Chapter 3
1102 Words
In my last life, I had loved Kael far too much. I knew his heart held only Sophia, yet I still gave myself to him the night he was drugged. It ended with Wolfsbane poisoning me, leaving nothing behind.
I would not make the same mistake in this life.
I was leaving.
I refused to be a prisoner of the Shadowfang Pack ever again.
The next day at noon, the pack's head steward, Thorne, knocked on my door.
"Ms. Moonveil. The Alpha requests your presence in the east wing master suite."
When I arrived, the bedroom door stood half open.
Sophia lounged against the headboard, draped loosely in one of Kael's velvet robes. The neckline dipped dangerously low, baring a wide expanse of pale skin covered in fresh, flushed marks. She sat at the edge of the bed. Kael stood by the window with his back to me, the broad set of his shoulders straining the lines of his shirt.
Sophia glanced up, her expression far too casual.
"Elara, Alpha says your knowledge of herbs is the best."
As she spoke, her fingers pressed lightly against the side of her neck. A fresh bite mark sat there, still tinged a faint red.
"I was a little sore last night. Could you take a look and tell me if it needs attention?"
Silence filled the room.
Kael did not turn around. He did not stop her either. The air hung thick with an unbroken trace of something decadent, the mingled scent of heavy pheromones and spent desire.
I stepped closer. My gaze rested on her neck for only a moment before shifting away.
It needed no attention. She knew that better than anyone.
She simply wanted to gloat.
I answered evenly, "It won't get infected. Rest is all it needs."
Sophia blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Kael's brow furrowed slightly. His eyes flicked to my face as if searching for something, and then quickly feigned indifference.
That's right. This was not the way I used to react. Before, I would have already been arguing with her, my eyes red and swollen.
I gave a polite nod, made an excuse, and left.
Half an hour later, I was sorting freshly gathered herbs inside the Healer's Lodge when the door was pushed open without warning.
Kael walked in, uninvited. He had changed into a black combat uniform. The amber eyes I had once been so hopelessly drawn to held nothing but suspicion when they fixed on me now.
I stepped back on instinct.
Kael frowned, strode deeper into the room, and shut the door behind him with a backward hand.
The Healer's Lodge was small to begin with. His presence made it suffocating.
"You're avoiding me."
It was not a question.
He advanced on me. His Alpha presence was deliberately reined in, but the lingering pressure still made it hard to breathe.
"Is it because of what happened between Sophia and me last night, or because I called you in to check on her today?"
I forced myself to meet his eyes and kept my voice as steady as I could.
"Neither. I'm genuinely happy for you both. Congratulations on finding your fated mate. Your Luna."
He let out a low, humorless laugh. His hand shot out and gripped my chin, forcing me to hold his gaze.
"Genuinely? Elara, have you forgotten what you did at the Spring Hunt Festival last month? You shoved those Wolfheart Biscuits you made with your own hands into mine. That's a courtship gesture. Did you think I didn't notice?
"You were smart enough not to confess outright. I would have rejected you on the spot otherwise. The Shadowfang Pack has always held that an Alpha must take a strong mate. An Omega, no matter how capable, can never stand as an Alpha's equal, and you know that better than anyone."
He released my chin. His eyes swept across my room and landed on the wooden box on the table.
He walked straight over and opened it without the slightest hesitation.
Inside were all the small things I had collected over the years. Every single one of them was tied to him.
A wolf claw pendant he had given me after a hunt.
A metal button that had fallen from his old combat uniform.
Even a broken arrow, I had pestered him for ages to get.
Kael overturned the box. Everything clattered across the wooden floor. Then he brought the toe of his boot down on the wolf claw pendant, slowly and deliberately grinding it until it splintered into pieces.
I nearly lunged forward to stop him, but my wolf held me back. I forced myself still because I knew I was already done with him. I would never waste another shred of heartache on him.
"Elara, I thought you were the most sensible healer in this pack. But these little feelings you've been hiding are truly laughable."
He leaned in close to my ear. His hot breath seared the shell of it. His voice dropped low, but every word cut clear.
"You know full well my mate must be a strong one. Sophia is what I need. Her body can withstand my deepest mark. Her pheromones can lock with mine completely. And you —"
He paused, his gaze dragging across the vulnerable places on my neck and wrists like the edge of a cold blade.
"You treasured these scraps I left behind. Don't you find that pathetic? You can barely take a kiss from me in my normal state without trembling all over."
He turned as if to leave, then suddenly spun back, and yanked me into his arms.
"Let go of me..."
Before I could finish, his wet, heated mouth was already forcing its way onto mine. I had no chance to evade. I shoved at him, beat my fists against him, but he only pressed harder. His tongue had already pried past my lips and teeth, laying waste to my defenses. My wolf was helpless against him. Under the crushing weight of his dominance, all strength drained from my limbs, and I collapsed limp in his arms.
Then he pulled his head back and looked at me, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face.
"Still pretending you don't care. A single kiss is enough to leave you trembling for days."
I struggled free from his hold and lashed a slap across his face.
"You bastard."
Before I could say another word, a brutal force tore my dress open from the back.
A sharp ripping sound cut through the air. My body was laid bare before him.
- Writer
