Chapter 2

As Sebastian carried me to bed and coaxed me to sleep, I was lost in thought. How did we end up here? When did we start breaking apart like this?

This wasn't the first time Sabrina had poisoned me. On the day Sebastian and I held our mate-bond ceremony, she dusted my wedding dress with an itching powder. My skin had erupted in rashes, the itch so intense I wanted to tear myself apart.

Sebastian had pulled me into his arms, shock and fury burning through him. After he healed me, he publicly announced he was cutting ties with Sabrina. But the moment she heard that, she turned and jumped into the deep lake.

By the time Sebastian reached her, the water was already over her mouth and nose. Only her tear-filled eyes remained above the surface. He dove in without hesitation and dragged her out, holding her in his arms like she was something fragile and irreplaceable.

Afterward, he said, "Sabrina is just immature. She can't accept that the wolf she grew up with has someone he loves more now. You already have me, so just give in to her a little."

And just like that, every time it came to Sabrina, I was the one who stepped back.

Sebastian must have sensed my distance. He pulled me closer, lowered his head, and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of my neck. "Still mad? I'll have her come tomorrow to apologize to you, alright?"

I refused almost on instinct. "No need."

An apology wouldn't erase what she had done to me, and seeing her would only bring more trouble.

He laced his fingers with mine, his gaze deep and earnest. "How can she not apologize? You're my mate. I won't let you be wronged."

Once, those words would have moved me to tears. Now, they only made me tired.

Everyone said Sebastian, the chief healer, was too kind. He was too soft-hearted to watch anyone suffer. He was the same with those closest to him. He didn't want me to feel wronged, but also didn't want Sabrina to be unhappy.

He wanted to be fair and never favor anyone, but without realizing it, he had already tipped the scales toward Sabrina.

The next day, Sabrina still came to apologize. She brought a jar of pearl powder, saying it was for skincare. The color was soft and luminous, the scent delicate. It was clearly high quality, but I still didn't take it.

Because the fine powder looked exactly like the itching dust she had scattered over my wedding dress that day.

Sebastian lightly held my wrist, his voice low as he coaxed, "Take it. It's her way of making peace. Don't worry. I have antidotes ready. Even if she added something, you'll be fine."

I took the jar under his relieved gaze, then calmly tossed it into the trash. Sebastian shot to his feet, the warmth draining from his face in an instant. Sabrina's eyes reddened right away, her expression wounded and incredulous as she stared at me.

Maybe it was because I was about to leave this world, but I realized I no longer had the patience to swallow past grievances and pretend they didn't matter.

I covered my mouth with a handkerchief, hiding the blood I had coughed up, and said evenly,

"I don't want an apology, and I don't want pearl powder. If that wasn't clear, I can repeat it."

Disappointment filled Sebastian's eyes as he dragged Sabrina out and slammed the door shut behind them. This time, he was truly furious. He didn't come back for days.

In the evenings, his assistant still delivered my bottle of antidote as usual.

The man's expression was hesitant as he said, "Mr. Grant has not returned, but he told me to watch you take the antidote. He said you can't miss even one day and asked me to keep an eye on your health."

My lips curved into the faintest smile.

So, he truly was afraid I would die. I really wanted to see his expression when he realized the prescription he had written with his own hands was what sent me to my grave.

The thought almost made me laugh. Instead, my vision went dark, and I passed out. After all, Sebastian had forgotten one critical herb in that prescription. As the poison kept building in my body, my organs were slowly failing.

When I woke up, Sebastian was hovering over me, panic written all over his face as he reached out to examine me. Our eyes met, and he froze.

A moment later, he pulled his hand back, his expression darkening. "Christina, when did you start faking illness for attention? I told you, my prescription can't possibly fail. If you wanted me to come back, you could have just said so. Why pretend to be weak?"

"If you didn't want to come back, then leave," I replied sharply, turning my head away.

That was close. One step closer, and he might have noticed the truth.

Sebastian stiffened, then his expression softened instead. He slipped his arm around my waist, his voice dropping into that familiar, gentle tone.

"Come now. Are you still angry? If you don't like Sabrina, I'll stop inviting her over. Didn't you say you wanted to watch the sunrise? Moonlight Cliff is beautiful. I'll take you there in a few days, okay?"

My heart stirred, and I nodded. One last look at the scenery of the werewolf world would be a fitting farewell.