepped forward reaching for my hand.

01:18:42Wanting to explain before he could touch me.

01:18:45I took a step back putting distance between us.

01:18:49The hurt in his expression was obvious, but he quickly tried to explain himself.

01:18:55Phoenix, I don't mean anything else.

01:18:57I just want to explain.

01:19:00Believe me.

01:19:01I've only ever loved you.

01:19:05I never had real feelings for that beta.

01:19:09Can you forgive me and come back with me?

01:19:12I promise there will never be another Omega around me again.

01:19:16I swear I'll only love you.

01:19:19We can have an even grander mate ceremony.

01:19:22By the end, there was a flicker of hope in his eyes.

01:19:27I didn't react.

01:19:28My expression remained cold.

01:19:31Five years ago when you got together with me, you made the same promise.

01:19:35You said you would only love me.

01:19:39And you still cheated.

01:19:41I won't believe you again.

01:19:43And I will never forgive you.

01:19:46You should leave.

01:19:48Don't come back.

01:19:50When I first discovered his betrayal, the pain had been unbearable.

01:19:55There was even a moment when I hesitated.

01:19:58Because he still treated me the same as before, I thought maybe I could pretend nothing had happened.

01:20:06Maybe we could complete the mate bond.

01:20:08And he would continue to treat me well.

01:20:11Maybe he would keep the other Omega out of my sight.

01:20:15But after lie, after lie, after seeing him entangled with the beta, with my own eyes, I realized I couldn't

01:20:24do it.

01:20:24But I couldn't live like nothing had happened.

01:20:28What I wanted had always been something real.

01:20:31A love that was honest.

01:20:35And once Kane tainted that love, I no longer wanted it.

01:20:40Back then, I had already made my decision.

01:20:43I would never forgive him.

01:20:45I turned to leave.

01:20:48But Kane wasn't ready to give up.

01:20:50In a moment of panic, he grabbed my wrist.

01:20:55Little wolf, I swear.

01:20:57My heart has always belonged to you.

01:20:59You're the only one I love.

01:21:01I pulled free from his grip and looked at him.

01:21:05The urgency and sincerity on his face didn't seem fake.

01:21:09But I only let out a soft, humorless laugh.

01:21:13Love me?

01:21:15You talked about the beta with your friends right in front of me.

01:21:20Was that love?

01:21:24You had my mate ceremony designer make a dress for her.

01:21:27Was that love?

01:21:30You snuck downstairs in the middle of the night to see her while I was asleep.

01:21:33Was that love?

01:21:35If that's your version of love, it's cheap.

01:21:38I don't want it.

01:21:40With every word Kane's face grew paler.

01:21:44By the end he looked like he could barely stand.

01:21:48My words cut into him like a blade, tearing his heart apart piece by piece.

01:21:53Never in his life had Kane hated himself this much.

01:21:57If he had never gotten involved with the beta in the first place, none of this would have happened.

01:22:05Kane's voice trembled slightly.

01:22:08Little wolf, are you really never going to forgive me?

01:22:11I nodded without hesitation.

01:22:14That's right.

01:22:16Never.

01:22:16I didn't wait to see his reaction.

01:22:19I turned and walked inside.

01:22:22The next day, Vincent and I had plans to attend a concert.

01:22:27Ever since my empathic sense went through its awakening, I had grown especially sensitive to emotions.

01:22:35The calm of nature.

01:22:36The intensity of music.

01:22:38The sincerity or deceit in people's voices.

01:22:41Vincent happened to be a huge fan of classical music, and every time I went to a concert with him,

01:22:47I learned something new.

01:22:52Kane's stood outside the estate the entire night.

01:22:55My words from yesterday echoed endlessly in his mind.

01:22:59What once felt like relief after his first time with the beta had now come back like a blade, striking

01:23:06him full force.

01:23:07Still, he wanted one more chance.

01:23:11He refused to believe that five years of love could be erased so completely.

01:23:16After getting Vincent's message, I headed downstairs, humming like a carefree bird.

01:23:22My mom, who was having breakfast, teased me when she saw me.

01:23:27Who was the one who said they didn't want to meet him?

01:23:29Now it looks like you can't wait to see him every day.

01:23:32I'd say this match is looking pretty promising.

01:23:35Mom, we're just friends.

01:23:37But for some reason, I felt my cheeks warm.

01:23:41I quickly ran out the door.

01:23:43The tickets for today's concert were hard to get, and Vincent had told me that one of his favorite cellists

01:23:49would be performing.

01:23:51The moment I stepped outside, I saw Kane standing off to the side, completely still.

01:23:57I acted as if I hadn't seen him, and ran straight toward Vincent.

01:24:03He was holding a sandwich, and handed it to me naturally.

01:24:07My mom asked me to bring this for you.

01:24:10I took a bite.

01:24:14My eyes lighting up.

01:24:16Aunt Grace's cooking is as amazing as ever.

01:24:20Come on, we're gonna be late.

01:24:23You still haven't told me who else is performing today.

01:24:25Kane remained where he was, watching as I walked farther and farther away.

01:24:32The moment I stepped out, he had wanted to call out to me.

01:24:36To try one last time.

01:24:37But then, he saw the light in my eyes.

01:24:41That bright, eager happiness.

01:24:44It was a look he knew all too well.

01:24:47Back when we were together, I used to look at him like that all the time.

01:24:51But now, he hadn't seen it, in nearly two months.

01:24:58When he thought back to the days before I staged my death, he realized something.

01:25:04Back then, my eyes had been empty, like still water without a ripple.

01:25:09Nothing could stir any emotion in me.

01:25:12And yet, at the beginning of our relationship, I had looked at him the way I had just looked at

01:25:18Vincent.

01:25:20That was when he finally understood.

01:25:23What this relationship had left me with was nothing but pain.

01:25:28He had no right to ask for my forgiveness anymore.

01:25:31He booked a flight back home that same afternoon.

01:25:35Before leaving, he realized he didn't have my current number.

01:25:39So he borrowed a piece of paper and a pen from a passerby, and wrote a message.

01:25:44He placed it somewhere visible by the gate.

01:25:48After one last look at the place where I would spend the rest of my life,

01:25:53He got into the car, and left.

01:25:58A gust of wind lifted the paper into the air.

01:26:05On it, there was only one sentence.

01:26:09Little wolf, please let me call you that a last time.

01:26:12Little wolf, please let me call you that a last time.

01:26:15I'm sorry.

01:26:16I wish you a lifetime of happiness.

01:26:18Spring in England.

01:26:21Vincent and I walked through the rose garden at Ashford Manor.

01:26:25Phoenix.

01:26:26Vincent said stopping in his tracks.

01:26:29His expression was more serious than I had ever seen before.

01:26:32I know you're not ready right now.

01:26:34But I want you to know, if one day you're willing to believe in love again.

01:26:39I'll be here waiting.

01:26:40I looked at him, warmth spreading through my chest.

01:26:44Maybe, one day, I would believe in love again.

01:26:49But for now, I was content.

01:26:52Loved by my parents.

01:26:54Surrounded by friends.

01:26:56Running freely under the moonlight.

01:26:58Feeling the breeze.

01:27:00And breathing in the scent of flowers.

01:27:03I am Phoenix.

01:27:05And I have risen from the ashes.

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