(Mabel’s POV)
“Zane, the food is here. Won’t you wake up and feed me yourself?”
I waited. Silence. The monitor beeped on, steady but cruel.
My fingers hovered over his hand before I gave in and touched him again. The same tingling shot through my skin, sharp and addictive. I didn’t pull away this time. I wanted more.
I slid closer, climbing onto the bed with slow care, mindful of the bandages covering him from neck to waist. My hospital gown brushed against the gauze on his chest. Even through the fabric, sparks spread under my skin. I shivered.
“See? You don’t have to keep playing dead.” My voice cracked. I pressed my palm flat over his ribs. His skin beneath the wrappings was warm.
The door creaked. A nurse slipped in, carrying a tray. She placed it on the table, gave a faint smile, and hurried back out without a word.
Heat rushed to my cheeks. What did she think, seei
Zane’s POV"Hold still, Zane. I need to see if you’re even alive under here."Travis’s voice sounded tense as he leaned over me with scissors. I didn’t bother moving. Mabel was curled up against my chest, breathing softly, and that was all that mattered.Cold metal brushed my skin as Travis snipped through the last bandage. His hand froze."What is it?" I asked."The wound… it’s gone."I glanced down, unimpressed. "You patched me up. I heal fast."Travis shook his head. "Not this fast. Not with wolfsbane in your blood."He cut another layer and peeled back cotton stained with blood. His eyes went wide when the skin beneath showed nothing but smooth flesh."You’re telling me you don’t believe in miracles?" I asked.He gave me a long look, still frowning. "I believe in medicine. And this… isn’t it. You should have scars. Weeks of recovery
(Mabel’s POV)“Zane, the food is here. Won’t you wake up and feed me yourself?”I waited. Silence. The monitor beeped on, steady but cruel.My fingers hovered over his hand before I gave in and touched him again. The same tingling shot through my skin, sharp and addictive. I didn’t pull away this time. I wanted more.I slid closer, climbing onto the bed with slow care, mindful of the bandages covering him from neck to waist. My hospital gown brushed against the gauze on his chest. Even through the fabric, sparks spread under my skin. I shivered.“See? You don’t have to keep playing dead.” My voice cracked. I pressed my palm flat over his ribs. His skin beneath the wrappings was warm.The door creaked. A nurse slipped in, carrying a tray. She placed it on the table, gave a faint smile, and hurried back out without a word.Heat rushed to my cheeks. What did she think, seei
Mabel’s POV"Tell me the truth about him," I whispered, my eyes locked on Zane.Vivian’s hands gripped the wheelchair handles tighter as she pushed me inside. Doctor Travis held the door open while two warriors moved aside. The scent of sterile medicine hit me the moment I entered, sharp and cold.Tyler Clara from the sofa. "How are you holding up, Mabel?"I barely heard him. My gaze was pulled straight to the bed. Zane lay still, wrapped in bandages, wires snaking from his body into blinking machines. His chest Clara and fell, shallow but steady. My breath caught.That was Zane. The man who used to grin at me, tease me, make me feel like the world wasn’t crushing me. Now he was pale, broken, silent. And it was my fault.He told me to stay safe. He warned me about rogues. I ignored him. I saw again the knife plunging into his stomach, the way he still glared at his attackers even as blood spread. That image
Mabel’s POV"Don't kill her!"The voices broke through the ringing in my ears. Muffled, sharp, like they came from far away."I was only teaching her a lesson.""Shut up. Tie her up before someone comes."Hands pinned my wrists. Another weight pressed down on my legs, heavy and cruel. A rough palm slid up my thigh, fingers squeezing like I was prey. I twisted, tried to kick, but my body wouldn’t move the way I wanted. My skin crawled at the sound of his laugh."We don’t have time for this."The hand left me. My chest heaved."Quiet down. Hurry. If we take her now, maybe Alpha Zane will pay.""Even if he won’t, she knows something. She’ll talk.""They always talk."A cloth yanked over my eyes. My arms were pulled high above my head. Panic tightened my throat.If they drag me away, no one will find me. If I stay, who will come?They want to use me a
Mabel’s POV“Who goes there?”The sharp voice cut through the trees, and I dropped into a squat before my brain even caught up.I froze, every breath trapped in my chest.Through the bushes I had seen them. Four men. At first I thought they were part of our patrol, but something was wrong. Zane told me the warriors usually run in wolf form, and when they’re human, they wear the same dark gray shirts. These men wore green and brown, blending into the forest.Not ours. Rogues.My pulse hammered in my ears. What were they doing this close to the packhouse? Zane always said they slipped through the borders, but with patrols circling nonstop, I never thought I’d actually face them.The men whispered, their voices low and restless. The breeze carried fragments: avoided… no time… find it. My stomach flipped. Whatever they were after, they weren’t supposed to be here.I
Mabel’s POV“Need me to double-check the bathroom again?” Clara asked, peeking from behind the door.“No, it looks good. Thanks,” I said with a smile.They both relaxed. Clara and Kate had been nervous when I first gave them instructions, but now they listened closely and carried out every detail without hesitation. Bathrooms were done, dusting next, then fresh bed linen. By mid-afternoon I’d walk through and see if anything needed fixing.After breakfast Zane and Tyler left for warrior drills, and Vivian headed out with errands. The house felt quieter, yet busy enough with Clara and Kate working.“I’ll check on you later,” I told them. “If anything’s missing, just let me know.”Kate nodded quickly. “Yes, Luna.”The word still felt strange in my chest. I wasn’t Luna. Not yet.They returned to cleaning, and I slipped out, a