Chapter 1

As if afraid I wouldn't believe him, Liam Morgan added, "It really was an accident. I was drugged. When I woke up, I was already in bed with Lily.

"She's your sister, after all. For your sake, I should take responsibility for her—make it up to her."

Beside him, Lily dabbed at her eyes, sobbing softly. "Tania, please don't make things hard for Liam. If there's anyone to blame, blame me…"

I didn't respond.

The wolfsbane toxin was spreading again. A sharp, pulsing ache throbbed at my temples, growing clearer in the dead silence. I turned and walked into the guest bedroom, shutting the door behind me and locking all that ugliness on the other side.

In the middle of the night, I drifted awake.

Lustful, broken sounds seeped into my ears.

If the first time could be blamed on drugs, then what was this—now, in the dead of night? Impulse?

"…Liam." Lily's voice came between gasps. "Aren't you afraid Tania will wake up and see us?"

"She won't know." Liam's breathing was heavy, his tone calm to the point of indifference. "Relax. I cut off the mind link with her a long time ago."

I froze.

While I had been forcing myself to endure the toxin's erosion, daring not to let a trace of pain show—terrified that even the slightest emotional fluctuation might reach him through our bond—he had already severed the mind link on his own, just so he could indulge in another relationship.

As I suffered alone, how many times had this kind of betrayal already happened?

I returned silently to my room.

I had originally planned to restore the mind link once I recovered a little, so Liam wouldn't worry. Now, it seemed none of that was necessary.

The next morning, a rich, heavy aroma drifting from the kitchen woke me.

When I entered the dining room, Liam was setting several plates of sliced venison on the table.

Lily cut off a piece and placed it in her mouth, her eyes narrowing in delight. "Liam, you're amazing! How did you know I love venison?"

My stomach clenched violently. A surge of nausea rushed straight up my throat.

I'm allergic to venison.

Back then, not long after our wedding, I had nearly died after eating it by mistake. Liam, in his capacity as Alpha, had personally issued an order banning the hunting and consumption of venison throughout the territory.

And now, that forbidden scent filled my home…cooked by Liam himself…placed on the table to win my sister's smile.

Lily's voice pulled me back. "Why aren't you eating, Tania? Liam got up early just to make this."

Liam didn't look up. He pushed another plate of venison toward Lily and snapped at me, "Hurry up and eat. Don't be so fussy."

I opened my mouth, stunned at how quickly he had forgotten.

Lily set down her fork, her voice trembling. "Liam… is Tania unhappy that I'm staying here? Maybe I should go back to our own pack. I don't want to upset her."

"Stay." Liam's tone was final. "Your sister just needs time to adjust. This is your home too."

Home?

The word stabbed straight into my eyes.

I had left the Moruna Pack alone, crossed territories, and come to the Fallen Blood Pack to become Liam's Luna.

He had held my hand and sworn to the Moon Goddess that he would never betray me. To put my heart at ease, he had even personally designed this house to resemble my homeland.

Once, Liam had stubbornly refused to let anyone step foot into the "homeland" he had recreated for me. Now, there was a third person here.

I left the dining room and opened my contact list.

To my father—the Alpha of the Moruna Pack—I sent a message: [Dad, I want to sever my mate bond and return home.]