Chapter 1

On the day Daisy was discharged from the Moon Lake Sanatorium, I had just completed the handover of my duties at the Pack Council.

As I approached the door, I heard a burst of laughter and joyous chatter drifting from inside.

"This little guy is so strong; his golden eyes look exactly like his father's."

My mother-in-law was happily teasing the pup in her arms, while Lucas walked out of the kitchen carrying a steaming bowl of venison soup.

"I hunted this meat myself in the Northern Territories. You've just given birth and your spiritual energy is weak; you need to nourish yourself to recover," he said, sitting by the bed and gently feeding Daisy the soup. The atmosphere was the very picture of a destined family of three.

My father-in-law held a toy polished from animal bone, grinning from ear to ear. "This child is just too lovable; takes after his dad. Thank goodness Ella didn't birth him. Having a physician for a mother, fiddling with herbs all day—how weak he would be."

My hand on the doorknob tightened involuntarily.

I remembered when I first met my father-in-law; he had patted my shoulder, saying that being a physician was a good path, that healing our kin was the pack's highest glory.

He had once told me that he, too, was a field medic in his youth. If not for a leg injury caused by a frenzied enemy, he wouldn't have retired to the rear lines so early.

Yet now, he claimed physicians were unworthy of bearing strong descendants.

I had only gone to the border to offer aid for a year, yet this home had already completely shut me out.

I lowered my head, the corner of my mouth twitching into a bitter smile.

Lucas and I had been mated for three years. He said he didn't want children, fearing it would hinder my promotion to Chief Physician. Understanding the pressure involved, I never pushed him.

I still remembered the day I left for the border. He held me on the platform, saying that if not for the duty of guarding our territory, he would have wished for nothing more than to go with me.

Over the past year, we communicated via spirit stones, sharing our lives. Even my comrades teased us, saying that after three years of bonding, we still acted like newly marked sweethearts.

But just a month ago, when I finally got a rotation break and rushed home without complaint, ignoring the exhaustion of the long journey...

What I saw was Daisy, her belly high and swollen, nestling beside my husband.

Lucas's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Ella, when did you get back? Why are you standing at the door?"

Hearing his words, everyone else in the room looked towards the doorway.

When my father-in-law saw the document in my hand relieving me of my post, his brows knitted together tightly.

"Why did I ever let my son mate with you? What bad luck. Now you're not even the Head Physician anymore; do you expect us to support you?"

"Is this how you act as a wife?" my mother-in-law chimed in accusingly.

"If you can't even hold down such a respected position, what *can* you do?"

"Daisy is delicate right now; she and the child need the best spiritual medicines for everything. Lucas is busy taking care of Daisy and the child. If you don't work, do you expect this family of three to live on air?"

Hearing this, I could only manage a wry smile.

"Whoever the mate and child belong to, naturally that person should support them."

"Ella White, what are you saying? How can you be so cold-blooded?" Lucas finally lost his patience and roared at me in anger.

"If Daisy hadn't saved me during that beast tide three years ago, I would be dead by now!"

"Why must you always target me? Do you see me as some shameless male without honor?"

Daisy turned to me, her face full of anguish. "Ella, please, stop. I know this is all my fault. I promise, after this, I will never appear in your lives again. Please don't let me affect your bond."

Looking at the four of them, clearly united in a common front, I found the situation increasingly laughable.

So, *this* was the real family.

Just then, Lucas spoke up abruptly. "Ella White, my patience has limits. If you dare target Daisy without reason again, don't bother coming back to this house!"

"If you still want to live a peaceful life, then keep your mouth shut. At the child's full-moon banquet next week, I can announce to the entire pack that you are the child's mother."

Next week?

I glanced at the sleeping pup in the cradle. Next week, I would be stepping onto the airship bound for the Ash War Zone.

However, before I left, I didn't mind giving them a surprise they would never forget.

I nodded, my expression unchanged.

"Fine."