Chapter 4

“I didn’t push her! But you, how could you give her my necklace?! You know that’s all I have left of my parents!”

“It’s just a necklace! How could you push Carol over something so trivial? When did you become so heartless?” Barnett raised his voice at me.

He had his guards summon the pack physician and then gently consoled her, while Carol hid a mischievous grin in his embrace.

Barnett locked me in my room and insisted that I repent for my mistakes. He forbade anyone from bringing me food until I had sufficiently made amends.

That night, Barnett came into my room exhausted. “Do you know what you’ve done, Fera?! The physician says that Carol’s pup might not survive!

“Because of your mistake, I have to go and look for birthing herbs in other packs now. I hope you’ve realized your mistakes by the time I’ve returned.”

Barnett’s attempt at guilt-tripping me was laughable, but after a whole day of starvation, I did not have the energy to argue.

The next day, Barnett’s subordinates rushed into my room once he had left the pack.

“Miss Fera, our pack values respect and tradition over many else. We wolves mate for life.

“Your shamelessness has led you to bear the pup of an unknown man. Yet you continue to linger by Mr. Barnett’s side. We will not allow you to tarnish his reputation.

“This concoction will get rid of the fatherless pup in your stomach. Drink it and leave.”

They grabbed my body and forced me to swallow the concoction. My pup was the only family I had in this world, I refused to let them hurt it.

I struggled with all my might, but it was to no avail. A starving woman was no match against Barnett’s strong subordinates. After forcing it down my throat, they threw me out of the castle.

I felt blood trickle down my legs. As my unborn pup slipped through my fingers, I felt the hex lift.

I could not leave yet. My necklace was still with Carol.

Weakly, I crawled until a pair of clean boots appeared before me. I looked up to see the woman I had been looking for.

“How pitiful you are, Fera. Tsk. Get your filthy hands away from me!” She stomped on my hand with disgust.

“Give my necklace back to me…” I struggled to stand and snatch what was mine.

“As if I would want something so cheap.” As if out of the kindness of her heart, Carol took off the necklace and threw it far away.

“Go pick it up and scram, Fera. You’ll never win against me.” She mocked and left with a contemptuous smile.

It took all my strength to pick up the necklace from where she threw it before I fell unconscious by the bushes.

Suddenly, warm hands wrapped around me and an elderly woman brushed my hair away from my neck. After a careful examination, she exclaimed shakily, “Her birthmark! The necklace! It's Fera! We've found her!”

A week later, Barnett returned to the castle and headed straight to where Carol was.

He spent a long while asking how she felt, before recalling my existence.

“Where’s Fera?” Barnett asked, “I brought her a gift.”

His guards’ hesitance had uneasiness creeping into his chest.

It was too late. The elderly couple had already taken me away, and a new chapter of my life had just begun.