4

The day after I contacted the border pack, the pack healer rushed to find me.

"Miss Seraphina, good news! The High Priestess, through an ancient Moon Goddess revelation, found a secret method to slowly repair your soul core! It'll take a long time, but at least there's a glimmer of hope!"

The healer's face was genuinely joyful; she'd always sympathized with my situation.

My hand, holding the animal skin scroll she handed me, wouldn't stop shaking.

Last time, I never got any chance of healing before my soul completely disappeared.

I cut off my secret communication with the border messenger and immediately changed my escape plans.

Repairing my soul core was key to surviving and getting Liam out of here. I had to take this chance, even if it was just a tiny sliver of hope.

Just as I was carefully studying the complicated secret method, the curtain to my cave was gently pushed aside.

It’s Isolde.

She walked slowly into my cave, her eyes critically scanning the simple furnishings, finally landing on my flat stomach with a barely noticeable, scrutinizing look.

"I am Damian's true fated mate. The soul essence you give him? He actually gives it all to me, to keep me alive."

I didn't understand why she was here now.

But from my calm expression, she confirmed that I already knew some of the truth, or at least was fully aware of her existence.

She let out a small scoff, the disdain in her eyes unconcealed. "Looks like you really are desperately in love with Damian. You'd even cruelly abandon your own pup for him! Too bad, even if you burned your entire soul core for him, he wouldn't truly look at you. The only light in his heart, from beginning to end, has always been me."

Isolde sat down on my low couch as if she owned the place, her posture elegant.

"From now on, don't even think about using the excuse of offering essence to get close to Damian! He is my Alpha!"

"Don't worry, no one's fighting you for your rejected leftovers!"

I fought back my anger and coldly told her to leave.

Isolde's face changed drastically. She shot up and grabbed my wrist. She looked frail, but her nails almost digging into my skin. "Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? A lowly healer, daring to desire the Alpha's favor?"

Liam heard the noise and walked out from the inner chamber, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Sister, who is it?"

When Isolde saw Liam, a strange smile appeared on her face. Her eyes lingered on him, as if sizing up an interesting object. "So this is your brother? Damian said his soul essence is as pure as fresh snow!"

I yanked Liam behind me, my voice trembling with anger, "What do you want?!"

"Don't be nervous," Isolde said, "I was just curious. If I urgently needed purer essence, and yours wasn't enough anymore, what would Damian... choose to do?"

"Get out!"

I pointed to the cave exit, screaming.

Isolde gave me a defiant look, then unhurriedly took out her communicator. The next second, her eyes turned red, choked with tears. "Damian, I'm at Seraphina's cave, she's being so mean to me..."

She cut off the communication, with a triumphant smile on her face.

In less than a moment, Damian burst in, bringing a gust of wind and snow with him.

He didn't even look at me, rushing straight to Isolde, checking her from head to toe.

Only after confirming she hadn't suffered any "harm" did he relax a little, though his voice still held a trace of fear. "Isolde, why did you come here by yourself? The healer said you need to rest."

That worried, concerned expression was a world away from the coldness he'd shown when he forced me to drain my essence right after my termination.

"Damian, I just didn't want to hide it from Miss Seraphina anymore. I wanted to come... properly thank her for giving me her essence these past three years. But she... she kicked me out, and said... said she wouldn't let me have an easy time..."

Isolde sobbed, leaning pitifully against Damian.

Damian whipped his head around to look at me, his eyes blazing with terrifying anger. The Alpha's pressure bore down on me like a mountain. "Seraphina, it was wrong of me to deceive you, take your anger out on me! But Isolde's soul core is unstable. If you upset her and something happens, I will never forgive you!"

"Damian, this is my cave. Please take your sweetheart and leave immediately!"

I fought back the trembling deep in my soul and retorted.

Isolde immediately clutched her chest, her body slumping softly into Damian's arms, her breathing shallow. "Damian, I... I've been feeling really unwell since just now. Could it be... because Seraphina's soul core is damaged, her essence... isn't pure anymore, maybe it even... carries something bad?"

Damian looked at me with disgust, as if I had tainted his precious treasure.

But he forgot, just yesterday, he was the one forcing the elder to drain my soul essence again and again.

He swept Isolde into his arms and turned to command me, "If you still want to keep your empty title of 'fated mate,' if you still want the secret method to repair your soul core, then bring your brother Liam to the Moon Goddess Cave right now! Isolde needs pure essence!"

So ridiculous.

Even after some of the truth was out, he showed no guilt, only blatant threats and entitled demands.

Liam gripped my hand worriedly, his little face tight. "Sister, who is that woman? Why does Damian want us to go to the Moon Goddess Cave?"

I forced a smile and ruffled his hair. "Don't be scared, Liam. Sister is going to take you away from here right now."

I could do without the soul repair method, but I absolutely could not let Liam become the next sacrifice!

I immediately re-contacted the border pack's messenger, moving our departure up to tonight. The price was my last valuable healing crystal.

With Liam, under the cover of darkness, I hurried towards the secret exit we’d arranged with the messenger.

But I didn't know that Damian, after waiting for me at the Moon Goddess Cave for a long time without success, had already sent out the pack's elite search party. After not finding us at home, they were now tracking our scent, closing in on us.