Chapter 4

The following evening, Cassian arrived at my living quarters with an even nastier expression than before.

"Mom waited an entire afternoon for you. Why didn't you show up to apologize to Daphne?" he asked accusingly.

He seemed to think that I was being horribly ungrateful.

As I tidied up the items scattered across my desk, I asked him without looking up, "When did I ever agree to visit and apologize to her?"

Cassian walked over to the desk, grabbed my wrist, and forced me to look at him.

"Seraphina, must you be so stubborn?" he asked.

He took out an ancient wolf fang amulet.

"Our pup will be born with the blessings of an entire pack. He'll have the best living quarters and the strongest warriors to watch over him. He'll also become my sole successor. Is that still not enough?"

I lifted my hand slightly.

I once imagined countless times how Cassian would look standing before the temple with our pup in his arms. Yet, that same pup never even got to open his eyes before he died.

Cassian continued in a softer tone, "Come back to the main residence with me tomorrow and explain to Daphne that you don't intend to kick her out of the pack."

It turned out that the blessings meant for our pup came with their own conditions.

I slid the amulet back to him and said, "I refuse. Our pup doesn't need to curry favor with Daphne just to earn his father's recognition."

Cassian laughed coldly and gripped the amulet tightly in his hand.

"You're being impossible right now."

He adjusted his collar, then said harshly, "Since you're so fond of putting on airs, there's no need for us to see each other again before the bonding ceremony."

Sure enough, he didn't show up again over the next few days.

He occasionally issued a few inconsequential warnings over our mate bond for me to behave on the day of the full moon and not embarrass us before the pack. Aside from that, he also sent over a flowchart and video showing the setup for the bonding ceremony.

He'd personally taken charge of the temple's decorations.

From blue flowers native to the snowy plains and the local firegrass to berry-flavored wine and moonshine cakes, everything was ordered to my liking.

In fact, the nursery for our pup had also been furnished with the little rocking horse and cradle I'd once described to him. There wasn't a single detail that failed to meet my expectations, but I felt completely unmoved.

Cassian could have been the best mate in the entire pack.

Yet, he'd personally ruined every possibility of that with his unreserved favoritism and indulgence toward Daphne.

On the night before the bonding ceremony, I left behind the gown and crown he'd delivered to my quarters.

Then, I turned and got into the carriage prepared by my maternal pack, beginning my journey back to the Snowfield Pack.

On the night of the full moon, the Gale Pack was brightly lit.

Dressed in ceremonial Alpha attire, Cassian announced to the entire pack that the bonding ceremony and succession ceremony would both be taking place tonight.

His voice rang out loud and clear, filled with absolute certainty about his future.

Meanwhile, I stood at the edge of the snowy plains with my hands lifted toward the rising full moon.

As I uttered my first vow, Cassian, who was standing in the center of the temple, clutched at his chest.

The violent pain of his wolf being torn apart shot through him without any warning.

Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. He clutched at his chest in agony, staggered, and fell to his knees.

It was a form of punishment according to the Moon Goddess' laws—a devastating sign that one had been well and truly rejected by their destined mate.

The guard who had been sent to fetch me for the ceremony stumbled into the temple.

He reported, "Alpha Cassian… Ms. Lovell is gone… She's taken all her personal belongings with her, leaving behind only a moonstone casket."