Chapter 5
Alaric’s grip was too strong. With a sharp yank, he reopened the wound on Mina’s elbow.
Fresh blood welled up, spilling down her arm in thick rivulets before dripping onto the pristine white sheets beneath her.
The memory of the Shadowfang Mountains came rushing back, the scent of damp earth and the howls of distant rogues flooding Mina’s mind. Instinctively, she flinched.
But Alaric’s grip tightened, forcefully holding her in place.
His gaze followed the trail of blood, and that’s when he saw it–a deep, jagged wound running nearly the entire length of her forearm, the torn flesh still raw and gaping. His golden eyes darkened, fury crackling through his veins like a wildfire.
“You said you examined her thoroughly,” Alaric growled, turning his sharp glare toward Zane. “Then explain this.”
Zane–Rachel’s older brother, the Silverclaw Pack’s most skilled healer–stared at the injury, momentarily speechless.
“I… I…” Zane stammered, his normally smooth voice faltering.
The truth was, he hadn’t examined Mina at all. Instead, he had locked her in the infirmary, only occasionally glancing at her with thinly veiled disgust.
“I was going to do a full assessment for you,” his voice carrying an edge of irritation, “bus honestly, seeing you like this–half–starved, barely holding herself together–I don’t want to waste my time.”
Rachel, sensing the shifting tide, stepped in swiftly, redirecting attention with practiced
ease.
“Mina,” she gasped, feigning shock, “how did you get such a wound?”
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Her eyes widened with concern, but the flicker of amusement lurking beneath was
jmistakable, “You didn’t do this to yourself, did you?”
She turned to Alaric, her expression caught between worry and forced naivety. “Maybe she thought injuring herself would make you reconsider the wedding delay?”
As she spoke, she shot a fleeting glance at Zane, who instantly caught on.
“Yes,” Zane sneered, quickly regaining his composure. “The wound wasn’t there during my initial examination, She must have taken one of my surgical blades while I wasn’t looking and cut herself. Oh my gosh.”
“Lying comes naturally to her,” he added dismissively. “It’s a wonder she doesn’t choke on her own deceit,”
Alaric’s hands trembled, his breathing uneven as rage clawed its way up his throat. His aura, thick with dominance, weighed heavily in the room.
“Mina,” he said, his voice dangerously low, “this ceremony–whether you want to delay it or not–will happen on my terms.”
His words carried the finality of an Alpha’s decree, echoing with the power of the bond they were supposed to share.
At first, Mina had tried to defend herself. “I didn’t do this.”
But Alaric had cut her off before she could explain. She stopped trying just watched, silent and detached, as if none of it mattered anymore.
When he delivered his final verdict, she merely bowed her head and whispered, “Alright
Alaric left the infirmary still seething, his anger a storm barely contained beneath his skin.
Rachel followed, her hand resting lightly on his arm as she cooed softly, soothing him like one might a restless beast. “She won’t change overnight, Alaric,” she murmured. “Today, ske harmed herself to make a statement. Tomorrow, who knows how far her impulsiveness‘
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will go?”
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Alaric’s golden eyes darkened, his expression unreadable.
Sensing his hesitation, Rachel pressed further. “I don’t think she’s afraid of postponing the bounding at all.” She paused, watching his reaction carefully before adding, “Why not cancel the mating bond altogether.”
“No.” The word was out of his mouth before he even realized it.
Rachel blinked, startled by the speed of his response. “Why not?” she asked, tilting her head in feigned curiosity.
Alaric exhaled sharply, running a thumb over the bonding ceremony ring on his finger, a distant expression crossing his face.
“If Mina found out I intended to cancel the bond…” He trailed off, but a slow, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips. “She’d tear the entire pack apart.”
Rachel’s expression faltered for a fraction of a second before she quickly recovered, her tone turning sweeter. “But Alaric,” she pressed, “weren’t you the one who said she needed discipline?”
“She does need to learn.” Alaric’s jaw tightened, the memory of Mina’s fragile state flashing in his mind. Her hollowed–out frame, the deep wounds on her arms, the exhaustion in her
eyes…
“But she’s suffered enough.”
Rachel opened her mouth to argue, but Alaric cut her off.“That’s enough, Rachel. I know what I’m doing.”
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