At two in the morning, when the pack elders' urgent summons came, I had just crawled out from beneath my childhood sweetheart, the Alpha heir Slade.

My body was still aching from his rough possession.

As the only human healer in the entire Blackwood Pack, I was ordered to prepare herbs as a gift for Slade's marriage alliance with the Thorne Pack.

I gently lifted Slade's arm from where it was wrapped around me. After a night of passion, his powerful Alpha body was still radiating a feverish heat.

I assumed this was just another wolf princess he needed to turn away, so I poked his chest playfully and asked with a smile,

"Slade, what excuse are you going to use the 99th time? That you've suddenly developed an allergy to the princess?"

He rolled over and kissed my forehead, his eyes heavy with sleep.

"My sweet girl, this time the herbs must be prepared by you, and you alone. The success of this alliance rests on your shoulders."

I froze.

For the past ten years, I had been his secret solace, the one who soothed his violent rages every night.

I thought I would earn a formal bonding ceremony, sooner or later.

But in that moment, I understood. I was just a convenience, a body for him to use.

If that was all I was to him, then I would burn everything we had to the ground.

I made a call to my old mentor at the National Institute of Medicine, Professor Sterling.

"Professor, that research position regarding gene... is it still open? I'm ready to return to the human world."

But when that arrogant Alpha, who claimed we were 'just friends' and 'strictly professional,' discovered he could no longer catch even a faint scent of me in the air, he completely lost his mind.

At two in the morning, when the pack elders' urgent summons came, I had just crawled out from beneath my childhood sweetheart, the Alpha heir Slade.

My body was still aching from his rough possession.

As the only human healer in the entire Blackwood Pack, I was ordered to prepare herbs as a gift for Slade's marriage alliance with the Thorne Pack.

I gently lifted Slade's arm from where it was wrapped around me. After a night of passion, his powerful Alpha body was still radiating a feverish heat.

I assumed this was just another wolf princess he needed to turn away, so I poked his chest playfully and asked with a smile,

"Slade, what excuse are you going to use the 99th time? That you've suddenly developed an allergy to the princess?"

He rolled over and kissed my forehead, his eyes heavy with sleep.

"My sweet girl, this time the herbs must be prepared by you, and you alone. The success of this alliance rests on your shoulders."

I froze.

For the past ten years, I had been his secret solace, the one who soothed his violent rages every night.

I thought I would earn a formal bonding ceremony, sooner or later.

But in that moment, I understood. I was just a convenience, a body for him to use.

If that was all I was to him, then I would burn everything we had to the ground.

I made a call to my old mentor at the National Institute of Medicine, Professor Sterling.

"Professor, that research position regarding gene... is it still open? I'm ready to return to the human world."

But when that arrogant Alpha, who claimed we were 'just friends' and 'strictly professional,' discovered he could no longer catch even a faint scent of me in the air, he completely lost his mind.

...

Just two hours earlier, for the thirtieth consecutive day, he had taken me with a wildness that felt like he would tear me apart.

"Look at me, Eloise."

I was completely lost beneath him, my nails digging bloody lines into his broad back.

"Slade... please..."

I moaned, feeling his terrifying size stretch me open, a brutal possession that staked its claim deep inside me.

After he finished, I curled up in his arms, my fingers tracing the scar on his chest that I had stitched myself.

His fingers idly played with my hair, twisting the strands.

"By the way, darling," his tone was casual, "Wear something pretty tomorrow night. You're attending the Moon Goddess's Blessing Ceremony."

My head snapped up, my heart pounding in my chest.

I had slept with him for years, but he had never allowed me to attend any official pack ceremonies.

"Slade," I pushed my aching body up, my voice filled with disbelief. "Is it because... you're going to announce it? We can finally go public?"

"Go public?" He let out a low, amused laugh, reaching out to pinch my cheek affectionately. "Oh, Eloise, you have such a vivid imagination."

"The ceremony is to welcome my fated mate, Rosalind Thorne. You know, the actual future Luna?"

His voice was gentle and coaxing, like explaining a simple concept to a child, yet every word was a precise needle stabbing into my heart.

My mind went blank. "If she's your Luna, then what have we been all these years? What was all of this?"

The smile on Slade's face didn't falter. He leaned in, nuzzling the crook of my neck, his breath hot against my skin.

"Don't be silly, sweetheart," he purred. "Don't tell me you actually thought a human could be the Luna of Blackwood?"

"You're my favorite little human, isn't that enough?"

I stared at him, tears welling in my eyes, but I stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"When... when did this happen?"

"Six months ago." He slid out of bed, unbothered by his nakedness.

"For the expansion of the pack, for the continuation of the pureblood line. Don't pout, you really should meet her. She satisfies everyone's imagination of what a perfect Luna should be."

I suddenly remembered that for the past six months, he had been frequently leaving for "territory patrols."

Each time he returned, I was waiting in bed for him, soothing his exhaustion with my body.

It turned out that all along, he was busy arranging a marriage with another she-wolf.

I followed him into the bathroom.

The mirror reflected my pale face, my neck and chest covered in his bites and fingerprints.

An hour ago, I had thought of them as medals of love. Now, they were brands of shame.

"If it's an alliance, do you love her?"

"Love?" He turned on the shower, grinning at me through the steam. "Maybe later, who knows?"

He stepped out of the shower, water tracing the powerful lines of his musculature.

This was the body that had once driven me to madness, the body I had given myself to.

And now, I wished I could erase every memory of it.

"Rosalind is young, of pure blood, and powerful. She brings the land rights of the Thorne Pack with her."

He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, his thumb casually tracing the line of my spine, sending a shiver down my back.

"And you... my sweet Eloise, you have your own special place."

Yes. I was an obedient body. A pleasant, convenient tool with no strings attached, for his pleasure.

I just stood there, feeling the evidence of his climax trickling down my inner thigh. The sticky sensation had never felt so filthy.

By the time I had dressed and forced myself to walk out with some semblance of calm, Slade was already fully dressed and on the phone.

"About that research on the 'Wolf Venom Neutralizer.' I need the original manuscript. I'm giving it to the Thorne Pack as a betrothal gift."

"Also, prepare the finest red velvet gift box. That garish shade of red. It suits a Luna's station."

Hearing those words, my nails dug so deeply into my palms that they drew blood.

That research was my life's work. To prevent Slade from being injured by wolf venom in battle again, I had pulled countless all-nighters, even using my own blood for experiments to achieve that breakthrough.

Now, he was taking my life's work and giving it away as a gift to please another woman.

I couldn't help but look at him. He had a satisfied smile on his face, one I had never seen before.

But I knew it wasn't for me.

A wave of heartache washed over me, and the water glass in my hand slipped, landing with a soft thud on the expensive carpet.

Slade turned, his eyes still smiling. "You heard everything? Good. Save me the trouble of explaining. Be a dear and have that report on my desk by morning, hmm?"

He grabbed his jacket and started to leave but paused at the door.

"Eloise," he winked, looking me up and down

"Wipe that tragic look off your face. It doesn't suit you. You know I treat you better than anyone."

"Just be my good healer, and nothing has to change between us in the bedroom. Okay?"

His voice faded with the click of his leather shoes on the floor.

Thump. The door closed.

I sat on the floor, laughing until the laughter turned to tears.

I don't know how long I sat there.

It was deep into the night, the moonlight casting cold patterns on the floor, when I finally stood up and walked back to my private healing lab.

I opened the safe. Inside lay the core manuscript of the research, along with all the herbs and rare specimens he had given me over the years.

I took out a lighter. The flame licked at the paper, crackling as it turned my work into a pile of worthless black ash.

"Miss Eloise..." my assistant breathed, stepping into the room. His eyes were wide with shock as he stared at the flames.

I nodded, my face devoid of expression. "None of it matters anymore."

Not just these things. This relationship, this Alpha... I was done with all of it.

I took out my phone and dialed an encrypted number.

"Professor Sterling? It's me. I've made my decision."

"Eloise? That's wonderful news. The Institute has been waiting for a mind like yours. If Blackwood won't appreciate the genius in their midst, there are mountains of gold waiting for you out there."

"Seven days," I took a deep breath. "In seven days, the name Eloise Vance will disappear completely from the Blackwood Pack's territory."

After that, I cut off all contact with the outside world.

Seventeen missed calls from Slade. I ignored every single one.

At three in the afternoon, the door to my healing lab was violently thrown open.

Standing in the doorway was Lucas, Slade's most loyal Beta. Behind him were two stone-faced pack warriors.

"Miss Eloise," Lucas's tone was respectful, but his muscles were tense, ready for action. "The Alpha wants to see you."

I didn't look up, continuing to grind herbs with the pestle in my hand. "Tell your Alpha I'm not seeing patients."

"I'm afraid this isn't a request," he said. "It's an order."

I set down the pestle, wiped my hands, and stood up straight. "So, you plan to drag me back by force, like capturing prey?"

Lucas's gaze shifted, but he didn't deny it. "You know the Alpha doesn't like to wait."

"He said not to make him carry you. It would be undignified."

I was forced into an SUV that came to a stop before the gates of the Alpha's manor.

This place was once the home I dreamed of. Now, I only wanted to escape.

I was "escorted" to my herb garden behind the main house. But the moment I pushed open the gate, I froze.

The garden I had spent ten years cultivating, which held some of the rarest medicinal herbs in all of North America, was now a scene of utter destruction.

Life-saving Silverleaf plants had been ripped out by the roots, their damp stems tossed carelessly into the mud.

In their place, hundreds of garish red roses were being hastily planted by workers.

"Stop!" I screamed, rushing forward and cradling a trampled Moonlight Orchid. "What are you doing? These are for saving lives!"

"Rosalind found these weeds an eyesore," a familiar, lazy voice said from behind me. "So we're doing a little redecorating."

I turned to see Slade approaching, with Rosalind Thorne on his arm.

He wore a dark, tailored shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his strong forearms.

Rosalind, dressed in an expensive silk gown, snuggled against Slade's powerful arm.

"Slade, darling," she cooed, "I don't like the smell. As your future Luna, I think this place should be a proper garden, not some common vegetable patch."

I looked at Slade, my nails digging into the dead orchid, mud and water seeping through my fingers.

"Slade, this orchid can neutralize wolf venom. I watched over it for three whole nights just to get one," my voice trembled. "You promised me this garden would always be under my care."

Slade didn't even glance at the flower. His gaze was fixed on Rosalind's satisfied smile.

He simply shrugged, indifferent. "Oh, stop being so dramatic, Eloise. It's just a few plants. I can buy you a whole greenhouse full of them later if you behave."

"Rosalind is the lady of the house now. We should let her have her fun, don't you think?"

"But..."

"Shh," Slade placed a finger on my lips, "Don't spoil the mood with that frown."

As if just remembering to introduce me, he turned his head. "Rosalind, this is Eloise. She's the Blackwood Pack's... most useful medical asset. As long as they have a pulse, she can pull them back from the brink."

He had called me... an asset.

Rosalind raised an eyebrow, her eyes sweeping over my mud-stained dress.

"I've heard so much about you. He says he'd be lost without you to handle all the common injuries. It must be so trying, being a little human. You look so out of place here, like a pet that wandered too far from home."

She deliberately stressed the word "human," a hint of pity on her face.

"It is my duty to serve the Blackwood Pack," I forced myself to remain calm.

Slade nodded, satisfied. He turned to Rosalind with a gentle expression. "Let's go, my love. The Elders are waiting for us."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, and I followed behind them like a servant.

The Elders were already waiting in the main hall.

One of them, Elder Marcus, stood up when he saw me.

"Last month, my son was attacked by rogues, his guts were nearly spilling out. It was Eloise who snatched him from death's door. She is so important to this pack, we all thought you would..."

Slade set his glass down, the sharp clink echoing through the hall. He laughed softly, shaking his head as if Marcus had told a funny joke.

"Elder Marcus." His tone was light, but dismissive. "You're getting sentimental in your old age."

"Eloise is a fantastic healer, truly a treasure," Slade smiled at me across the room, raising his glass in a mock toast. "But let's not get carried away. She's human, after all."

"The Luna needs to be a warrior, someone with... pedigree. You understand, don't you, Eloise?"

I lowered my eyes, forcing a flawless smile.

"Elder Marcus, you misunderstand. The Alpha and I have always maintained a strictly professional relationship."

Slade hadn't expected my easy compliance. He raised an eyebrow, looking pleasantly surprised.

The tension in the hall dissipated. Rosalind shot me a triumphant smirk.

Slade passed by me. He raised his hand, as if out of habit, to stroke the back of my neck.

But he stopped mid-air, turning instead to smooth a stray hair from Rosalind's head.

He leaned down, his warm breath ghosting over my ear as he whispered in a voice only I could hear,

"My healer, I knew you'd be sensible. I'll reward you later."

During the dinner, I sat alone at the far end of the long table, watching Slade and Rosalind in the seats of honor, accepting the pack's congratulations.

From time to time, Slade would turn his head and wink at me, his eyes holding the look one might give a well-behaved dog.

But I never once met his gaze.

Enjoy your victory, Slade.

Your most precious treasure has already planned her escape.

Two days later was the pack's traditional Hunt Under the Moon.

It was the pack's most important annual festival, and by tradition, the Alpha was required to participate personally.

I had no desire to attend, but Slade commanded my presence as the on-site healer.

"Eloise, keep up," he called from ahead, his voice cheerful and unbothered.

I hoisted my heavy emergency kit and stumbled along at the back of the party. At the very front, Slade and Rosalind stood side-by-side.

Rosalind had changed into a tight-fitting leather hunting suit that perfectly outlined her curves.

She would occasionally lean in to whisper in Slade's ear, and he would listen with a look of deep, tender focus.

The hunting party moved deeper into the dense forest.

The sacrificial stag, normally raised in captivity, was released.

But something was wrong with this stag.

Its eyes were blood-red, foam dripped from its mouth, and the muscles under its skin twitched uncontrollably.

Someone had tampered with it. It had been injected with a stimulant, or something worse.

"The stag has been drugged!" I yelled. "Stay back! It's rabid!"

But no one paid any mind to the warning of a breathless human.

The next second, the stag let out a roar unlike any herbivore and charged madly toward the most crowded area.

Right where Slade and Rosalind were standing.

It all happened too fast.

The stag's speed was terrifying. Rosalind stood frozen, paralyzed by the sudden, mad onslaught.

I was standing less than ten feet behind her. "Watch out!" I yelled instinctively, starting to lunge forward to pull her away.

A black shadow moved faster than I could. Alpha speed.

Slade threw himself in front of Rosalind. To guarantee her absolute safety, to create more distance, he shoved sideways with all his strength.

He didn't hit the stag. He hit me.

Before I could react, the impact sent me flying. My body slammed hard against the trunk of an ancient oak tree.

A burst of excruciating pain exploded through me. I heard the crack of my own left arm dislocating, and my medical kit crashed against my leg, shattering the glass vials inside.

I collapsed into the mud, a cold sweat instantly drenching my back.

But I ignored the pain, my eyes fixed on the scene before me.

Slade had already snapped the crazed stag's neck with one hand. It fell to the ground, limp.

He held Rosalind tightly in his embrace, his large hand cradling the back of her head, pressing her face into his chest to shield her from the bloody sight.

"It's okay," his voice was a low rumble. "I'm here."

"Slade, I was so scared," Rosalind's voice was choked with sobs, her hands clutching his shirt.

"As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you."

He gently inspected her arms, even though they weren't touched by a single speck of dust.

And me, I was just fifteen feet away, clutching my dislocated arm, my lips white with pain.

Slade turned, his gaze sweeping over the scene, confirming the threat was eliminated.

His eyes fell on me, lingering for a few seconds. He didn't look worried.

"You're tough, Eloise," he offered a lopsided grin, devoid of real concern. "Walk it off, yeah?"

When I managed a nod, he looked away.

"Burn the stag's carcass. We're returning to the manor." He lifted Rosalind into his arms and strode away.

I returned alone to the empty medical center.

The fluorescent lights of the lab were stark and blindingly white.

I sat on the edge of the operating table and used scissors to cut away the sleeve, now stuck to my skin with dried blood.

My left arm had already swollen to twice its normal size.

Without anesthetic, my hands trembled too much to hold a syringe steady.

"You can do this, Eloise," I told my reflection. "Compared to the hole in your heart, this pain is nothing."

I bit down on a towel, gripped my dislocated arm with my right hand, and took a deep breath. Then I shoved it back into place.

The agony of the bone resetting made my vision flash black. I bit down so hard I tasted the metallic tang of blood.

I leaned against the wall, panting and drenched in sweat, when my phone pinged. Lucas had forwarded the Alpha's "Pack-Wide Announcement" audio file.

Slade's voice rang out. "For the glory and future of the pack, and in light of the peace and prosperity brought by Rosalind Thorne..."

His voice paused.

"I will officially hold my bonding ceremony with Rosalind Thorne on the next full moon. She will be my Luna."

My hand, which was wrapping a bandage, froze mid-air. The bone I had just set screamed as if it had shattered all over again.

I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was pale, my lip was bleeding, and my left arm was in a sling.

But I couldn't feel the pain anymore.

I took out my phone and looked at the countdown app on the screen.

Five days left.