For his lover, the Alpha threw me into a silver mine.

My husband, Caden—the Alpha of our tribe—drugged me unconscious and threw me into an abandoned mine filled with lethal silver dust, all because I refused to hand over that precious moonlight herb to his "frail" assistant, Seraphina.

It all happened this morning, in front of the tribe's altar.

Seraphina wrapped herself in that seemingly delicate white fur cloak, leaning against Caden's side, her voice barely a whisper: "Sister Ella... I just need a bit of the moonlight herb's energy to stabilize my transformation... Without it, I'm afraid I won't survive the next full moon."

She extended her hand, fingertips trembling slightly, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

I looked at her, my tone calm but brooking no argument: "The moonlight herb is for the upcoming sacred ritual, Seraphina. Its energy is too pure to be used for treating so-called 'transformation instability.' Tribal rules cannot be broken."

Caden's expression immediately darkened. "Ella," his voice carried the unique authority of an Alpha, but at this moment that pressure was directed solely at me, "it's just one herb. Give it to her. We can find a substitute for the ritual."

"Find a substitute?"

I almost laughed in disbelief.

"Caden, you're the Alpha—you know perfectly well how rare moonlight herb is! It determines whether our entire tribe can successfully communicate with the Moon Goddess! Her problem can be completely solved with regular potions from the healer. Why must we use a sacred ritual artifact?"

"Because I've tried all the regular potions!"

Seraphina suddenly raised her voice, tears in her tone.

"None of them worked! Only moonlight herb can save me... Sister Ella, do you hate me so much? You won't even spare a single herb?"

As she spoke, her body swayed as if she might faint at any moment.

Caden immediately reached out to support her shoulder, looking at me with eyes full of disappointment and anger. "Ella, I never thought you were such a cold-blooded, jealous woman! Seraphina just needs help!"

"Cold-blooded? Jealous?" My heart felt like it had been pierced by an ice pick. "I'm upholding tribal rules and the integrity of the sacred ritual! Since when does Seraphina's 'need' take precedence over the interests of the entire tribe?"

"I said, give it to her!" Caden's roar echoed before the altar, carrying an irrefutable command. The surrounding tribespeople all lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

I straightened my spine, meeting his intimidating gaze, and said word by word: "I. Refuse."

In that moment, the fury in Caden's eyes nearly erupted. He said nothing more, only looked at me with an extremely cold gaze, then turned and left supporting the sobbing Seraphina. I knew this wasn't over.

That evening, Caden unexpectedly returned to our dwelling. He held a cup of honey wine, his face wearing an almost gentle apology I hadn't seen in a long time.

"About this morning—I was too impulsive." He handed the wine cup to me, his voice softening. "Ella, you're my Luna. We shouldn't quarrel over an outsider. Drink this, let's reconcile, alright?"

I looked at his evasive eyes, a trace of doubt flickering through my mind. But he mentioned "Luna," mentioned our relationship. Perhaps he truly realized his bias? The exhaustion of recent days made me lower my guard. I accepted the cup.

The honey wine tasted strange, carrying a barely detectable bitterness. But I drank it anyway. Almost immediately, a powerful wave of dizziness struck, my limbs instantly losing strength.

The crystal cup slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor. The last thing that entered my vision was Caden's expressionless face, even carrying a trace of cold satisfaction.

"You..."

Darkness swallowed me.

When I woke again, I found myself lying on a cold, hard surface.

Pitch darkness surrounded me, with only some faintly phosphorescent moss providing pitiful light. The air was thick with acrid metallic dust that burned my lungs with every breath, and my proud werewolf healing ability had completely failed.

This was... the depths of the abandoned silver mine! Caden had actually thrown me here!

Just then, my mind buzzed as chaotic thoughts from tribe members flooded in uncontrollably through our blood connection—

"Did you hear? Luna Ella was punished by the Alpha for being jealous!"

"Really? She doesn't seem like that kind of person..."

"Poor Miss Seraphina, just wanted one herb to save her life..."

"Bet how long she'll last? I bet she'll be crying and begging within half a day!" "Hahaha, I think so too. She's always been so pampered—how could she endure the mine's torment..."

These voices were like countless fine needles, piercing into my mind. So they weren't just watching—they were openly gossiping and placing bets!

I struggled to sit up, the silver dust making every breath agonizing. I raised my head and spoke coldly into the empty, deadly dust-filled darkness:

"What are you waiting for? Come get me already."

...

The burning sensation in my lungs was the first thing I perceived after regaining consciousness. Every breath felt like inhaling tiny blades, repeatedly cutting through my chest cavity.

I coughed a few times, a metallic sweetness rising in my throat. My once-proud werewolf healing ability was completely ineffective here—wounds wouldn't heal, pain persistent and clear.

I propped myself up with my arms, sitting upright. Silver dust covered my fur clothing, gleaming ominously in the faint light. This was the depths of our Blackwood Tribe's long-abandoned silver mine—a place akin to a poisonous hell for werewolves.

"You're awake."

Caden's voice suddenly echoed in the deathly silent mine, hollow and reverberating. I raised my head to see rippling, water-like patterns forming on a relatively smooth section of rock wall, gradually coalescing into a magic water mirror. In the mirror's surface appeared Caden's cold, hard face. He stood on the platform at the tribal altar square, behind him gathered all the tribespeople, their faces bearing the excitement of spectators and undisguised mockery.

"Ella," Caden's voice came clearly through the ancient transmission array, devoid of warmth, "in light of your jealousy-driven refusal to help a fellow tribe member, and even your defiance of your Alpha, you will be permitted to undertake a 'journey of atonement' here. All tribe members will witness this through the water mirror."

The mirror's view shifted, and I saw a larger water mirror suspended in the center of the square, clearly displaying my current wretched state. Tribespeople pointed and gestured, some even waving bone tablets or small pouches of coins—placing bets. I could even faintly hear their unguarded commentary transmitted through the blood connection.

"Look at her—she's pathetic." "I bet she won't last until she finds the moonlight moss!" "The Alpha is truly just and fair!"

My heart sank, not just from physical pain, but from this public humiliation and betrayal.

"Your task," Caden continued to announce, his voice cold as iron, "is to proceed to the deepest part of the mine vein and collect a complete specimen of moonlight moss. Only by bringing it back to this array node can you leave the mine and return to the tribe."

Moonlight moss? That thing only grew in the mine's core, where silver element concentration was highest—for someone in my current state, this was essentially a death sentence.

"Caden..." I tried to speak, but my voice was hoarse and low from lung discomfort.

"Brother Caden," a soft voice interrupted. In the corner of the water mirror's frame appeared Seraphina's figure. She was still wrapped in that white fur, her face pale, supported by a maid, as if a breeze could topple her. "Please, stop punishing Sister Ella. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have needed that moonlight herb... Sister Ella just cares too much about tribal rules. She didn't mean to target me."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened, appearing genuinely sincere. But only I could see the flash of triumph and provocation in her eyes when she looked at me through the water mirror.

"Seraphina, this isn't your concern." Caden's tone was noticeably gentler toward her. "She must pay for her actions."

"But... it's so dangerous here, silver dust everywhere... How can Sister Ella endure it?" Seraphina's voice carried a sob. "She is our Luna, after all. As long as she's willing to admit her mistake, admit that she refused to give me the moonlight herb because she dislikes me... you'll forgive her and let her return, won't you?"

Her words were like the most poisonous needles—seemingly pleading, but every word solidifying my "jealousy" charge, stimulating the nerves of Caden and the tribespeople.

"Do you hear that, Ella?" Caden's gaze once again fell sharply on me through the water mirror, carrying invisible pressure. "Seraphina is so kind, still pleading for you. As long as you're willing to bow your head and admit your error, admit your jealousy and wrongdoing, I can consider reducing your punishment."

I clenched my teeth, my mouth filling with the taste of blood—from the earlier coughing, or perhaps I'd bitten my own lip. Bow my head? Admit fault? What wrong had I committed?

Intense anger and humiliation momentarily overshadowed the lung pain. I looked at him, at those tribespeople in the water mirror who had once shown me respect, at the pretend-weak but truly vicious Seraphina.

No. Never.

I didn't look at them again, nor did I respond to Caden's words. I simply struggled with all my strength to stand up from the cold ground. My steps were unsteady, but I forced myself to remain upright.

Silver dust flew up with my movement, triggering more violent coughing. I covered my nose and mouth, surveying my surroundings. The mine was deep, with numerous branching paths, utterly silent except for the occasional sound of water dripping from the rock walls.

Journey of atonement? Collect moonlight moss?

Fine.

I moved my feet, choosing a left passage that appeared slightly drier, where there seemed to be faint air movement, and staggered inward.

Behind me, the water mirror seemed to transmit Seraphina's false exclamation and Caden's cold snort.

But I didn't look back.

The mine tunnel sloped downward, growing darker. I had to concentrate just to barely see the path beneath my feet. Danger lurked everywhere here. I had to find a way out, or... find that so-called moonlight moss.