Chapter 1

The day after my Alpha mate's precious childhood sweetheart accused me of sending rogue wolves to attack her, my mate Kael, along with our two sons, suspended my brother above a massive cauldron of boiling silver, threatening to throw him into the molten metal that would burn him alive.

I went insane, rushing toward them, but the pack warriors held me back with iron grips.

"Do you understand your mistake now?" Kael stood nearby in his perfectly tailored suit, his eyes cold as winter frost, his voice laced with ice. "Will you ever dare to hurt Sage again?"

"I didn't attack her!" I cried, struggling against the warriors' hold. "Kael, let my brother go! He's only eighteen! He just got accepted to Harvard!"

Five-year-old River crossed his small arms, his face emotionless. "The evidence is clear. Why are you still lying?"

Four-year-old Stone nodded along, his tone innocent yet cruel. "Mommy, if you're so scared of Uncle dying, you shouldn't have attacked Aunt Sage. She's our precious one."

My heart contracted violently.

Sage was their precious one. Then what was I? What did I mean to them?

I looked toward Kael, hoping he might spare my brother for the sake of our years as mates.

But he only stared at me coldly, his gaze like he was looking at a complete stranger.

I suddenly laughed, though tears streamed down my face.

After all these years, he still only loved Sage.

Memories cut into my heart like silver blades.

Kael, Sage, and I had grown up together in the same pack. I loved Kael, but he only had eyes for Sage. I could only silently bless them, even helping him plan his confession.

But just before Kael was about to confess his feelings, Sage's plane crashed. No remains were ever found.

After that, Kael drowned himself in wine every night, becoming a shell of himself.

I stayed by his side, watching over him. When he passed out drunk, I made him herbal remedies. When he had internal bleeding, I stayed awake all night caring for him.

One night, when Kael was heavily intoxicated, he grabbed my wrist, murmuring Sage's name, and pinned me beneath him.

I could have pushed him away.

But I loved him too much. I was willing to be a substitute.

The next morning, he stared at the blood on the sheets for a long time before finally saying, "I'll take responsibility. We'll get mated."

We became mates.

After our mating ceremony, I did everything I could to please him.

He had stomach problems, so I woke up early every day to prepare healing broths. When he was busy with pack business, I learned to help him with documents. When he had nightmares, I stayed awake all night comforting him.

Gradually, the way Kael looked at me changed.

He seemed to start caring for me too. He remembered my favorite foods, personally prepared herbal teas during my cycles, and would gently kiss my forehead when I slept.

Later, we had River and Stone.

Both pups were devoted to me, and Kael would often pull me into his arms with a smile, saying, "My mate, you've worked so hard."

Those five years were the happiest time of my life.

Until—

Sage suddenly "rose from the dead," reappearing before him.

In that moment, I clearly saw Kael's eyes instantly ignite with light.

What made me even more desperate was that River and Stone, my two sons, quickly turned toward Sage as well.

"Aunt Sage is so much gentler than Mommy!"

"Aunt Sage plays games with us. Mommy just tells us what to do!"

"Daddy, can we make Aunt Sage our mommy?"

Every time, Kael would just glance at me briefly, then ruffle our sons' hair, saying, "Don't talk nonsense."

But he never contradicted them.

I felt like an outsider, watching helplessly as my stolen five years of happiness completely shattered the moment Sage returned.

And now, they were using such cruel methods to force me to admit to a crime I didn't commit.

"I didn't attack her!" I pulled myself from the memories, my voice shaking. "Kael, let him go!"

Kael's eyes were ice-cold. "Since you're so stubborn, then experience the pain of losing what you love most."

He raised his hand, and a warrior immediately cut the rope!

"No—!"

I watched helplessly as the rope snapped and my brother's body plummeted straight toward the boiling silver.

I lunged forward like a madwoman, but the warriors pressed me down. I could only scream in despair: "Kael! You killed him! You killed him!"

The pain tore through me as I suddenly spat out fresh blood. River saw this and rolled his eyes impatiently. "Enough already. That wasn't even Uncle up there, just a dummy. Mommy, why are you so dramatic?"

Stone snorted too. "Yeah, we were just scaring you. That's what you get for hurting Aunt Sage."

My whole body went limp as I collapsed heavily to the ground, my heart nearly stopping.

Kael looked down at me from above. "Remember this feeling. Sage died and came back to life. I can't lose her a second time."

He paused, his tone softening slightly. "I know what you're worried about. I'm already mated to you, so I'll fulfill my duties as a mate and father. I won't sever mate bond with you. So stop trying to drive Sage away."

I looked up at him, trembling.

But I was already preparing for sever the mate bond... I didn't want this mate who favored Sage, or these sons who adored her more than me.

Just as I was about to speak, Kael's phone rang.

"Sage?" He answered immediately, his tone instantly gentle. "You're in pain again? Alright, I'm coming right over."

After hanging up, he didn't even glance at me before quickly leaving with River and Stone.

The warehouse instantly became empty, leaving only me kneeling on the ground, tears falling into the dust.

I wiped away my tears and was about to stand when my phone suddenly vibrated.

A message from Sage appeared—

【Aria, I had someone switch out that dummy. What's frying in the silver now is your dear little brother.】

My blood instantly froze.

I stumbled toward the cauldron, scalding heat hitting my face and burning my eyes.

In the boiling silver, my brother's body was already burned beyond recognition, his skin charred black, limbs twisted and deformed. But his wolf form was still visible—and those eyes were still wide open, staring at me.

"Finn... Finn!"

I frantically reached for him, but the molten silver splashed onto my hand, instantly raising bloody blisters.

I trembled from the pain but still desperately tried to grab my brother's hand. He couldn't even make a sound anymore, just his lips slightly trembling, as if trying to call me "sister."

I had to save him!

Even if there was only the slightest hope!

I dialed 911 with shaking hands, then frantically lifted Finn and rushed out of the Blackwood family compound.

My whole body shook, tears blurring my vision, but I still held my brother tightly, stumbling as I flagged down a taxi.

"To the hospital! Fast! Please!" My voice was hoarse, nearly breaking.

The driver was startled by my blood-covered appearance and floored the gas pedal.

In the hospital corridor, I rushed into the emergency room holding my dying brother, but the nurse looked at me helplessly. "Ms. Aria, Alpha Kael just ordered all doctors to attend to Ms. Sage. There's no one available to operate on your brother..."

My whole body trembled as I immediately called Kael.

"Kael! Please... please get a doctor to save Finn! He fell into the silver! He's dying!"

On the other end, Kael's voice was cold as ice. "Aria, that was just a dummy. How long are you going to keep this up?"

In the background, I could hear River and Stone complaining.

"Why is Mommy always so unreasonable?"

"Daddy, ignore her. Aunt Sage is waiting for you."

Kael hung up directly.

I knelt on the ground, desperately begging everyone around me, but they all avoided me.

By the time I finally found a doctor willing to help, Finn's body had already gone cold.

"Finn... Finn!"

I held my brother's charred wolf form tightly, crying and screaming in despair, but the young wolf in my arms would never respond to me again.

He was dead.

Killed by the man I loved most.