His words hung in the dead silent room.

Seraphina stared at Damian in disbelief, her hands clenching into fists beneath the fur blankets, trembling uncontrollably.

"Say that again."

Damian avoided her gaze, unable to repeat the question. "I… I was just asking. If it wasn't you, then don't worry about it."

But they had been soul-bound mates for nearly a century. Did he really think she couldn't feel what he was truly thinking?

"You weren't just asking. You've already decided that I want Lyra dead. And I'm sure it's not just you. My father, my mother, and Leo all think the same, don't they?"

Damian was at a loss for words. "No, Phina, we were just worried about you."

Seraphina's eyes welled with tears, and a bitter, mocking laugh almost escaped her lips.

Before she lost consciousness, she heard what her father had said.

When she woke up, she was met with her mate's suspicion.

In their eyes, if she wasn't useful enough to give her life for Lyra, they probably wouldn't have even saved her that day.

They would have just let her die. That way, the entire Sunfire pack would get what they wanted. Everyone would be happy.

Seraphina turned her head away. "Get out… I don't want to see you."

Damian hesitated. "Phina…"

"Get out!"

Damian frowned, clearly displeased, but he eventually stood up and left.

As the stone door closed, Seraphina's tears finally fell.

Even with most of her memories gone, the fragments that remained still caused her unbearable pain, a sense of injustice, and a helpless rage.

She wiped her tears away fiercely. This was the last time she would ever feel sad because of them.

Only two days left.

The Mark of the Moon on her forehead burned once more.

*Father, Mother, Damian, Leo… soon, I will disappear completely, just as you all wish!*

The next day, the Sunfire pack decorated the territory with even more festive ornaments.

Though Seraphina no longer cared, the sight of the silver silks and white moonpetal flowers still stung her eyes.

Her wounds had mostly healed. Worried about Blaze, she left the pack's territory and went to Whisper Ridge.

As she expected, Blaze was hiding there.

The moment he saw her, he whined and backed away, the dried blood on his fur still uncleaned.

Seraphina sighed. "Blaze, I know you didn't mean to hurt me. Come here. I can see your psychic memories."

Blaze crawled towards her on his belly.

Seraphina placed her hand on his head, and the events of that day unfolded before her eyes—

Blaze had been resting in her house when he heard footsteps. He opened his eyes to see Lyra approaching.

She smiled faintly and cast a "Mind Weave" spell on him.

Though it looked like Blaze had been trying to attack Lyra, his real target had been Seraphina all along.

"I knew it was her."

Seraphina withdrew her hand, not surprised by the truth.

The reason was simple: Lyra never needed a life-transfer. She had to find a way to stop the ritual.

Seraphina smirked and used her power to clean the blood from Blaze's fur.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to Wolfhowl Peak. You're being blamed for what happened, and I can't leave you here. Why don't you… come with me?"

Blaze silently wrapped his tail around her arm.

Seraphina never imagined that in the end, the only one standing by her side would be a spirit wolf she had met by chance.

After staying for half a day, Seraphina left Whisper Ridge, but she didn't return to the pack's territory.

Instead, she went to the "Temple of Fate."

Inside, countless silver threads hung from the "Loom of Souls," each one representing the soul-bond between a pair of mates.

She found the thread connecting her and Damian without any trouble. She held it in her hand, staring at it in silence.

The temple's guardian approached her. "Little Seraphina, what brings you to visit an old man like me today… wait, what are you doing!"

A blade of light formed in Seraphina's hand, and without hesitation, she sliced through the soul-thread connecting her and Damian.

The moment the thread was cut, the names carved on the Oathstone instantly weathered away, dissolving into specks of light.

A soul-thread connected both mates. When it was severed, both would feel it.

Not long after, Damian appeared at the temple.

He saw the thread in Seraphina's hand, now in two pieces, graying and dimming.

A wave of panic washed over him, and his voice trembled.

"Seraphina, what have you done?"

Damian rushed over and tried to tie the two pieces of the thread back together. "How could you sever our soul-bond?"

Seraphina's voice was flat. "Didn't we agree? You and Lyra are having a ceremony, so we would break our bond first."

His eyes turned red. "That was all fake, just an act! We didn't need to do this!"

But no matter how hard he tried, the thread would not stay tied. The knot would always come undone.

The guardian sighed from a distance. "It's no use. Do you think a soul-thread can be tied back together so easily?"

Damian froze, his eyes welling up. "Then what can I do?"

The guardian stroked his long beard. "Only the Moon Goddess can reweave it."

Damian immediately grabbed Seraphina's hand. "Phina, let's re-bond. We'll go pray to the Goddess right now!"

Seraphina looked at him calmly, not understanding why he cared so much about a single thread.

Seeing her silence, Damian grew even more anxious.

He brought Seraphina back to the territory, only to find Leo in the courtyard, trying to cheer Lyra up.

He frowned and called Leo over. "Leo, your mother was injured. Did you even show any concern for her?"

Leo hesitated, unable to meet Seraphina's eyes. He looked away and mumbled, "Mother is too strict. Aunt Lyra is gentle… I like being with Aunt Lyra."

Damian's frown deepened. "You—"

Lyra interrupted in a soft voice. "Damian, Leo is still young. It's my fault. I know I might never have children of my own because of my health, so I treated your child like my own and got a bit too close. Blame me."

Looking at Lyra's frail appearance, Damian opened his mouth but couldn't bring himself to say anything more.

Seraphina just smiled faintly. "If he likes being with Lyra, then let him stay with her."

After all, by tomorrow, Leo could truly have Lyra as his mother.

As for the "Reborn from Embers" life-transfer ceremony… that was one dream they were destined not to have.