Chapter 1

"Amara, did you run away from the lake last night just so you could give us attitude this morning?"

The bedroom door was kicked open, hitting the wall with a dull thud.

Declan leaned against the doorframe, holding a rusty metal basin.

Inside was a cracked pomegranate, its red seeds covered in thick mud.

I stopped packing my bags and calmly looked up at my fated mate.

He crossed the room in a few strides and slammed the basin onto my vanity.

"Your breakfast. Eat it."

"Since you love calling yourself a Servant of Death, a muddy pomegranate suits your status perfectly."

His tone was full of mockery, mixed with a hint of arrogant pity.

I watched the muddy water leak from the basin and spread across the tabletop, my fingertips curling into fists.

"Declan, this joke isn't funny."

"Who has time for jokes?"

Julian strolled in from the hallway.

He pinched a cluster of muddy pomegranate seeds and shoved them against my lips.

"A Servant of Death is supposed to eat the fruit of the Underworld, right? Just to fight over a few stupid lanterns, you dared to spout that nonsense about the Underworld."

"Now that we brought you your favorite food, why are you playing the victim?"

The gritty mud smeared against my mouth, the smell of wet dirt rushing up my nose.

I turned my head to dodge his hand.

Julian sneered and tossed the seeds back into the basin in disgust.

"You're putting on quite the act."

Soft footsteps echoed from the hallway. Chloe walked in, carrying a mug of warm oat milk.

She was wearing my favorite silk nightgown. The long sleeves were loosely rolled up to reveal her delicate wrists.

"Stop bullying my sister. She's a crybaby, and she's going to start crying any second."

She walked up and offered me the mug.

"Amara, don't blame them. Last night was my fault. I shouldn't have complained about being nervous for the Academy interview."

"They felt bad for me, so they wrote my name on all the lanterns."

Her eyes grew teary, her voice soft and sweet.

I stared quietly at the oat milk in her hand.

It was what my brother, Ryker, used to make for me every single morning without fail. He knew it was my favorite since I was a little girl.

He never trusted anyone else with my meals, so he made it himself.

But now, all of that was for Chloe.

"Chloe, why are you bothering with her?"

Ryker stepped into the room and pulled Chloe behind him.

He had once sworn to protect me forever, but right now his eyes were cold. He looked at me like I was a stubborn stranger.

"Amara, if you insist on throwing a hunger strike over a few worthless lanterns, you might as well starve."

"Everyone is busy. Nobody has time to play make-believe with you every day."

A sharp ache settled in my chest.

I took a deep breath and pulled my old journal from the drawer.

"Brother, today is the day we agreed to go to the pack cemetery. To visit Mom and Dad."

Ryker stiffened for a second.

After the pack war four years ago, our parents placed my hand in his with their dying breaths.

Ever since then, on the day after the festival, he would cancel all his pack patrols to visit their graves with me.

He swore an oath that he'd never let me grieve alone, and he'd never let a Rogue touch a hair on my head.

"Not today."

Ryker avoided my gaze, his jaw tight.

"Chloe has her Academy interview today, and it's important. I need to go with her to calm her nerves."

"We can go to the cemetery next week."

I looked at him quietly. "What if I need to go today?"

"Can you stop being so selfish?"

Declan interrupted impatiently. "Amara, is there any other day you can't go?"

"Chloe is only an Omega. This interview decides her future in the pack."

"You used to be so understanding. Why are you being so unreasonable?"

Unreasonable.

That word shattered my last illusion of warmth, leaving me completely numb.

I looked down at the first line in my journal.

[First wish: Visit the cemetery with Brother to see Mom and Dad.]

After finding out there were no lanterns for me last night, I sat alone on the balcony until dawn.

My mind was consumed by the Dark Goddess of the Underworld's final warning.

The countdown had exactly seven days left.

In seven days, death would strip away this broken body.

I wanted to fulfill a few final wishes before I left, just to put an end to this absurd bond.

Sadly, the first one had already failed.

I pulled the cap off my pen and crossed the line out.

"Fine. I'll go by myself."

I grabbed my coat from the chair and walked out.

As I passed Ryker, he grabbed my wrist.

"Do you have to push it this far?"

His Alpha grip was crushing, making my bones ache.

I looked up and met his eyes calmly.

"Let go. I'll never bother you again."

Ryker dropped my hand as if he'd been burned, his brow furrowed.

"Suit yourself. Come talk to me when you stop throwing tantrums and learn to be considerate."

I didn't give him another glance and walked downstairs.

The moment the front door shut, I heard Julian's cheerful laughter from upstairs.

"Chloe, hurry up and change. We'll take the sports car and be your personal bodyguards today. We'll make sure you walk into that interview feeling like a queen."

The heavy wooden door blocked out their joy.

A cold wind mixed with autumn rain hit my face. I pulled my coat tight and walked alone into the downpour.