(Olivia''s POV)
"Liv, it''s true, I didn''t lie to you. As soon as I learned there was anotherpatible donor, I immediately redirected Emma''s
treatment." Ethan''s voice was soft, almost pleading as he stood before me in the sterile corridor of the Silvercrest Pack Medical
Den.
Blood still seeped from the wounds I''d inflicted with the Silver-Edged Hunting Knife, staining his shirt. The silver would slow his
healing, making the pain linger-good.
"I never truly intended to use James as a donor unless absolutely necessary," he continued, his amber eyes seeking minè.
“Emma''s situation was critical, and my wolf saw no other option at first."
. I stared at him, my face expressionless while my wolf snarled beneath my skin.
}
"I''ve been searching for alternative donors since the beginning," Ethan exined, wincing slightly as he shifted his weight.
"What I said to you and James in the medical den-those harsh words-they were just tactics to ensure his cooperation. I knew
he would do anything to protect you."
His voice dropped lower, more intimate. "You have to understand, Liv. I was desperate, but I wasn''t cruel without reason."
I let the silence stretch between us, watching him squirm under my cold gaze. My wolf''s fury built with each heartbeat.
"So what, am I supposed to be grateful you didn''t use James''s kidney in the end?"
I finally asked, my voice sharp enough to cut
ss. "Thank you for your mercy, Alpha?"
Ethan flinched at my tone, his wolf visibly recoiling.
"Don''t you dare try to justify what you did," I continued, each word precise and venomous. “The only reason things yed out this way was sheer luck-ast- minute donor appeared. If no donor had been found, you would have sacrificed James without
hesitation."
I stepped closer, my emerald eyes boring into his. "Once again, you abandoned Lily and James''s feelings for Victoria and Emma, just like you abandoned Lily herself."
Ethan''s face paled with each usation, the physical pain from his wounds nothingpared to the anguish in his eyes.
"Don''t try to escape the condemnation of your own wolf''s conscience," I spat, "if you even have one."
His wolf whined audibly within him, a sound of pure misery that gave me a sh of bitter satisfaction.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Victoria in her Raven-Trimmed Wheelchair, eavesdropping on our conversation. Her expression shifted from shock to panic as she processed Ethan''s words.
The realization that James hadn''t been used as a donor clearly disturbed her. Her borate scheme to torment me had failed
spectacrly.
+30 Bonus
For a moment, raw frustration shed across her face before she quicklyposed herself. A forced smile reced her scowl as
she wheeled herself closer to us.
"I''m just relieved everything worked out for the best," Victoria said sweetly, her wolf carefully controlling its scent to mask her
disappointment. "Emma''s health is all that matters, and I''m grateful we found a solution that didn''t require James''s sacrifice."
Her performance was wless-the concerned mother, the caring friend. But I knew better.
"Are you disappointed it wasn''t me, Victoria?"
James''s cold voice cut through the tension like a de. He stood in the doorway, his hazel eyes shing with barely contained
rage.
Before Victoria could respond, James kicked her wheelchair with werewolf strength, sending it skidding across the polished floor.
His russet-brown wolf surged beneath his skin, its energy palpable in the narrow corridor.
"James!" I rushed to his side, my hands immediately checking him for any signs of medical intervention. "Are you really okay?
They didn''t take anything from you?"
My fingers traced his arms, looking for needle marks or bandages, my wolf''s protective instincts in overdrive.
"I''m fine, Liv," he assured me, gently catching my trembling hands in his. "They never got me into surgery. I was waiting in pre-
op when they found the other donor."
The familiarfort of his presence calmed my frantic wolf. I took a deep breath, allowing the icy resolve to rece my
emotional turmoil.
“Let''s go,” I said, taking his hand firmly in mine. “I don''t want to spend another second around these three wolves."
I didn''t look back at Ethan, Victoria, or the operating room where Emmay recovering. My wolf retreated deep within me,
protecting itself from further pain.
(Ethan''s POV)
I watched Olivia walk away with James, her slender figure growing smaller with each step. The physical pain from the Silver-
Edged Hunting Knife wounds was nothingpared to the hollow ache in my
chest.
My wolf howled mournfully within me, sensing our mate bond stretching dangerously thin. Despite everything that had happened, despite my attempts to exin, Olivia hadn''t spared me so much as a backward nce.
Her indifference cut deeper than her hatred ever could.
"Ethan, are you listening to me?" Victoria''s voice broke through my thoughts, She had righted her wheelchair and moved back to my side. "I can''t believe how harshly she treated you after everything you''ve done for Emma."
I remained silent, unable to focus on her words. All I could think about was
Olivia''s retreating figure and the growing distance
between us-not just physical, but emotional. (1
+30 Bonus
The doors at the end of the corridor swung open as Emma was wheeled out of surgery. Dr. Simon Harper approached with a
satisfied expression.
"The operation was aplete sess, Alpha King," he reported. "Emma''s body
is epting the new kidney without
I should have felt relief, even joy. Instead, I felt nothing but a profound sense of
loss as I sensed Olivia drifting further away, our
mate bond growing weaker by the moment.
(Olivia''s POV)
I set the Crystal-Infused Thermal Food Container on James''s bedside table, carefully arranging his favorite dishes from the
Moonstone Dining Hall.
"You didn''t have to do this," James said, though his eyes lit up at the sight of venison stew and moonberry bread.
"Of course I did," I replied, my wolf pleased to provide nourishment for pack. Even
without an official pack, James was family to
1. me. "You need to keep your strength up."
James ate heartily, his wolf gratefully epting the care. For a few precious
moments, we existed in a bubble of peace, away from
the drama and pain of the Stone pack politics.
The tranquility was shattered by the sharp ring of James''s Wolf-Linked
Cellphone. He nced at the screen before answering.
“Daniel? What is it?” James listened intently, his expression growing more serious
with each passing second.
"There''s been a breakthrough in the hit-and-run case," Daniel''s voice came
through the phone. "The driver confessed."
My heart raced as suspicions I''d been harboring surfaced. "Was it Victoria?" I
asked. "Did she orchestrate the
attack?"