Chapter 1

• Serelina’s POV
• “Ma’am, what happened to you? Your body’s in terrible shape.”
• I froze when I heard the doctor.
• A month ago, my mate, Emeric, was attacked by a rogue lone wolf. I threw myself in front of him and took the killing blow. The rogue’s claws shredded my shoulder, and wolf poison flooded into me.
• I didn’t have a wolf. The pain was so brutal that I blacked out on the spot. When I woke up, my mate told me the poison was gone.
• I trusted Emeric. I didn’t question it. But that past week I'd had constant headaches, stomach pain, no strength, and I’d been vomiting blood. Emeric hadn’t been home in a long time, so I came to the hospital alone.
• Uneasy, I told the doctor about the wolf poison.
• She sighed and asked helplessly, “I ran your tests and saw you don’t have a wolf. Why would you throw yourself in front of a rogue like that?”
• Yeah. Why?
• I didn't have a wolf, and my partner was a powerful Alpha.
• Even so, I used my own body to block the rogue’s claws.
• Because I loved him. Because I couldn’t stand seeing him hurt.
• I smiled and didn’t answer her question. Instead, I asked calmly as I could, “So… the wolf poison wasn't cleared?”
• Her face turned grim. “We found a rare genetic condition in your system. Normally, it stays dormant your whole life. But the wolf poison triggered it.”
• A chill crept through me as her words sank in.
• “Genetic…? Is it serious?”
• The doctor hesitated for a moment.
• “I’m very sorry,” she said, full of regret. “With the medical resources we have in Snownight Pack, there’s no cure. You have six months left.”
• My eyes widened. My heart dropped into a pit.
• The heat blasted through the room, but my hands and feet went ice-cold. It felt like I’d been dumped into a frozen lake.
• She shook her head, weighed down by the words she left unsaid. “If it weren’t for the poison…”
• She didn’t finish her sentence. She didn’t have to.
• There was no point in thinking about what-ifs.
• Besides, even if the Moon Goddess gave me another chance, I would've made the same choice.
• “Thanks…”
• Holding the diagnosis, I stumbled out of the hospital like a ghost.
• Wind knifed across my face, carrying snow with it. True to Snownight Pack’s name, snow poured from the dark, heavy sky.
• I pulled my coat tighter around myself. The doctor’s words kept echoing in my head.
• Six months…
• Was I really going to die in six months?
• My thoughts drifted for a second—and then a horn blared loudly enough to split my skull.
• Before I could react, a car barreled straight toward me.
• My mind went blank. My whole body locked up. Just when I thought that was it, the driver yanked the wheel at the last second, and the car skimmed past me.
• Brushing against death snapped me out of it. I stumbled back on instinct, too fast and too hard. I lost my balance and went down, slamming onto the ground.
• A stabbing pain shot through my ankle. I winced and looked toward the car.
• Before I could say a word, the driver rolled down his window and barked, “Fuck! Are you blind? Do you have a death wish?”
• His voice cut through the cold air, sharp and furious.
• “If you wanna die, do it somewhere else, bitch!”
• After venting his rage, he sped off.
• I stayed on the ground and let out a crooked little laugh at myself.
• Yeah. I really was dying.
• The sting in my chest pressed up behind my eyes. I fought the urge to cry and called Emeric.
• If I was going to die any second then, my only wish was to hear his voice.
• No answer.
• I called three times. Still nothing.
• I refused to give up. Maybe he was busy. Maybe he was in a meeting.
• Thinking that, I carefully typed out a message.
• [I’m hurt. Are you coming home tonight?]
• Five minutes later, he finally replied.
• [Back.]
• One word, but it completely flipped my mood. I felt giddy. Even the pain eased a little.
• I grabbed a cab back to Ravencrest Manor, where my mate and I lived.
• My mate, Emeric, was the Alpha of Snownight Pack.
• Three years ago, we bonded. I became his mate.
• But because I didn't have a wolf, he never held a Luna ceremony for me.
• Which meant that, to the pack, their Alpha was still single.
• I didn’t care about the title or the ceremony. As long as he looked at me a little more, that was enough.
• I went to the bedroom and decided to put away my medical report.
• Emeric was finally coming home. I didn’t want bad news poisoning our time together.
• I opened the closet, rose onto my toes, and slid the report into the top drawer. That was when my gaze caught on something.
• Emeric’s suit jacket hung there. From the suit pocket, a strip of red lace peeked out like a slap to the face.
• I went rigid. A bad feeling crawled up my spine. Hands shaking, I tugged the lace free.
• A pair of red lace panties.
• I went blank. It felt like all the blood in my body rushed backward. My chest hurt so badly that I couldn’t breathe.
• Emeric… cheated?
• I didn’t want to believe it, but the evidence was right in front of me.
• For three years, I’d done everything a mate should do. I kept the house in order. I obeyed him. I took care of him.
• I thought that if I did it all just right, he’d be satisfied. He’d come home more often. He might even grow to like me a little.
• Reality slapped me hard across the face.
• Three years of devotion. I even risked my life for him. And what did I get in return? Betrayal.
• Nausea surged through me. I dropped the panties, staggered into the bathroom, and collapsed over the toilet.
• What came up was blood. Bright, horrifying red.
• Looks like the doctor was right. I really didn't have much time left.
• I slumped against the wall. My vision pulsed black at the edges. I was trying to stand when I heard footsteps outside the door.
• My heart jumped. I flushed the toilet in panic. In the bowl, faint streaks of blood hadn’t fully swirled away. My pulse thundered.
• The next second, the bathroom door slammed open.