Chapter 5 Five

For a moment, everything went silent, motionless...

I locked eyes with Enzo, bracing myself for the pain that was sure to come.

"No!" A gut-wrenching scream pierced the quiet, cutting through the heavy tension. It was my sister's voice.

Slowly, I turned my head toward the sound and saw her fighting her way through the crowd, rushing toward the dais. "How could you reject her? She'll die!" she cried out, her face twisted in anguish.

I gave her a weak smile, but then it hit me-the searing pain, tearing through my chest and spreading like wildfire through every vein. I looked back at Enzo, but he only winced slightly, as if the suffering that now consumed me was nothing more than a mild inconvenience to him.

My entire body began to tremble uncontrollably, and I crumpled to the floor. "She's in pain!" Livia's desperate voice broke through the chaos. "Help her! Guido, do something!"

"I'm sorry, Livia," Guido's voice trembled with sorrow. "There's no healing a broken mate bond."

The fire inside me intensified, far worse than the wolfsbane that had poisoned my blood. My skin began to tear, releasing blood from small cuts that spread across my arms and legs, staining my white gown a deep crimson.

I tried to scream, but no sound escaped as I writhed in torment.

"Get her out of here before she bleeds all over the ballroom," Alpha Fabio's voice rang out, cold and impatient.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my eyes toward him. His gaze was filled with disgust, and then I turned to Enzo-his lips curled into a smug grin.

Suddenly, hatred surged through me, more potent than the pain. Something primal and fierce roared to life within me. I laughed, but it was not my laugh. It was hollow, icy, and inhuman.

They all stared at me-Enzo, Dante, and Alpha Fabio-with shock and fear in their eyes. Another wave of energy coursed through me, as if trying to heal what was left of me. But it wasn't enough. The damage was too severe, and I couldn't fight it any longer. My eyes grew heavy.

"No one touches my sister!" Livia growled as two guards moved toward me. She leapt onto the dais, kneeling beside me and cradling me in her arms. "Don't leave me, Gianna. Please, don't leave me," she whispered, her voice breaking.

I looked up at her, our eyes meeting, and I managed one last, fragile smile. Then everything went dark.

*

I didn't die-that much I knew because the pain lingered, though now it felt bearable compared to before. I could hear hushed voices nearby, one of them belonging to Livia. Niccolo's deep tone joined hers, and the third voice, unfamiliar and raspy, belonged to an older woman.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, adjusting to the dim light. I lay on a hard bed, covered in thick animal fur-bear fur, perhaps. The room was small and solid, built of wood and stone, with a thatched roof overhead. A stool sat beside the bed, with a bowl of bloodied bandages resting on it. My blood, no doubt.

The cold air bit into my skin as I pushed the fur away. My once beautiful dress had been replaced by a simple cotton gown. I glanced at my arms-the cuts were healing, turning into pale scars that etched my skin like delicate spiderwebs.

I tried to sit up, but the pain in my chest forced a groan from my lips. Before I could gather myself, the door swung open, and Livia, Niccolo, and the older woman entered.

"You're awake!" Livia gasped, rushing to my side and pulling me into a tight embrace. "Thank the Goddess, you're awake!"

Niccolo stepped closer, a warm smile on his face. His gaze lingered on my sister with an intensity that spoke volumes-love, loyalty, and something even deeper.

"You've found your mate," I whispered to her, managing a small smile despite the pain.

Livia chuckled softly, releasing me from her grip. "Yes, I have," she said, her grin wide but quickly fading as her eyes welled up with tears. "I'm so sorry, Gianna. I should've been there. I should've stopped them."

Shaking my head, I winced at the sharp ache in my chest. "You couldn't have stopped them, Livia. Enzo... he didn't want me." I tried to shrug, but the weight of my words only brought more pain. I pressed my hand over my heart, willing it to stop hurting.

"All right, that's enough," the older woman's voice commanded from the corner of the room. She walked closer, pointing a finger at me. "She needs rest."

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say, Ms. Romano," Livia sighed, stepping away and leaning into Niccolo's embrace. I watched them together, warmth stirring in my heart despite everything.

Niccolo, towering and fierce, looked every bit the warrior he was-but in Livia's arms, he was just a gentle giant, completely devoted to her. Watching them, I couldn't help but think they were perfectly made for each other.

"Step away from my patient, if you would," the elderly woman directed, her sharp gaze shifting from my sister to me. Her unusual, almost violet eyes narrowed as she examined me from head to toe. She wore a long robe similar to mine, topped with a fur vest. As she moved closer, her lined face broke into a twisted grin.

"You possess strength, even though your wolf lies dormant deep within your soul," she remarked.

My eyes widened in shock. "H-how do you know that?"

"Ms. Romano has a gift," Livia explained. "She's part-wolf, part-witch, with unique healing powers. Niccolo and I brought you here because Guido said she was the only one who could help. It was a slim chance, but... it worked."

"Where... exactly is here?" I asked, still confused, glancing between the three of them.

"We're almost at the summit of Cherry Mountain," Niccolo replied.

A nervous laugh escaped me. "That's... a three-day journey on foot from our pack lands, and way beyond our borders."

Niccolo opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, Ms. Romano nudged him aside. "Before we go any further, I need to confirm if she's healing correctly," she said, shooting him a stern look. She then sat beside me on the bed, took my hands in hers, and closed her eyes. The silence that followed stretched for what felt like minutes, the stillness growing more uncomfortable with each passing second.

"Um... Ms. Romano?"

"Elena," she murmured. "Call me Elena."

I cleared my throat. "Elena, thank you for saving me, for healing me. But, uh... what are you doing?"

Another minute passed before she opened her eyes and sighed deeply. "Your wolf doesn't seem ready to awaken, no matter what I try," she admitted with a wry smile. "Your wolf would have accelerated the healing process. Without it, we'll need to focus on strengthening your body."

"My body?" I echoed, confused.

She nodded. "I know someone nearby who can help with that. His name is Alessandro. He was once Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack."

My brows furrowed. "I've never heard of them."

Elena's expression darkened. "That's because the pack was wiped out by the tyrant who now calls himself the Alpha King," she said bitterly. "Alessandro lost his wolf in battle with him. Now, he trains wolfless rogues to defend themselves. His help could be invaluable to you."

I gave her a hesitant smile. "I'm not allowed to train, though. Besides, that kind of training would take months. Alpha Fabio would never agree, and Father would be furious if I left for that long."

The room fell into an awkward silence. Livia and Niccolo exchanged glances, and my frown deepened. "What's going on?"

Elena stood abruptly, her expression unreadable. "She's healed... more or less," she muttered, giving my sister a reassuring pat on the shoulder before slipping quietly out of the room.

Livia let out a slow breath, stepping closer. "You're hiding something from me," I said, suspicion rising. "Tell me everything."

Niccolo placed his hands on Livia's shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze. She looked at him briefly before turning her attention back to me, drawing in a shaky breath. "After you collapsed, Alpha Fabio ordered the guards to remove you. They carried you out and... threw you out like..." She trailed off, her teeth clenching.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. "Like garbage, staining his precious ballroom with my blood?" I finished, unable to mask the bitterness in my voice.

Niccolo spoke up next. "I heard that Enzo instructed the guards to check if you survived. If you did... he wanted them to finish the job."

My stomach lurched. As if rejecting me wasn't enough, now Enzo wanted me dead? I s*ck*d in a ragged breath, clenching my fists. "What happened next?"

"We got to you before Enzo's guards could," Livia said softly. "But by then, you were on the brink of death. Guido told us about Elena, but we needed a convincing reason to leave the pack territory." She paused, a humorless smile crossing her face. "Mourning seemed like the best excuse. We told Alpha Fabio we were taking your body to the mountains to be cremated."

The air left my lungs in a rush, and my head spun. "So... what are you trying to say?"

Livia swallowed hard. "As far as everyone in the pack is concerned, you died minutes after Enzo rejected you. You're no longer a part of the pack. Officially... you're dead."