Elara POV:

Lord Silas suddenly began to cough. It was a wet, ragged sound that spoke of lungs filling with fluid. A fleck of blood appeared at the corner of his lips.

Kael rushed forward and grabbed Serena by the arm.

"Get out," Kael told her. He looked at me. "Both of you, get out. Let the servants clean him first."

I packed my leather case and walked out of the bedroom.

The stone hallway was cold and dark. Torches sputtered in their iron sconces, casting long, dancing shadows.

Serena yanked her arm out of Kael's grip. She waited until Kael went back inside the bedroom, then she turned to me.

Her face was a mask of pure malice.

"Do not think you are special just because the Lycan Queen gave an amnesty," Serena hissed. "You are still the shame of this family."

I leaned against the stone wall and looked at her.

"You are going to see him, aren't you?" Serena smiled a cruel smile. "Alpha Lucien. He will be at my mating ceremony. Are you going to cry when you see his mark on another woman's neck?"

She was prodding the old wound, hoping to see me bleed.

"You are very worried about Lucien," I said slowly. "Are you afraid that if he stands close to me, the Moon Goddess will force him to recognize me again?"

Serena flinched. The air around her was suddenly tainted with the smell of copper and wet earth—the scent of her composure beginning to rust and crumble.

"He hates you!" she whispered loudly.

"Then you have nothing to worry about," I said. I picked up my case and walked away.

A quiet maid led me to my room. It was in the lowest tower of the castle. The walls were damp. There was no fire in the fireplace. The bed had only one thin blanket.

"Miss Serena said the castle is full because of the upcoming ceremony," the maid said, looking at the floor. "This is the only room left."

"It is fine," I said.

The maid put a small tray of food on the table. It was a piece of hard bread and cold soup.

"Tell Serena something for me," I said as the maid turned to leave.

The maid stopped and nodded.

"Tell her the wolfsbane potion the Alpha is drinking has the wrong ratio of herbs," I said. "It is killing him."

The maid gasped and ran out of the room.

I did not sleep that night. I sat by the window and watched the moon.

The next morning, the door to my room flew open. It hit the stone wall with a loud bang.

Serena marched inside. She was holding a massive dress made of pink silk and pearls.

"How dare you!" Serena screamed. "How dare you question the medicine given to our Alpha!"

I stood up slowly. I walked to the small wooden table and pulled out a piece of clean parchment from my case. I took a charcoal pencil and began to write.

"The Alpha has a strong healing factor," I said calmly while writing. "All wolves do. But his lungs are infected with dark magic from a rogue bite. The current potion uses too much silver-leaf. Silver burns us. It is destroying his natural ability to heal."

I finished writing and held up the parchment. It was a new recipe.

"You are insane," Serena laughed. "That potion was prescribed by the Royal Healer from the Capital. Do you think a banished Omega knows better than the Queen's own doctor?"

"If he takes another dose of the Royal Healer's potion," I said, looking at her dress, "your mating ceremony will be canceled. Because you will be planning a funeral instead."

Serena snatched the parchment from my hand.

"I will show this to the Royal Healer," she sneered. "He is visiting this afternoon. He will have you thrown in the dungeon for practicing false magic."

She turned and left, taking the pink dress with her.

I waited.

Late in the afternoon, heavy footsteps echoed in the hall outside my room.

The door opened. An old man in a long white robe walked in. Kael and Serena were behind him.

The old man was shaking. He held my piece of parchment in his hands.

"Who wrote this?" the Royal Healer demanded. His voice was loud.

"She did," Serena pointed at me. "She is trying to poison my father. Please, tell my brother to lock her up."

The Royal Healer ignored Serena. He walked quickly toward me.

"The balance of moon-flower and crushed bone," the old man whispered, staring at me. "It neutralizes the silver-leaf. It protects the wolf's healing factor while burning the dark magic. It is brilliant. Who is your master?"

I reached into my pocket. I pulled out a heavy bronze badge. It was shaped like a wolf howling at a star.

The Royal Healer gasped. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

"A High Healer of the Sanctuary," the old man said with deep respect.

Kael stared at me, his face a mask of absolute shock. Serena's mouth fell open.

"You made a mistake," I told the Royal Healer.

"I did," he admitted, standing up. "I was foolish. Your recipe will save his life."

"He is lying!" Serena shouted. "She paid him! She is just a dirty Omega!"

The Royal Healer turned around. He raised his hand and slapped Serena hard across the face.

The sound echoed in the damp room.

"Do not insult a High Healer, foolish girl," the old man barked. "She holds more power in her hands than your entire pack."

Serena held her red cheek. She looked at me with a hatred so profound, it felt like a physical chill in the air. But this time, I knew she was truly afraid.

I tucked the bronze badge back into my pocket. The game had just changed—and Serena had no idea how badly she was losing.