Just then, another procession of pack members arrived.

They carried moonpetal flowers, engraved silver vases, and honey cakes made with morning dew and berries…

All of Lyra's favorite things.

Seraphina stared blankly, feeling an invisible hand squeezing her heart.

The effort Damian was putting into this for Lyra far surpassed the grand ceremony he had held for her.

"Damian…" Seraphina looked at him, her voice trembling slightly. "Aren't you going to give me an explanation?"

Damian opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Lyra reached out to Seraphina, her voice choked with emotion, her eyes red.

"Sister, it's all my fault. I feel like I don't have much time left, and I just wanted to know what it feels like to be a true mate. I begged Damian to just act it out with me."

"I swear, I'm not trying to take him from you. As soon as the ceremony is over, I'll give him right back, okay?"

At her words, both Damian and Leo's expressions changed.

"Lyra, what are you doing? You're too weak for this, get up!"

"Yeah, Aunt Lyra, nothing is more important than your health!"

Just then, the Alpha and Luna—her parents—walked over.

Seeing Lyra's tear-streaked face, her mother rushed forward in distress. "Lyra, my child, what's wrong?"

Her father, the Alpha of the pack, shot a cold glare at Seraphina and strode forward.

*SLAP!*

A sharp, stinging blow landed on her face, sending her stumbling to the ground.

"Seraphina, you're bullying your sister again! You know how weak she is, how dare you push her like this!"

The slap was so heavy that she nearly fell.

Only Blaze ran to her side, licking her burning cheek and soothing the pain with his warm life essence.

Everyone else was crowded around Lyra.

Her father, her mother, her mate, her son…

Seraphina's gaze swept over them all, and a self-mocking smile touched her lips.

It didn't matter. Soon, she would forget them, and she would never have to be a bother to them again.

Seraphina clutched her face and slowly stood up. "Blaze, let's go."

Damian paused, a sudden, inexplicable sense of unease washing over him.

He let go of Lyra and called out, "Phina…"

But Lyra immediately collapsed into his arms. "Damian, it hurts so much…"

Damian's expression tightened. Without hesitation, he scooped her up and rushed towards her chambers.

Leo, the Alpha, and the Luna followed close behind.

Seraphina didn't look back to see their panic. She no longer cared.

Let Damian truly become Lyra's mate. Let Leo become Lyra's son.

Back in her stone house, one side of Seraphina's face was already red and swollen.

She circulated her inner power to reduce the swelling, then patted Blaze beside her. "Does the hit from Leo still hurt?"

Blaze shook his head, his crystalline eyes filled with a hint of sorrow.

Seraphina forced a smile. "Are you feeling sorry for me? It's okay. I'm used to it."

She had lived like this for nearly a hundred years.

Even the deepest wounds eventually go numb.

As darkness fell, Damian returned.

Seeing Seraphina and Blaze huddled together, he frowned but softened his tone as he approached. "Phina, don't take what happened today to heart. You know how fragile Lyra is. Her emotions are extremely unstable."

"She said the Mating Ceremony was her only wish, that she wanted to experience it just once, even if it's fake. I have to make it happen for her."

Seraphina stared silently at the man who had once vowed to protect her for life.

Suddenly, she felt a warmth on her forehead. The Mark of the Moon was heating up.

She realized she could no longer remember the moment she first met Damian.

The Moon Goddess's words echoed in her mind: "In seven days, this mark will sever your bonds and erase your memories."

So the forgetting had already begun, bit by bit.

No wonder her heart felt so still.

"Mm, I don't mind."

Her lack of protest didn't seem to reassure Damian. "The ceremony is just for show. It's not real."

Seraphina's lips curved into a faint smile. "Then why don't we make the act more convincing? Let's go to the Oathstone and dissolve our soul-bond."

Damian froze. "You want to break our bond?"

"After your ceremony with Lyra is complete, and after she's feeling a bit better, we can go back to the Oathstone and forge a new pact," Seraphina said calmly. "It's all for Lyra. This would make her happier, wouldn't it?"

Damian hesitated. His instincts told him it was unnecessary.

But when he thought of Lyra, he took Seraphina's hand. "Phina, I knew you still cared about Lyra. Does your face still hurt from Father's slap?"

"It doesn't hurt," Seraphina said flatly.

The pain they inflicted on her no longer hurt at all.