Chapter 2

Mother held Nora even tighter.

“Clara is bonding with Julian tomorrow. She thinks she’ll leave this family soon, so now she can’t even tolerate her own sister.”

Ethan threw the tablet into the trash and added, “Nora already explained herself. You didn’t drink the milk, and you weren’t hurt. What else do you want?”

As far as they were concerned, Nora could be forgiven because I had discovered the drug in time. In my previous life, I had died by her hand, and they had still chosen to hide the truth for her.

I stopped arguing and continued eating. Once Mother saw that I had gone quiet, her tone softened.

“After the bonding ceremony tomorrow, you’ll move to Julian’s territory. Spend one last evening with Nora and try not to upset her again.”

“Wasn’t she already given a suppressant?”

The pack healer had remained in the dining room. “The injection only lasts a few hours. Her wolf may still lose control during the night, so you should avoid mentioning the bonding ceremony around her.”

“There are plenty of people in this house. Why does she only come after me?”

Nora tightened her grip on her fork, but the healer answered for her.

“You are her strongest trigger.”

“So as long as she doesn’t see me, she won’t attack anyone else?”

“In theory, yes.”

I smiled and asked nothing more.

After dinner, I returned to my room and checked the lock. I had just tested the handle when I heard quiet footsteps outside.

I immediately opened the door.

Nora stood in the hallway with a silver blade in her hand. She showed no surprise when she saw me. Instead, she slowly raised the weapon and pointed it at my chest.

“Clara, what are you doing?”

“I should be asking you that.”

She stepped closer. Just before the tip touched me, Mother’s voice came from the stairs.

“Nora!”

The blade fell from Nora’s hand. She looked down at it as if she had only just regained consciousness, then let out a frightened scream.

“Why was I holding that?”

Mother rushed over and pulled her close. Ethan arrived moments later, picked up the silver blade, and glared at me.

“What did you say to her this time?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Nora was just given a suppressant. If you hadn’t provoked her, how could she have lost control again?”

I looked at the blade in his hand and answered quietly, “You’re right. The next time she does something, I won’t say a word to upset her.”

In my previous life, I had spent the entire day trying to prove that Nora understood exactly what she was doing. Every accusation had only made my family defend her more fiercely. This time, I had no intention of stopping her. I only needed to make sure that when she acted again, the consequences would no longer belong to me.

I had the lock replaced before the servants retired and gave the only spare key to Mother. If Nora came to my room again, she would have to plan for it.

Later that evening, I went to Mother’s room while she was arranging the jewelry she would wear at tomorrow’s ceremony.

“I want to exchange rooms with you tonight.”

She paused and looked at me. “Why would we do that?”

“My room is close to the main road, and the noise may keep me awake. If I don’t rest, it could affect the ceremony tomorrow.”

I placed the necklace beside her into its case before continuing.

“Nora has already come after me twice today. Seeing me makes her lose control, and I don’t want to arrive in front of Julian and the Pack Council covered in injuries.”

Mother still hesitated, so I reminded her, “Nora listens to you more than anyone. Even if she enters the room during the night, she’ll calm down as soon as she sees you.”

Father had always been a light sleeper and stayed in the suite beside his study. Mother occupied the master bedroom alone, which made the exchange easy, but she still did not agree immediately.

“The ceremony officiant and the stylists will go to your room in the morning. Changing rooms now could delay the ceremony.”

“Then I’ll stay at a hotel tonight.”

“No.” Mother rejected the idea at once. “What will the other packs think if the bride leaves the Alpha House on the night before her bonding ceremony?”

“Then we exchange rooms.”

She remained silent for a while before finally agreeing. She never asked what might happen if Nora entered my room again. Her only concern was preventing trouble during tomorrow’s ceremony.

I moved my nightclothes and personal belongings into the master bedroom, then transferred Mother’s things into my room. As I carried the last item across the hall, I noticed Nora standing at the turn of the staircase. From the way she watched us, she had clearly been there for some time.

“What are you doing?”

I stepped in front of the master bedroom door.

Her gaze dropped to the nightclothes in my hands.

“Has Mother finally gotten so sick of you that she’s making you sleep in her dressing room?”

“Of course not. There are too many things for tomorrow, so I’m using Mother’s dressing room.”

Nora smiled faintly.

“Then good night. Make sure you lock your bedroom door. Sweet dreams.”

I said nothing.

After dark, Mother showered and entered my bedroom. She took one of my nightdresses from the wardrobe, sprayed the room with my usual gardenia perfume, and used scent-masking spray on herself.

“If Nora comes in, I’ll prove she only wants your attention and would never truly hurt you,” she said.

Once Mother was in bed, Ethan came inside. I was still standing near the dressing table, putting away the final few items, when he placed a small box of pills in front of me.

“Nora has been crying again. She says you spent the entire day targeting her, so behave yourself tonight. I don’t want any more trouble before the ceremony begins tomorrow.”

I glanced at the box. “What is this?”

“Painkillers. If your injuries start hurting again, take one instead of making a scene in the middle of the night.”

After Ethan left, Mother remained in bed and continued to criticize me.

“He’s only trying to help you. Once you complete the bond and move away, this household will depend on Ethan and Nora. You need to stop making your relationship with them so difficult.”

I reached the doorway, then turned back to her.

“What if Nora really comes in here with a knife tonight?”

Mother rolled onto her side impatiently. “She is sick, Clara. She isn’t a murderer.”

I switched off the light and closed the door behind me.

Back in the master bedroom, I did not go to sleep. I took out my phone and connected it to the camera I had hidden in my old room.

On the screen, Mother soon fell asleep. The hallway remained empty and quiet until 2:07 a.m., when a figure in white appeared.

Nora walked barefoot toward my bedroom. A second silver blade was in her right hand, while her left held the spare key to my door.

The moment I saw the weapon, I sent the live security feed to Julian and called the pack’s emergency healers. Julian immediately alerted the Council and warned me not to confront a wolf armed with silver alone.

On the screen, Nora stopped outside the bedroom and listened. Mother was sleeping with her back to the door, wearing my nightdress beneath the blanket.

Nora slid the key into the lock and slowly turned it.

The bedroom door opened.