I unfolded the letter carefully, my hands shaking slightly.
“Aria, I’ve missed you so much since you left.”
I could almost hear Harper’s voice as I read her words, could picture her sitting at her desk, worrying about me.
“But seeing how well your Alpha mate treats you puts my mind at ease. I’ve been away on business recently, and he specifically
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waited at Red Stone pack for me to return just so I could write this letter sooner. He said you were struggling to make crystal cakes there and wanted me to give you guidance, so he specially brought a fresh crystal cotton tree. This man is really wonderful.
I glanced at Kane, who was pretending not to watch my reaction but was clearly hanging on every expression that crossed my
face.
“You told her about the crystal cakes?”
“I wanted to make sure you could recreate your mother’s recipe perfectly. Harper knew the exact technique your mother used.”
“I have some great news to share. That Serena had her mate bond severed, and now no one in the entire pack can stand her. Her vicious mother also suddenly died – I suspect Damon had rogue wolves do it.”
The names meant nothing to me, but I could sense the satisfaction in Harper’s words.
“Serena sounds like someone I should know.”
Kane’s jaw tightened. “She’s no one important. Just someone who caused you pain.”
“But there’s something I need to warn you about. As soon as Damon returned, he started working on an antidote for the memory potion. He’s basically abandoned the pack, stopping all affairs. The Alpha Council was furious and stripped him of his Alpha status. But I heard he succeeded and is now on his way to Dark Moon pack. Of course, I hope you never, ever remember him, because those aren’t good memories. At the same time, I hope you can properly say goodbye to the past and run toward those who truly treasure and care for you.”
I realized the Damon that Harper mentioned was the person who had tried to stop me from leaving Red Stone pack, but I had no memories of this person whatsoever.
And I already had someone standing beside me now.
Kane watched my face carefully as I finished reading.
“Are you worried?” he asked softly.
I looked up at him, taking in his concerned expression, the way he held himself ready to comfort me if needed.
“Should I be?”
“No,” he said firmly. “You’re under my protection now. Nothing will happen to you.”
“But what if he really has an antidote? What if my memories come back?”
Kane’s expression grew serious. “Then you’ll remember everything. The good and the bad. And you’ll make your choice with full knowledge of what happened.”
“You’re not afraid I’ll choose him?”
“Terrified,” he admitted quietly. “But I won’t keep you by deception. If you remember everything and still want to leave, I’ll let you go.”
I folded the letter carefully, my decision already made.
“Then I won’t worry.”
Kane’s smile was radiant. “Good.”
But I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands clenched and unclenched. He was more worried than he wanted
to admit.
The next day, I went out shopping and indeed encountered the Damon that Harper had mentioned in her letter.
He was blocking the street corner I had to pass through, his posture desperate and aggressive.
He had lost a lot of weight and looked disheveled. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his usually pristine clothes were wrinkled and stained. His entire appearance was desolate and dejected.
When he saw me, his eyes lit up with manic hope.
“Aria, I’ve already created an antidote to the memory potion.”
His voice was hoarse from lack of sleep, trembling with barely contained emotion.
“I know you’ve forgotten everything now and can’t remember anything, so you don’t want to come back with me. But once you take this antidote, you’ll remember everything. We had so many beautiful memories together – you couldn’t bear to forget them. If you knew how much we once loved each other, you definitely wouldn’t have the heart to separate from me.”
He stepped forward frantically and placed the antidote in my hand. His fingers were shaking as they touched mine.
“Please, Aria. Just try it. You’ll understand once you remember.”
The small pill was warm from his grip, and I could smell the desperation on him – sweat, fear, and something else I couldn’t identify.
My expression remained utterly calm as I stared down at the small pill.
“I’ll take the antidote, but not for you.”
The words hit him like a physical blow. His face crumpled.
“And even if I take it and remember everything, I still won’t go back with you. There’s no possibility between us anymore.”
“Aria, you don’t mean that—”
“I do.”
I tilted my head back and swallowed the pill without hesitation.
Sharp pain shot through my mind as countless memories churned in my brain like a violent storm.
I saw myself as a young girl, laughing with a boy who looked like Damon. I saw years of what I thought was love, tender moments that now felt tainted.
I saw the love I had once thought nearly perfect, now cracked beyond repair.
I saw Damon doing for another woman all the things he had once done for me. The cosmos flowers, the tender touches, the promises whispered in the dark.
I saw how in that relationship, I had also felt disappointment and sadness, then decisively withdrew when I realized the truth.
It was just that after so many years of feelings, only after forgetting everything did I feel like something was missing from my
heart.
The memories came flooding back – not just the good ones, but the pain, the betrayal, the moment I realized I meant nothing to
him.
The seven days of watching him love another woman while I slowly forgot him. The way he looked at Serena with genuine affection while treating me like an obligation.
Damon noticed the emotion in my eyes and felt wild joy flash through his heart. He reached out to embrace me.
“Aria, you remember everything now, don’t you?”
“We can continue our life from before. I’ve already broken my contract with Serena. Come back to my side.”
His arms tried to circle around me, but I stepped back.
“I know everything before was my fault. Give me a chance, please forgive me. When we go back, I’ll hold the grandest mating ceremony for you. I can continue cooking for you, and we’ll wake up beside each other every morning. If you want to travel around, I can accompany you to see different landscapes and experience different lives. From now on, I’ll only stay by your side. We’ll never be apart again, okay?”
His words tumbled out in a desperate rush, each promise more frantic than the last.
I looked at him calmly and stepped away.
“Damon, do you think that’s possible?”
