3

Karen's expression remained hard, showing no emotion.

I grew more anxious. I had already lowered myself to dust—why wasn't there any softening in his eyes?

The hardest part was the tribe's Moon Festival.

All werewolves gathered under the Moon Goddess Rock, sharing the sacrificial prey.

Karen personally offered the fattest deer heart to Lyra, who accepted it with elegance and holiness as the prophet.

I was seated at the very edge, only getting some ice-covered bones with almost no meat.

"Elara, try some of this moon dew wine. It's good for restoring your wolf spirit."

Lyra walked over with a horn cup full of silver liquid. The wine smelled rich, but made me feel strangely uneasy.

I hesitated, not taking it.

"Elara doesn't seem grateful? I specially prayed to the Moon Goddess for this blessing for you."

Lyra looked hurt, and Karen's gaze immediately shot toward me like a knife blade.

"Elara! How dare you be so dismissive of Lyra's kindness?"

His voice carried irresistible Alpha pressure.

I froze, my heart feeling like it was gripped by an invisible hand.

"I... my wolf spirit hasn't fully recovered. I'm afraid it can't handle the powerful energy of the moon dew."

I had bad reactions to certain special sacrificial items, especially those related to Lyra's "divine power."

Karen used to know this.

But now, the altar was filled with offerings "purified" by Lyra, leaving almost nothing I could safely touch.

Karen, had he truly forgotten?

"Stop making excuses! Lyra is trying to help you. Don't be ungrateful! Drink it!"

"Karen, don't talk to Elara like that. She just returned from the Cliff of Sinful Wolves. It's natural she might feel resentful. Elara, if you don't like it, I can prepare something else for you."

Lyra appeared even more generous and tolerant, making me look even worse.

These fake performances no longer angered me, only numbed sadness remained.

"She has no right to be picky! Elara, don't test my patience. For the sake of tribal harmony, you must accept Lyra's goodwill."

His voice was deep and dangerous, his body radiating Alpha pressure, a sign he was about to explode.

It was always this way, he never gave me a chance to explain. Whatever he decided became the unchangeable "truth."

But my experience at the Cliff of Sinful Wolves taught me that resistance only leads to harsher treatment. I had to submit to survive.

"Yes, I accept."

I lowered my head, took the horn cup, and drank the silver liquid in one gulp, just wanting to end this farce quickly.

Seeing me drink, Karen's pressure eased slightly.

I held back the burning pain from deep within my wolf spirit, trying to maintain outward calm.

However, soon my vision began to blur. My limbs felt like they were burning in fierce fire, and uncontrollable sobs came from my throat.

The horn cup slipped from my hand as my body fell to the cold ground, convulsing uncontrollably.

"Oh my!"

Lyra let out a short, startled cry, gracefully stepping back as if I were some filthy abomination. Karen's gaze, after initial shock, quickly turned to Lyra with questioning and reassurance.

Only when I painfully curled into a ball, with glowing silver liquid spurting from my mouth, did he suddenly realize something was wrong.

"What's happening to you?"

Seeing my painfully twisted face and uncontrollably trembling wolf ears, his expression finally changed.

"The moon dew... it's the silver thorn herb in the moon dew! You have a deadly reaction to it! How could I forget!"

When I opened my eyes again, I awoke from intense pain to find myself lying on a cold stone bed, still in the ice cellar.

The tribe's healer had just left.

Karen stood not far away, his back to me. Lyra was snuggling against him, sobbing softly.

"It's all my fault, Karen. If I hadn't kindly offered her the moon dew, she wouldn't have..."

"Don't blame yourself, Lyra. It's not your fault. It's her—she knew she couldn’t handle it but insisted on being stubborn. She's always been this headstrong. No one can save her!"

Huh, it's my fault again.

"You're awake, Elara."

Lyra turned around, seeing me open my eyes. A strange look flashed across her face before quickly changing to one of concern.

Karen also turned around, his voice tinged with barely noticeable irritation: "You knew you couldn't handle it, so why didn't you say so earlier? Did you have to make such a scene before it got this bad?"

"I did say... my wolf spirit... couldn't handle it. But if I didn't drink it, Alpha would... would be even angrier."

After hearing this, Karen's face darkened further.

"Are you accusing me of forcing you? Elara, are you trying to gain my sympathy or make me suspicious of Lyra?"

Was it really my choice to drink it?

Karen's memory seemed to selectively keep only what benefited him.

I shook my head in terror, not knowing what I'd said wrong, but needing to apologize immediately: "It's my fault, Karen, it's my... it's my fault I shouldn't have... please... don't be angry."

"You..."

Karen looked at my pitiful, fearful state, his eyes complex. Finally, he took a deep breath and left with Lyra, leaving me alone in the cold darkness.