I completely left him and he regretted it.

At that time, my grandmother was gravely ill. He had raised me through scavenging and trading for scraps of food, just enough to keep us alive until I completed my coming of age trial. Fate never granted him the chance to enjoy his later years.

His life was like a lamp about to go out. Only by constantly consuming precious medicine and rituals could its faint flame be prolonged.

I could not afford such a cost.

I lay awake night after night, keeping watch over him, listening as his breathing grew shallower.

The turning point came on the second day after I met Evan.

He proposed a mate bond to me, his tone calm and straightforward, as if negotiating a transaction.

He would provide everything my grandmother needed, medicine, priests, and protection.

In exchange, I would become his mate, stand by his side, and take Karen’s place.

I understood exactly what that meant.

But I did not want my grandmother to die in pain.

So I agreed.

After the bond was formed, he did treat me well.

Because of my lowly origins, his parents did not approve of me. He simply excluded them from the ceremony.

When people within the tribe whispered, he made his stance public and suppressed all disrespect.

He never deprived me of material things or resources. Furs, ornaments, moonstones, as long as I asked, he would give.

Through these things, he compensated for my barren childhood.

If even the smallest mark appeared on my face, he would become unusually tense, as if that face itself mattered more than I did.

Those details once made me believe that he loved me.

That illusion shattered the day I discovered the room he never allowed me to enter.

That time, a small beast I had raised was kicked to death by Diana. I confronted him in fury, even threatening to tell Evan.

Diana only smiled.

The smile was cold and cruel.

You think he truly loves you.

Before I could react, he seized my collar and dragged me into the forbidden room.

It was a carefully arranged chamber, bright as a dream.

The most blinding sight was an entire stone wall covered densely with portraits.

The girl in the paintings, from childhood to adulthood, from innocent smiles to gentle eyes.

She looked almost exactly like me.

I stood there, barely able to breathe.

Behind me, Diana spoke coldly.

Do you see clearly now. This is the woman my brother loves. You stand beside him only because you look like her. And you still dare to dream of becoming his true mate. I am telling you, you are not worthy.

From that day on, I began to distance myself from Evan.

He noticed, but did not ask.

In his eyes, there was no need to explain anything to someone who was not loved.

A year ago, the clan physician said my grandmother could live for another three years.

But he left quietly one night.

There was no pain, no struggle.

As I watched over his body, I realized for the first time that I no longer had a reason to stay.

I asked Evan to let me leave.

He refused.

He said to wait until Karen returned.

He said that before I left, I had to give the position back to him.

I knew I owed him my life, and far too much in resources and protection.

So I stayed.

Now, Karen had returned.

And I had finally repaid everything that needed to be repaid.

That night, I began to run a fever.

At first, it was only heat beneath my skin. Soon after, chills and burning alternated, trapping me between fire and ice. A dull ache rose from deep within the wound, as if something were corroding my flesh and blood from the inside.