5

Carol's POV

"Alpha, the border patrol is back," a young warrior reported to Carol.

Carol sat on his stone throne, drumming his fingers impatiently on the armrest. "Report."

"We found signs of a fight and blood at the southeastern border, Alpha. It looks like Rosa… I mean, the banished she-wolf, ran into some rogues."

Carol shot to his feet. "How is she?"

The warrior hesitated. "Unclear, Alpha. We only found blood and signs of a struggle. She wasn't there. It's possible…"

A strange pang hit Carol. He waved a hand, cutting the warrior off. "Continue patrols. Report any findings immediately."

After the warrior left, Carol went to his private study. It had been three days since he banished Rosa, and a growing unease gnawed at him.

"Damn it," he muttered, pacing the room. "She should have backed down."

On his desk lay an ancient scroll – Olivia had been trying to decipher the healing knowledge Rosa left, without success. Yesterday, a young wolf broke his leg, and under Olivia's "healing," it had actually gotten worse.

Frustrated, Carol sat down and idly flipped through a small compartment in the scroll's binding. A piece of parchment slipped out. The handwriting on it made his heart jump – it was Rosa's private log.

"Blood Moon night. Performed secret healing ritual. Alpha heir Carol bitten by Dreadfang Viper, venom reaching his heart. Standard healing failed. Performed forbidden Blood-Sharing Ritual. Success, but at great cost. My blood has purifying properties, can bond with his to fight the toxin. But my rare blood type makes me more vulnerable during the ritual. Couldn't move for three days, no one knew. He thinks Olivia called a healer to save him. Better he thinks that. Protecting forbidden knowledge is more important than personal credit."

Carol's hands started to shake. That viper bite had happened when he was twenty. He'd always believed Olivia saved him. She never denied it, often recounting the tale of "how she risked everything to find a healer" for him.

"No, this can't be," Carol mumbled.

He frantically searched further. Another note fell out: "Carol praised Olivia's foresight again today, said she was natural Luna material. She just stood there smiling. No one remembers who proposed the food storage plan during last year's famine. Doesn't matter. Seeing the pack through winter is enough."

Carol felt dizzy.

All these years, he'd believed Olivia was his greatest supporter and contributor. But these notes painted a completely different picture.

Suddenly, the study door opened and Olivia walked in.

"Darling, I need your help. That blasted healing ritual failed again, and now Oran's wound is getting infected."

"The Blood-Sharing Ritual," Carol said suddenly, his eyes sharp on her. "Do you know it?"

Olivia's face paled slightly. "What? Of course… of course I know it. It's one of the advanced healing rituals."

"Then why didn't you use it on Oran?"

"Because… because the conditions weren't right," she stammered.

Carol slowly stood up. "Was it you who saved me when the Dreadfang Viper bit me?"

Olivia's eyes darted around. "Of course it was me, darling. I found the best healer."

"No. No!" Carol clenched his fists, a storm of emotions raging inside him.

It was Rosa. She had risked her life, used her own blood to purify his. And Olivia had just stood by and let him believe she was the hero!

"Get out," Carol snarled.

Olivia froze. "What?"

"I said get out! Leave me alone."

Olivia backed out of the study reluctantly, leaving Carol to collapse into his chair.

He had despised Rosa, believing her betrayal in their past life deserved punishment. But now, he wondered if he'd been terribly, horribly wrong.

Most importantly, he owed Rosa his life – and he had cast her out like a traitor.

"It was all wrong," he whispered. "All of it!"