Chapter 5

Laura Wood and Rin Lake dared not overstep the pack' sacred laws, yet their hunger for my death burned bright. So they settled for my wrist blood—a bottle every fortnight, drawn by silver blades under the light of the waning moon. The pack healer had warned them: “Her human body cannot withstand this. One more moon, and her spirit will join the ancestors.” Kael stared at the letter until dawn. When Rin held Laura into the study, his eyes had already shifted to their wolfish amber,. “What is this about heart' blood?” he snarled. Laura' anxiety triggered partial shift—stood on end, while Rin' hand instinctively went to her swollen belly. “The... the pup' corpse,” Rin began, her voice steady. “It triggered a darkness in my wolf. The healer said a pure - blood human' heart' blood could cleanse it. Elara offered freely, as atonement.” Laura nodded frantically. “Yes! She wanted to help, Kael. You know how guilty she felt—” “Silence.” Kael' growl shook the room. He