The smile on Lyra's face looked worse than crying.
Bullying Selene? From beginning to end, the one being bullied was always Lyra.
But Fenris was blind to it. Clearly, he couldn't see it at all.
The pack members around looked at Lyra with pity. As the bonded mate treated like this, she was probably one of a kind.
Painful memories flooded back one by one. Her illness acted up again, the familiar trembling that came when her suppressed instincts warred against the forced bond.
"If I'm not welcome here, then I'll leave." She clenched her fists tightly.
Selene pretended to step forward to stop her, but Fenris stopped her instead. "Leave her alone. The entire Stormvale bloodline is finished. She still carries bad temper from that. I'm not going to spoil her."
After leaving the Moon-Market hall, Lyra went to the back garden of the Central Den.
The last time she came here with Fenris, the place was full of moonflower vines. His promises were just like those blossoms. Beautiful for a moment, then quickly withered.
She didn't want to cry, but because of her illness, tears kept falling. Her hands shook as she took out a vial of heat-stabilizers. Before she could take the medicine, Selene rushed over and snatched it away.
She was no longer weak like before. Now she was sharp and cruel.
"Oh? Is this medicine for your unstable condition? Huh, so you really are broken. Kael is a criminal in the holding den and now you're mentally scattered. You two really are perfect siblings."
Lyra could endure many things. But not insults about her brother. Her eyes filled with anger. "Selene, say one more bad word about my brother, and I'll tear your throat out!"
Selene laughed coldly. "Lyra, you're no longer the Stormvale heir. Your bloodline is disgraced. Fenris protects me everywhere now. What do you have to fight me with?"
"Just like back then. You knew Kael didn't force himself on me. But all I had to do was release distressed pheromones and act pitiful, and Fenris believed me."
"What I didn't expect was that Fenris would personally send his own bond-brother to the iron-silver holding den for me. But that proves how much he loves me."
"Lyra, I destroyed your pack once. Now I can turn you into a miserable omega dog again. If you don't believe me, we can try and find out."
Lyra completely lost control. She raised her hand and slapped Selene hard.
"Selene, you framed my brother. I will end your life!" She grabbed Selene by the neck, her eyes red with rage.
Just as she thought she could finally take revenge, Fenris rushed over. He pulled them apart with Alpha strength and threw Lyra several meters away.
Lyra's calf was cut by a sharp stone. A long wound opened, over ten centimeters. Blood stained the ground.
But Fenris only looked at Selene. "Selene, are you hurt? Are you okay?"
Selene hid in his arms, crying softly. "Fenris, I thought I was going to die just now. If you hadn't come, the Stormvale omega would have killed me."
Fenris turned to look at Lyra. His eyes were full of disappointment and hatred.
In the past, the way he looked at her was full of love. Now, after just a few words from Selene, only hatred remained.
Fenris... Fenris... You kept saying you love me. But everything you do hurts me.
"Is this what you call a mating bond?" Lyra muttered to herself.
Fenris spoke coldly. "Lyra. Apologize."
Even in this miserable state, Lyra still refused to lower her head.
"I did nothing wrong. I will not apologize." She continued, "Fenris, you're the one who's wrong. You trusted Selene. She admitted it herself just now. That she framed my brother and destroyed my pack."
"From beginning to end, she has been weaving false scents in front of you. She has been lying to you the whole time."
