Ruby''s POV)


    H... TO WING


    The intive voice of my inner wolf, Leia, echoed in my head. She saw and felt everything I was going through as those despicable voices continued behind the door.


    A part of me wanted to burst in, confront them, and demand justice for everything I deserved. But another part-the weary and fragile part-knew I wasn''t strong enough to face the sight of that betrayal head-on right now. With what little strength I had left. I pulled myself away. I covered my mouth, desperately trying to stifle the pitiful cries that threatened to escape as I fed.


    Once I made it to the main bedroom, a sharp jolt of pain twisted my stomach. My hand instinctively reached for the bathroom doorknob, and 1 barely made it to the sink before vomiting up the burning acid that seared my throat. The husband I loved was cheating on me with my own sister, and on top of that ursed thing-


    His daughter had just died, and now he''s fucking my sister as easily as he breaths! How could he do this to me?!


    It didn''t take long for me topletely break down. The smell of blood from fresh wounds filled the air. I had been crying and screaming for what feh like hours. The bathroom was a disaster-items were strewn everywhere, most shattered against the walls. My eyes ached, and the pain in my head pounded relentlessly.


    "Oh my goodness!"


    Martha rushed in, turning off the shower. She found me curled up on the bathroom floor, soaked and trembling. Her scream echoed through the room when she aw what I was holding in my right hand.


    "Mydy! No, get rid of that she cried in terror.


    Martha effortlessly pried the piece of ss from my hand. I had no strength left to push her away. My body felt paralyzed.


    "Oh gods" she gasped, her face wincing. "What''s happened to you, mydy? You''re bleeding everywhere! Dear heavens, look at these bruises?"


    1 blinked, my expression empty. If she could see every wound I carried, it still wouldn''t capture the depth of my broken hear.


    “Okay... okay, no worries. I''ve got you" Martha murmured, wrapping a towel around my body. Her voice was soothing, though I could still hear the tremor of panic underneath. "Let''s get you somewhere dry first."


    Martha cradled me in her arms, using all her strength to carry me out of the wreck I''d created in the bathroom. She gently set me in a chair she''d pulled over. Like a hollow shell, I let her take over-handling everything, even me. She didn''t say a word or press me with questions as she went


    about her task.


    I wondered if her silence was a way of telling me I should be grateful. Grateful that my heart was still beating, that I had been stopped from shing my veins, or that she hoped I''d think more clearly, just as she had urged me before


    "Think clearly?” I repeated the words bitterly in my mind.


    I was sure I was on the verge of madness now.


    "All done," Martha said softly, patting the cor of my dress. "Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes, mydy. Would you prefer to go to the dining hall or shall I bring it to your room?"


    Blinking sluggishly. I lifted my gaze to her. "Breakfast" t morning already?"


    "Yes, mydy. It''s twenty minutes past seven.


    Worried creases were clearly etched on Martha''s forehead. I nced at the pendulum clock on the wall, then turned toward the open window. Sunlight spilled onto the earth. Oh... it really is morsing.


    see, fabered.


    "You didn''t notice at all?" she asked cautiously.


    "All I know is that my lungs are still functioning. I wonder why?"


    I could hear the anger in my weak tone. This was the second time I''d spoken rudely to Martha. I had never misbehaved toward her or any of the staff before— especially Martha, for whom I had great respect. But after everything that had happened, my emotions and reason were in chaos. I


    The two people who were likely sating in the dining room right now should have been held ountable for what I was enduring. A wave of nausea. surged thought me as the disgusting memories resurfaced. I quickly covered my mouth, trembling violently,


    "M-mydy!" she called out, her voice filled with concer


    Hoth of her hands rested on my s shoulders. "Are you in pain anywhere else, my


    "No, there''s no need." I said, my breathbored. "I have to go


    downstairs.


    Manha backed away unconvinced "Are you


    u sure. Lely?"


    1 nced down at my left hand, now wrapped in a fresh bandage, and absently


    stroked the sters on my neck and one on my check


    "Yeah, no worries, I replied as I stood up.


    1-I mean it in another y


    way.


    I''m worried about you, mdy. Lord Lucienne appearedst night="


    "I''ll handle it." I interrupted before she could finish. "And-


    I paused, turning back momentarily to look at her with a bitter expression. Thank k you for everything. Martha!


    Trying to stay calm andposed as I stepped into the grand family dining hall was an understatement. It took every ounce of my patience not to Jose control as I watched the two traitors before me act like they were the most righteous brings


    My mother was shocked. She rushed from the breakfast table toward me the moment she saw my appearance, my body covered in wound patches Her bted concern for her eldest daughter was almost Laughable.


    "For the love of the Moon Goddess! What on earth happened to you!!" she eximed, cupping my right cheek. "Look at you. Are you hurting yourself! This isn''t good!"


    I stayed silent, watching the lines on her face deepened with worry. My mother had always seen me as her perfect daughter, someone who could never be hurt by anything, at least in her mind. Calliope, on the other hand-my youngest sister- had been born a frail, weak-immune wolf pup, deserving of all the extra attention. "You''re wounded everywhere," Mom shuddered with horror, her eyes darting over me as her hands tried to assess my injuries. "But thank goodness it''s been treated. I meant to see youst night, but your father and I were busy discussing a new medicine form for Calliope. I''m sorry, dear"


    Father chimed in, "That''s right. We''re grieving just as much as you, but our meeting with the healerst night was crucial."


    1 clenched my jaw. There was always a "bur" when it came to me, wasn''t there?


    "Alright, no problem."


    Most of the faces in the dining hall reflected difort at how easily I epted that excuse. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Dominic sitting across from me, about to say something, but my father beat him to it,


    "I heard a disturbance in the main wing. Did ite from your room?"


    Mom hugged me from the side, interrupting, "Honey, let her have breakfast first.


    It''s


    ''s been hard enough


    nough for her. Dominic... please!


    I stiffened. Dominic stood up as soon as Mom called his name. Without needing


    to look, I could feel her confused gaze directed at me.


    "Ruby?"


    I didn''t respond. My blood boiled when I caught the longing look in the younger blonde girl''s eyes as she stared at Dominic.


    Without a word, I passed by Dominic and sat between two other family members. The tter of cutlery suddenly faded into an eerie silence 1 could see Dominic struggling to contain his anger not far from the table.


    "What kind of attitude is that, Ruby Lucienne?" my father scolded.


    I gave a curt reply "Forgive me, Father. Bon appétit


    Pulling out my fork, I stabbed a piece of bacon with a cherry tomato and ate is


    slowly. The only sound in the room was the quiet tter of my own cutlery.


    "Huby! Your attitude here my father began, his voice rising


    "Enough. Dad!" Calliope''s voice cut him off


    mal Calliope''s voice.


    v trestnoy since like that She''s had a hard to days. Please, Father, sewe inelersanding, she pleaded,


    Faller sigh


    for your roen good. Hais is post a veprimand for yo


    "And I clouds nevsh thatde


    allispe''s right," another family member added. Let''s stay cabin. Yesterday was a


    long day for Lamas Kuliy


    Dominic finally spoke up. "Lunderstand Ruby''s situation, I


    in, Father, It''s line. Pd do the same formuar ughter, too?"


    My chest burned wi


    shen 1 brand that. The dining hall suddenly turned into a ce of mourning. Moun''s cpuiet solis folluted, soon joined by I cretreated, and several family members followed.


    "Emish your breakfast, my Lima. I''ll apany you afterwand?


    With that, my resizsini snapped Angri mised with pain crashed fiercely ine my


    voer.


    "Alpha,” I said. (gripping my fork tightly, my lips pressed into a thin line. "


    "Thank you for your concern. I really needed it."


    1


    "Well, lucky for us, that urgent operation smnly took our day. So today, Fischere


    for you," he said. (nodded with Isterimay. "Wight


    Must be thanks to the efforts of sun blonde pack member I sawst is


    night at the Alphia''s Den The tter of falling cutlery echoed through the an


    room, and I lifted my gaze and saw Calliope''s face turning pale,