Chapter 2

"Leave? Where are you going?" I didn't expect Caden to return, let alone overhear my whisper. I deflected, saying,

"It's nothing. You must have misheard."

"I'm so infatuated with you, how could I bear to leave?"

Caden believed Stella was hopelessly smitten with him, and that she would surely wither away if he left her.

Hearing the latter part of her words, he let out a low grunt, dropping the subject. He turned his attention to the empty stone table and asked,

"Where are the Moonglow Herbs prepared for Luna's altar?"

Back when Ronan and I were surviving together in the valley, I used to collect dew infused with moonlight for him every night.

The habit of loving a wolf had persisted for seven years after his passing.

"I just finished tidying up the den and haven't had a chance yet."

Caden glanced at the now-tidy cave, refraining from further criticism. Instead, he roughly grabbed my wrist, his palm burning hot.

"If you haven't prepared them, forget it."

"Seraphina caught a chill at Luna's altar and isn't feeling well. You're coming with me to pray for her with Moonglow Herbs."

He left no room for refusal. The powerful Alpha aura bearing down on me, he forcefully led me towards Luna's altar. "Stella, I don't want to use Moonglow Herb anymore. I want to use the rarer silver fern instead."

"By the way, silver fern juice is corrosive to the skin. Be careful when handling it with your bare hands, don't contaminate the offering!"

Seraphina noticed the wound on my palm, a flash of satisfaction in her eyes as she deliberately made things difficult for me.

Now that I had Ronan's most important sacred emblem in hand, I had no reason to tolerate her anymore.

"If you want to use it, go harvest it yourself."

I turned to leave, but Caden's eyes flashed with disbelief, followed by fury. He grabbed my arm with enough force to almost crush my bones, his hot breath on my neck.

"Stella, are you testing my patience? What do you want in exchange for your obedience this time?"

I let out a cold laugh, about to break free when I heard him say in a low voice,

"The hunting grounds at The Southern Lands, I agree to put them in your name. Satisfied?"

Hearing this, Seraphina growled in displeasure,

"Caden, that hunting ground is where we first patrolled together. How can you give it to her!" Caden ran his claw tip teasingly along Seraphina's chin, but his voice carried a warning meant for me:

"What's a mere hunting ground compared to your safety?"

"If that greedy she-wolf Stella wants it, let her have it!"

In truth, it wasn't a territory contract at all, but an ancient wolf pack contract to remove a forced mate mark, which I had Lyra prepare.

I had it ready as soon as I learned the resurrection ritual was nearing success.

This was a chance to have him leave his spiritual imprint and sever this mistaken connection with Caden for good.

I immediately pulled out a scroll made of special animal hide from my chest.

Caden glanced at it, impatiently sliced his fingertip with a claw, leaving his blood signature infused with Alpha essence on it, then tossed it to me saying:

"Can we start dealing with the silver fern now?"

His smoldering gaze lingered on me, filled with undisguised desire.

I carefully tucked away the contract bearing his blood signature and began handling the corrosive silver fern with my bare hands.

Caden, this is the last time. We'll have nothing more to do with each other.

The silver fern's sap seeped into the wounds on my palms, burning like fire. The pain contorted my features.

After finishing, I endured the agony and tried to leave with my swollen hands. Seraphina's shrill howl summoned the other wolves. She pointed at my pathetic state, loudly mocking,

"Haha! She'd sacrifice her own claws just to please the Alpha! What a disgrace to our Dark Moon pack!"

Seeing this, the core members quickly lined up to chime in,

"Exactly! How is she any different from those lowly hangers-on?"

"Don't say that! For all we know, Stella might be loving this. After all, you guys just don't understand the heights of being a top 'devotee'!"

I ignored them and walked straight out of the altar area, turning to leave.

As I passed by Caden, I glimpsed his indescribably complex expression. His hand raised slightly, as if wanting to grab me. Suddenly, his scorching palm enveloped my swollen hand. His voice carried a barely perceptible hint of huskiness.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt? I'll take you to the healing cavern."

Once again, the irresistible Alpha pressure bore down on me.

But Seraphina wouldn't allow it. She immediately let out a fragile whimper.

"Caden, I'm feeling so dizzy. I need your comfort..."