Chapter 4
866 Words
I woke up the next morning to a summons from Celeste's chambers.
There she was, lounging on her bed, Marcus at her side, his face all soft and doting.
Celeste flashed a smile, sharp as a blade.
"Julia, word is you heal well. You saved Alpha Marcus from fever with that brew, right?"
"I’m all jittery, can’t eat. Stir me up something to calm me and fill my stomach?"
My eyes flicked to Marcus, memories crashing in.
That assassination attempt nearly killed him, a blade tearing through his chest. The pack's healers were useless against his fever, but I used what I knew from my time—extracted penicillin—and saved him.
When Marcus found out, he swore everyone to secrecy. "Julia, this kind of miracle d**g is too dangerous to share. I won't let anyone hurt you over it."
Now, though, Celeste was barely off her food, and he spilled our guarded secret like it was nothing.
Marcus waved a hand, impatient. "I'm ordering you to make the remedy. My guards will watch your every move, so don't even think about pulling anything. "
"Yes, Alpha Marcus," I said, my voice flat.
As I turned to leave, I caught his soft murmur to Celeste.
"Don't feel bad, love. I messed up, racking up a debt of the heart before I met you. I'll spend my life making it up to you, okay?"
Ten years of life-and-death devotion, and to Marcus, it was just a fleeting "debt of the heart."
I brought back a dark, bitter brew from the kitchen.
Celeste took one whiff and wrinkled her nose.
"This stuff smells awful, Alpha Marcus. I'm not drinking it."
He didn't even glance at me. "Make another."
The second batch came, and she gagged.
"This makes me wanna hurl."
"Try again," he said, indulging her.
Ten times.
Ten different brews, until the sun sank low and my fingers were blistered raw from handling hot pots.
Finally, Celeste sipped one and declared it "appetizing."
Nestled in Marcus's arms, she grinned.
"Julia's remedies really do the trick."
He looked down at her, all tenderness.
"Then she'll stay here for the next few days. With the Luna ceremony coming up, I don't want anything going wrong."
I stood off to the side, taking in their cozy scene, letting the pain spread through me like wildfire.
For two days, I was glued to Celeste's side, never a moment to myself.
I watched Marcus, fresh from pack business, rush to Silkshade Palace and spend hours with her, chuckling over her stories of sheltered pack life.
I saw him, nervous like a lovesick pup, trying on ceremonial gowns and glancing at Celeste for approval, worried she might not like them.
I watched Theo and Anastasia barge in uninvited when Marcus was busy, keeping Celeste company with tales I'd once told them as bedtime stories.
That evening, after dinner, Celeste took Theo and Anastasia to the gardern to "walk off the meal." I trailed behind, watching their happy little trio, my fingers digging into my palms until I felt nothing.
I slowed my steps, falling back a bit.
Then, in a heartbeat, I heard a scream and two splashes.
I rushed forward.
Celeste stood by the pond, smirking, while my pups thrashed in the water.
"Celeste, are you insane? They're just pups!" I shouted.
Her smile was venomous.
"So what? I'll have my own pups with Marcus. These little bastards you birthed? I don't need 'em. I just mentioned the flowers were pretty, and they dove in to pick some. Stupid kids—better off dead."
I slapped her hard across the face, then dove into the pond.
The late summer water wasn't cold, but my soaked gown dragged me down, heavy and suffocating.
I swam to my pups, hauling them to shore one by one.
As I clung to the pond's edge, gasping, Marcus arrived with his guards.
His eyes landed on Celeste, sobbing with my pups in her arms, a red handprint blazing on her cheek. Panic crossed his face.
"Luna Celeste, what happened?"
Before she could speak, Theo, pale and trembling, wailed,
"Dad, it was her! She pushed me and Anastasia into the pond and hit Celeste!"
I looked at Anastasia, but all I saw was the top of her head, buried in Celeste's embrace.
The absurdity of it all hit me, and I laughed.
These were the pups I'd fought to bring into the world, raised with every ounce of my love.
Marcus saw my smile and exploded.
His eyes, cold with disgust, locked onto me.
"Guards, clamp her in iron shackles, seal her in the oubliette, and let her rot!"
I was like a walking corpse as they pinned me to a bench.
I bit my lip until it bled, refusing to cry out.
The Marcus who once swore he'd never let me be hurt now held Celeste close, soothing her.
"No tears, my love. I’ve handled it."
My pups, wrapped in cloaks, huddled at Celeste's side, their voices sweet and innocent. "Celeste, it's not your fault. That she-wolf is just too cruel."
My vision blurred, blood thick in my mouth.
The world faded, and I passed out.
- Writer
