I struggled to open my eyes against the heaviness of sedation.
But before I could fully wake, I felt another needle pierce my skin, this time carrying something far worse than just anesthesia.
Before they wheeled me into the treatment room, Alpha Marcus pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.
“Be brave, little one. It will be over soon. Sarah, I’ll be waiting for you.”
The silver burned like liquid fire through my veins. My wolf howled in agony, her cries echoing through my mind as she fought against the poison.
As my wolf’s presence began to fade, my heart grew as cold as the silver destroying her.
When I next opened my eyes, I was back in the hospital room. The burns still covered my body, but something far worse had changed.
The familiar warmth of my wolf, the presence I’d known since childhood, was gone. Only emptiness remained where she should be.
Marcus sat vigilant by my bedside. When he saw me wake, his face showed perfect concern, as if he hadn’t just ordered my wolf’s death.
He took my hand in his, pressing it against his cheek with such tenderness it made the betrayal cut even deeper.
“Sarah? You’re awake? Are you in pain anywhere?”
“Tell me if it hurts. I’ll have them adjust your medication.”
His expression was as loving as ever, but now I could see the emptiness behind his eyes. The calculating coolness that had always been there, hidden beneath the warmth.
It was terrifying to realize how far someone would go for another person’s love. How thoroughly they would destroy a life that stood in their way.
I shook my head slightly, reaching up to touch the stubble on his jaw. Playing my part in this cruel charade.
“You haven’t slept all night, have you? I’m fine. Get some rest.”
Marcus accepted my words without suspicion, finally letting his guard down. Soon he was asleep beside my bed.
