~Alden~

Alden entered his chambers the weight of the Battle still all over him, his body ached with every step he took, but the soreness from the fight was not what even bothered him but the feeling he had been having since the day before, something he just couldn’t explain.

He sat forcefully on his bed, using his hands to run through over his face, trying to make the feelings go away. What was it? Why does everything seem blurry like he was under the effect of something, he wondered.

His mind went back to the war the chaos, the blood, the growls, the defeat. They were things he had seen countless times in Battles but this time they weighed heavier that was not it, there was something more, that he could not understand.

He clenched his fist in frustration, growling in anger, he reached out to a cup of water on his table gulping everything forcefully.

He slammed his hands on the table, facing his head downwards, his head hurting with frustration. He didn’t have time for what was going on with him, he needed to clear his head fast “Tea!.” He called out sharply, a maid rushed in bowing her head with Alden barely acknowledging her.

“ Make me something strong,” he commanded, the maid nodding her head, rushed out While Alden with frustration still clouding his mind went to sit back on his bed.

Seconds dragged into minutes, and His impatience grew. It was unlike him for him to be this unsettled. Something was wrong.

Finally, the maid returned, carrying a tray with a steamy cup on top“Here is your tea, My Alpha. ”she said handing the cup over to him. Alden responded with a brief nod without glancing at her.

Alden lifted the cup to his lips, hoping the herbal tea would clear what was wrong with him, but the moment the liquid touched his tongue, his instinct was wrong, the taste was off.

He held onto the cup firmly, a slow burn began to rise in his stomach slowly building up to his chest, Alden’s chest tightened as he began to wheeze his muscles weakened.

He slammed the cup on the table nearby causing the sound to echo through the room. His vision began to blur, but he tried to maintain his focus. He glared at the maid who was standing at the door.

“ What… have you done? He asked, his voice low but with a dangerous growl, his eyes were clouded with fury.

“ My Alpha, I do..don’t know .” the maid stammered with fear in her eyes.

“Guards” Alden called out. Two guards entered the chamber immediately.

“ Take her away,” Alden ordered his voice going low as he was already feeling too weak.

“ I swear… I don’t. I don’t know what happened. ” the maid stammered while trying to free herself from the grip of the guards.

“ To the Dungeon. ” Alden completed, his voice growing weaker as the poison worked through him.

The guards dragged the maid away as she continued pleading.

Alden’s body felt weak with each passing seconds, the poison or whatever was in the tea had slowly sapped out his Energy, his vision began to blur again and his legs felt numb.

“Everyone get out,” he ordered, his voice growing weak but still has authority, the remaining servants around the chamber sensed some kind of danger but were afraid to question him. They all gave him a bow and quickly moved away closing the door behind them.

He started wheezing again, the room spinning around him, his mind tried to fight what was going on with him, but his body was unwilling to do so.

He growled in frustration, and his body tightened and began to feel sore, he collapsed onto his bed, and his body tried to resist the effect of the poison as if his Wolf wanted to fight, but it was no use because the effect of the poison pulled with greater force into a deep sleep.

Adria slipped into the chamber, tip-toeing her away inside Alden’s room with calculated steps, her breath below a whisper. She looked around making sure no one saw her as she entered Alden’s room.

Alden was lying down on his bed motionless, Adria gazed at him for a moment—she had to do this successfully to keep the spell working or else Dana would be brought back and her mission to control the pack would go away forever, she thought.

She took a deep breath as she reached into her cloak bringing out what the witch had given to her, a small root tied with strings. The witch's instruction was clear —use the root to round over his head in a circle, mention the incantation and the magic works.

She knelt beside Alden’s bed, her hands began trembling as she held up the root over Alden’s head. She whispered some incantations, her voice barely audible circling the root over Alden’s head.

A glimmer of light shined as she mentioned each word, with Alden’s body twitching up, sweat gathered on his forehead as his eyes fluttered for a bit threatening to open but the magic held him in place.

Adria continued to mention the words, her voice growing intense and cold, her eyes focused on Alden as his chest began to rise and go down rapidly. The ritual was working she thought, just as the witch had promised.

She finally said the last word, the light around Alden faded and his body relaxed into the bed. Adria stood slowly from beside Alden’s bed gazing at Alden, her heart racing, wondering if the spell had fully clicked In.

Without mentioning another word, she began to leave, taking a once-over look at Alden, she tip-toed her way quietly just as she had entered into the room. She closed the door quietly behind her.

~Dana~

(Six moons later)

Dana walked alongside Milan in the fields of the moon crest pack. The air was filled with earthly scents of different flowers. She halted suddenly, the patch of the yarrow plant drawing her attention, the familiar fern-like shape pulling her memories to the past.

Kneeling, she brushed her hands over the white -feathery plant, recalling the way Alden’s hand had carefully crushed the plant, making a poultice for her wound. The way he had maintained a focused expression while gently placing the poultice on her wound flooded her mind bringing her comfort in the moment.

“ Dana,” Milan's voice jolted her from her thoughts. “Are..you alright?.” Milan asked her voice calm and soft.

“ Yeah.. just admiring them. ” Dana replied, gesturing her hands to the Yarrow plant, a small smile on her face.

“ You know, My Father.”Milan smiled as Dana stood in concentration.

“ My Father used to use this plant too, When I was young after jumping around the fields and I scraped my knees, I would run to meet him, and he’d gathered thé yarrow plants in this field mixing them with other herbs and made a paste out of them to put on my cut.”

“ Really? …did it help?.” Dana asked.

“ Yeah..it did, Milan laughed lightly “ In no time I’d be ruining around the fields again. ” Milan and Dana laughed lightly.

“ I wish I could have just one more moment with him.” Milan faced down hope filled in her voice.

Silence fills the air for a moment, and then Milan’s voice cuts through.

“ Dana …what was it like in your pack, can you remember something now?.”

Dana buried her head, her heart racing. Can she trust Milan with her past? she thought. “ I don’t remember anything .” she lied, hoping her face did not show her unease.

Milan nodded pretending to agree.

Milan and Dana walked further out of the fields, as they approached the entrance of the field, the worker passed by slowly, her gaze locking with Dana’s, Dana altered her steps unable to look away.

Milan’s eyes looked between Dana and the worker “Do you know her?.” Milan's voice cuts through, Suspicion lying in her voice.

Dana shook her head, breaking the eye contact “No...no, not at all.”She said.

They went silent for a moment.

“ That girl… she was banished from her pack,” Milan said, her expression turning serious. ‘Silvercrest pack “she found out about a plot to kill their Luna and she was sent away after that, she paused.“ I found her days before I found you in the woods.”She said as her eyes glanced over to Dana.

Dana's breath fastened as the Image flooded her mind, the carriage ride, the hushed voice, “Take her far away where she will never find her way.” someone had said. Her heart raced as those words began to echo through her mind.

She placed her palm on her head“ I need to take a rest, I’m feeling a headache coming on.” she said as she and Milan walked away to the pack house.

***

~Alden~

Alden sat on his chair, his breath shallow, feeling a pain in his chest as he breathed in and out. His muscles were tightened and his legs that had carried him in a series of battles could not stand on their own without little effort, his eyes were hot and his temperature was beyond normal. How did it come to this? He thought. He had never felt so weak and powerless with something he couldn’t fight. The sickness has slowly drained his energy bit by bit.

His Beta stepped forward, his eyes filled with worries“You need to rest, my Alpha.”

Alden shook his head “Rest? …no, Rest isn’t something I need right now, we need to find a solution.” he said, clenching his teeth in pain.“ Rest won’t heal me .” he muttered.

His Beta glanced at the others, not sure of how to respond.

As they discussed the next step, Alden’s mind drifted back to when he had rejected his mate, Although it was very harsh, he felt he made the right decision because she cheated on him, but looking at the state of his condition right now, could it be that him rejecting his mate has something to do with this? He thought.

“We need to consult the moon goddess. ” his Beta’s voice cut through his thought. Alden nodded, staring at his Beta with fear in his eyes yet maintaining his authority.

***

The chamber was eerily quiet, Alden knelt before the Alter, his knees trembling even with the simple act of kneeling. The last time he had come here was when his mate was to be chosen, then the decision of the moon goddess was positive but later didn’t turn out well. This time, he hoped the moon goddess decision would yield a positive outcome.

His heart raced in anticipation of what the moon goddess will decide, a light shimmers before them with the moon goddess's ethereal figure filling the space. The members who accompanied Alden to the chamber all flinched back, covering their eyes from the light.

Her voice soft, yet powerful echoed through the air“An heir is needed. ”her words filled with certainty.Alden’s Heart raced and then came the next shock “ from your rejected mate, or else you will remain ill and lose leadership to your pack.”His eyes flew open, cold shivers ran down his spine, cold sweat formed in his palms, and the words crashing into his mind. His mate?, the one he had rejected moons ago?, How could she be the solution? He thought.

Alden’s mind raced, his heart pounding in his chest, trying to process what he had just heard. His rejected mate… how could she be the one to save him? He thought with the truth sinking in his mind. How will he find her? These thoughts ran through his mind as his heartbeat sped up faster.

He had rejected her and now she was the only one to save himself and his pack, what if it was already too late?