Chapter 2

I limped home, the jar clutched to my chest. My legs barely held me.

Before I reached the door, I heard moaning from inside. The sound made my stomach turn.

"I heard ancient guardians have insane stamina from all that primal power." Julian's voice was lazy, satisfied. "Did Ethan keep you up all night with that freaky supernatural shit?"

He laughed. "Now that I've eaten his Soul-Wolf's heart, want to see if I've got his strength?"

Seraphina's arms wrapped around his neck. "He was never the one. You're the only one who's ever satisfied me."

I slammed the door open. The frame cracked.

Seraphina didn't even look at me. She stayed on Julian's lap, lips locked, like I was invisible.

Nothing.

But Julian saw my eyes turning ash-gray in real-time, the silver light dying to nothing. He shoved Seraphina off, clutching his chest as he coughed violently.

Blood speckled his lips. He pointed at me with a shaking finger.

"Monster! Freak!" The more he yelled, the worse his coughing became.

Seraphina rushed to pat his back. Then she whirled on me.

Her hand cracked across my face hard enough to split my lip.

"What trick did you just pull?" she screamed. "Are you trying to curse Julian to death?"

Her heel ground into my foot with deliberate cruelty, pinning me in place.

On the couch, Julian caught my eye and smirked. Still pretending to gasp for air.

Then he pointed at the jar in my arms with greedy eyes.

"Seraphina, my Luna, Ethan's pet wolf's heart worked so well for my Silver Rot." He coughed between words. "I bet the meat would be even better medicine."

His smile was vicious. "How about some wolf stew to finish the cure?"

Both of them turned their eyes to the jar. Predatory. Cold.

I held it tighter against my chest. "Seraphina, you know I'm Soul-Linked to this wolf through my bloodline."

"If you turn it into stew, the boiling water will cook my organs while I'm still breathing."

She didn't let me finish. She knocked the jar from my hands with one vicious swipe.

It shattered on the floor. She ordered the butler to take the wolf's remains to the kitchen immediately.

The heat hit me within minutes. It felt like being thrown into a furnace.

My insides cooking as the water boiled. I dug my nails into my thighs hard enough to draw blood, trying to fight through the pain.

Diving into cold water didn't help.

Seraphina stormed in. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back.

"Did you dye it on purpose? Planning to run to the Matriarch and get me in trouble?"

She snarled in my face. "You always used your magic tricks to manipulate the old woman."

"You even claimed you traded your immortality to save my life! But Julian told me the truth."

Her grip tightened. "He's the one who flew overseas to buy the real medicine. He fed it to me while you kept me locked in that room, refusing treatment, hoping I'd die!"

She yanked me from the tub. Watched me writhe on the floor as the burning intensified.

"You know this pack has a Sacred Guardian who grants the Alpha Female's mate the Lunar Blessing of prosperity and long life."

Her eyes were full of contempt. "If I hadn't believed your lies about saving me, I never would have accepted you as my mate!"

"That blessing should have gone to Julian from the start. You need to step aside and let the right wolf claim what's his!"

I lifted my head. Forced a bitter smile through the agony.

"He wants to steal the Moon Goddess's blessing of longevity? That's a fantasy."

He'd already destroyed the pack's fate. There was no blessing left to steal.

Hours later, they brought The Profane Feast to the table.

A pot of stewed Soul-Wolf meat, its scent thick with ancient power and my own lifeblood.

Julian devoured it like a starving animal, laughing as I collapsed against the wall, blood pouring from my nose and mouth.

My organs were being cooked alive from the inside. Every bite he took was another layer of agony carved into my flesh.

When he finished, he threw the empty bowl at my feet.

"See? I'm cured! No more coughing fits!" He flexed his hands, grinning at Seraphina. "And I feel stronger than ever."

"Your precious Guardian was just a fraud all along."

Seraphina smiled at him with adoration. Then she turned to me with disgust.

"The Matriarch is hosting a banquet tonight to celebrate Julian's recovery." Her voice was cold. "You're banned from attending."

"I don't want your cursed face ruining the celebration."

I crawled to my feet, using the wall for support. My vision was darkening at the edges.

"The Moon Goddess doesn't grant blessings to those who desecrate the Sacred Hunt." My voice came out broken, weak.

"You've destroyed my power. You've consumed what was never meant for mortal consumption."

"Now watch what happens when the Goddess withdraws her protection from this pack."

Julian laughed in my face. "Still threatening us with your make-believe curse?"

"You're pathetic. Get out of our sight."

I stumbled toward the door. Before I left, I looked back one last time.

Seraphina was already in Julian's arms again, kissing him like I'd never existed.

Like she hadn't just destroyed her fated mate and invited divine retribution upon the entire pack.