2

Blank checks scattered across the floor. A few days ago, I would have thrown away my dignity and scrambled to pick them up to save my father's life.

But now they were useless to me.

I picked up one check, filled in the amount I owed the rogue wolves, and handed it to them before walking into the house by myself.

This house where Damon and I had lived for five years was filled with traces of our life together.

My eyes fell on the photo hanging on the wall—two people standing slightly awkwardly together, smiling brilliantly.

It was the first photo we took together when we'd just gotten involved.

I had just turned eighteen when I failed to complete my first shift, confirming I could only ever be an Omega. I was devastated.

That's when I met him. We were drawn to each other by scent, guided by the Moon Goddess herself.

I still remembered the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, how bright they were, how his wolf would unconsciously move closer to mine.

I couldn't forget how innocent and pure he looked then. He deliberately tried to get close to me, and I couldn't control my racing heart.

I really wanted us to have a good future together. So I studied desperately, hoping that if I couldn't have a strong body, at least I could compensate with a sharp mind. I wanted to support him instead of being a burden, maybe even become an asset.

Back then he hadn't become the pack's Alpha yet. Every day was either training or fighting.

His constant combat state made him seem too fierce and unapproachable to the pack members. So I helped him handle the pack affairs that his father, the former Alpha, assigned to him.

Through our combined efforts, the pack grew stronger and more prosperous, and he successfully inherited the position of Alpha.

Five years. We supported each other, grew together. This house recorded our story bit by bit.

But now that everything had changed, all of it had turned to nothing.

All my past efforts, all my hopes for the future—it was just an emotional test game to him. And my concern about money meant I had failed the test.

Ridiculous emotions spread through my heart. Damon didn't notice anything unusual about me and sat directly on the sofa.

"Satisfied now, Sage? You finally got your money. Feeling fulfilled?"

"The way you're so money-hungry now really disgusts me. How did you become like this? Didn't you used to have some backbone?"

"Think about it yourself—how many times have you asked me for money these past few months? Just five hundred thousand, and it completely exposed your true nature. Were all those things you said before about working hard, about our future dreams, just empty words?"

I looked up at him. He was very different from before—wearing a perfectly tailored suit, hair impeccably styled, looking at me with nothing but coldness in his eyes.

It seemed like he wasn't planning to keep up the act anymore.

The disappointment and helplessness in his eyes stabbed at me bit by bit. I didn't respond to his accusations, just said quietly:

"Let's dissolve our mate bond, Damon."

An eerie silence stretched between us for a long time. Then Damon suddenly burst out laughing.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you? To get me to pay back that five hundred thousand, you even made up stories about your father being mortally wounded and dying. You know I hate being lied to more than anything! Five years of feelings, and I was blind. Even if we're dissolving the mate bond, I should be the one to bring it up."

His voice carried anger as he pulled out a paper from his bag and signed it directly.

"Get over here and sign this quickly. Let's get the paperwork done fast. I don't have time to waste on you."

So he'd been prepared all along.

I carefully placed Dad's memorial photo face-up on the cabinet and walked step by step toward Damon.

I picked up the pen and signed without hesitation.

From the corner of my eye, I could see him looking me up and down. I felt nothing but disgust and helplessness.

After signing, he snorted coldly and threw a bank card onto the floor.

"All your money is in there, untouched. These five years of feelings—I might as well have fed them to the dogs. I was wrong about you."

I turned back to look at him seriously one more time.

I remembered a few days ago when Dad was mortally wounded and dying, he kept murmuring about wanting to see Damon once, saying he wanted to see that we were doing well.

Damon had already lost patience with me for asking him for money, but for Dad's sake, I still gathered my courage to call him.

After calling all night, he finally answered, and his first words were mocking:

"Here to ask for money again? Come on, what's your excuse this time?"

I swallowed my anger and asked quietly:

"My dad doesn't have much time left. Could you... could you come see him once? Just let him know we're doing well, that's all."

Suddenly there was loud laughter from his end:

"Upgraded your tactics, have you? Think this will make me sympathize with you and believe you, make me transfer you money?"

"I don't really like this performance. Practice some more. Next time make up something more touching—maybe I'll actually soften up and believe it."

He hung up. When I called back, I was already blocked.

He never came, not until Dad died.

I couldn't forget the last thing Dad said to me.

He said:

"When you have your baby, Dad won't be able to meet my grandchild. The pup will definitely be as adorable as you were when you were little. You must take good care of yourself. I still wanted to tell the Alpha to treat you well."

"As the pack's Luna now, your status is different from before. When two people live together, you must understand each other. For yourselves and for the pack's stability, you need to have a good life together."

Until his last moment, Dad wanted me and Damon to build a good life together.

But Dad didn't know that the day after I begged Damon for money, he dragged me to get a forced abortion.

He said he refused to be threatened by a child and wanted to crush my hopes.

After the abortion, I didn't even have time to rest. Medical bills chased me into working day and night.

What was he doing during that time? Partying with other women every night, or complaining to others about how I was scheming against him?