Chapter 4

But after I burned through most of my savings to get him an extremely rare energy core,

he handed it to Seraphina right in front of me.

Then he reached up and brushed his hand gently across her cheek.

"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one will ever hurt you again."

I had already put up with too much in the name of power.

But everyone has a breaking point.

And then Seraphina looked straight at me with that smirk on her face—

then deliberately loosened her grip and let the energy core drop.

It hit the ground with a sharp crack.

She covered her mouth and widened her eyes in fake surprise.

"Oops. I guess I didn't hold it tight enough. You're not mad at me, are you, Ava?"

I couldn't take it anymore. I lunged at her, ready to tear her apart.

But before my hand could even brush a single strand of her hair, Icarus kicked me so hard I went flying.

Then he came down on me, one foot planted on my chest.

"If I hadn't wanted your status and your resources, I never would've let you bond with me.

Now my power is fully grown. I don't need you anymore."

Then he crushed my heart with his own hand.

I could only watch as Seraphina stepped in and took everything that had once been mine.

The griffin I had poured everything into submitted to her willingly.

Even the pack members I had grown up with cheered at my death.

They whispered behind my back that someone like me — privileged, untouchable — had it coming.

Only my parents, the Alpha and Luna of the pack, were destroyed by my death.

When they went to demand an explanation from Seraphina,

Icarus drove his claws straight through their chests.

And Seraphina?

She just stood there, voice dripping with fake innocence —

"Huh. I always wondered if Alpha blood ran red just like everyone else's."

I threw myself over their bodies and screamed.

Maybe the Moon Goddess heard my grief. Maybe she heard the injustice of it.

Because she gave me another chance.

Seraphina. This time, blood will answer for blood.