MasukRue’s POVDr. Virel’s words stayed with me after he finished speaking. Percy had not only loved me in silence. His blood pact had been connected to me for years, and I had saved him long before I understood what had happened.I sat in the consultation room, holding the ruby necklace in my hand. My fingers shook so badly that the chain slipped against my palm.“Miss Rue,” Dr. Virel said carefully. “You need to breathe slowly.” I tried, but my chest felt tight. “He knew all this and still left?”“He did not know the full truth until today,” Dr. Virel said. “But he knew enough to believe he owed you a blood debt.”I looked up at him. “So he decided to give his blood-forming marrow to Amelia, go into a dangerous Blood Pact mission, and hide everything from me?”Dr. Virel did not deny it. “Yes.”For a moment, I could not control myself. Tears came before I could stop them. I covered my mouth with one hand, but the sound still came out.Percy had been in pain for so long. I had thought he w
Rue’s POVI went looking for Percy the next morning, even though my body was still weak. Cole had wanted me to rest, but I could not stay still after everything I had learned.Percy had refused to see me. He had hidden his route. He had chosen silence again, and this time, I refused to let silence decide for us.I went to his medical wing first because Dr. Elias Virel was the only person who might know the truth. When I arrived, a healer tried to stop me, but Dr. Virel stepped out of the inner room and saw me.“Miss Rue,” he said. “You should still be resting.”“I need to see Percy,” I said. “Where is he?” I asked. Dr. Virel looked at the healers nearby. “Leave us.” After they left, he led me into a small consultation room and closed the door. My hands tightened. “He left, didn’t he?”“Yes,” Dr. Virel said. “He has gone to Blackridge Territory.” I became afraid. “Blackridge? Why would he go there?”“To complete the Blood Pact mission,” he said. “And to carry out the donation procedur
Percy’s POVDr. Elias Virel returned to the medical room before the extraction began. His face looked worse than before. This time, he was not only angry. He also looked worried.I was sitting on the side of the bed with my bandaged hand resting on my knee. “If you came to stop the procedure again, save your words.”“I came because of Rue,” he said. My body became tense. “What happened to her?”“She is awake, and her breathing is stable,” Dr. Virel said. “But the ruby necklace she has is not a normal jewel.” I frowned. “Her necklace?”“Yes,” Dr. Virel said. “It carries traces of an ancient werewolf imprint. That imprint is tied to an old blood pact. After checking the mark, I now know why your wolf has always reacted to her so strongly.”I stood up. “Explain.” Dr. Virel placed a copied sketch of the ruby mark on the table. “Years ago, when you were still young, your blood pact lost control during the trial at the old shrine. Your wolf almost failed under the pressure. Do you remember
Rue’s POVI was still recovering in the hospital after the fire. My throat felt dry, and my body was weak from the smoke I had inhaled. Cole sat beside my bed.When I opened my eyes, he looked tired. “You’re awake,” he said quickly. “Do you need water?”I nodded. He helped me sit up and held the cup while I drank. His hands were careful, but I could see the worry on his face. “You keep visiting,” I said after a while. “You should be with Amelia.”“I was there before I came,” Cole said. “The healers are watching her. I came because of something else too.”“What is it?” I asked. He took out a small wrapped box from his pocket. “Your ruby necklace was repaired. I found it after the fire. The chain was damaged, so I had it fixed.”My hand moved to the box slowly. The necklace had always felt important, but I had never fully understood why. I thought I had lost it in the fire.When I opened the box and saw the red stone inside, my fingers tightened around it. “Thank you,” I said.Cole watc
Percy’s POVDr. Elias Virel stood in front of me with anger on his face and the blood report in his hand.“No,” he said. “I will not approve this.”I sat on the examination chair and looked at him calmly. “You already checked the match.”“I checked it,” he said. “That is exactly why I am refusing. Your blood has the lunar marrow marker Amelia needs, but the procedure is too dangerous for you now.”“My injury is not serious,” I said.“That is not the problem,” Dr. Virel said sharply. “Your wolf is unstable. Your bond reaction has not settled. Your hand is still healing, and you are preparing to enter Blackridge Territory for a Blood Pact mission. If you give blood-forming marrow now, your body may fail during the mission.”I looked down at the bandage around my palm. “Then take less.”He stared at me. “Do not speak as if this is a normal donation. This is a blood-forming extraction. It draws from the part of werewolf blood that repairs the body and supports the wolf. If we take it from
Percy’s POVI looked at him, and he lowered his head at once. I did not raise my voice, but I let my Alpha pressure rise. “You are my Beta,” I said. “Do not forget your place.”His jaw tightened, but he stayed quiet. “I know my place, Alpha. But I also know you. You are afraid she only wants to return because she feels guilty.”I looked away. He had said the truth, and that made me angry. “Rue is not ready,” I said. “She was silent when I asked if she trusted me. I will not bring her back while she is still uncertain.”“She may be ready now,” he said.“Or she may be returning because she is worried I will lose control,” I answered. “I will not use my sickness to keep her beside me.” My Beta took one step forward. “Then at least meet her. Tell her that yourself.”“No,” I said. The answer was short, and it ended the matter. My wolf tried to take control, angry and restless, but I forced it back. I was an Alpha. I would not let my need for Rue control my decision.“Where are we headed?”
Haven’s POVThe sun felt vengeful. Five hours had already gone by waiting for Rue, and by the time it ended, my skin was cracked and dry. The butler’s attitude had changed the moment he learned we were from Half Moon Pack. He was polite before that; but he got frosty the instant the word left our
Rue’s POVLike a switch, Lauren’s attitude had suddenly changed.She glanced at my outfit, and a little laugh slipped out. “Come to think of it, only you can afford these clothes. Aiden would have dressed you better”In the midst of the virus outbreak, I hadn’t even paid attention to what I wore. A
Rue’s POVWe left Half Moon Pack territory in silence. My brother drove the car, his expression calm but blank. I kept stealing glances at him , trying to figure out if he was truly bothered as I was by our interaction with Lauren.After a while, I spoke.“Cole, are you okay? With what Lauren said
Aiden’s POVPain made me wake up before even the sun had risen. Initially, I thought it was one of my usual migraines, the kind that pressed behind my ears and lingered after too much liquor or stress. But this one was different. It was much stronger.Sharper.Something shifted under my skin, and fo







