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##Chapter 1

To secure the throne of the Shadow Pac, he betrayed me, sleeping with the Omega who had just lost her brother. My son and I were nothing more than sacrifices to his ambition.

Determined to reclaim my dignity, I abandoned the final rose of our doomed relationship and left with my son. From that moment on, I rose to power as the Blood Moon Queen—a ruler he could only look up to in awe.

But the past remains unresolved. When he came to me, kneeling, begging for aid, I smiled and returned his plea with a devastating storm of retribution.

……

I picked up the crystal rose that had fallen to the ground, its icy edges slicing my fingertips. Blood dripped down, as if performing a final tribute for some ritual.

Marcus, my Alpha wolf, had once given me 99 roses during our passionate love affair and told me, "You are my only moon, I will forever be loyal to you."

So, every time Marcus spent a night with Camilla, I personally discarded one rose.

And this was the 97th rose I had thrown away.

Looking at the remaining two roses was like seeing my dignity and patience being exhausted.

But what was all this for?

To satisfy Marcus's ambition, or for the inheritance rights of the Erebus Clan he had to secure?

Marcus's brother died in a war. He had no children, only a noble-blooded Omega wolf, Camilla.

The elders of the Erebus Clan promised Marcus that if he could impregnate Camilla, he would become the new Alpha of the Erebus Clan.

I thought it was temporary, that Marcus would eventually come back to me. But as the roses symbolizing loyalty and love dwindled, I knew it was almost time for me to leave.

That day was sunny. Marcus was playing a lifting game with our son Dorian. He hoisted Dorian high above his head with both hands, filling the room with Dorian's joyful laughter. The afternoon sun cast a soft glow on Marcus's profile, almost deceptively gentle.

At that moment, a servant knocked on the door. "Alpha, Lady Camilla is pregnant."

Marcus paused. In the next second, he became flustered and jubilant like a young wolf experiencing fatherhood for the first time.

"I... I need to see her!" His voice trembled.

I watched him rise hastily without a word for me or Dorian.

"Daddy!" Dorian clutched his arm, his small hand gripping tightly, unwilling to let go. "You said you would practice archery with me today."

Marcus hesitated and looked at me with an unmistakable plea in his eyes—to pacify our child and to be understanding.

I didn't move.

The next second, a maid rushed in breathlessly. "Lady Camilla is in pain. Please hurry!"

He anxiously shook off Dorian. "Behave yourself!"

Dorian fell to the ground, crying out in shock and fear.

I quickly helped him up and held him close, feeling both heartbroken and guilty.

"You're not a doctor. Can your presence really ease her pain? Besides, Dorian is just a five-year-old child. Why must you be so harsh?"

Marcus looked at me. His expression changed drastically as if I had uttered some unforgivable blasphemy.

"You've changed, Sylvia," he growled softly. "You've become jealous and petty, like a madwoman consumed by hatred."