Lily’s laughter followed me as I stepped out of the inn.

She was chattering excitedly to Doctor Reynolds about how Liam had proposed, her voice light and full of joy.

I quickened my pace, as if I were being chased by a ghost.

Outside, the crisp air did little to cool the heat rising in my chest. My steps were unsteady, my vision blurring at the edges. I stumbled to a quiet corner, gripping the rough surface of a wooden post for support.

A wave of dizziness hit me.

With trembling fingers, I dug into my pocket, pulled out my medication, and swallowed a pill.

Slowly, the discomfort eased.

I exhaled. I was never a lucky person.

No parents. No real friends. Nothing about me had ever stood out—not my grades, not my talents, not my existence. I used to believe the Moon Goddess had turned her back on me.

Until that day.

That one, impossible day.

I’d won a doll I’d been eyeing for weeks. My professor—who had never even noticed me before—praised me in class. A little girl dressed as a ghost had handed me a piece of candy and smiled.

"The Moon Goddess is blessing you," she’d said.

I almost believed it.

For a fleeting moment, I wondered if luck had finally found me.

Then the car lost control.

The tires screeched. The world tilted. The wall loomed closer.

I screamed.

But instead of the violent crash I expected, the impact was… soft. A strange, warm light—orange and golden—filtered through my fingers, wrapping the air in a delicate, sweet fragrance.

And then, just like that, I was somewhere else.

A garden.

Flowers stretched as far as the eye could see, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. A sea of familiar faces surrounded me—friends, family… even our dog, Tudou, dressed in a tiny suit.

At the center of it all stood him.

Alpha Brooks.

Tall. Regal. Every inch of him exuding quiet strength in his perfectly tailored suit.

He walked toward me, his gaze never wavering. Then, with a small smile, he opened the car door and said, “Ava, it’s time.”

It was our secret phrase.

It meant time for dinner, time to leave school, time for a kiss… time to be his, forever.

The moment felt surreal. But I knew, without a doubt, that this wasn’t some dream or forced expectation.

I loved him. He loved me.

There was never any other choice for either of us.

I was always meant to be his.

I nodded, tears spilling over.

And just like that, we were married.

By the time I returned to the house, the lights were on.

A lone figure stood by the door, red embers glowing in the dim light.

The scent of nicotine drifted through the air.

I stopped in my tracks, my heart lurching in my chest.

He turned.

The moment our eyes met, I saw it—a flicker of something familiar. Panic flashed across his face.

He crushed the cigarette under his boot and rubbed the back of his neck—a guilty habit.

One I knew too well.

Brooks.

For a heartbeat, I considered walking past him, pretending I hadn’t seen the hesitation in his expression.

Pretending I didn’t care.

But just as we passed each other, he spoke.

"Ava," his voice was low, hoarse. "I remember you."

******

A loud crash echoed through my mind.

My blood rushed to my head, my vision blurring. Was it him?

My body froze. My shoulders and legs trembled as I turned around, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Brooks’s name was on the tip of my tongue—so close—but the second I met his eyes, the words lodged in my throat.

Cold.

Indifferent.

Alpha Brooks had always been distant with others, but never with me. Whenever he looked at me, there had been warmth—a quiet devotion only I had known.

Now?

Nothing.

A sharp ache settled in my chest, but I forced my gaze downward, not wanting him to see my tear-stained eyes.

"Julian told me about you, but he didn’t mention much."

His voice was slow, measured, as if he were carefully piecing together a puzzle.

"I feel like I know you." He exhaled. "And every time I see you, I feel… guilty. Like I’ve done something wrong. Even scared."

I swallowed hard. He doesn’t remember.

"You know I’m allergic to mushrooms. And that red string around your neck—it’s just like mine."

My breath caught.

The red string.

A token we had received together—a blessing from the Moon Goddess herself.

I wished for his health and safety.

He had wished for all my dreams to come true.

I had forgotten. Forgotten that memory loss couldn’t erase instincts.

Alpha Brooks was still Alpha. His mind was sharp, his intuition sharper. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out.

But my identity?

Even if he guessed the truth, would he dare to believe it?

I slowly lifted my head, meeting his scrutinizing gaze. He studied me for a long moment, then looked away, his eyes landing on my ring.

"Lily said you’re married." His hands were in his pockets, but I saw it—the clench of his fists. The tension in his stance. "You…"

I knew what he was thinking.

The man who was about to marry another woman had just encountered someone who felt too familiar.

Of course he was conflicted.

I opened my mouth, my voice hoarse, barely there. But after a few failed attempts, I finally forced the words out.

"I am married… but it has nothing to do with you."

A slow, shaky breath escaped him.

Relief.

I saw it. Felt it.

And in that moment, my heart shattered.

Never—not once in my life—had I imagined a day when Alpha Brooks would be relieved to learn I wasn’t his.

I had seen him blush when caught sneaking glances at me.

I had heard his stammering when he was at a loss for words.

I felt his joy when I agreed to be his girlfriend.

That smile—bright enough to set the whole world on fire—I had only seen it twice.

And now… it was gone.

"Where’s your husband?"

I stared at him, my vision blurring.

You.

You’re my husband.

But I didn’t say it.

I couldn’t.

He shifted, his expression uncertain. "Sorry, I—"

I lifted a hand, stopping him. I had to end this.

"You were the pack’s Alpha. The elders took pity on me and raised me like a daughter. That’s all." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I came here to visit on their behalf."

My fingers tightened around the red string.

"As for this—" I yanked it off, the thin cord snapping. "Your parents gave it to me. Nothing more."

Silence.

He just stood there, watching me, but I had nothing left to say.

I turned and walked away, my legs unsteady, my mind blank.

I didn’t know how I made it back to my room.

I thought I had kept myself together. Thought I had controlled my emotions.

But the moment I turned around, the dam broke.

Tears spilled over, hot and endless, and I crumpled to the floor in the bathroom, muffling my sobs with trembling hands.

Five years.

Five years I had dreamed of this moment.

Of him coming back to me.

But when he finally did—when he was finally here—I had to push him away.

Why?!

A sharp pain tore through my stomach. My throat tightened, the bitter taste of blood rising up.

"Ava! What’s wrong? Open the door!"

Doctor Reynolds’s voice.

I forced myself to stand, gripping the sink for balance. My fingers fumbled, pressing the flush button to erase any evidence of my breakdown.

By the time I stepped out, my face was composed.

"I’m fine," I murmured. "I just slipped."

Doctor Reynolds’s gaze was knowing, full of something close to pity.

"You don’t have to pretend in front of me."

I turned away. "I’m fine."

He hesitated but eventually let it go, giving my shoulder a light pat before retreating to his bed.

I turned, and my gaze landed on the orange invitation lying on the table.

The wedding at dusk.

It was supposed to be mine.

Something snapped.

A burning resentment surged through me, hot and uncontrollable.

Without thinking, without hesitating, I grabbed my coat and ran.

I wasn’t going to let this happen.

I wasn’t going to let the Moon Goddess be ignored.

I would tell him the truth.

Alpha Brooks was mine.

And I was his.