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Alpha Elias stood up swiftly and moved toward the door, but she dodged around him and kept advancing toward where I was seated.

“So you think you cane in here, steal my man, and just walk away like it’s nothing? You seriously expect him to believe you’re his damn mate? What are you, some kind of witch?”

she shouted, closing in on me. But Alpha Elias caught her by the arm and yanked her back

before she could get any closer.

“She’s only fifteen and hasn’t felt the mate bond yet. I have. There’s no spell. No tricks. Now

get out,” Alpha Elias said, his voice cold andmanding.

“No. Not until you look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want me anymore,” Lenore shot

back, locking her eyes with his. He didn’t blink or nce away–he met her stare without

hesitation.

“I don’t want you anymore,” Alpha Elias said tly. His words hit her like a p, and for a

moment, she looked visibly wounded. He released her arm and began guiding her toward the

front door. But she ducked under his arm and lunged at me instead.

I scrambled up from my chair, which toppled behind me with a loud crash, and backed up

fast until I hit the kitchen counter. She leapt for me–but Alpha Elias intercepted her mid–air

and hurled her across the room. She crashed into the opposite wall with a heavy thud.

My heart was pounding so loud I could barely hear. My breathing came in short, sharp gasps.

I slid down against the cabs, pulling my knees to my chest, trembling. Tears were

streaming down my cheeks, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t calm myself. None of my

usual tricks were working.

I could faintly hear voices entering the cabin–people yelling–but everything sounded far

away and distorted. The edges of my vision were darkening, tunneling in, just like it always did when I had a panic attack.

I was gasping hard, trying to get air into my lungs, but it was useless. That only made the

panic worse.

Someone called my name, and then I felt a pair of warm hands gently touching my arms, my cheeks–soothing me. But I couldn’t make out who it was. The voices were still muffled, like I

was underwater.

CHAPTER 11

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There was more shouting all around me, and suddenly I felt myself being lifted off the ground. That was thest thing I remembered before everything faded to ck.

I was in the attic of the old packhouse, and my father stood towering over me, belt in hand.

He was hitting me with the metal buckle side.

“I told you never to break the rules,” he shouted, striking again. “You were never supposed to

speak to anyone,” he growled, bringing the belt down on me again. “You left the packhouse!”

he bellowed. “You defied me!” he roared, hitting me each time. He raised the belt again–but

before it could fall, someone behind him snatched it away. I looked up and saw Alpha Elias

standing there. fn28c4 This update is avable on FιndNovel/fn28c4

“You will nevery another finger on her,” he said darkly, tossing the belt aside. Then he

walked over to me, extended his hand, and I reached for it. He helped me up and led me out

of that attic–away from my father.

I jerked awake in a bed, breathing hard. It took me a second to realize I was back in Alpha

Elias’s house. I looked around wildly, drenched in sweat and disoriented.

A tingling sensation ran through my arm, and I looked down to see Alpha Elias sitting in a

chair next to me, his hand resting on my skin.

“You’re safe. Everything’s okay now,” he said softly.

“What… what happened?” I asked, still trying to piece things together.

“You don’t remember?i” /ihe said gently. I tried to think. We were in the kitchen earlier. Drinking

coffee. Then… the idoor /immed open. A woman appeared. It all started toe back. She’d

“That woman believes I bewitched iyou/i. That’s why she came at me,” I murmured, but he

quickly shook his head.

“No. She knows you didn’t cast any spell. She’s just bitter because I no longer want her. I told youst night–you’re the only one I want. That’s what set her off,” he exined. I gave him a

slow nod.

“She was one of the bed warmers,” I whispered.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect her to react like that. I’m not sure what got into her, but I’m going to

:

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find out,” he said firmly, and that only made the fear rise in me. She was still around. What if

she came back for me?

I darted a nce around the room and then peered out the window, trying to see if she was

nearby.

“Don’t worry. She won’t get another chance to hurt you. Sheid hands on this pack’s future

Luna. That’s something we don’t take lightly,” Alpha Elias reassured me.

“Where is she now?” I asked in a trembling voice.

“She’s locked up in the cave, for the time being. I haven’t decided what to do with her yet. But

she’s not going to get close to you again,” he said.

“You can’t exile her. She might reveal your location to others,” I said quickly. He gave me a knowing smile and nodded.

“I know. That’s what makes thisplicated. I guess I’ll leave it up to you to think over,” he

said. I nodded, until the meaning behind his words fully hit me.

“Wait–what do you mean I have to think about it?” I asked, eyes widening.

“You’re the Luna–to–be. She attacked you. That means her punishment is yours to decide,” he

stated inly. But I immediately began shaking my head. I couldn’t. I didn’t know how to decide something like that. I was always the one being punished, never the one delivering it. I

didn’t know how to hold that kind of authority over someone. It felt unnatural. Impossible.

I barely knew this ce or these people. I’d only arrived yesterday. The only ones I’d spoken to were Alpha Elias and, briefly, his Beta Luke. I couldn’t be the one to decide someone’s fate.

That wasn’t me.

As I spiraled deeper into my thoughts, I felt the panic start again–and then I heard someone

clear their throat by the door.

“What the hell did you say ito /iher this time?” a woman said sharply.

“Nothing. I just told her she could decide Lenore’s punishment,” Alpha Elias replied.

“Well, clearly she’s not ready for that kind of responsibility,” the woman responded bluntly.

“Alright. Lyra, I’ll handle Lenore. You don’t have to worry about it anymore. That decision isn’t yours,” Elias assured me gently. I nodded, then looked over at the woman standing in the doorway with a small bag in her hand.

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“I’m Dr. Eris,” she said in a soft voice. “I was called here after you lost consciousness. I’ve

been waiting for you to wake up.”

I slowly swung my legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. “How long was I out?”

“Roughly an hour. Not too long,” she replied. Then she turned to Alpha Elias. “Alpha, why don’t you give us a moment? I think your Beta needs you.”

“Of course. I’ll be just down the hall,” he said, casting a nce my way. I nodded, and he left.

Dr. Eris closed the door gently behind him.

She walked over and sat in the chair he had vacated, but I couldn’t bring myself to meet her

eyes. I’d never had a doctor examine me before, and I had a sinking feeling she could see

everything–everything I’d been through. And as soon as she opened her imouth/i, I knew I was

right. She was here to assess the damage. To see what years of silence and bruises had

done to me.

Dr. Eris carefully took a few blood samples, cing one vial aside before adding a drop of my

blood into another that already contained a clear solution.

Then she moved on to examine the wounds on my legs and arms, her expression calm but

focused.

“Alright, Lyra. Do you think you could take your shirt off for me?” she asked gently. I froze, uncertain, my hands instinctively clutching the hem.

“I promise, ino /ione can see us, and I won’t let anyonee in while I’m with youi,/ii” /ishe added softly. “I just need ito /iassess how serious the injuries are.”

Reluctantly, I lifted my shirt. Her sharp intake of breath made my chest tighten–but that was only the front. I stood slowly and turned around. I heard her breath catch again.

Bruisesyered over older bruises. Welts that hadn’t even begun to fade sat beside deep, raw lines from recent whippings. I didn’t need a mirror to know how horrific it looked.

As soon as she said I could put the shirt back on, I did–quickly, almost frantically. I hated

anyone seeing the evidence of what I’d lived through. It wasn’t just painful–it was

humiliating.

When she finished, we stepped into the living room. Alpha Elias was mid–conversation with

Luke, but he stopped and sent him away.

“I tested Lyra’s blood with a reactive solution I carry. The result was positive,” Dr. Eris

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announced.

“Positive for what?” Alpha Elias asked, tension rising in his voice.

“Wolfsbane. And silver,” she replied grimly. “She’s been poisoned.”

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