Chapter 9

Clara shook her head like everyone had wronged her.

“No, you’ve got it all wrong. Gideon and I are meant for each other. Selena, why can’t you just let us be happy?”

Gideon wiped the tears from Clara’s face.

Then he looked at me. Frowned.

“I know you’ve been trying so hard these past few years. You have feelings for me. But I don’t feel the same way. Stop fooling yourself.”

I watched them, lost in each other.

It was almost funny.

I had never loved Gideon.

I only wanted his power to stabilize my bloodline.

Gideon was a Legendary wolf spirit.

I gave him everything I had.

Now he thought he could just walk away from me?

Not happening!

During the hunt, our team found a nest of rare blood bat pups.

Clara wanted to catch them.

And that brought the Blood Bat King straight to us.

At the last second, I used Shadow Step,

pulled Clara away from the Blood Bat’s fangs.

But Gideon was afraid the Blood Bat would go after them again.

So he and Clara shoved me toward its claws.

Dark energy tore through my body.

And in that pain, the truth finally hit me.

Gideon and Clara—they had always belonged to each other.

In this life, I refused to be their stepping stone again.

I would not be the price of their love.

Late that night, in my room, I awakened the wolf spirit inside the nameless stone.

A tiny white wolf came running out.

He looked happy.

Great.

I’ll guard the pack border with this little... watchdog?

Its fur was pure white.

I looked at it for a moment.

“Hey, little one. I guess I'll call you Ash.”