Chapter 1 Chapter 1

At the Black Moon pack's annual gala, crystal chandeliers cast a glittering light over the clinking glasses and swirling gowns. Fenris had finally allowed me to attend, but I was an hour late. It wasn't intentional. The poison in my system had flared up again, and I'd spent the last hour vomiting blood in my apartment's bathroom. "Everyone, tonight I want to extend a special thanks to someone." It was Fenris's voice. He stood in the center of the ballroom, a champagne flute in hand, his gaze settling softly on Vanessa in the crowd. "Ten years ago, when my pack was on the brink of annihilation, it was Vanessa and her family who saved me in my darkest hour. Without them, the Black Moon pack would not exist today." Thunderous applause filled the hall. Every step toward them was like walking on knives. A fresh wave of agony tore through my chest, and I couldn't tell if it was the poison or the desperate wail of my rejected mate bond. He was my Alpha, my fated mate, yet I was forced to stand in the corner like a stranger, watching him give another woman a look of tenderness that should have been mine. Vanessa, draped in a scarlet gown, lowered her head demurely, accepting the praise and reverence of the crowd. She was sitting in the Luna's seat. The seat that was meant for me. "Vanessa is not only my savior," Fenris's gaze swept the room, finally landing on me, "she is a true hero in my heart. While some people…" He paused, his eyes flashing with disgust. "...exist only as a living reminder that blood must be paid for with blood." All eyes turned to me. A chorus of whispers erupted. "The last of the Silver Crest pack…""I heard her father was the butcher…""The Alpha is merciful. I heard he could have executed her, but he let her live as a servant instead." I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The force of his will slammed into me, and the Silverthorn Toxin in my veins began to churn, flowing like molten lead through my body. "Freya," Vanessa's sweet voice called out. "What are you doing hiding in the corner? Come here." She beckoned to me, her face a mask of false concern. I walked toward her under the scrutiny of the entire room, each step an agony. "You look so tired," Vanessa said, taking my arm. Her nails dug into my skin, hidden from view. "It's such a shame. Our Alpha sees you as his enemy, but me as his savior. His hero. Don't worry, though. Once I'm officially the Luna, I'll take very good care of you." Her voice was a venomous whisper only I could hear. Then, she raised her voice. "Freya, that moonstone pendant around your neck is beautiful. It must be a family heirloom, isn't it?" It was my mother's. The sacred relic of the Silver Crest pack, passed down through generations. "May I have a look?" Vanessa asked, reaching for it. "I'm fascinated by antique jewelry." I took a step back. "It's…""What?" She blinked innocently. "I can't even look? Or do you think I'm not worthy?""Freya. Take it off and give it to her." Fenris was suddenly standing behind me. I froze. "I said, take it off. Give it to her," he repeated, his gaze a physical weight on my back. His voice crashed into my mind through our bond—a cold, undeniable Alpha command. Under his authority, my body moved against my will. My hands trembled as I unclasped the chain and placed it around Vanessa's neck myself. As the moonstone touched her collarbone, its light instantly dimmed—as if it knew it was with the wrong person. "Thank you for putting it on me," she said with a brilliant smile. "It's a perfect fit." Fenris nodded in satisfaction, completely missing the fact that the gem had lost its luster. Just then, a passing server stumbled, and a splash of red wine hit my dress. The crimson liquid dripped down my skirt, staining the floor like a pool of blood. A few wolves in the crowd started to jeer. "Well, since your dress is ruined, why not sing a song to congratulate our future Luna!""Yeah, I heard the Silver Crest princess had a lovely voice!""Let's hear it!" More and more voices joined the chorus. I looked at Fenris, hoping he would intervene, but he made no move to stop them. After all, a captive like me was expected to perform. His voice came through the mental link again, sharp and cruel. "Don't spoil their fun. You perform when I tell you to. This is no different." I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and began to sing. Amid the mocking laughter of the crowd, under Fenris's icy stare, and through the tearing pain of my rejected mate bond, I sang the ancient song of blessing from my pack. For the she-wolf who had taken my place. My voice trembled, each note like swallowing shards of glass. The tartness of the wine mixed with the metallic tang of blood rising in my throat. The pain from the bond was so intense I could barely continue. "Enough," Fenris finally said after what felt like an eternity. I stopped, my throat raw and dry. The pack grew restless, someone jeering, "Why'd she stop? We haven't heard enough!""I said, enough." Fenris's authority crashed down on the jeering wolves. "Since when do you give orders to my woman?" His inner wolf was stirring, and the hall fell deathly silent. The gala ended soon after. Fenris's black Maybach was waiting at the hotel entrance. "Get in," he said, his face a blank mask. "Quite the performance," he sneered from the seat across from me. "You're getting good at putting on a show." I leaned back against the leather, the poison churning inside me. My chest was so tight I could barely breathe. "If you have something to say, say it," he scowled. "Don't play dead with me." I opened my mouth, wanting to argue, wanting to tell him the truth. But what came out wasn't words. It was blood. Black blood, flecked with shimmering silver dust, gushed from my mouth. I collapsed onto the seat, my vision blurring. "Freya!" Before I lost consciousness, I thought I saw a flash of panic in Fenris's eyes. His hand reached for me, trembling. The mate bond wouldn't let him completely ignore my suffering. "I swear, if you're faking this...""Until your family's blood debt is paid, you don't get to die. Do you hear me?"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"You're awake." I struggled to open my eyes and found myself lying in Fenris's bedroom. The black silk sheets, the familiar scent of cedarwood, and his cold voice. He sat by the bed, looking as if he'd been there for hours. The worry in his eyes looked real. "Drink this." Fenris sat on the edge of the bed, holding a glass filled with a milky white liquid. I tried to sit up, but a tearing pain shot through my chest. "Don't move," he said, his hand pressing down on my shoulder. "You're still too weak.""I don't need—""I told you, you owe me for the lives of my entire pack," Fenris cut me off, his eyes devoid of warmth. "Don't even think about dying." He gripped my chin, forcing my mouth open. The cool, bitter liquid slid down my throat. I tried to spit it out, but he held his hand firmly over my mouth. "Swallow it." I had no choice but to obey. As the liquid entered my system, the Silverthorn Toxin was temporarily suppressed, and the pain eased slightly. Perhaps because of our mate bond, the tension in Fenris's face relaxed as well. "Alpha!" A frantic knock came from the door. "Enter," Fenris said, releasing me and smoothing his cuffs. His Beta, Marcus, burst in, his face alight with excitement. "Good news!" Marcus's voice trembled. "Alpha! Vanessa… she's pregnant!" Fenris shot to his feet, a look of pure ecstasy flashing in his eyes. "Are you certain?""The doctor just confirmed it. She's six weeks along!" Marcus was so thrilled he looked like he might jump. "It's a gift from the Moon Goddess! Our bloodline will continue!" Fenris threw his head back and laughed, a genuine, heartfelt joy I had never seen on his face before. Not even on the night we had marked each other had he laughed like this. "Wonderful," he said, his voice shaking. "Finally… finally, an heir for Black Moon." The rejection from our mate bond ripped through me, a fresh agony that felt like my very soul was being carved out. I heard something inside me whine, then shatter. "How is Vanessa now?" Fenris asked eagerly. "She's a little scared, worried about her health. She-wolves are so fragile during pregnancy," Marcus said carefully. "She was hoping someone could be assigned to look after her." Fenris's gaze fell on me. "Freya," he said, his voice turning cold again. "Starting tomorrow, you will take care of Vanessa.""What?""Did you not understand me?" He strode to my side, looming over me. "You will serve the mother of my future heir. You should consider it an honor." I clenched my fists. "I won't—""This isn't a request." His Alpha authority crashed down on me like a physical weight. "It's an order." My body began to tremble uncontrollably. In my current state, I had no strength to defy a direct Alpha command. "Good," Fenris nodded, satisfied. "And remember this: if anything happens to Vanessa or the child, I will make you wish for death." Marcus discreetly slipped out of the room, leaving Fenris and me alone. "Why?" I looked at him. "You know what this means for me." Watching my own Alpha have a child with another she-wolf was a torture worse than death. "What it means?" Fenris sneered. "It means the blood of Silver Crest will serve the blood of Black Moon. Isn't that fitting?" He turned and walked toward the door. "Be at Vanessa's villa at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Don't be late." The door slammed shut. I closed my eyes, my very soul trembling. The next morning, I arrived at Vanessa's villa precisely on time. It was located in the city's most exclusive neighborhood, the kind of prime real estate where the city's elite resided. "Freya!" Vanessa appeared at the door in a pink silk robe, a look of false surprise on her face. "You're finally here!" Her waist was still slender, showing no sign of pregnancy. "Come in, I have so many things for you to help me with," she said, pulling me in affectionately, though her eyes held no trace of a smile. The villa was decorated in shades of pink, like a giant dollhouse. "Look, Fenris prepared all of this for me," Vanessa said, gesturing to the lavish floral arrangements that filled every room. "He said he wants only the best environment for our child." She paused deliberately. "Oh, that's right, I almost forgot. You were pregnant once, weren't you? Such a shame you lost the pup. But don't worry, you can help me take good care of this precious one." I didn't respond. "Why don't you start by tidying up the garden," Vanessa said, pointing to the backyard. "I want to sunbathe there. It's good for the baby." The backyard was an enormous rose garden. Red, white, and pink roses bloomed in profusion, their fragrance so thick it was suffocating. Roses had always been my favorite. Fenris had once planted an entire garden of them for me. I was surprised to see they were still perfectly tended. I began to prune the withered branches, but my body quickly gave out. Before long, the Silverthorn Toxin began to act up again. The familiar tearing pain returned to my chest. A warmth spread across my face, and blood trickled from my nose. I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand, but it only flowed faster. "Oh my god! Freya!" Vanessa's horrified voice came from behind me. I turned to see her covering her mouth, staring at me in shock. "You're bleeding!" she cried, stumbling backward. "This… this is a bad omen!""It's just a nosebleed," I said, dabbing at it with a tissue. "It'll stop soon.""No!" Vanessa's voice grew shrill. "Seeing blood… it's a terrible omen for a pregnant she-wolf! The elders say it can curse the pup!" She clutched her stomach, her face turning pale. "I feel dizzy… my baby…""I'll leave right now," I said, turning to go. "No!" Vanessa grabbed my arm. "It's too late! I saw it! If anything happens to this child, it will be all your fault!""Please, don't let anything happen to my baby, please!" she started to wail, her voice loud enough to be heard throughout the entire garden.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Less than five minutes later, Fenris's car screeched to a halt. He leaped from the car, his face a mask of fury, and stalked straight toward me. "Freya, you..." His gaze was fixed on the blood on my face, completely ignoring everyone else. "Fenris..." Vanessa sobbed, tears streaming down her perfect face. "Freya was bleeding in front of me, and I got so scared... The elders say it's a bad omen for a pregnant she-wolf to see blood... I'm worried about our baby..." Only then did he seem to remember Vanessa was there. He whirled on me and struck me across the face. The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the garden. My cheek burned, and I tasted blood in my mouth. "You knew she was pregnant, and you chose to bleed all over her?" He seized my chin, his grip tight enough to shatter bone. "Were you trying to curse my child?""I couldn't control—""Couldn't control it?" he sneered. "You Silver Crest wolves are all the same. You've played the victim for so long you've forgotten who you really are!" I tried to explain, but Fenris was done listening. He crouched down, his fingers digging into my jaw. "You had better behave yourself," he hissed. "Don't forget about the gravestone in the back garden." My heart skipped a beat. That was the memorial for our dead child. His child, too. How could he… "If anything happens to Vanessa or this baby," Fenris whispered in my ear, his voice a demonic murmur, "I will smash that stone to dust with my own hands and curse the memory of your bloodline for eternity." I knew he hated me, but I never imagined he could be so cruel, even to the memory of our own child. "Please!" Rain mixed with tears, streaming down my face. I knelt at the entrance of Fenris's villa, soaked to the bone. "Don't destroy the gravestone, I'm begging you!" Fenris stood under the portico, his suit immaculate, his eyes showing no hint of emotion. "Then give me a reason not to," he said, his voice as cold as the autumn rain. "That was our child!" I screamed. "That was your blood, too!""My child?" Fenris scoffed. "That thing was the bastard of a Silver Crest. You think a whelp like that ever deserved to be my heir?" Every word was a knife in my heart. "I'll be good," I said, my voice trembling. "I'll do anything you say. Just please, don't destroy it.""Freya!" Vanessa's voice, dripping with false concern, called from inside. "What are you doing? Come inside, you'll catch a cold!" She emerged wearing one of Fenris's black shirts, her slightly swollen belly on display. "Fenris, let Freya come in," Vanessa said, linking her arm with his. "A pregnant wolf needs a peaceful environment, but I can't bear to see her like this." She had deceived everyone with her endless, saccharine lies, making them all believe she was the one who had saved Fenris, and I was the mastermind behind the attack. "It's fine," Fenris said without looking at me. "Let her kneel.""But—""I said, let her kneel!" His Alpha authority flared, and Vanessa immediately fell silent. The rain fell harder. I knelt on the stone steps, feeling the life drain out of me. Chilled by the rain, the Silverthorn Toxin in my body grew more active, and my chest felt like it was being shredded by a thousand knives. "Is this enough?" I looked up at Fenris. "I'm already like this. What more do you want?""Like this?" He didn't go inside. Instead, he stood beside me, letting the rain soak his hair and face. "This is nothing. What your Silver Crest pack did to us was ten thousand times crueler than this." I finally lost my strength and pitched forward. My forehead struck the stone step with a sickening thud, and blood gushed from the wound. The loud impact drew everyone's attention. Fenris's brow furrowed, and a sudden, sharp pain in his chest made him break out in a cold sweat. Freya was bleeding too much—an abnormal amount. A sense of unease crept over him. "Get the doctor. Now," he ordered Marcus. Ten minutes later, a middle-aged man rushed in. "Dr. Anderson!" Vanessa was the first to greet him. "Quick, check on Freya. She fell very hard." Anderson knelt, examined my wound, and then stood up. "Alpha, the wound on her forehead is superficial," he said, glancing at Vanessa. "But the amount of blood is… unusual for such a small cut. And the angle and force of the impact are consistent with a self-inflicted wound.""On purpose?" Fenris's eyes turned to ice again. "Yes," Anderson nodded. "The angle and force of the impact are consistent with a self-inflicted wound." I instinctively tried to explain, but my voice was too hoarse to make a sound. It didn't matter. I was going to die in a day anyway. Nothing I said would change a thing. "Enough." Fenris turned and went inside. "Let her continue kneeling.""Fenris—" I called after him with the last of my strength. He paused but didn't turn back. "If you're so determined to destroy that gravestone," I whispered, my voice barely audible, "then do it after I'm dead." It wouldn't be long now. The door slammed shut, leaving me abandoned in the rainy night. My body temperature dropped, and my consciousness began to fade.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

After what felt like an eternity, the rain stopped. The moon emerged from behind the clouds, casting a pale, ghostly light over the courtyard. "Not dead yet?""You're tougher than you look." Vanessa's voice came from behind me. I laboriously turned my head and saw her standing in the doorway, wrapped in a white robe. "Let me see. The pathetic Silver Crest princess," she purred, slowly approaching me. "Tsk, tsk. How pitiful." She crouched down, her hand caressing my blood-caked face. "You know," she whispered, her voice as sweet as honey, "while Fenris was making love to me upstairs just now, you know, he was thinking of you the whole time." My heart seized. "He cried out your name when he came," Vanessa giggled in my ear. "Such a pity. The bond is killing him too, but he'll die before he ever acknowledges you as his mate." She stood and rolled up her sleeve. In the moonlight, I saw a silver tattoo on her arm—the sacred sigil of our people, a mark of salvation and strength. "See this little thing?" she purred, displaying it proudly. "This is all it took to convince Fenris I was his savior." My eyes widened. "He thinks I saved him," Vanessa's smile grew wider. "And he thinks your pack slaughtered his. The poor, stupid fool.""It was you…" I managed to choke out. "Of course it was me," Vanessa admitted without hesitation. "The Red Fang pack planned this for a decade, all for this moment. Not just to destroy Black Moon, but to wipe out Silver Crest as well, and then let the two surviving heirs torture each other to death." She knelt again, her nail tracing a line down my cheek. "Such a perfect plan. Fenris thinks he's getting his revenge, but he's just another pawn in the game. Both of you are nothing but playthings for the Red Fang pack." Rage gave me a sliver of strength. "If I had known," I stared into her eyes, my voice a raw rasp, "I should have let him die in that trap." Vanessa's smile froze. "What did you say?""I said," I repeated, each word deliberate, "I should have let him die." Footsteps sounded from behind me. Steady and familiar. I instinctively turned my head and met Fenris's icy gaze. He had been standing there, listening. A feral rage burned in his eyes. "Freya," he snarled, his hand clamping around my throat. His voice was a curse from the depths of hell. "So you've wanted me dead all along?""No, that's not…" Fenris's grip tightened, crushing my windpipe. "You Silver Crest wolves are all worthless scum!" His eyes were bloodshot. "And I almost believed you actually loved me!" My feet left the ground, kicking uselessly in the air. My vision blurred as Fenris's own wolf spirit began to destabilize. "Fenris..." I used the last of my strength to open my mouth. "When I said I loved you... I meant it..." He suddenly released me. I crashed to the ground, coughing violently. "Never mind." He loomed over me. "Killing you now would be letting you off too easy." He crouched, grabbing my chin. "I've changed my mind," he said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "You want to protect that gravestone so badly?" My eyes widened in horror. "I can have your name carved on it, grant you the title of mother," Fenris's lips curled into a cruel smile. "But you will trade it for your absolute obedience.""What do you mean?""From this moment on," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear, "you are my dog. You do what I say. You don't run, you don't fight back, and you don't die.""Do you agree or not?" I closed my eyes. For the sake of my child's final resting place, I would do anything. "Fine. I agree.""Good." Fenris stood. "Then let's start now." He pointed to the center of the courtyard. "Kneel there until I tell you to get up." I struggled to crawl to the center of the yard and knelt on the cold stone. The rain-slicked ground was chilling, and my knees quickly grew numb. Fenris and Vanessa went back inside. Through the window, I could see them talking in the living room. Time ticked by, second by second. The numbness in my knees turned into a searing pain, then to nothing at all. The Silverthorn Toxin, agitated by the night wind, raged through me. The tearing in my chest grew more intense with every wave. After what felt like an eternity, the villa door opened again. Vanessa emerged alone. She had changed into a black dress and was holding the leashes of two enormous black dogs. They were war hounds, unique to the Red Fang pack, bred specifically for hunting and killing their enemies. Each one stood as tall as a grown male wolf. "Freya," Vanessa cooed. "Still here? You're so obedient. No wonder our Alpha just can't bring himself to truly hate you." I looked up at her but said nothing. Can't hate me? He already hated me to his very core. "These two darlings," she patted the war hounds' heads, "haven't had a fresh meal in a long time." The hounds sniffed the air and immediately grew agitated, their bodies tense. They had caught the scent of blood. My wounds were still weeping. "Did you know," Vanessa said as she unclipped the leashes, "that war hounds have a special fondness for injured prey?" The two massive beasts shot toward me like shadows. They circled me, their growls low, guttural rumbles in their chests. "Go on," Vanessa laughed softly. "Dinner's served."

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

The war hounds lunged. Sharp fangs sank into my shoulder, tearing away a chunk of flesh. The agony was so intense I nearly passed out, and a scream tore from my throat. "Go on, scream," Vanessa clapped her hands. "Scream your lungs out. No one is coming to save you." The two hounds tore at me relentlessly. My flesh was shredded, and I could see the white of my own bones. My vision blurred, and my consciousness began to fade. I remembered the night he secretly marked me, his hand caressing my cheek. "Freya, I will love you for the rest of my life." His movements had been clumsy, yet so incredibly gentle. It couldn't have been a lie. But now, the same Alpha who had whispered those words to me was watching as I was torn to pieces. Just before I blacked out completely, I saw a pair of expensive, handmade leather shoes appear in my hazy line of sight. It was Fenris. I saw him shove Vanessa aside, his voice a guttural roar. "Who told you you could touch her?" With my last ounce of strength, I grabbed his pant leg. My hand, slick with blood, stained the black fabric. I opened my mouth, trying to speak, but only a faint whisper came out. "…Save me… it hurts…" It didn't matter anymore. I only had a few hours left to live. In a daze, I dreamt of a summer long ago. We were just pups then, and our packs were still at peace. He had carried my injured body out of the forest, crying as he ran. "Don't be scared, Freya. I'll protect you.""Open your mouth." A familiar voice pulled me back to reality. I opened my eyes and saw Fenris sitting by the bed. There was a deep gash on his wrist, and his blood was dripping into a silver cup. "Drink," he said, bringing the cup to my lips. His hand was trembling. The rich, metallic scent of his blood filled the air. An Alpha's blood held powerful healing properties, but I turned my head away in disgust. "I don't need it.""You're dying!" he growled, grabbing my chin with a force that felt like it would crush my jaw. "Drink it!""Then let me die!" I shoved his hand away. "Isn't that what you wanted?" Something flickered in Fenris's eyes—pain, perhaps—but it was quickly masked by anger. "Freya, I told you. I'm not letting you die. Not yet." He forced my jaw open and poured his blood down my throat. As the warm liquid slid down, my wounds began to slowly heal. But the Silverthorn Toxin in my system immediately fought back. A violent rejection wracked my body, and I convulsed as if being pierced by a thousand needles. "Dammit!" Fenris recoiled. "Get the healing draught! Now!" His forehead was beaded with sweat. My agony was clearly causing him pain as well. "Drink this," he said, holding the vial to my lips. I shook my head weakly. "It's no use… It's too late…""Freya!" His voice was laced with desperation. "This is the best time for treatment! You have to drink it." The best time. How ironic. I didn't even have the strength to lift my hand. "Don't waste your energy… It's… useless…" Fenris looked at my frail form and sighed, saying no more. He tilted his head back, downing the draught himself, then leaned over me and crushed his lips to mine. He tilted his head, forcing the warm liquid from his mouth to mine. But before I could swallow, a violent spasm wracked my body and I began to vomit. Clots of black blood, mixed with shimmering, silver particles, spewed from my mouth. The particles glittered eerily under the light, seeming to writhe as if they were alive. The color drained from Fenris's face. He was horrified. "What… What is this?" he stared at the silver flecks. "Where the hell is the healer? Get in here now!""Silverthorn Toxin," I interrupted, slumping weakly against the pillows. Each breath was like tearing my own chest open. "It's been in my blood. For ten years."

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

"Toxin?" Fenris's voice was strangled. "You've been poisoned? When? Who did this to you?" I looked at his terrified expression and felt a sudden urge to laugh. For ten long years, he had never known what I had done for him. "No one did this to me." I brought this upon myself. "Fenris, I'm going to die. Tonight.""No!" His roar was a raw, primal agony that rattled the windows. "I forbid you to die! Do you hear me?""You forbid it?" I used all my strength to meet his gaze. "Who do you think you are? The Moon Goddess?" As the words left my lips, I felt something inside me snap completely, like a violin string stretched too tight. Silver veins began to surface beneath my skin, spreading like a crazed spiderweb across my entire body. Blood began to seep from the corners of my eyes, my nose, my ears. It was silver blood, glowing with an unholy light. "Freya!" Fenris let out a primal, animalistic roar and reached for me. But my body was already growing rigid. Just then, the door was thrown open. "Fenris!" Vanessa rushed in. "I heard you shouting… Oh my goddess!" She saw me on the bed, covered in silver blood. A flicker of triumph crossed her eyes before she masked it with a look of horror. "What's wrong with Freya? She looks…""Get out!" Fenris roared without turning around. "But Fenris, I'm worried about you—""I said, get out!" he spun around, the murderous intent in his eyes making Vanessa stumble backward. "If you don't leave now, I will kill you myself!" Terrified by his fury, Vanessa scrambled out of the room. Fenris gathered me into his arms, but my body temperature was plummeting, and my breathing grew fainter and fainter. "No… don't…" His voice was shattered. "Freya, listen to me. You wanted to hear me say I love you, didn't you? I love you! I truly love you!" I tried, but my eyelids were as heavy as lead. The light in my vision dimmed, fading until it was completely swallowed by darkness. I couldn't hold on any longer. I closed my eyes. This time, it was for good. The world fell silent. "Freya!" Fenris shook my lifeless body, his voice raw with desperation. "Wake up! I command you to wake up! That's an Alpha's order!" His voice grew hoarser, more hopeless. "Freya! Freya!" Frantic footsteps approached the door. "Alpha!" Marcus burst into the room and paled at the sight of me on the bed. "Save her!" Fenris grabbed Marcus by the collar, his eyes shot with blood. "Save her now!""I don't care what it takes!" Fenris's voice was unhinged. "If she dies, you all die with her! I want this entire medical team buried by dawn!" The head physician was pushed into the room, trembling as he examined my body. A few minutes later, he looked up, his voice shaking. "Alpha, I'm so sorry… Her heart has completely stopped. The toxin in her system has destroyed all of her organ functions. We… there's nothing we can do." Fenris froze, looking as if he'd been struck by lightning. "What did you say? She was really poisoned…""My condolences, Alpha," the physician whispered. "Get out!" Fenris suddenly exploded. "All of you, get out! Go!" Terrified, everyone fled the room. Fenris collapsed onto the side of the bed, his hand trembling as he stroked my cold cheek. "Freya… Freya…" He sobbed like a child. "You can't die… you can't leave me…" Just then, a guard rushed in. "Alpha, there's a hedge witch at the gate demanding to see you. She says…" Fenris's head snapped up, his eyes burning with a final, desperate sliver of hope. "What does she say? Can she help? Speak!" The guard hesitated, as if steeling himself for death. "She says… she says that you, Alpha… you are the one who killed Freya."