My father, his werewolf aura flaring in his fury, his face contorted into a mask of rage, roared at me.

"She's your own sister!"

I let out a laugh that was more a sob. "Father, have you conveniently erased it from your memory? Seven years ago, you banished me from the house! I've been cast out like a mangy, unwanted pup. I have no family, no pack - bonds left, and certainly no sister."

His face, which had been flushed with anger, suddenly froze.

"Stella's heart function is deteriorating by the hour, and she's severely anemic," he pleaded, his voice a hoarse whisper now. "In our werewolf ways, we protect our own, and right now, she's on the verge of crossing the veil. Only blood transfusions can keep her tethered to this life. We've scoured the packs far and wide, but no one's a match. You're her last hope, Ava. You must come back with me to donate blood."

I'd never seen him so broken, so desperate.

Stella truly was the most precious thing in his world, the golden - haired werewolf princess he'd always cherished.

"Fine, I agree, but I have a condition,"

"I want to be reinstated into the Smith pack, with all the rights and privileges I was stripped of. And I want all the properties in Stella's hands. Those lands and homes were rightfully mine, part of my birth - right as a Smith werewolf."

"Ava, don't you dare push your luck!" he snarled, his werewolf fangs bared in a flash of aggression. But I could see the fear in his eyes, the fear of losing Stella.

"This is my condition. Take it or leave it,"

After a long, John Smith finally caved in.

I was roughly dragged to the car.

I felt dizzy, and when I got in the car, I hit the seat hard.

John Smith, in his haste, paid no attention and sped like a madman towards the werewolf - friendly hospital.

At the hospital, the nurse, a young werewolf with kind eyes, took one look at my pale face and asked, "Are you hypoglycemic? You look dreadful.Do you need to rest and have something to eat? "

But John Smith snapped, " Get on with the blood - drawing!" As the major investor in this hospital, his word was law, and the nurse, a low - ranking werewolf in the pack hierarchy, was terrified. She quickly prepared the blood - drawing tools, her hands shaking.

When the needle pierced my skin, a wave of dizziness hit me, stronger than before. With a severe cold and hypoglycemia from not eating all day, my werewolf constitution was struggling to keep up.

Halfway through the blood - drawing, I felt my breathing turn ragged, my werewolf senses dulling.

My head lolled to the side uncontrollably, and I could feel myself slipping away.

The nurse cried out, "We can't draw any more blood! Her werewolf body is on the verge of collapse. Something terrible will happen if we continue."

John Smith's face turned an ugly shade of purple. He was afraid, but not for me.

He was terrified that without me, Stella wouldn't have the precious blood she needed to survive.

"Fine, use what we have for now," he growled.

I was helped into the rest room, and I lost consciousness completely.

I didn't know how much time had passed when suddenly, a woman rushed in.

She slapped me hard across the face.

"It's all your fault!" she wailed hysterically. "What are you playing at, acting so weak? That little bit of blood is nothing! You're not even a proper werewolf, not like Stella!"

I was jolted awake by the pain and saw my mother's swollen face from crying.

She grabbed my clothes, her werewolf claws pricking my skin, and pounded me with her fists.

"Why did I give birth to you two? You're a curse, a blight on our werewolf bloodline! Even in the womb, you stole Stella's nutrients, and she was born with a heart disease. Now, when we need a little of your blood, you're putting on this pathetic show. Do you really want your sister to die, you un - pack - worthy wretch?"

I had heard these words countless times since I was a child. Just because Stella and I were twins, and just because Stella's heart wasn't fully developed, I was the one to blame.

Everyone in the family hated me, and even my own mate - to - be, Alpha Hector.

I was too weak to resist my mother's beating, my werewolf strength sapped. But then, a pair of strong arms lifted me up.

I could smell the distinct scent of Alpha Hector.

John Smith was also very surprised to see him. "Why are you here?"

Alpha Hector simply said, "I heard that Stella's condition is dire, so I came to check. As the alpha of this pack, it's my duty. Don't worry too much. I've consulted the pack's ancient wizard. She's found a heart source for Stella, and she'll recover soon."

Laura, who had been crying just now, immediately stopped.

"Really? Where did you find the heart source? Is Stella really going to be saved? By the moon goddess, please let it be true."

Alpha Hector affirmed again, "I know a powerful wizard. She has agreed to the heart - transplant. I'll offer my own alpha blood as a sacrifice to the moon goddess to ensure its success."

I let out a sad laugh. After Laura left, Alpha Hector, feeling the burning heat of my body in his arms, carried me to the ward.

His touch, which should have been comforting, felt like a brand.

Then he carefully prepared a blanket and hot water.

Lying on the hospital bed, Alpha Hector took my temperature. When he saw the 41 - degree reading, his brows furrowed deeply. "Why didn't you call me when you had a fever? "

He didn't care about me. All he cared about, from beginning to end, was the heart in my body, the heart that could save his precious Stella.

He sat down by the bed, took my hot hand. "I'm sorry. I promise you, after this, I'll live with you properly. You'll be my true mate. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. By the moon goddess, I swear it."

But I didn't look at him. I silently withdrew my hand. The next day, I started to feel a little better, my werewolf body slowly healing. This was the first time I had ever felt Alpha Hector's care, but it was all for the sake of my heart, the heart that would soon be beating in Stella's chest.

To make me recover faster, Alpha Hector even gave me some wolfsbane.

I looked at the wolfsbane, a powerful and dangerous herb that could cause the body to fester if misused. I laughed self - deprecatingly. "It doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm going to lose my heart soon. What's the use of keeping this body?"

I said it so casually.

Alpha Hector looked at me with a complex expression.

For some reason, Alpha Hector seemed to be in pain. He snatched the wolfsbane back. "I'll make sure you have a healthy body. You'll live, Ava, I promise."

A healthy body to die in?

Outside the ward, John Smith came in with a property transfer agreement. He threw the file, still in its cover, hard at my face.

"As you wish. All the properties in Stella's hands are yours now. But mark my words, if this doesn't save Stella, you'll pay the price."

I was satisfied and signed the document.

Alpha Hector personally took me for an examination. I knew this examination was to check the condition of my heart, to make sure it was still suitable for the transplant.

When I came out of the examination room, I happened to run into Stella.

She was sitting in a wheelchair, her slender figure looking even more delicate in the thin hospital gown.

Her long hair fell in waves, and she had a sickly, pale beauty that made anyone who saw her feel pity.

"Sister, I heard from my brother - in - law that they found a heart source for me," Stella suddenly said. "You're happy for me, right? As a good werewolf sister, you should be overjoyed."

I looked into her black eyes, so bright and seemingly innocent.

"Happy," I smiled, a bit sincerely. "I'm very happy. After all, what kind of werewolf sister would I be if I wasn't?"

Not getting the reaction she expected, Stella seemed a bit disappointed. She casually raised her hand to brush her hair, and the women's wedding - style ring on her ring finger was very conspicuous. It was a pair with the one on Alpha Hector's hand.

My eyes fixed on it, my werewolf gaze intense.

Seeing this, Stella quickly took it off. "I'm sorry. This is a gift from my brother - in - law. It doesn't mean anything. Please don't be angry, sister. You know I would never betray you, right?"

As I stood there, Stella suddenly burst into tears. Just then, Alpha Hector witnessed this scene.

He rushed over quickly and shielded Stella behind him, then roared at me, "What have you done to Stella? She's a patient! Why are you tormenting her?"

Just because of Stella's few tears, without even asking for the whole story, he instinctively placed me in the role of the perpetrator.

Stella continued to sob, "Brother - in - law, don't be angry. Sister didn't do anything. She just said a few words when she saw the ring on my hand. Please don't blame her."

Alpha Hector's face darkened even more.

"The date of the heart - transplant has been set. All these petty tricks you play behind the scenes are useless. I won't let anything affect Stella's heart - transplant." He thought I didn't want to donate my heart, so I was deliberately provoking Stella to worsen her condition.

But I didn't explain anything.

I just silently turned around and went back to my room, closing the door behind me.

I was a bit sleepy and soon fell into a deep slumber.

When I woke up again, I heard rustling sounds. Then I saw a little girl scribbling all over my design sketches with a pencil. The well - drawn design sketches were now completely ruined.

I immediately sat up, grabbed the little girl's hand, and scolded, "What are you doing!"

The little girl was startled and looked up. It was a face that resembled Stella's by seven - tenths. It was Stella's daughter, Alice.

"You bad woman! You made my mom cry. I'm going to punish you for my mom, bad woman!" Alice cried out, her shrill voice like nails scratching on glass.

Alice cried even louder,"Help! The bad woman is going to hit me! Help, help! Grandpa, help!"

In no time, John Smith and Alpha Hector rushed in together and pushed me aside forcefully. Their strength was so great that I was slammed hard against the headboard. A sharp pain shot through my head, and my vision went black.

"Alice was so scared. Alice almost got beaten to death," Alice wailed.

Hearing this, John Smith flew into a rage. "Ava, have you lost all sense of propriety? How could you lay a hand on a child?"

I remained silent. I lowered my head and touched the part of my hair, feeling the sticky blood.

John Smith didn't notice at all.

In his fury, he grabbed my hair. "Is this what I taught you? Why did you hit a child!"

The pain made my face turn pale. I was forced to tilt my head up. "Dad, if I say I didn't do it, would you believe me? Would either of you believe me?"

Alpha Hector's voice was icy cold. "Ava, stop lying all the time. We all saw what happened."

I let out a low laugh.

I looked at the child who was crying while secretly peeking at us. "Fine, then I hit her." After all, no one would believe me anyway.

John Smith was so angry that he suddenly raised his hand.

Alpha Hector quickly stopped him. I knew he was just worried about my heart being damaged.

I suddenly found it ridiculous.

As I laughed, tears streamed down my face.

I covered my chest, feeling the real, throbbing pain.

Seeing this, Alpha Hector's face changed slightly. He quickly supported me. "What's wrong with you? Don't get excited. Take a deep breath. It's just a trivial matter. Is it really worth getting so worked up over? We won't mention it anymore."

"Take a deep breath. I told you to take a deep breath!"

I pushed him away forcefully and shouted, "Get out!" I threw everything within my reach at him. "Get out of here, all of you!"

Alpha Hector didn't dare to agitate me further and left. But his face was extremely ugly.

That night, when my emotions had calmed down a bit, Alpha Hector came with the news. "The heart - transplant is scheduled for ten days later."

I didn't react much.

Alpha Hector continued, "I originally wanted to wait until you recovered from your illness, but you're being so uncooperative. If this goes on, things will only get more and more unstable. Ten days later is the best time."

I just nodded calmly, as if I had accepted everything.

After a moment of silence, he said, "I'll be personally involved in this heart - transplant. I bought wolfsbane with a very strong effect. The effect will be quick. You'll die soon, and you won't feel any pain."

I could hear the rare consideration in his tone. I looked up, revealing my pale and weak face. "Should I be grateful to you?"

Alpha Hector was speechless.

I was extremely thin now, with sunken cheeks and pale lips.

"Alpha Hector, have you ever thought that what if the wizard's method fails and I really die?"

Alpha Hector was shocked.

He froze in place, feeling panic for the first time. But soon, he calmed down and said rationally, "The wizard is very reliable. You won't really die. So don't say such things to deceive me."

Alpha Hector, there's no fool in this world who, knowing their sincere heart is being trampled on, still foolishly offers it up.

After this, I, Ava, will completely disappear from your life.

After that, I started to talk very little.

Every day, I just stared blankly out of the window.

These last ten days, I was merely counting down the days, feeling no attachment to anything in front of me anymore.

Alpha Hector took me to do various examinations up and down.

Blood - drawing, taking medicine, the needles stabbed my arms until there was no spot of good flesh left, but I didn't utter a sound.

John Smith looked at me with a complex expression and questioned, "What on earth are you up to? Does a simple cold require so many examinations? Are you deliberately putting on a show to make us sympathize with you?"

I didn't bother to explain.

My face had become paler day by day, and I had lost a significant amount of weight. I never looked at him in the eyes anymore.

John Smith's heart was filled with a nameless anger.

"You've been different from your sister since you were a child. You're so scheming and malicious. All these things you do will only make us dislike you more. If you're sensible, you should leave the hospital early and disappear from our sight!"

As he spoke, John Smith gave me a hard shove.

My already thin body couldn't keep its balance, and I stumbled and fell.

The report sheets in my arms scattered all over the floor. John Smith was startled. "What are you pretending for? I just pushed you gently. Are you going to frame your own father now?"

I didn't explain.

Gritting my teeth to endure the pain, I bent down to pick up the scattered sheets.

They were all my various examination reports. John Smith took a look and casually picked up one. "What are you doing having an echocardiogram when you're perfectly fine?" Then he was about to look at the other sheets.

Just then, Stella's voice came from behind.

"Dad." She was in a wheelchair, looking extremely weak.

She grabbed John Smith's sleeve. "Dad, don't be angry with sister. She just wants you to care about her more. You've been with me for so long. It's normal for sister to be jealous. You go and accompany sister. I'm okay."

As she spoke, Stella weakly covered her chest and started gasping for breath.

Seeing this, John Smith immediately dropped the examination sheets in his hand. "Silly girl, look at you. She's your sister, but instead of helping, she's here acting sick to win your affection. Why are you still standing up for her? And if it weren't for her, would you have been born with this disease?"

My heart was already numb.

Behind me, Alpha Hector came out of the report room. Seeing this scene, his face changed drastically. He quickly took a few steps forward, picked up the report sheets, and then dragged me back to the ward without saying a word. As soon as we entered the door, I was thrown heavily onto the bed.

A stack of report sheets was thrown at me.

"Did you do it on purpose?" He continued, "Did you deliberately drop the examination sheets in front of Stella, hoping she would see the contents so that she would feel guilty and then refuse the heart - transplant? Ava, how vicious you are!"

I covered my sore waist and laughed bitterly.

"If you say so, then so be it." Anyway, whatever I said was useless. Whenever it came to Stella, Alpha Hector would lose all his rationality.

I silently returned to the bed and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Alpha Hector was silent for a moment. "Before Stella's operation, she has one more wish. It's to participate in the Great Hall Ballet Show. You're supposed to participate in next year's show, right? Give your spot to Stella."

I looked up in astonishment. "You know this is also my dream. You know how long I've been working hard for it. And now you want me to give my spot to her? No way!"

Alpha Hector frowned again. "It's just a spot. What's the big deal? It's just a small wish. Can't you, as her sister, even fulfill this?"

How could he say it so casually? It seemed that everything I had sacrificed didn't matter at all. As long as Stella wanted something, I had to give it up.

"I've already promised to give her my heart. Now, does she even want to take away my dream?"

Alpha Hector was shocked. Just then, Stella's crying and shouting came from outside the door. "I just want to fulfill a small wish, and you guys can't even satisfy me. I might as well just die!"

John Smith immediately shook his head when he heard this. "Silly girl, don't say such things." Then he turned to me and ordered, "Give this spot to your sister!" His tone was not a request at all. "Stella is your sister. Can't you be less selfish? Do you want to deliberately drive your sister to death to be happy?"

I stubbornly refused to compromise. "No!"

John Smith's face turned livid. "Fine, if you don't give the spot, then don't even think about your little werewolf friend who's been helping you secretly. I know you care about her. You know what I can do."

I was shocked, looking at him in disbelief. This was my father. He was using my weakness to hurt me again and again, forcing me to give in.

Alpha Hector also tried to persuade me. "You can get another spot next time. Just give it to Stella this time. Stop being so stubborn."

Tears streaming down my face, I suddenly laughed. I looked at the people in front of me, all of them were my closest ones. "Fine, I'll give it." After I said that, I looked at everyone. "Are you satisfied now?"

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief and turned to look at Stella.

Only I, with my head raised, closed my eyes and let the tears fall uncontrollably.

The light in my eyes dimmed little by little, and finally turned completely gray.

At night, Alpha Hector brought back a bowl of mushroom - barley soup. It wafted a warm, earthy aroma through the room, but I had no appetite whatsoever. Alpha Hector had long forgotten that I loathed the earthy, musty taste of mushrooms. The chunks of mushrooms floating in the thick, creamy soup were a repugnant sight to me. I stared at the bowl on the table, a surge of irritation rising within me. With a swift, angry motion, I swept my hand across and sent the bowl flying straight into the trash can.

I saw the complacency in Stella's eyes. "As long as I want something, Mom, Dad, and even Alpha Hector will bring it to me." Stella said, suddenly laughing with a maliciousness that sent chills down my spine.

"I wonder if sister will still have the chance to watch me dance ballet in the Great Hall after the heart - transplant."

She knew it all. I looked at her coldly and said only one sentence. "Even if you go on stage, with your skills, you'll only be a laughingstock."

Stella's face immediately darkened. "You'd better worry about your good friend instead of me. I heard she's in big trouble now."

"What do you mean?"

Stella feigned innocence. "You don't know? Your good friend Bruna came to me and made some sarcastic remarks. I just told Alpha Hector that I didn't like her. And Alpha Hector seems to have sent someone to deal with her. It's a bit troublesome, but you know Alpha Hector's methods. He can just frame her with some charges. She won't be able to get out of prison for ten or eight years."

I couldn't hold back anymore and slapped her across the face. "You're crazy! If you have anything against me, come at me. Why are you targeting my friend!"

Stella smiled indifferently. "Because you care about her. You don't have much left for me to target, so I can only make things difficult for her. Blame yourself. You're the one who got your good friend into trouble. What does it have to do with me?"

Stella was smiling innocently, but behind that smile was a terrifying cruelty.

I raised my hand again, but this time, before it could land, I was pushed hard.

Alpha Hector rushed over and angrily shielded Stella behind him. "What are you doing!"