In my last life, I didn't even know they'd been whispering sweet nothings under my nose until he announced it as king.

He wouldn't dare admit it now. Weak as he was, his ambition burned bright.

Spilling the truth could anger Alpha and cost him the crown.

They bantered on, forgetting I was still kneeling until Alpha coughed lightly. "This matter's done. Ruby, leave the palace."

I thanked him and scrambled out, half-tripping in my haste.

Behind me, Jasper was still boasting to Alpha. "In three months, I'll be whole again, standing tall. At the autumn hunt, I'll claim the champion's wreath for you."

Whether he'd shine or crash and burn, who could say?

A spark of hatred flared in me, laced with dark amusement.

Before I reached the palace gates, Jasper's carriage rolled up. He lifted the curtain, tossing out an offer like a bone. "Hop in. I'll give you a ride."

I didn't buy his sudden charity and stepped back. "You're too noble, Jasper. I wouldn't dare taint your sight."

His eyes flashed with irritation, like he hadn't expected the brush-off. He doubled down, voice low. "Ruby, I was testing you just now."

"I know you're reborn too. Why else would you dodge me like this? Smart move, keeping your distance."

"Last life's score is settled. Stay out of my way, and this time, I'll let you live."

Settled?

I smirked to myself. In my last life, I poured my heart and soul into saving him, only to end up butchered.

He owes me three lives.

"Jasper's right," I said coolly. "From now on, the Sacred Herb Hall won't touch your daily remedies. I'd hate to take the fall if something goes wrong."

In my past life, Jasper's body was so ravaged by poison he was bedridden.

After I cleansed his toxins, I scoured the land for rare herbs to nurse him back to health. How else could he have recovered so fast?

All that devotion, and it was like feeding steak to a stray dog.

This time, I'd sooner die than get tangled up with him again.

But to Jasper, my words sounded like a threat.

"Ruby, don't think you can strong-arm me," he snapped. "Sacred Herb Hall isn't the only game in Joravia-pack."

"Plenty of wolves are itching to serve me."

I raised an eyebrow at his misplaced rage. "What, you want me traipsing to your manor every day? Your mate might get jealous. I'm just looking out for you, but I guess you can't tell a good heart when you see one."

In my last life, his maid Wendy took her own life with poison, leaving a tear-stained letter.

It accused me of stealing her chance to be with Jasper, claiming the manor's servants gossiped behind her back.

She said she couldn't bear it and chose death to prove her loyalty.

That's why, when Jasper took the throne, he treated me like his sworn enemy.

This time, I'd love to see if they could make it work without me in the picture.

Jasper faltered, a flicker of something complicated in his eyes. "Fine. Let's keep it that way-stay out of my business."

His carriage peeled out in a hurry.

One problem down, I let out a relieved breath.

But when I got back to Sacred Herb Hall, my shop was trashed. Herbs were strewn across the floor, stomped to bits.

The crowd outside pointed and whispered.

"That's the so-called miracle worker from Sacred Herb Hall. Looks decent, but she spun lies just to claw her way into the royal pack."

"Her medicines cost a fortune. Last time I came, she was rude as hell. Serves her right, getting what's coming."

Their sneers and scorn pinned me in place, humiliation burning my cheeks.

Some of these wolves were neighbors, folks who'd benefited from our low prices and daily free clinics.

A healer's heart runs deep, but now they'd been riled up to tear me down.

I looked up and saw Jasper, with Wendy at his side.

Her eyes met mine, gleaming with smug satisfaction. "Ruby, I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I grabbed some herbs from your shop. But somehow, today my stomach's killing me."

"I'm fine, really, but Jasper insisted on coming to set things straight. If we've offended you, I'm sorry on his behalf."

She started to curtsy, but Jasper pulled her back, shielding her.

His glare cut through me, dripping with disgust. "Wendy, you did nothing wrong. Ruby's just a hack who botched your treatment."

"She calls herself a miracle worker? I'm here to expose her so no one else gets duped."

His words whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Rotten vegetables and eggs pelted me.

"Quack! Pay up and get out of Joravia-pack!"

Someone even splashed chicken blood on me. I stood there, drenched and disgraced.

"Jasper, I already said I won't bind myself to you. Why'd you have to wreck my shop's name like this?"

I remembered every patient, and Wendy hadn't stepped foot in here yesterday. This was all a lie.

Jasper brushed me off, refusing to own up.

As he passed, he leaned in, voice low and threatening. "Smart wolves would leave Joravia-pack. Get far enough away, and I won't have to worry about your schemes."

I clenched my fists but ignored him, focusing on cleaning up the mess.

Sweaty and exhausted, I collapsed on the floor. But compared to the agony of dying in my last life, this was nothing.

For a while, my once-bustling shop sat empty.

Rumors spread, and passersby spat at my door. No one called me "healer" anymore-just "liar."

Jasper had gotten what he wanted, in a way.

But I wasn't rattled. If my last life's memories were right, someone would come begging soon.

When palace wolves showed up at Sacred Herb Hall, saying Alpha wanted to see me, I wasn't surprised.

In my last life, around this time, urgent news came from the border. The enemy had poisoned a frontier pack, leaving civilians and soldiers writhing in pain.

That poison was child's play to me, but when Alpha asked, I played reluctant. "Your Majesty, I'm terrified. Just days ago, Jasper had my shop trashed, calling me a fraud. If I go now, who'd trust me?"

Jasper, standing nearby, scowled at my refusal. "You're just scared of being exposed as a fake."

I didn't bite back. Alpha, though, fixed me with a stern look. "Jasper's the one who recommended you for this. It's your chance to prove yourself. Succeed, and my earlier promise still stands."

So, Jasper was behind this. It clicked.