Chapter 1

"Are you sure you want to sign this confidential agreement?" The royal envoy handed me the document while asking for confirmation one last time.

"Once you confirm, your mate bond with Ryan will be severed, all your identity records will be destroyed, and you'll be transferred directly to the Royal Healer's Den three days from now."

"I'm certain," I said.

Calmly, I, Elena Simpson, signed my name on the document.

I had once been the most gifted healer in the werewolf world.

Ten years ago, when Ryan Simpson was gravely injured, I stayed awake for three days to clean his wound.

To prepare a top-grade antidote, I'd even added my own blood to the formula.

From that day on, he left a bouquet of dewy roses on my windowsill every morning.

Despite his own injuries, he had carved a bone whistle for me with his own hands. It was so I'd have a way to defend myself. On cold nights, he'd warm my hands with his own body heat.

The passion in his eyes had been so intense that no one could mistake it. He'd sworn I was the only Luna he'd ever have. He promised to cherish me for the rest of his life.

As we spent more time together, I'd gradually fallen in love with him too. In the end, I'd turned down an invitation from the Royal Research Institute, shed off my ambitions, and devoted myself to being the perfect mate.

Over the past ten years, I'd not only managed the pack's affairs but also raised Luke with strict discipline.

Yet now, my mate expected me to keep yielding to a weak werewolf without a wolf.

Since our son resented my strict parenting, he had grown increasingly attached to the gentle, indulgent Sophia.

It seemed there was no longer a place for me in my own home.

When I returned, Ryan, Luke, and Sophia were sitting by the fireplace.

Their laughter and easy conversation painted a picture of domestic bliss. It was as if they were a family of their own.

My gaze landed on Sophia's shoulders.

The red fox fur cloak she wore was a keepsake Ryan had given me after we got together.

Knowing how easily I got cold, he'd ventured into the frigid snowcapped mountains, hunted a rare red fox himself, and had the fur made into a custom cloak just for me.

I'd treasured it so much that I could barely bring myself to wear it. Instead, I'd carefully stored it in the deepest corner of my closet.

Now, it hung from Sophia's shoulders with its hem dragging across the floor.

Luke smiled as he adjusted the collar for her. "Sophia, now you won't be cold anymore."

The moment he turned around and saw me, the smile vanished from his face.

He immediately spread his arms to shield Sophia. He was glaring at me as if I were a thief. "Mom, Sophia is a werewolf without a wolf. She's really sensitive to the cold! She's only borrowing it for a little while. Don't start throwing another fit!"

A flicker of fear appeared on Sophia's pale face.

She nervously clutched the edge of the cloak. Her voice trembled slightly when she spoke. "Elena, I'm sorry. It's too cold in the northern territory. I didn't know this was something special to you. I'll give it back right now."

Her eyes welled up with tears as she fumbled with the clasp and tried to take it off.

Luke grabbed her hand anxiously. "Sophia, don't take it off! Mom has so many clothes in her closet. She doesn't care about a single cloak!"

Compared to his strict mother, Luke clearly preferred Sophia, who was always gentle and never tried to discipline him.

Hearing the commotion, Ryan walked over to me. His gaze shifted between me and the cloak, and his voice softened for once.

"Elena, don't be upset. Sophia developed a lasting sensitivity to the cold while she was wandering out there alone. She's only borrowing the cloak temporarily to keep warm," he said.

Watching my mate and son protect Sophia so fiercely, I suddenly found the whole situation absurd.

Sophia didn't even have to fight for anything. My mate and son would willingly hand over everything that belonged to me.

I forced a faint smile. "I never said she couldn't wear it. It's only a cloak. What are you all so worked up about?"

Luke sighed in relief. "Mom, you should've said that from the beginning."

Ryan looked surprised too, but he quickly regained his composure.

He nodded approvingly and gazed at me with newfound warmth. "That's more like it. This is how a proper Luna should behave, Elena."

I said nothing. I simply walked upstairs and left their laughter behind.

In three days, I would leave this family and never return.