Chapter 4

I didn't regain consciousness until three days later.

I woke up in the treatment center, every rise and fall of my chest sending burning pain shooting through me. The sides of my neck and my arms were littered with tiny needle holes from the healers dealing with the miasma toxin.

Odelia was sitting by my bed when I woke up.

"Don't move. Your heart actually stopped beating for several minutes, and the miasma toxin had already started spreading through your blood. If the patrol member had found you just a little bit later, there was a high possibility that you would've lost the ability to shift permanently. And that was only if you successfully pulled through."

Instead of saying anything, I simply gazed at the door.

She followed my gaze before dropping her voice low. "After the patrol member found you, he did come here to find Arthur. However, Arthur was busy taking care of Beth at the time, so he only told us to treat you with a standard antidote first."

I dug my nails into the blanket covering me.

"Lucky for you, an old warrior returning from the border just so happened to pass by the camp, and he had a specialized antidote with him."

Odelia brought a glass of warm water to my lips before continuing, "The convoy already left last night. The camp's official response to the public regarding this incident is that you'll head to the Stonefang pack alone after you've recovered."

At that moment, the sound of soft weeping came from outside the door.

"I just grumbled a little to Lia, I swear! I didn't know that she would lock Nora in the forest…" Beth sobbed through her tears. Then, she started panting. "Arthur, my chest is hurting again."

Immediately, Arthur soothed her gently, "Stop overthinking things. Follow my breathing, okay? Take it slow."

A moment later, the door was opened before a group of people filed inside the sickroom.

Arthur walked at the front of the group, with Beth following closely behind him, then Carl, Lucas, and Ethan. With the sudden addition of five more people, the already small room felt even more cramped.

Carl set a fruit basket down on the table. "Beth hasn't eaten anything for two days now out of guilt. Nora, it's good that you're finally awake."

Squeezing the hem of her dress, Beth stepped closer, her eyes red-rimmed. "Nora, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault for not filtering what I said. It's because of me that you had to go through all that."

Ethan placed a medical kit on the bedside table. "Beth was so upset at what happened to you that she insisted on coming personally to apologize. Stop holding it against her, okay?"

I merely stared at the herb pouch and asked, "Did you all go past the Graywoods that night?"

Lucas opened his mouth, a complicated look on his face, though he couldn't seem to find the words to speak.

Arthur sat on the edge of my bed and pulled the blanket higher, covering the needle marks on the backs of my hands.

"You just woke up, so stop brooding over the events of that night."

"When you heard that the patrol member was looking for you, did you know that he was talking about me?"

Turning to glance back at Beth, who was still sobbing, he answered, "He only told me that someone was poisoned by the miasma toxin. I didn't know that your condition was that serious."

Then, he frowned tightly before adding, "Beth wasn't feeling well at the time too. It's not like I can clone myself and take care of both of you at the same time. Since you've always been adept with herbs, I thought that you could pull through."

Beneath the blanket, my fingers curled into tight fists.

"So, she needs you, while I'm supposed to pull through it all alone."

"Nora, there's no changing what's already happened. Arguing over who takes priority is completely pointless now."

Carl was quick to add, "Lia will be exiled from the camp. Once she's been exiled, not a single pack will ever take her in again."

Nodding in agreement, Lucas piped up, "Let's end this matter here, alright?"

I lowered my gaze. "Alright."

This would be the last time I would let things end this way.

Hearing that, Arthur finally relaxed, his tense expression easing. He reached out to brush some hair out of my eyes, but I turned my head away, causing him to miss.

After they had left, I rang the bell by my bedside.

Odelia bustled in soon after and began checking my pupils.

"Considering the seriousness of your condition, the treatment center has delayed your departure to one month later."

"At the crack of dawn tomorrow, a supply convoy will be passing by the camp's back door, right?"

That had Odelia pausing. "If you leave now, you'll suffer terribly on the journey."

"I've already pulled through the most difficult phase."

She eyed me for a moment, then took out a letter from a folder. "I had a feeling you wouldn't miss out on this chance, so I had a letter authorizing an early departure prepared for you already."

I nodded my thanks and took the letter from her.

Early the next day, I joined the convoy with firm resolution burning in me.

As the pack's territory receded into the distance, I took out my phone and blocked Arthur and the others' numbers.

Meanwhile, Arthur, who had come to the treatment center to visit me, realized that I had disappeared. He immediately started calling me over and over, but the calls wouldn't go through.

At that moment, he finally panicked.