Chapter 2

Lyra's POV

I was a werewolf raised in the human world. For more than 20 years, I survived on my own. I never felt like I belonged anywhere, nor did I care to fit into a pack. I thought I didn't need anyone.

When Damian first showed up, I was at an underground bar in a human city. He was hunting down a traitor and had accidentally crossed into my territory. It was love at first sight for him, and the very first words out of his mouth were, "It's you. You're the only one I want."

Later, while saving me from a group of Rogues, his chest was pierced by multiple silver arrows, and he collapsed in the rain.

I stayed by his side for three days. On the fourth day, I found his Beta and said, "Take him back to your territory. He needs treatment."

That was the first time I stepped into a pure werewolf society.

Born with a rare ability that allowed me to absorb and neutralize any toxins, I stayed by his bedside and used my own body to share the burden of his injuries.

Seven days later, Damian opened his eyes. The first thing he did was mark me, making me his one and only fated mate—his Luna.

For the next five years, he spoiled me rotten. Everyone said that Alpha Damian loved his Luna with all his heart.

That was until Clara came back.

Clara was the she-wolf he'd grown up with. Two years ago, she was captured during a conflict between territories and disappeared.

The day she was found, I saw a light in Damian's eyes that I'd never seen before. And then, he was "poisoned" during the next hunting expedition.

He forgot me, but he remembered Clara. Not only did he become obsessed with spoiling and doting on her, but he also wanted to hold a grand mating ceremony with her.

I held up our mate token, begging him to remember me. But he just grabbed it and threw it onto the ground, smashing it to pieces.

"Don't look so pathetic, Lyra. Clara has been through hell. She's the only one I love."

To completely destroy the last bit of hope I had left, he personally forced the bowl of poison—silver powder mixed with wolfsbane—down my throat.

But now, I knew the truth.

Jenna returned in tears, her face filled with helplessness and heartache.

"I'm so useless. I couldn't bring Alpha Damian here. He said… He said you're faking your illness and that you should stop playing these games."

She paused, her throat tightening. "He also said… even if you do die of sickness, you shouldn't bother him. He's taking Clara to the northern hunting grounds to see the aurora."

I weakly opened my eyes.

The werewolf territory was bathed in moonlight all year round. How could there be an aurora?

It wasn't until Jenna explained that I understood. Damian had mobilized his elite guards and used magical devices to project an illusion of the aurora across the hunting grounds, all just to make Clara happy.

To maintain the display, countless patrol guards had been pulled away from the outer perimeter of the hunting grounds, causing several elderly guards to collapse after taking consecutive shifts.

A quiet laugh slipped from my lips, completely devoid of warmth.

Right then, the door was violently thrown open.

"Lyra Caelwyn, have you lost your mind? How dare you poison Clara?"

I instinctively wanted to defend myself, but Damian grabbed my wrist in one swift move.

"Don't bother denying it. Other than you, who else in this entire territory would be jealous enough of Clara to do this? If anything happens to her, I'll make sure you regret it!"

With that, he dragged me straight to the Alpha's quarters. He pointed at Clara lying on the bed, her eyes shut tight and her lips blue.

"She's been poisoned. You can purify toxins, so remove the toxins from her right now."

I stared at him for a moment, then a laugh bubbled out of me.

"Damian, if you've forgotten everything about me, how do you still remember that I can neutralize toxins?" I asked, my voice cold.

His eyes flickered, and a trace of awkwardness crossed his face, but he quickly returned to his look of impatience.

"I heard someone mention it. Now, stop wasting time. You're the one who poisoned her, so isn't it only right that you save her?"

I clenched my fingers.

Today was the full moon. I was already suffering from the unbearable pain of my old wound flaring up, and there wasn't anything left inside me to give. Yet, Damian still wanted me to save Clara.

"Damian, today is the full moon. Do you really not remember what day this is?"

Damian froze. His brows furrowed, and a flicker of hesitation appeared across his face.