As her words fell, the father and son froze.

Damian stared at Seraphina, stunned. "Seraphina, what did you just… say?"

Seraphina calmly repeated herself.

Then, before their expressions could darken further, she feigned ignorance. "I've heard you two say that phrase from the Primordial Tongue before. What does it mean?"

"Oh, you were just asking what it means…" Damian visibly relaxed.

He stepped forward and took her hand, a gentle smile on his face. "It means, 'My soul has chosen you.'"

"Phina, if you want to learn the Primordial Tongue, I can teach you every day."

Seraphina slowly pulled her hand away. "No, thank you. That ancient language is too complicated. I can't learn it."

And there was no point. In six days, she wouldn't remember any of it.

Damian didn't press the issue. He kissed her forehead and asked, "I remember the Queen of the Flower Fae gave you a 'Moonpetal Snow Lotus,' right? Your bloodline is Sunfire, so you have no use for something of such extreme cold. Why not give it to Lyra to sustain her life for now?"

So that was why he had come back.

She had wondered how he could bear to leave Lyra's side.

Seraphina nodded. "Fine. Take it."

Her calm acceptance seemed to unsettle Damian. He spoke again. "Phina, you should come with us. Lyra is your sister, after all."

Seraphina shook her head. "No, I have something else to do."

Damian frowned, annoyed. "What could possibly be more important than your sister's life?"

The irony was thick enough to choke on. In the eyes of her mate and her parents, nothing was more important than Lyra.

But she didn't bother to explain. She walked straight past the father and son.

Leaving her stone house, Seraphina went to Whisper Ridge.

Years ago, during the Great Hunt War, she had been wounded and left for dead by the River of Forgetfulness. Her Alpha father, Luna mother, mate, and son never came looking for her. They were all too busy taking care of Lyra.

On the brink of death, a "Sunblaze Spirit Wolf" had carried her to Whisper Ridge, sharing its life essence with her and helping her heal.

After recovering, Seraphina had wanted to bring the spirit wolf back to the Sunfire territory, but it refused to leave.

So, she visited it every month.

Now that she had decided to forget everything and go to Wolfhowl Peak, the one she was most worried about was this spirit wolf, whom she had named Blaze.

The moment she set foot on Whisper Ridge, Blaze bounded towards her, wagging his tail and nuzzling against her like a giant dog.

Seraphina stroked his head, her heart heavy with reluctance. "Blaze, in six days, I have to leave this continent. I won't be able to visit you anymore. I know you don't want to leave Whisper Ridge, so promise me you'll take care of yourself, okay?"

Blaze understood her words. He sat down, dejected, his tail drooping as he let out a soft whine.

Seraphina smiled helplessly. "What should I do, then? Do you want to come with me to Wolfhowl Peak?"

"The abyss's aura there is too dense. A pure spirit beast like you would be uncomfortable. It's better for you to stay here and live a peaceful life."

After playing with Blaze for a while, Seraphina prepared to leave.

This time, however, Blaze followed her, even stepping outside the protective ward of Whisper Ridge.

"You want to come with me?"

Blaze nipped at the hem of her clothes and nodded.

Seraphina reasoned that the Sunfire territory was vast enough for one spirit wolf, so she brought him back with her.

But as she approached her stone house, she saw Damian and Leo taking a walk with Lyra.

Sensing Seraphina's scent on Leo, Blaze instinctively felt a kinship and trotted happily towards him, wanting to be friendly.

Leo, not understanding, raised a hand and conjured a ball of energy, blasting Blaze with "Shadowflame."

Caught completely off guard, Blaze was sent flying, crashing hard onto the ground and whimpering in pain.

"Blaze!" Seraphina's heart clenched. She rushed to check on him, then glared at her son. "Leo, what are you doing?!"

Leo flinched in fear, but then puffed out his chest defiantly. "He almost ran into Aunt Lyra! Mother, are you trying to hurt Aunt Lyra on purpose?"

Damian stepped in front of Leo, shielding him, his brow furrowed as he looked at Seraphina.

"Seraphina, how could you speak to Leo like that over some wild beast? If you act like this, don't blame him for preferring Lyra!"

Seraphina's face turned to ice, and a deep chill spread through her heart.

So it was her fault that her son preferred Lyra?

And Damian? He probably thought the same thing, didn't he?

The two sides stood in a tense standoff, no one speaking.

It was Lyra who finally broke the silence, her eyes filled with guilt. "Sister, it was Leo… he was only trying to protect me. Blame me. Please don't be angry with Leo. He's just a child."

Before she finished, Leo shot back, "Aunt Lyra, it's not your fault!"

Sarcasm flashed in Seraphina's eyes. Who exactly was his mother?

Before she could speak, she saw a line of pack members approaching, carrying wreaths of white flowers, silver silks, and ornaments carved with lunar runes.

She paused, frowning. "Is there a celebration in the pack?"

Damian and Leo's defiant expressions immediately shifted to guilt.

After a long moment, Damian finally said, "It's for Lyra's Mating Ceremony."

Seraphina stared, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Mating Ceremony? With whom?"

Leo blurted out the answer, "Aunt Lyra is having a ceremony with Father!"