Chapter 4

Damon’s departure was the most humiliating.

Because of my complaints, Iris nearly got expelled from the pack. To protect her and her pup, Damon silently accepted a border patrol mission that was basically a death sentence.

He traded his near-death experience just to keep Iris and the child in Silver Moon Pack.

The last time he cut the mate bond with me, the way he looked at me was ice cold.

“I was stupid,” he said.

“The biggest regret of my life is ever chreshing you.”

I didn’t understand.

They were the ones who betrayed me first, yet they spoke as if I were the guilty one.

I clutched his wrist, my strength slowly fading.

Tears blurred my vision.

When I looked up again, my eyes were empty.

Damon’s pupils tightened.

“Damon!”

He froze, then quickly let go when he saw I was struggling to breathe.

I fell hard onto the ground.

Coughing, gasping, barely able to catch my breath.

Liam rushed in right then.

He was about to pull me into his arms when Iris opened the door from the inner room.

In that instant, he pushed me away.

I stumbled backward, pain shooting through my body.

Aiden came out right after. He paused when he saw me on the ground, his expression unreadable, but he didn’t move.

Damon glanced at Liam and raised a brow.

“Didn’t you say you’d stay by Selene forever? Why are you here too?”

Then he laughed, like he suddenly understood everything.

“Oh… so even you’re tired of her now.”

“What a coincidence. All of us ended up choosing the same mate, over and over again.”

His eyes landed on me curled up on the ground, and he sneered.

Liam said nothing.

But he met my eyes.

And then looked away.

I felt like I forgot how to breathe.

I froze completely.

“Your arm… are you okay?”

Iris suddenly spoke.

Only then did everyone notice my forearm.

It was bright red, blistered, the skin rising in painful patches.

They all seemed to expect me to cry or lash out.

But I didn’t.

I slowly pulled myself up on my own.

Then I looked at Iris in silence.

Her expression was soft, almost kind.

They said even in winter, she could grow rare herbs from barren ground.

No wonder everyone in the pack liked her… except maybe me.

Sensing the tension, Iris gently patted the pup in her arms.

“Alex, say sorry to Aunt Selene, okay?”

The child buried his face in her chest and refused to speak.

Iris sighed helplessly and looked at me.

“He’s still young. I’ll apologize for him. I have good burn medicine, I’ll go get it for you.”

“No.”

Everyone turned to look at me.

“I want him to apologize.”

Iris’s smile faded slightly.

“He’s just a cub. Making him apologize now might be too much…”

“Apologize.”

“Selene!”

Damon cut me off sharply and stepped in front of Iris and the cub, his face dark.

“Why are you arguing with a child? Iris already apologized. Do you really need to make him cry?”

Aiden didn’t speak, but his furrowed brows said everything.

Even Liam shook his head slightly.

The three men who once belonged to me now stood together, shielding another woman’s child.

Iris gently tugged Damon’s sleeve.

She lowered her head and whispered something to Alex.

Finally, he turned around and muttered,

“…Sorry.”

It was reluctant. Muffled. Full of unwillingness.

Even so, their expressions stayed grim.

Iris looked at me apologetically.

“Selene, he said sorry. The burn needs treatment. Let me help you.”

She turned to get the medicine.

But I suddenly felt cold.

So cold I could barely stand.

“No need.”

I forced the words out.

Before anyone could react, I pushed the door shut behind them and stumbled into the freezing wind outside.