Forbidden Pack Doctor

The Cost Deepens

The side effects of the Shadow Gift grew worse with every passing day. It started with small moments of emptiness, times when I should have felt joy watching Liam play or love when Asher held me close, but instead felt nothing at all. The emotional numbness would hit me suddenly, without warning, leaving me hollow and disconnected from the world around me. I would stand in the middle of a crowd and feel utterly alone, surrounded by warmth that I could not touch. Painful visions came more frequently, their images sharper and more vivid than ever before. Ancient battles, dying wolves, faces contorted in agony. I would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, my body drenched in cold sweat, the Gift thrashing beneath my skin like a caged beast. I started losing control in small dangerous ways. A glass would shatter in my hand. A door would slam shut without being touched. Shadows would flicker at the edges of my vision, dancing and twisting in ways that made no sense.

I hid the severity from everyone at first. I smiled through the numbness and pretended everything was fine. I did not want to worry Asher or give Lucas more reasons to get close. I had already caused enough pain, enough worry. I would handle this alone.

Are you feeling alright? Asher asked one morning, noticing my distant expression as we sat together over breakfast. His hand reached across the table, covering mine. But I barely felt the warmth of his touch. You seem far away. Like you are not really here.

I am fine, I lied, forcing a smile that felt hollow on my face. Just tired from training. The ancient techniques take a lot out of me.

He studied my face with those intense, knowing eyes. I could see the worry creasing his brow, the tension in his jaw. But he did not push. He never pushed, even when he knew I was hiding something. I am here if you need anything, he said softly. You know that right? Whatever it is, we can face it together.

I know, I whispered. Inside, I felt the numbness creeping in again, cold and empty.

Lucas noticed the changes too. His eyes were sharper than I had given him credit for. He watched me throughout the day, his expression growing more concerned with each passing hour. He pulled me aside one afternoon, his voice low and urgent. The side effects are getting worse, aren't they? The numbness. The visions. I can see it in your eyes, Soren. You are slipping away, and you are trying to hide it from everyone.

I looked away, my jaw tight. I am handling it. I have everything under control.

You do not have to handle it alone, he said gently, his hand resting on my arm. I know this family curse better than anyone. I have seen what it does to us when we try to face it alone. My grandfather died because he refused help. My great uncle went mad because he was too proud to ask for guidance. Let me help you manage it before it gets worse.

His offer was practical and kind. He spoke of grounding techniques and meditation practices, of anchors that could steady the mind and prevent the Gift from overwhelming the soul. I almost accepted. The words were on the tip of my tongue. But the tension with Asher stopped me. I knew how it would look. I knew how Asher would react. And I was too tired to fight that battle.

The public incident happened during a pack meeting. I was standing at the head of the table, speaking about our preparations for the Eternal Legion, when a painful vision hit me hard. The room spun around me, the faces of the pack members blurring into a sea of distortion. I lost control for a moment, and the Gift exploded outward from my body in a wave of raw energy. Chairs flew across the room. A pack member standing too close cried out in pain as the force knocked her to the ground. Everything went silent. Everyone stared in shock. I stood there, my hands shaking, horrified at what I had done.

Asher rushed to my side, his face pale with fear. Soren, what happened? Are you hurt?

The truth came out. I could not hide it anymore. I admitted everything the worsening side effects, the numbness that left me hollow, the painful visions that haunted my sleep, the loss of control that grew more frequent every day. I confessed that I had been hiding the severity, pretending everything was fine when it was falling apart inside me.

Asher was devastated. His face crumpled with a mixture of pain and betrayal. Why did you hide this from me? he asked, his voice cracking. I could have helped you. I could have been there for you. We made a promise to face everything together, and you shut me out.

I did not want to worry you, I said quietly, unable to meet his eyes. I thought I could handle it. I thought I was strong enough.

Lucas offered practical help immediately, stepping forward despite the tension. I can teach you grounding techniques, he said firmly. We need to slow the progression of the side effects before they get worse. There are exercises I know, rituals that can strengthen the mind against the Gift's influence.

Asher was protective, his jealousy flaring again at Lucas's involvement. She does not need you, he said coldly. We will find another way. We do not need your help.

The argument was tense, their voices rising and falling in a familiar pattern of accusation and defense. But I was too drained to mediate. I sat in the corner, watching them fight over me like I was something to be won. The numbness crept in again, cold and suffocating.

Later that night, I made a risky decision. I would seek more answers alone. The elder in the mountains had given me pieces of the puzzle, but there was more to learn. I had heard rumors of another ancient being, one who knew secrets that even the elder could not access. I left a note for Asher, telling him I would return. And then I slipped away before dawn, the Gift humming beneath my skin as I disappeared into the darkness.

The cost of power was becoming too high. I needed real answers, and I was willing to take the risk to find them. Even if it meant going alone.