Chapter 17
I heard the news on Monday morning.
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The Pack Network had been updated with a major disciplinary announcement from the Werewolf Alliance: Warrior Chloe Miller has been stripped of her rank and expelled from the Ice Crown Pack for stealing medical formulas and endangering pack lives. Alpha Silas Vance has received an official Alliance Warning for failure to properly supervise his pack and allowing a false antidote to be distributed.
As soon as the notice went up, the quiet Bloodmoon Outpost was buzzing with whispers.
While I was having breakfast in the dining hall, I could hear a few guards at the next table talking loudly.
Did you see the Alliance board? Chloe Miller faked the Silver Antidote formula! That’s insane!”
I can’t believe Alpha Silas actually got an official warning… That’s a huge stain on his honor as an Alpha.”
Whose formula was it really? The announcement didn’t name names.”
Who else could it be? The Healer who was in the Alpha’s office before she transferred here. You know, her…”
A voice dropped lower, and several pairs of eyes flickered toward me as I sat alone by the window.
I acted as if I hadn’t heard a thing.
I just continued to sip my hot tea and take small bites of my bread.
I spent the entire day in the snowy forest gathering herbs.
The winter wind on the Badlands was fierce. Wearing my thick boots and scarf, I worked alongside my team, digging through the rozen dirt to find roots with focused movements.
When snow melted on my forehead, I simply wiped it away, keeping my attention locked on my work.
During a break, a younger guard couldn’t help but bring up the news from Headquarters. His tone was full of protective anger.
Healer Harper, that antidote formula was clearly your hard work. Now that the thief has been expelled, I guess you finally got
ustice.”
unscrewed my water bottle and took a sip. My voice was completely flat.
The Alliance handled it according to the laws. Let’s stay focused. We need to find enough blood-root before it gets dark.”
stood up and took the lead toward the next ridge.
My back was straight and strong. I showed no sign of sadness or victory. I looked like someone who hadn’t just had their life’s work tolen or their name dragged through the mud.
My teammates exchanged glances, the surprise obvious in their eyes. To them, this broken wolf from Headquarters looked quiet, out my emotional strength was intimidating.
The sun was sinking toward the horizon by the time our supply wagon rattled back to the outpost gates.
I hopped off the wagon and stretched my stiff shoulders, the day’s exhaustion finally catching up to me. Just as I was about to say goodbye to my team and head to my cabin, my eyes brushed past a dead, leafless tree near the main entrance.
My footsteps stopped.
A tall man was standing under the dead tree.
It was Alpha Silas Vance.
I didn’t know how long he had been waiting in the freezing wind. His usually perfect dark hair was messy. He looked exhausted.
The moment he saw me step off the wagon, his golden eyes locked onto me like a dying traveler who had finally found water in a
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desert.
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The noisy goodbyes of my team and the rumble of the wagon engine seemed to fade into the distance.
I felt my heart clench as if grabbed by a cold hand, but then it suddenly released, leaving behind nothing but an empty, dull ache.
I hadn’t expected to see him standing here, looking so pathetic.
It had been nearly a month since I had blocked his Mind-link and walked away from his territory.
The air seemed to freeze for several seconds. It was Old Gary, the wagon driver, who reacted first. He spoke with a hint of fear.
Uh… Alpha Silas? What are you doing all the way out here in the cold?”
Silas didn’t seem to hear him. His eyes remained fixed solely on my face.
stayed where I was. I didn’t step forward to greet him, nor did I look away.
Across the few meters of snow between us, the evening wind kicked up a cold mist. My face showed no emotion-neither angry
or surprised. I was as calm as if I were looking at a complete stranger passing on the street.
This excessive calmness seemed to hurt him more than any explosive reaction.
think his Alpha pride would have preferred for me to scream at him or even hit him again. Anything would have been better than his this feeling that he no longer mattered to me at all.
finally spoke.
Alpha Silas. If you are here for official pack business, please follow the standard rules and contact the Head Healer for an ppointment. If you are here for personal reasons…”
paused. I watched his pupils shrink in panic. I spoke clearly and slowly.
I don’t think there is anything personal left for us to discuss.”
With that, I didn’t look at his ashen face again. I stepped around him and walked straight toward the medical cabins.
ilas remained frozen in the snow. I could feel his heavy gaze on my back. Whatever “I’m sorry” he had prepared, whatever pologies had been burning in his chest, were forced back down, turning into a bitter taste in his throat.
