Chapter 3

Elena's POV

The moment I was dragged into Frostfang territory, a guard kicked me onto the training ground, where sharp stones covered the ground.

The Frostfang Alpha stood on an elevated platform, looking down at me with icy contempt, as if I were a filthy stray.

"If those hands of hers enjoy throwing filth around, let her use them to clear every thorn from the training grounds."

The obstacle course was normally used to train young wolves. Now it was covered in black thorns soaked in aconite, a poison that weakened werewolves.

Beneath the cold moonlight, I knelt on the ground in nothing but a thin dress and began pulling out the thorns with my bare hands.

The sound of flesh tearing was enough to make anyone flinch. Blood ran from my fingertips and seeped into the dirt.

The young wolves watching from the sidelines whistled and jeered, mocking Nightfall for its cowardice.

"This is how Nightfall makes amends? By sending us some useless weakling?"

"Adrian Blackwood is always so arrogant. Look at him now, bowing his head to us."

I listened to their insults and kept pulling, repeating the same motion over and over.

I had no idea how much time passed. My hands were raw and bloody, and the loss of blood made my vision grow hazy.

My thoughts began to drift.

I imagined my parents raising their glasses somewhere, celebrating the fact that their precious Vivian had escaped this ordeal.

A sudden burst of pain shattered my thoughts.

A boot came down hard on the back of my hand, grinding it into the ground. I sucked in a sharp breath.

"Weren't you so bold when you threw that soup? Why are you crawling around like a dying dog now?"

The Frostfang Alpha sneered.

He raised one hand, and two burly enforcers seized my shoulders and forced my head up.

A red-hot silver brand, sizzling from the heat, was brought before my eyes.

"My daughter has three scars on her face. I'll carve ten into yours. That should be a fair repayment."

It was the Mark of the Guilty, a punishment reserved for serious offenses. The scars it left could never be erased, not even by an Alpha's healing power.

As the glowing metal moved closer, I closed my eyes in despair.

The sizzling sound of burning flesh filled my ears.

I screamed in agony, struggling and clawing wildly at the ruined skin on my face.

At the other end of our Mate Bond, Adrian suddenly shuddered. Cold sweat broke out across his body.

For a brief moment, he felt a flicker of concern for me.

But then he reminded himself that I was one of Nightfall's strongest warriors. I would surely make it back in a few days.

Three days later, when I finally appeared before him with my face covered in brands, Adrian froze.

At first, he didn't recognize me.

It took several seconds for the searing pain that traveled through our Mate Bond to make him realize who I was.

"Elena, what..."

He took a step forward, instinctively trying to pull me into his arms. But when he saw the grotesque brands on my face, still oozing fluid, he stopped.

He couldn't bring himself to look at what had been done to me. Instead, he took my hand, as if that might offer some comfort.

"You've suffered so much. Don't worry. I'll make it up to you. I'll take care of you for the rest of our lives."

Once, he'd been obsessed with my beauty. He used to say the Moon Goddess had created me perfectly.

He had pursued me relentlessly, showered me with precious moonstones, and wiped away my tears whenever I told him how badly my family treated me.

He had promised me a new life, one filled with warmth and affection.

Back then, his love had been real.

But when had it all begun to change?

Perhaps it was during our Mate Bond ceremony, when he first saw my sister's face. She looked exactly like me, but softer, more fragile, and far more likely to inspire a man's desire to protect her.

He had fallen for me because of my appearance. Faced with a face that was almost my mirror image, he had found himself drawn to her, too.

The novelty of Vivian had only made his fascination grow.

Now that my face was ruined, his love for me had vanished along with it.

I pulled my hand free, pushed him away, and walked upstairs without a word.

As I reached the first step, I heard him making a phone call to my parents from the balcony.

"At least it's only her face that's damaged. Her arms and legs are still fine. If she'd suffered any serious injuries, it could have delayed the experiment."

Every word struck like a poisoned blade, twisting in the wounds that had never healed.

At that moment, I realized that death might actually be a relief.

At last, I would be free of all of them.

I pushed open my bedroom door and found Vivian sprawled across my bed, wearing my silk nightdress.

When she saw the hideous scars on my face, her eyes widened in surprise. Then she covered her mouth and burst into laughter, doubling over until she could barely catch her breath.

Her cheeks were rosy, her laughter strong and clear. There was nothing frail about her.

I'd known for a long time that she was faking her illness. Back at the werewolf academy, I'd once seen her pour an entire bottle of healing potion down the drain.

And after my own health began to deteriorate, a healer had told me that I suffered from a congenital condition. The damage had been there since I was in the womb.

Most of the time, it showed no symptoms. I could even seem stronger than an ordinary werewolf.

But once it flared up, my Wolf Spirit would begin to fail, and death would follow.

I'd tried to tell my parents, but they had never believed me. In their eyes, Vivian was always the sick one.

"My dear sister," she said, getting up. "Now we finally look different."

She walked barefoot toward me and reached out, maliciously prodding the wounds on my face with one finger.

The sharp pain made me draw in a breath, but I didn't step back.

"Do you think the Alpha will have nightmares every time he sees that face of yours?"

I caught her wrist and answered softly, "It doesn't matter."

"He's yours now."

Three days remained before the Wolf Spirit Restoration Ritual.

Three days until my life came to an end.

My body would completely fall apart. My Wolf Spirit would fade away in endless agony, and I would become nothing more than a rotting corpse.

I couldn't help wondering what they would do then.

My parents. My Alpha.

Would any of them shed a single tear for me?

I seriously doubted it.

Being free of people who had never loved me would be a relief.

They would probably only be disappointed that their "test subject" had failed to pave the way for Vivian.

The next three days passed in a blur.

My parents and Adrian escorted me to an ancient witch's cellar.

A damp, icy wind seeped from the entrance, chilling me to the bone.

My parents stayed close to Vivian, excitedly discussing how they would celebrate once the experiment succeeded.

"Vivian, as soon as we know the ritual is safe for you, Mommy will take you shopping in Europe."

"We'll hold a huge feast tonight to celebrate in advance. I'll make your favorite roast venison."

I was the one walking toward death, yet not one of them spared a thought for me.

Adrian said little. His gaze settled on me.

"The experiment will be over soon. I'll come back for you when it's done."

There wasn't a trace of warmth in his voice. He'd been speaking to me like that for a long time. Still, with so little time left, his indifference hurt more than I wanted to admit.

I turned back and asked them one last question.

"If I go in there and never come out... will you miss me?"