Chapter 5

Hearing Maryjane finally agree, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

They instinctively wanted to treat her better, but over the years, their kindness had only been reserved for Lyla. Doing otherwise now felt awkward and unnatural.

Her mother sliced a piece of meat, forcing a strained smile. "Maryjane, eat more. You've lost weight lately."

Her father, nudged by her mother’s elbow, picked up a bowl and ladled some stew into it. "Yes, eat up. You like this, don’t you? Here, eat it while it’s warm."

Ever since Lyla had falsely accused her of pushing her into the Thorn Jungle, Maryjane had received no love or care from her parents.

She chose not to expose the lie, though the table before her held not a single dish she truly enjoyed.

Taking the bowl of stew, she ate quietly, spoonful by spoonful.

The stew wasn’t warm anymore, just like her heart—it had long grown too cold to be warmed again.

Lyla, her eyes brimming with tears, spoke up, her voice trembling with emotion. “Sister, thank you so much. I don’t even know how to repay this kindness…”

Damien, who had been clutching a handkerchief in his hand, finally found a use for it.

He gently wiped Lyla’s tears, his voice tender. “Repay? There’s no need. This is what Maryjane owes you. Once the life exchange is complete…”

Maryjane didn’t let him finish. She set the spoon down on the table with a firm clink, stood, and said, “I’m full. Enjoy your meal.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

She hadn’t taken more than two steps when she heard Leo speaking in the ancient language from the Silver Bliss Pack.

"Father, Mother is so rude and uncivilized."

Damien’s tone turned stern. "She’s your mother. Watch your words."

What Maryjane didn’t expect was that in the next moment, Lyla softly chimed in, also in the ancient tongue, "Leo, your mother just has a freer spirit. Don’t speak about her that way."

Since when did Lyla learn the ancient language?

Maryjane’s lips curled slightly. She couldn’t tell whether she felt more bitterness or ridicule in her heart.

Back in the stone house, it wasn’t long before Damien entered.

Seeing her sullen expression, he approached and placed an arm around her. His voice was gentle. “Maryjane, I know asking you to exchange your life for Lyla’s is unfair to you. Lyla is weak, and it’s understandable that your father and mother have always favored her. But you still have me and Leo.”

“Remember, no matter what happens, we will always be by your side.”

Maryjane looked at him with calm, unwavering eyes.

An exchange of lives meant she would have to endure the burning agony of rebirth through the soul flames.

And all of this was merely “unfair”?

She pushed Damien away. “If you had the chance to exchange your life for Lyla’s, would you do it?”

Damien didn’t hesitate. “Of course, I would!”

“Willingly?”

“Yes, willingly!”

The room fell silent.

Damien stared at Maryjane’s impassive gaze for a long moment before suddenly realizing something. “Maryjane, I’d give my life for Lyla not because of her, but because of you!”

“If I could endure this pain in your place, I’d gladly do it!”

Maryjane replied coolly, “If you care so much for me, why not stop me from suffering in the first place?”

Damien hesitated. “Isn’t this something you owe Lyla…”

Maryjane said nothing for a long time.

After a lengthy silence, she nodded. “Yes. I owe her.”

Years ago, when her parents came upon an injured, barely-breathing Lyla, they had believed her feeble accusation, pointing to Maryjane, that she had been the one to push her into the Thorn Jungle.

Since then, they had brought it up time and again, and even Damien had come to believe it.

Maryjane took a deep breath and stood to leave.

Damien, startled, hurried after her. “Maryjane, where are you going?”

“I want to see the human world,” she replied without pausing.

After all, in five days, she would never be able to leave Howling Summit again.

Damien reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’ll go with you.”

Maryjane hesitated. Long ago, after their bonding ceremony, she and Damien had gone to the human world together, living as an ordinary married couple in a small town for decades.

Perhaps it would be fitting to revisit those places, to let him accompany her in erasing those memories.

But just as they reached the boundary of the pack’s territory, Lyla called out to them. “Sister, Damien, where are you going?”

Lyla had always addressed Damien with an overly familiar tone. Maryjane had corrected her a few times in the past, only for her parents to rebuke her. “She can call him whatever she likes. Do you think she’s trying to steal your mate?”

Now, Lyla was indeed trying to steal her mate, and no one reprimanded her. No one thought she was in the wrong.

Damien answered, “To the human world.”

Lyla immediately stepped forward. “I want to go, too! I’m so bored here. I’ve never been to the human world. Take me with you, please?”

Damien hesitated. “Your health…”

Lyla’s eyes reddened. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

Damien sighed and turned to Maryjane. “Maryjane, why don’t we bring Lyla along?”

Maryjane’s expression was indifferent. “If something happens to her, will it be my fault again?”

“How could it? As long as we take good care of Lyla, nothing will happen,” Damien said.

Maryjane didn’t want to argue any further. “Do as you wish.”

With that, she cast a teleportation spell and vanished.

Biomoon Town, the human world.

At the center of the town stood an ancient stone bridge. At its end lay the Oath Stone, where lovers carved their eternal promises.

Years ago, when Maryjane and Damien had disguised themselves as a human couple, they had stood here, hand in hand, under the moonlight. They transformed into their wolf forms and howled at the moon, declaring themselves lifelong mates.

“Damien’s wolf soul will be bound to Maryjane’s spirit for all eternity,” he said firmly.

The vow still echoed in her mind, but everything had changed.

Maryjane turned her head and saw Damien supporting Lyla by the bridge.

Lyla spoke in the ancient language from the Silver Bliss Pack. “Damien, I want to make a wish—to be with you forever.”

Damien hesitated only briefly before smiling warmly. “Alright. Then I’ll make a wish, too. I wish for Lyla’s health to recover soon, so she’ll never suffer from illness again.”

Together, they carved their new vows into the Oath Stone.

Maryjane watched, her hands clenched tightly.

The next moment, she found the spot where she and Damien had once carved their promise.

With a flick of her hand, a searing flame ignited.

At the same time, the moon mark on her forehead glowed.

As the old vow melted into ashes, all the cherished memories she had shared with Damien in this town were erased from her mind forever.