A Father's Regret

I called for help over and over, begging for a rescue vehicle. When one finally arrived, they took Lena to the hospital.

Normal wounds mean nothing to werewolves. But wolfsbane poison? That’s deadly.

None of the antidotes worked.

The healer said, If she had arrived ten minutes earlier, she wouldn’t have died.

My world started to fall apart. All sounds became distant and blurred. My inner wolf, once howling in rage, now whimpered in grief.

“I’m sorry, Luna. We did everything we could. But she was rescued too late.”

“No… No, my Lena is just sleeping. She told me it doesn’t hurt.”

“I’m really sorry. Wolfsbane is fatal to werewolves. Lena was too young. Her body couldn’t take it.”

"But she was wearing her Moonstone pendant! This crystal protects against wolfsbane!" I grabbed at Lena’s necklace, desperate to prove she couldn’t have been poisoned.

But all I found was an empty metal casing.

The crystal was gone.

I collapsed on the floor, stretching my hand toward Lena’s—just inches from the hospital bed.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t reach her.

Her last words echoed in my ears.

"Mommy, I love you the most. In my next life, I still want you to be my mommy."

Then she closed her eyes forever.

Her next life?

I couldn’t see a next life.

I could only see—

Lena’s body being wheeled away by hospital staff.

Numbly, I signed the paperwork. At the end of the hallway, I saw them.

Outside a VIP hospital room, Rachel, Aileen’s mother, leaned into Carlson’s arms.

“Alpha, it’s all my fault. I raised Aileen too innocent. Lena tricked her into the wolfsbane forest, saying there was treasure. She was just too kind to say no.”

Carlson’s voice was cold. “That brat Lena always caused trouble. I delayed rescuing her on purpose. I hoped this lesson would teach her not to bully Aileen again.”

"Don’t worry," He continued. "I’ll talk to Katherine too. She’s too soft-hearted. Spoiling Lena is why Aileen got hurt. This was all Katherine's fault."

And in that moment, I understood.

Yes, Carlson finally said something true.

Lena’s death was my fault.

Not the wolfsbane.

Not Aileen.

Not even her own father.

It was mine.

I chose a cold, heartless mate.

And that choice destroyed my daughter.

Rachel’s mate was dead, so Carlson acted as her shadow, her protector, caring for her family like they were his own.

My mate wasn’t dead—but his loyalty belonged to another female and her pup.

And I let it happen.

Because I thought, "Rachel has no mate. The Alpha should help her."

So Lena died with my foolishness and weakness.

Moon Goddess, even in her last moments, she comforted me.

Tears burned my eyes.

Not far from me, Carlson still held Rachel, soothing her pain.

I stepped forward. Carlson and Rachel quickly pulled apart.

Rachel forced an awkward smile. “Katherine, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Lena?”

Carlson scowled, “That little troublemaker needs discipline, Katherine. As Luna, you let your daughter drag someone else’s child into the wolfsbane forest? That’s serious negligence!”

I stared at him, my voice colder than ice.

"Carlson."

"Your daughter. Lena. Is dead."