Chapter 3

After the blood pact was sealed, Ethan and I stopped speaking to each other.

The wolf-mending ritual was scheduled for three days later. For three days, I shut myself away in the meditation room, preparing myself for what was coming.

Soul intervention was risky. One wrong move, and it could backfire on me.

…

On the day of the ritual, Ethan stood guard outside the altar.

Clad in a white ceremonial robe, I stepped into the ritual circle, where lunar energy pulsed around me.

Chloe lay at the center. When she saw me, her lips curled into a smug smile.

I ignored her and guided the lunar energy with practiced ease, letting it condense into fine threads in my hands. But the process was far more difficult than I had anticipated.

Chloe's wolf was like a balloon full of holes, and no ordinary mending could fix it.

Six hours passed. By then, my hands felt as though they were being torn apart. The pain was unbearable.

Then, at the final step, something went wrong.

Chloe's wolf suddenly reacted violently, rejecting the process. At the same time, her vital signs plummeted.

An assistant nearby exclaimed, "Something's wrong! She's crashing!"

Ignoring the ban, Ethan barged in and strode straight into the ritual circle. "What's happening? Selena! You said you could save her!"

At that point, cold sweat soaked through my clothes. I was so weak I could barely remain standing.

"T-The rupture is too severe… I don't have enough energy left."

"Use your wolf's essence to mend it!" Ethan roared, his eyes bloodshot.

I stared at him in shock. "Ethan, do you even hear yourself? That's the root of my wolf's power! If I draw it out, I'll—"

"There's no time to worry about that!" he cut me off.

Ethan stared at Chloe as she screamed in agony, all reason gone. "She's dying! Selena, you're a healer. Can you really stand there and watch your patient die?

"You'll only lose some power. You can recover it later, but she has only one life to lose! I'm ordering you as Alpha. You must save her!"

The weight of his Alpha presence pressed down on my drained body.

I stared at the werewolf I had loved for five years. At this very moment, he was forcing me to sacrifice myself for another she-wolf.

"Fine…" I said, my hands trembling as I raised them.

When I drove my fingertips into the center of my forehead, my wolf let out a piercing howl of pain.

A strand of golden energy was forcibly torn from me, flowing through my fingers and into Chloe's body. The agony made my vision go black, yet I couldn't make a sound.

As I sacrificed myself, the rupture in Chloe's wolf sealed rapidly. At the same time, her physical wounds healed before our eyes.

When the last trace of my essence was gone, I collapsed to the floor, limp as a rag doll. Even then, no one helped me.

Meanwhile, Ethan rushed to Chloe's side. The instant she woke, he pulled her into his arms. "Oh, thank goodness! You're all right!"

She pressed against him, reveling in the surge of strength in her wolf. Triumph flashed briefly in her eyes before vanishing.

Then, she looked down at me lying on the floor. Her gaze was sharp with triumphant mockery as she said, "Thank you for healing me, Selena."

I watched the scene unfold before me and wanted to laugh. But in the next second, everything went black.

…

Seven days later, I woke up alone in a hospital bed. I learned from others that Ethan hadn't come to see me even once.

During that time, he was with Chloe, helping her test the fully awakened power of her wolf.

When I was finally able to get out of bed on my own, Ethan came.

"Thank you, Selena. Chloe has fully recovered," he said, in a seemingly good mood.

He stepped forward and reached out to hug me. But I moved back, avoiding his touch. "No need to thank me. It's my job."

My voice came out hoarse.

"Selena, I'm here today because I need to talk to you about something," Ethan began. "I want Chloe to stay in the new house for now."

I snapped my head up and stared at him in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"You know the house is located where the moonlight is strongest. There's a natural convergence of energy there. The elders said that even though Chloe is healed, she still needs moonlight to stabilize. So, that place is ideal."

I snapped, "That house was meant for our future! I designed every corner of it myself!"

"I know. But it's only temporary."

Impatience crept into Ethan's voice as he went on, "Selena, stop being so petty, will you? Once she moves out, I'll have the place renovated."

At those words, I laughed so hard that tears welled up in my eyes.

"You're asking me to wait again? Ethan, I'm done waiting. Next, you'll tell me Chloe has nightmares, and you'll decide she needs you to give her a home."

In an instant, he flew into a rage. "Selena Thorne! Do you really have to talk like that? Do you really have to be sarcastic right now? What you're imagining would never happen! I'm saving a life!"

"And what about mine? Does my life not count?" I shot back.

My words left him speechless.

In the end, Ethan took a deep breath and said, "Fine. If you're so unwilling, I won't force you. But I've already promised Chloe. If you don't give me the key, I'll break the door down."

I stared at him. The wild gleam in his eyes made him seem unhinged.

"Fine. Let her move in," I said.

All at once, Ethan froze. Clearly, he hadn't expected me to agree.

I pulled the key from my pocket, the one with a pup charm, and placed it on the table in front of him. "Take it. From now on, that house belongs to you and Chloe. I wish you both a happy life."

With that, I turned and walked away, my steps dragging. My hands trembled uncontrollably as I shoved them into my pockets.

To heal Chloe, my wolf had fallen into a deep slumber—one it might never wake from. I'd never be able to work as a spiritual healer again.

As I stepped out of the healing sanctuary, I heard Ethan shout from behind me, "Selena, stop sulking! I'll come get you in a few days!"

At last, tears streamed down my face. He had no idea, but I wouldn't throw another fit. Our five years together were over.