Chapter 2

Someone was pounding on the clinic door hard enough to rattle the frame.

I checked the peephole. Arthur. My fiancé. He was in one of his tailored suits, forehead slicked with sweat, jacket wrinkled from running.

I opened the door.

He barged in and went straight for the throat. "Selena, what the hell are you playing at? The Healing Center has triggered a full emergency alert! That's the Alpha's son in there! Do you have any idea how much outrage you've caused across the entire pack?"

I looked at him. Said nothing.

"You'd stop to save a stray pup dying on the side of the road, but now there's a six-year-old child lying in the healing ward and you refuse?" Arthur stepped forward and reached for my shoulder. "Just be reasonable. Grab your med kit and come with me. Once you save Leo, the Alpha will reward us handsomely. This could change everything for our standing—"

I sidestepped his hand.

"Arthur. You just said 'us.'"

"Of course us." He nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're my fiancée — your future is my future. Do you have any idea what it means that Alpha Marcus is personally involved in this? This is our shot at the inner circle—"

"So you're not here because of the child." I cut him off. "You're here because you see a good deal."

His face twitched, but he recovered fast, putting on that wounded, righteous look. "Don't twist my words. I'm trying to teach you compassion! A healer's duty is to heal. The Moon Goddess gave you the rarest gift in this pack — shouldn't you use it for your people? You can't just let someone die out of sheer pride!"

"Compassion?" The word tasted rotten in my mouth.

"Arthur, did you come here to persuade me, or to inform me?"

His expression froze. Just for a second. But that second told me everything.

"You already told Marcus I'd come." My voice was flat. It wasn't a question.

Arthur didn't deny it. He took a deep breath, like he'd finally decided to lay his cards on the table. "I told the Alpha you'd be there. He's waiting at the Healing Center right now. Selena, you can't make me lose face in front of—"

"Without asking me. Without a single word to me first." I held his gaze. "You just handed me over."

Arthur frowned. "What's there to ask? You're a Healer. Saving lives is your job—"

"My job?" I let out a cold laugh. "I decide what my job is. You don't get to make that call."

"Selena!" His voice shot up. "If you don't come with me to the Healing Center today, I will seriously reconsider this engagement. I refuse to marry a cold-blooded monster."

He threw it out like it was the ultimate weapon. His face even carried a trace of that look — the one that said I'm only doing this for your own good.

I stared at that face and suddenly the last three years of our engagement felt like one long, bad joke.

I turned around, walked to the drawer, pulled it open, and took out the velvet box with the engagement ring.

Arthur's eyes lit up when he saw it. He thought I was going to put the ring on and follow him out.

I turned back around and hurled the box straight at his face.

Crack. It caught him right on the brow bone, bounced to the floor. The diamond ring rolled out and spun across the tile.

Arthur clutched his face, eyes blown wide. "Selena! Have you lost your mind?!"

"As of right now, the engagement is off." I pointed at the door. Not a ripple in my voice. "Take your trash and get out of my sight. You care so much about that kid? Why don't you chop yourself up and feed yourself to him — see if that cures his bloodline backlash."

"You're out of your mind!" Arthur's face went white with fury. "You'll regret this! The entire pack won't let you get away with it!"

"Get. Out."

I slammed the door in his face.

He stood outside for a few seconds. Then he left. His footsteps faded fast, picking up speed — probably racing to the Healing Center to report back to Marcus and make damn sure everyone knew he had nothing to do with me anymore.

The clinic went quiet.

I leaned against the door and looked down at the ring on the floor.

Three years ago, he'd gotten on one knee and told me he'd protect me for the rest of his life. Swore he'd never let anyone hurt me.

And when the moment came to pick a side, he didn't even ask me why I said no. He just went straight to my enemy and made promises on my behalf.