The wolfless werewolf

Eden Grace

“What is happening here?” Jake appeared tall and composed in his white coat, his aura unmistakable. The Alpha of the Rowen Pack. The elite hospital’s rising star. The man everyone watched and listened to.

Conversations died mid breath, everyone straightened their back, their shoulders squared, even the walls seemed to listen.

Werewolves instinctively responded to power, and Alpha Jake Rowen carried his effortlessly. 

His presence always arrived before he did, heavy and commanding, pulling attention toward him whether one wished it or not.

Not to mention Jake Rowen was also one of the grandsons of the rich influential elite pack Blackthorn. The name that carried weight across packs and councils alike.

His mother was one of the daughters of legendary Elder Alexander Blackthorn. Even generations later his legacy still defined power being the topmost among any packs. 

The Blackthorn lineage was known for producing powerful Alphas and strategists, wolves whose authority was recognized even beyond their borders.

Yet Jake had chosen a different path.

Rather than claiming a seat in the pack council or ruling from the heart of the territory, he had turned toward medicine. He trained as a healer, mastering human and wolf physiology alike, and earned his place at Saratoga Medical through skill and discipline, not bloodline alone.

At an age when most werewolves were still proving themselves within their packs, Jake had already become one of the hospital’s most respected doctors.

An Alpha by birth. A healer by choice.

Jake’s gaze finally settled on Eden. Eden suddenly felt heat rush to her face and quickly looked down.

“Oh my, what's happening here? Why are you drenched Intern Eden.” Dr. Freya gasped standing near Jake. 

Eden looked at her in disbelief, the sheer audacity of hers. “Why? Weren't you the one who set me up with the nurses.” 

Freya looked shocked, “Dr. Eden, how can you say that? I was with Jake all the time. You shouldn't accuse me like that. I know we have a past rift but that doesn't mean you can frame me every time.” 

One of the nurses added. “Dr. Freya has nothing to do with it, intern Eden just walked on her own and slipped.” 

Eden looked at them in disbelief, “That's because you people cornered me to clean the room! Freya is the one mastermind behind it.” 

“How dare you—”

“Enough.” Jake’s voice cut through the corridor like steel. “Eden, don't be rude.”

“Why not? Don't you know what she did to me and what she's capable of?” Eden glared at her.

“Eden..”

“It's okay Jake, please don't scold her.” Freya said gently, acting pitiful. “I’m sure Eden doesn't mean harm. She must be under pressure because it's her first job.” 

Eden felt the words dig into her skin like thorns.

Freya was playing the part flawlessly, poised, unbothered, compassionate. Making Eden look irrational, immature. 

Jake sighed, “I'm really sorry Dr. Freya. Sometimes I really don't know what happens to her.”

“Oh don't be, Alpha Jake. I already said it, I understand. And thank you for taking a stand for me, you're really calm and so humble.” Freya smiled, her eyes widening with sincerity. 

Jake didn't respond to Freya, instead he took Eden's hand. “ Follow me, Dr. Eden.” 

With that he dragged her down the hallway. And when they reach the dark side he let it go. 

“What the hell was that?” he asked sharply. 

Eden furrowed her eyebrows, “What do you mean?” 

“Why are you creating trouble already?” Jake asked her in anger.

Eden blinked, startled. “What do you mean? Can’t I even retaliate?”

He glanced at her briefly, expression unreadable, “This is a hospital, Eden. You cannot let your emotions dictate your actions. Can't you be professional just for once, you're no more a college student. You can't treat her like that just because you have history with her.”

“History?” Eden let out a breathless laugh. “She bullied me for years, Jake. She humiliated me, mocked me in front of others, made my life hell, you know it, you were there too. You saw it happen.”

“So..? What do you want me to do?” 

Jake's nonchalant behavior shocked Eden. How could he say that?

Jake sighed, “Eden, it’s not even a week since you joined and you’re already making enemies. You know Freya Heyes’ father is one of the senior most board members of this hospital committee. Do you realize how badly this could reflect on you?”

“She—” 

“Stop being childish for once and think about your career, Eden. I can’t keep cleaning up after you if you keep behaving like this.”

Eden's hands trembled. “But—”

“No buts,” he interrupted, voice sharp but controlled. “If you let every little thing throw you off, you will never survive here. Remember that. Now go change and get ready for the next task. We cannot waste time.” 

Eden bit her lip, trying to swallow the sting of his words. He wasn’t denying her pain, but he didn’t care to comfort her either. All he cared about was order, professionalism and results.

Eden shivered, soaked and humiliated, feeling smaller than ever in a world that never saw her. Even next to the Alpha, she felt invisible, but a tiny spark inside whispered that she would survive no matter what.

.

.

.

*Few days later* 

“Intern Eden are you deaf or just slow? Didn't you hear what I had just said to you?” Freya's voice boomed through the corridor making several heads turn.

Eden stood frozen at the sudden outburst, “I..sorry, Dr. Freya. I didn’t hear you." 

"I had asked you to double check the dosage sheets in Ward C. But I see you sleeping here like a tired donkey, is this how you are responsible?”

A few nurses nearby snickered behind their hands. Eden's hand clenched tight, but she said nothing.

It wasn’t like she had been given any real work. Ever since she was placed under Freya’s department, the promise of being an intern doctor had turned into a cruel illusion. 

No ward duties, no patient cases, no shadowing of seniors. Just endless reports to draft, files to carry, and instructions to obey.

She had once dreamed of saving lives. Now, she was just doing reports and running behind senior doctors tirelessly. 

Everyone knew Freya’s father was a powerful pack member of the hospital committee. That was enough for most of the staff to stay in her good books and make Eden the convenient scapegoat.

“ Seriously Eden, how many times have I told you to run away? This place is not meant for someone like you. Run before something worse happens, Eden.”

Eden however was quick to dismiss her, “Why should I? I belong here.”

“Belong? Here? A wolfless woman like you..? Don't be kidding me, you're nothing here.” Freya sneered. 

“You walk among us wearing a healer’s coat, but you do not even have your own wolf the Moon Goddess chose to awaken. You cannot feel the pack bond. You cannot hear the heartbeat of this place. You are just an outsider pretending to be chosen and nothing else.”

Freya's words cut through Eden, much deeper than ever could. Cursed by the Moon Goddess. That was what they all believed. 

Eden could feel pain bloom her chest. She had begged, she had waited, she had believed but the Moon goddess never gave her the blessings.

“Also what would others think of a wolfless woman standing beside an Alpha? Thankfully no one here knows you have a relationship with Alpha Jake. You're just an embarrassment. A stain on his bloodline. Do you really believe the council will allow an Alpha to keep a wolfless mate?”

Eden's finger clenched around her broom. Eden knew Freya had eyed Jake since college days and it killed Freya that Jake had chosen Eden over her. Since then she wouldn't stop abusing her.

“An alpha deserves a Luna with a wolf, strength, blood that means something. And you..? You are nothing to it.”

Eden finally raised her gaze. Her eyes were dark and still, giving nothing away as she looked at Freya.

“If I am so insignificant then why do you spend so much energy trying to erase me? If you have no better thing to do, go focus on your patients. You'll at least earn some name here.” 

“Why you…” Freya fumed as Eden walked away. 

Her head was paining already. Freya had been making her life hell. As Eden walked through the corridors, she suddenly heard sounds of polite laughter. From far at the other ward Jake stood in the middle, relaxed and smiling, accepting compliments from a senior doctor who patted his back.

“You handled that emergency beautifully, Dr. Rowen,” the older man said. “Quick judgment under pressure. Now that's the kind of skill we all need in this place, you're really an excellent doctor.”

The nurses who surrounded him gushed in praise, one even brushing a loose strand of hair behind their ear as they looked up at him.

Eden stood at a distance as she watched it all. A smile pulled her lips but it didn’t reach her eyes like they used to be.

She should be proud of him, she used to be but something about it now made her feel like she was an outcast, a nobody who was watching someone she used to know.

Jake was busy these days as he was becoming more influential, more popular that they couldn't manage time to spend together. 

It's been weeks now since they had proper conversations. Eden walked away holding her head down but then a familiar voice echoed behind her.

“Dr. Eden!”

The voice made her stop in surprise, she turned around looking surprised.