Chapter 4

"Why should I apologize?" I said with a cold laugh, staring at him. "You pushed her!" "She fell on her own." Bella sobbed softly in his arms, voice catching. "Lucien, don't blame her. I just lost my balance... it just hurts a little..." Lucien's gaze returned to me, cold as a blade. "Fine. Since you won't bow your head, I'll grant you your wish." He gritted his teeth, voice measured— "We'll break our bond now." The surrounding air seemed to freeze instantly. I heard my own heartbeat—calm, steady. "Good," I said with a smile. "That's exactly what I want." Bella lifted her head, pupils dilating. "Lucien, you can't—she'll die!" A flash of hesitation crossed Lucien's face, but he still said coldly, "She chose destruction long ago." He turned to the elders present. "Prepare the ceremony immediately. According to law, a mate who severs bonds with an Alpha—exile from the pack." The elders exchanged uncertain glances, but none dared disobey. The air in the hall grew heavy, the smell of burning charcoal mixing with cold cedar, almost suffocating. I laughed. "Exile?" I walked closer, lowering my voice. "Lucien, you've got it backwards—the pack needs me. I don't need the pack." His brow twitched, showing doubt for the first time. "What do you mean?" I reached out, lightly touching the bite mark on my neck. The blood glowed with an eerie silver light in the moonlight. "You think I'm a fragile half-breed?" I said quietly. "But you don't know who my mother was." In that instant, a low tremor rippled through the air, as if some sealed power was responding. Lucien's pupils constricted, throat working. "Seraphine... what are you?" "Me?" I looked up with a slight smile. "I'm the one you never should have bitten." His expression shifted but quickly hardened again. "Prepare the ceremony," he said quietly. The ceremony was held in the moonlit forest. The elders wore black robes, gripping silver-inlaid bone staffs. Wind swept through the treetops, carrying the low growl of beasts. They formed a circle, the ground carved with intricate runes—light flowing from the symbols like a cold river. Lucien stood outside the circle, golden eyes flickering between firelight and moonlight. "Last chance," he said gravely. "Seraphine, if you apologize—I can stop the ceremony. You'll still be my Luna." I looked up at him. In that moment, I saw the wound on his palm still unhealed, blood dripping between his fingers—left when he rescued our past token from the fire. The old me would have softened. Not anymore. "Lucien," I said softly, "some things can't be burned, but they can be forgotten." "You're sure?" he growled, voice nearly choking. "Once severed, you'll lose everything—status, power, position—" "I've already lost everything," I interrupted him. "Then let the Moon Goddess bear witness." I turned and walked into the center of the runes. Light immediately coiled around my ankles like chains. The air turned suddenly frigid. Moonlight fell on me, and I could hear my blood boiling. Silver fire ignited from my palms, illuminating the entire forest. The elders' chants began—ancient, obscure, carrying the scent of death. My body started trembling, blood roaring, pain gripping me so tightly I could barely breathe, but I held on. The witch blood inside me flowed slowly, continuously repairing my body. Just then, I heard Lucien's voice roaring in the distance: "Stop! She'll die—!" Did he regret it already? But it was too late. The light exploded. Silver flames consumed the entire ceremonial ground. Lucien rushed into the fire, tearing through the rune bindings. He unleashed his Alpha power, trying to stop it all. "Seraphine—!" He regretted it. He had to stop her. —The flames detonated. Heaven and earth turned white.