My Alpha fianc made me drink a witch's memory potion on our mating ceremony day so he could bond with my stepsister instead.

Serena is under a vicious curse. Only bonding with a powerful Alpha can break it.

Aria, you're the only one I love. I don't want to hurt you, so if you drink this memory potion, you'll temporarily forget the person you love most. Once I help Serena break her curse, you can take the antidote and recover your memories.

"Then I'll break the bond with Serena and make you the most honored Luna of our pack."

I didn't hesitate. I drank the entire vial in one gulp.

But he didn't know the witch never created a corresponding antidote. In seven days, I would forget him forever.
Chapter 1
My Alpha fianc made me drink a witch's memory potion on our mating ceremony day so he could bond with my stepsister Serena instead.
He said Serena was under a vicious curse and needed to bond with a powerful Alpha. He promised that he would break the bond with Serena and mark me again after he helped Serena break her curse.
But he didn't know the witch never created a corresponding antidote. In seven days, I would forget him forever.
Damon watched me drain the bottle, then looked away with shifty eyes.
"Aria, I know this is cruel... but Serena's curse is too malicious. Only bonding with a strong Alpha can break it." His voice was hoarse, heavy with self-righteous burden.
"You're the only one I love. It's always been you. I can't bear to watch you suffer because of me, so I sought out this memory potion. It will make you temporarily forget the person you love most... which is me. Once I help her break the curse, I'll immediately sever the bond with her! Then you'll take the antidote, recover your memories, and we can continue our future together. I'll make you the most honored Luna. I swear!"
I stared at him, my gaze becoming distant.
The man I loved had become so strange. I didn't even know when Damon had developed sympathy for Serena.
He knew perfectly well that Serena's mother had destroyed my parents' relationship out of greed for wealth and status, ultimately driving my mother to her death. From the moment Serena was born, she had schemed to steal everything that belonged to me. She was the person I despised most in this life.
Now this "responsibility" would sacrifice our decade-long relationship, even my memories.
Seeing my silence, Damon's brow furrowed with panic. He rushed to explain.
"Aria? You... you're angry, aren't you? Don't look at me like that... Once you drink this potion, you'll quickly forget all this pain, forget my current dilemma... I'm only doing this because I don't want you to suffer day and night over this! Once the curse is broken, I'll immediately sever the bond with her and give you the antidote. You'll forget this unpleasant episode and recover all the beautiful memories. We... we'll be just like before!"
But the memory potion was forbidden magic precisely because it would take effect after seven days, making someone completely forget their beloved. Even the mate bond would become invalid.
The witch who created the memory potion never developed a corresponding antidote. Once memories were gone, they were gone forever.
I looked at Damon and smiled.
"Since you've already made your choice and I've drunk the memory potion, you don't need to keep explaining and making promises. I'll forget it all anyway."
"You made this choice yourself. Whatever consequences come, you'd better be able to handle them."
Seeing that I neither cried nor accused him, but simply accepted everything with unusual calm, Damon's tense shoulders suddenly relaxed. He let out a long breath as if he'd lifted a thousand-pound burden. A hint of relief even returned to his eyes, his dark gaze looking at me with the confidence of someone in control.
"Since I decided to do this, I naturally thought it through. Don't worry, Aria. No matter what consequences come, I can handle them." His tone was firm, as if he was encouraging himself.
I was about to say something when sudden pain exploded in my mind. My vision went black and my body fell straight backward.
Damon caught me immediately, asking urgently.
"What's wrong?"
"I confirmed the memory potion wouldn't have side effects! Let me take you to the pack healer right now."
He moved to carry me, but I pressed against him and stumbled to my feet. My mind went blank for a moment.
Instinctively, I asked.
"What are you doing? Why are you here? Why are you holding me?"
Hearing this, Damon froze, as if understanding something. A flash of joy quickly crossed his eyes.
He immediately released me.
"I came to find Serena. You seemed unwell, so I was being presumptuous." He paused, then said, "Serena and I will have our mating ceremony in seven days. From now on, I'll be your brother-in-law."
Chapter 2
I froze for a few seconds before realizing the memory potion was taking effect, making me forget what had just happened.
But Damon thought I had forgotten everything.
I watched the joy flickering in Damon's eyes, and sharp pain spread through me again. It was clearer and more suffocating than the physical pain the potion had brought moments before.
Yet on the surface, I slowly curved my lips into a perfectly polite, distant smile. Since he wanted to act, I would play along. Consider it my final farewell to all these years of feelings.
"Congratulations, Alpha. I wish you and your future Luna a hundred years of happiness."
Just then, Serena came running over and wrapped her arms around Damon's. She positioned herself between us, her eyes reddening with manufactured hurt.
"Sister, what are you doing? Why haven't you brought the Alpha to find me yet? I've been waiting forever!"
"I've been looking forward to this day for so long. Surely you don't have feelings for the Alpha too? Don't you want me to have a good future?" Her voice turned sharper. "The Alpha and I are about to hold our mating ceremony, yet you're still meeting with him privately. If the pack members found out, that wouldn't look good, would it?"
Damon's face darkened immediately. "Don't talk nonsense! Your sister and I just happened to run into each other and exchanged a few words. You're about to become the pack's Luna. You can't speak so carelessly anymore."
His instinctive defense of me made Serena burst into tears, crying pitifully.
She looked at me through her tears. "I know you've always been prejudiced against me, sister. You don't like me. But I'm cursed and dying! Damon is the person I love most, and only he can save me. I will never give him up to you."
"He loves me most too. We're holding our mating ceremony soon, so please have some self-awareness. From now on... don't meet with him alone anymore. Not destroying mate relationships is the iron law of werewolves."
Damon pressed his lips together, apparently moved by her tears. He reached up to wipe them away, his tone softening.
"You misunderstood. I was the one who stopped your sister to chat. You don't need to be so nervous. I'll be more careful about boundaries in the future. I won't make you sad again."
"Didn't you say you wanted to look at Luna gowns today? Let me take you."
Listening to Damon's tender words and watching the two of them looking so perfect together, I couldn't help thinking.
Perhaps Damon hoped I would stay lost in memory forever.
Perhaps I had been holding him back all these years. Maybe from the beginning, he had wanted to marry Serena.