Chapter 1

"Sophia? Sophia! What were you gonna say? You totally zoned out!"

Jack's voice yanked me back. He'd just pulled up in front of Moonshade Medical Center, frowning.

And that's when it hit me—

I'd been reborn.

In my last life, the second he dropped me off, I told him: Alice had Corrosion Sickness.

This is the AIDS virus of our werewolf kind. Passed through blood, intimate relations, or from mother to pup. Shreds your immune system. Eats your wolf alive. No cure. No healing. Just a slow, brutal countdown to death.

Currently, within the werewolf medical system, there is no cure for this disease.

Jack lost it. Thought I was just jealous of his friendship with Alice.

Even though I already told him that I was the one who personally performed Alice's prenatal exam, he still didn't believe me.

During the hospital prenatal examination, Alice specifically requested that I handle her prenatal exam. She stroked her slightly swollen belly as if showing off.

Then her bloodwork hit my desk.

Looking at the blood report data, I knew Alice had contracted Corrosion Sickness.

"Sophia, did you see my pup? Doesn't it look just like Jack? He is the father, after all!"

My skull throbbed. I swallowed the claws itching under my skin and forced my voice steady.

"Did you have any other infectious disease history that you forget to mention??"

Alice went ghost-pale, then shot to her feet.She questioned me why I asked her that.

"I just overate! And now you're accusing me of hiding a disease? This how you treat a she-wolf carrying pup? I thought we were friends!"

She exploded, loud enough to draw a crowd. Started shouting about malpractice.

If a nurse hadn't stepped in, she would've shredded my face.

I tried to calm her—I was afraid that if she accidentally bumped into something and bled, she might infect other pregnant women and the doctors.

But from the way she lashed out?

But from Alice's reaction, I knew she was fully aware that she was infected with Corrosion Sickness.

I took emergency leave and ran home.

Begged Jack to drive me back to the clinic. Lied through my teeth just to get him near the doors.

Even though he knew my intention was to get him to do a blood test, he still couldn't refuse me because of the crowd, hoping he would quickly take the medicine to prevent the progression of Corrosion Sickness.

I just needed him on antivirals. Fast.

But the second we parked, I hurriedly told him everything about Alice's illness, urging him to get a blood test as well

Jack slapped me. Hard.

His eyes flared with fury.

"Alice and I are just close friends! You don't trust me? Now you're cursing her too? You're disgusting—she's carrying pup!"

My cheek stung. My heart cracked.

"Alice told me. Corrosion's contagious. Please—get tested."

I didn't care about pride. Didn't care who was watching.

I grabbed his arm and tried to drag him in.

People stopped. Stared.

Jack's face darkened.

"Let go," he growled.

My mind blanked. My wolf wouldn't obey.

I wasn't trying to expose his affair.

I just wanted him safe. Uninfected. Still the warrior I believed in.

Back then, I thought I was protecting him.

I used to only think about what was best for him, but now I've learned to let go.

Let Jack and his beloved choke on their twisted excuse for love.