Lucia was six years old when Alpha Sophie brought her into the Blue Moon Pack.

She had been abandoned, alone and vulnerable, but Sophie saw potential in her—something rare and untapped.

"Kaeli," Sophie said to me, her tone firm yet carrying the weight of an Alpha’s command, "Lucia will be under your care from now on. Train her, guide her. She’s your responsibility."

I nodded, my voice calm and steady. "Understood."

I’ve always been emotionally detached, my focus singular—training, combat, and the strength required to uphold the pack’s hierarchy. From that day on, Lucia became my shadow, a constant presence at my side.

When I trained, she would curl up nearby, her small frame nestled against the grass, watching me with wide, curious eyes.

When I ran pack drills, she’d sit on the sidelines, munching on stolen pastries, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk’s.

And when I achieved a new milestone in my training, she’d be the first to celebrate, sneaking into the pack kitchen at night to bring me a jar of honey mead.

I frowned, taking the jar from her hands. "Lucia, you’re too young for this."

She pouted, her lips curling into a mischievous grin, and before I could stop her, she grabbed the jar back and took a few quick sips.

"See?" she said, holding it out to me, her eyes sparkling. "It’s not even strong! I swapped it with juice before I came here. Aren’t I clever?"

I sighed, inspecting the jar. The scent was sweet, almost like fruit, with barely a hint of alcohol.

Before I could respond, she yawned, her energy spent, and slumped against me, her head resting on my lap.

"Mmm," she mumbled, her voice drowsy, "you’re the best, Kaeli. The best sister ever."

The best?

I paused, considering her words. I’d always been distant, even among the pack. My focus on training and combat left little room for bonds or camaraderie. Other pack members respected me, but they kept their distance.

But Lucia—she was different. She saw something in me that no one else did.

As I looked down at her, her cheeks flushed from the warmth of the drink, I felt something shift within me—a softness I hadn’t known existed.

The next morning, she was back to her usual antics, sneaking into the pack’s fishing grounds to catch one of the prized trout.

By midday, she returned, dripping wet and clutching a massive fish to her chest. "Kaeli!" she called, her voice echoing across the pack grounds. "Let’s have a feast tonight! I caught this for us!"

Behind her, Francis, the Head Elder, hobbled into view, his face red with frustration. "Kaeli," he barked, "do you see what your charge has done now? She’s terrorizing the pack’s resources!"

Nearby pack members paused to watch, their whispers carrying over the breeze.

"How long do you think Kaeli will put up with her?" one asked.

"I give it a month," another replied.

Lucia spun around, holding the fish like a weapon. "You’re just jealous I caught this before you could!"

I stepped forward, my gaze sweeping over the onlookers. The whispers died instantly, replaced by silence.

No one expected what came next.

That day marked the beginning of a bond that would last nearly a decade—a bond I never knew I needed.

Stepping out of the forbidden territory, I cradled Lucia firmly in my arms, her body limp and cold against my chest. My expression remained stoic as Nixon recounted the events of the past three months in my absence.

It turned out that shortly after I left the pack, Alpha Sophie had brought a young girl named Jasmine into the fold. Sophie claimed she felt a strong connection with Jasmine and decided to take her under her wing as her protégé. Being chosen as the Alpha’s protégé was no small honor, and it was clear Sophie held Jasmine in high regard.

Not long after Jasmine joined the pack, she began to accuse Lucia of targeting her. She claimed that during pack training, Lucia had intentionally injured her shoulder during a sparring session. Then, a piece of clothing Sophie had gifted to Jasmine mysteriously appeared in Lucia’s room. The final straw came when, during a pack run, Jasmine returned in a disheveled state, claiming Lucia had pushed her into the path of a rogue wolf.

Sophie was furious. She ordered Lucia to be confined to the pack’s disciplinary cells, a cold and desolate place meant to teach a lesson through isolation. But that wasn’t the end of it. Jasmine later visited Lucia in her cell, only to emerge with a severe injury to her abdomen. The pack whispered that Lucia had attacked her in a fit of rage.

I cut Nixon off mid-sentence, my voice icy. “Such clumsy manipulation. Are you seriously telling me no one saw through it?”

Nixon hesitated, his voice tight. “Alpha Kaeli, I know you’re close to Lucia, but these are the facts as everyone witnessed them. You can’t just—”

I didn’t let him finish. “So, everyone’s blind, is that it?”

Nixon fell silent, his expression uneasy.

I adjusted Lucia’s body in my arms, brushing a strand of hair from her pale face, my expression hardening. “What happened to her strength? Her wolf? Where is it?”

Lucia had always been spirited, and though she had a playful streak, I had made sure she trained rigorously. Her wolf, Daisy, had shown immense promise. But now, her body felt hollow, as if something vital had been ripped out of her.

A sickening suspicion took root in my mind.

Nixon’s voice was matter-of-fact, as if he were stating the obvious. “She injured Jasmine, Alpha. It was only fair that Lucia’s wolf was killed to punish her. It’s what she deserved.”

His words ignited a fury in me that I could no longer contain. In one swift motion, I kicked Nixon with enough force to send him sprawling across the ground. The impact left him gasping for air, unable to rise.

“Alpha, why—” he choked out, his voice laced with pain and confusion.

But I wasn’t done. My eyes snapped to the figure who had just appeared behind him.

Jasmine.

The girl stood there, her expression a mix of fear and defiance. It seemed I wouldn’t have to seek her out after all—she had come to me.

Jasmine rushed over, hurrying to help Nixon up from the ground. As she passed by me, she stumbled and shoved her hand toward me, attempting to push me aside.

Pathetic.

I didn’t even flinch, holding Lucia’s body securely as I shifted my weight slightly, avoiding her clumsy attempt.

Jasmine, unable to stop her momentum, fell hard onto the ground, staring up at me in shock.

"Who do you think you are? How dare you act like this in the Blue Moon Pack?"

I looked down at her, my expression cold. "So, you’re Jasmine Fox?"

The girl on the ground had delicate features, her wide eyes and soft demeanor making her appear fragile and pitiful.

No wonder she had managed to manipulate others so easily with her shallow schemes.

Someone as innocent and trusting as Lucia would have stood no chance against her.

Jasmine scrambled to her feet, trying to muster some semblance of authority. "Before you ask me questions, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?"

"My name?" I let out a humorless laugh, my tone turning icy. "You’re not worthy of knowing it."

"How dare you!" Jasmine’s face twisted in anger, her eyes blazing as she glared at me.

She helped Nixon up, lifting her chin haughtily. "I’m the most favored member of the Blue Moon Pack. If you mess with me, Alpha won’t let you get away with it.

"Let me warn you, the last person who crossed me ended up losing their wolf—"

*Crack!*

My hand struck her face with a sharp, resounding slap, sending her sprawling several meters away.

Nixon, still unsteady on his feet, stumbled as he tried to catch her, the two of them nearly collapsing together.

Jasmine lay on the ground, clutching her swollen cheek, her eyes wide with rage. "You hit me?"

Oh, I would do far more than hit her.

Did Alpha Sophie not warn this fool about me when she brought her into the pack?

Besides my cold detachment, I’m also known for my ruthlessness.

I ignored her dramatic tantrum, one arm cradling Lucia’s lifeless body while my other hand slowly reached to my side.

*Shing!*

My claws slid free, their sharp edges gleaming as I pointed them directly at Jasmine.

She finally realized the danger she was in, her bravado crumbling as she cowered behind Nixon.

"Kolton, help me!"

Nixon’s gaze hardened as he turned to me, all traces of his earlier subservience gone.

"Alpha Kaeli, this is going too far. Are you really doing this for someone who—"

Before he could finish, I gripped his throat, my fingers tightening as his eyes widened in fear.

I leaned in, my voice low and deadly. "If I hear you say that again, you’ll never speak another word."

Behind him, Jasmine tried to sneak away while I was distracted.

But I was already on to her. With a swift motion, I sent her sprawling with a kick to her leg, her body hitting the ground hard.

I released Nixon, stepping toward Jasmine with my claws extended.

Her fear was palpable now.

I didn’t waste time on words. With a flick of my wrist, I slashed the escape tool she had been clutching, severing the tendons in her hand as well.

"Ahh! It hurts—"

Jasmine’s screams echoed through the clearing, her body writhing in pain as she clutched her injured hand.

Nixon scrambled toward her, panic in his voice. "Jasmine, are you okay? I’ll get Alpha Sophie!"

I didn’t stop him. She would find out sooner or later anyway. It was better to settle this once and for all.

Jasmine’s cries were piercing, but I just watched her, a cold smile tugging at my lips.

"Does it hurt? I bet Lucia suffered a hundred times more than this."

The memory of Lucia’s pale face and the emptiness left by her stolen wolf fueled my rage.

I wanted to drive my claws through Jasmine’s heart right then and there.

But no. She would endure ten times, a hundred times the pain Lucia had suffered. Only then would it be fair.