Chapter 2

I had enough of this stupid Yorick, but I forced myself to stay calm. I had to.

My mind screamed at me to rip into him, but I swallowed it down.

"Yorick," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "my job is never to please anyone. And my job right now... is saving the Lycan Chairman."

There was a long pause. Then he laughed, this deep, mocking laugh that made my skin crawl.

"Wait, what did you just say? Lycan Chairman? Hahaha... oh my god, that's the biggest joke I've heard all day. And you're saying... you're gonna save him?"

I grit my teeth.

"Yorick, listen... that's a long story, but I really need to get to him right now. You better..."

"Enough!" He barked, cutting me off.

"Xena, think before you speak. I know the Lycan Chairman got hospitalized. Every healer in every pack has tried to save him. But you... you're a healer who barely treats anyone. What can you even do for him?"

I clenched my fists.

Time was slipping away, and if I didn't speak up, I'd miss the golden window.

"Yorick, listen to me. Cardiac surgery... that's what he needs. And I'm the only one who-"

"Wait-are you really gonna say you're the only one who can save him? You liar!" He barked, venom lacing every word.

"Don't you dare say 'Lycan Chairman' again! He's the one who decides the next Alpha! Got it?"

I felt my stomach drop. Helpless. Furious.

"I don't need your trust, Yorick. Just... tell your girlfriend to leave me alone."

He snorted. "Oh, by the way, Selena already brought her best friend, a well-known healer from another pack, to the Chairman's place. So you, Healer Xena, can relax."

My chest tightened.

Relax? That was impossible.

"Wait... are you 100 percent sure that healer can do cardiac surgery?"

I asked, my voice trembling with disbelief. I'm the chief healer. I should know every capable healer in the entire werewolf community. There's no way someone else could do this.

He laughed. "Yeah... 1,000 percent sure." Then, click. The line went dead.

I stared at the phone, stunned.

So it was fate.

Destiny was stopping me from saving the Lycan Chairman.

And maybe it was destiny stopping Yorick from ever being Alpha.

Selena, who had been standing behind me, smirked.

Her green eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned closer.

"Wow," she said. "Can't believe Yorick even picked up your call. He must've been bored while waiting for me at the bar, so he just answered some random call."

I swallowed my anger, my hands clenching at my sides.

"Do you even know Yorick has a mate?" I asked slowly, trying to make her understand.

She blinked at me like I'd just spoken another language.

Then she tilted her head and laughed, this sharp, teasing laugh that grated on my nerves.

"Let me guess... you're his mate, huh? The boring, pretending-to-be-mysterious mate. He told me about you before. Swore he'd dump you the moment he became Alpha."

I froze. My blood ran cold.

I thought he might be tired of me being busy with my work, so maybe he found some distraction... but to plan to reject me?

That was heart-piercing.

While I was breaking my back in the operating room, fighting for every coin, planning a future where he and I could stand taller together... he was already plotting how to throw me away.

I glanced at my watch. If I waited another ten minutes, I'd definitely miss the golden window.

"Fine," I said, taking a deep breath. "I have to go now. And if you try stopping me... you can't handle the consequences."

Selena laughed, a cold, crazy sound echoed.

"Consequences? Oh honey, what consequences? I'll be totally fine if I kill you right here, right now. You understand?"

My patience snapped. I had no time to argue with her nonsense. I moved toward the car. Before I could even open the door, she raised a hand and muttered something to her soldiers.

The leader of her little army stepped forward, massive and confident.

He slammed a fist into my stomach with everything he had.

I cried out as the air whooshed from my lungs.

My phone flew out of my hand, skittering across the floor.

Pain shot through my stomach.

My healer instincts screamed, it's damaged, badly.

Selena sauntered toward me, her high heels clicking against the concrete.

Every step was deliberate, mocking. She stopped directly over me and pressed one heel down onto my chest, right above my ribs. The pressure made it hard to breathe.

"Who told you you could leave?" she whispered, voice dripping with venom.