Chapter 1

The wooden door creaked open, and Alpha Ryan Grayback stepped inside, draping a cloak over my shoulders.

"Get your things ready, Evelyn. We're heading to the wilderness together."

My communication stone glowed faintly on the table. The Royal City Sanatorium had sent a message saying they would arrive in three days to bring me there.

I had originally intended to skip this trip to the wilderness with them, but Ryan crouched down, looking up at me and saying, "It's been a long time since the four of us went out together. We really want you to come along."

My palm brushed against the edge of the rabbit-fur cloak. I wanted this decade of companionship to end on a good note as well.

"Alright, I'll go," I said with a sigh. "But if I start feeling unwell, you must take me to the ice springs immediately."

"I promise I won't let anything happen to you," Ryan assured me instantly.

The next morning, a carriage was waiting for us outside the pack.

Beta Earl Farkas carefully adjusted my scarf, while Gamma Kael Redclaw took my backpack from me. Their movements were as practiced and familiar as they had been on every trip in the past.

Then, Kael handed me some protective gear. It was old and worn, and it kept sliding down when I strapped it to my knees.

They hurriedly helped me secure it before swarming toward Maya Blackwood, busying themselves with fitting her with a new set of wrist guards.

Looking closely, I saw that her gear was expensive and exquisitely crafted. The edges, which were the parts most likely to chafe or break the skin, had been smoothed down and padded with soft fabric.

"Why is mine the only one like this?" I asked, walking over to Earl and thrusting my gear at him.

Their laughter came to an abrupt halt. Kale immediately averted his gaze and explained, "Maya's set was custom-made by an artisan last month. We spent all last night searching the storeroom for yours, and this was the best fit we could find."

Ryan stepped forward, dropping to one knee to tighten the straps for me. "Just make do with this, Evelyn. I'll tie it tighter for you."

I looked down at him and asked, in a calm, steady voice, "So, you had planned this trip all along, didn't you? It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, was it?"

Ryan's hand froze in midair, completely speechless.

Earl helped him lift me into the carriage and explained softly, "The stars in the wilderness are the most beautiful of all. You said that you wanted to see them when you were seven. We've always remembered. After we see the stars, we'll take you straight to the ice springs, okay?"

They remembered that I wanted to see the stars from years back, yet they had meticulously prepared protective gear for someone else more than a month ago.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to say another word.

Once the convoy reached the wilderness, we left the carriages behind and continued on foot. The rough protective gear chafed my skin, making it painful for me to walk steadily.

Before long, my heat toxins flared up again, and a searing, restless heat surged through my body.

I fell to the back of the group.

"Could you try to walk a bit faster, Evelyn?" Ryan called out, looking back.

"Don't tell me you're still upset about the protective gear. Are you really going to ruin everyone's trip over something so trivial?" Kael scolded me with a frown as he walked over to me.

I leaned against a tree trunk, gasping for air. "I'm not feeling well. I can't walk any farther."

In the past, they would have noticed the moment I furrowed my brow, competing to be the first to help me and carry me on their backs. But now, no one even realized something was wrong.

Maya came over and grabbed me firmly. "You just don't walk enough. You should be more like me. Come on, get moving! You need to be fit and healthy so you don't become a burden to others."

Her grip was too strong. I couldn't break free and was dragged along the entire way.

The heat toxin intensified, and cold sweat soaked through my shirt. Yet, Ryan just chuckled and teased, "Well, won't you look at that? Our little princess can actually walk on her own. I guess that means no more slacking off and asking us to carry you from now on."

I remained silent, pulling away to avoid his touch.

By the time we reached the campsite that night, the heat toxin had fully taken hold. It felt as though fire was burning deep within my very bones. The pain was so intense I nearly lost consciousness.

Just then, the tent flap was pulled open, and Kael entered, carrying dinner. "Why are you throwing a tantrum and refusing to eat again?"

"Help… me…"

I gasped, my voice barely a whisper as I pleaded for help.

The bowl shattered against the ground. Kael shouted toward the outside, "Ryan! Earl! Come quickly!"

Ryan was the first to burst in, scooping me up from the blankets.

"Get the medicine—fast!"

His voice cracked with urgency.

Kael rummaged through the medical kit, grabbed some pills, and forced them into my mouth. Once the medicine took effect, I was finally able to speak clearly.

"The ice springs…"

As soon as the words left my lips, Ryan slowly loosened his grip on my hand, his expression troubled.

"Are we really going to cut the journey short just as it's begun?"

Kael, having packed away the medical kit, spoke in a gentle tone. "That was just a bad reaction to the change in environment. Look how quickly you recovered after taking the medicine. Trust me, there's no need to head to the ice springs now for such a minor issue."

My heart sank slowly. Clinging to a final shred of hope, I looked toward Earl, but he avoided my gaze.

"You tend to kick off your covers while you sleep. I'll go fetch you a smaller blanket. Get some rest for now."

Not a single one of them cared about my safety.

When they saw that I seemed to be doing fine, they left my tent one after another. Just before heading out, Kael left a bottle of medicine by my side, saying thoughtfully, "Just in case."

Left with no other choice, I tried to get some sleep during the brief respite from the burning, toxic heat. But in the dead of night, I was jolted awake by an agonizing, searing heat, feeling as if I were being roasted in molten lava.

I reached out, trembling, trying to grab the medicine bottle, but I lost my balance and tumbled from the bed.

My forehead struck the corner of the bed frame, and everything went black as I lost consciousness.

The next morning, Earl came to wake me, only to find me lying on the floor. Scrambling over, he scooped me up and shouted, his voice trembling, "Ryan, we have to go to the ice springs right now!"