Chapter 3 The Wolf With Red Lips

"You missed a spot."

Selene's voice sliced through the air like a knife.

Liah looked up from the bloodied stones, muscles trembling with exhaustion. Selene stood over her, as flawless as ever - golden hair gleaming, red lips curved in a cruel smirk.

Without waiting for a reply, Selene kicked over the water bucket, splashing it all over Liah's tattered dress.

"Tsk. So careless. The Alpha deserves clean grounds, not your filthy hands."

Liah's cheeks burned, but she didn't speak.

She was too used to this now - the constant humiliation, the sly jabs, the boots on her side when no one was looking. But Selene didn't even try to hide it anymore.

Later that day, in the training yard, Liah was forced to scrub the stone path while the warriors sparred. She heard the sharp crack of bones and the growl of shifting wolves all around her.

Then silence.

She looked up instinctively.

Alpha Kael stood on the edge of the field, arms folded. His eyes were fixed not on the sparring fighters, but on her.

Her breath caught.

There was something different in the way he stared. Not cruel. Not dismissive.

Curious.

She lowered her eyes quickly, but not before noticing how Selene appeared beside him, brushing dust off his shoulder that didn't exist.

"She's still breathing?" Selene asked smoothly, glancing at Liah. "I thought we agreed trash should be removed quickly."

Kael didn't respond.

He kept his eyes on Liah - longer than usual. He tilted his head, almost like he was trying to hear something.

Then... he walked away.

Selene's expression cracked.

That night, Liah dreamed again.

The forest. The silver wolf. Chains floating in the air, glowing like firelight.

This time, the wolf spoke. A whisper in her mind.

"Not yet. But soon."

She woke up with a gasp. Her hand was burning again - the same place as before. But when she looked... there was no mark.

Just a faint shimmer.

She curled up, trying to make herself small. Maybe she was cursed. Or maybe something inside her was trying to wake up - and she wasn't ready for it.

Two days later, the pack celebrated the full moon.

It was a formal event - warriors gathered under the stars, dressed in black and silver. Torches lined the open field, and a feast filled the air with smoke and roasted meat.

Liah wasn't invited.

But Selene made sure she was dragged out in front of everyone anyway.

"She stole food," Selene declared loudly, throwing a torn loaf of bread at Liah's feet.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

"I didn't-" Liah began.

Selene slapped her across the face. "Liar."

Liah staggered backward, clutching her cheek.

Alpha Kael stepped forward.

He didn't look at Selene. He looked at Liah.

Her lip was trembling. Her eyes were wide. But something in her expression stopped him.

She wasn't afraid anymore.

She was angry.

Quietly. Deeply. Unmistakably.

Selene stepped close to Kael, pressing a hand to his chest. "You should punish her," she whispered, loud enough for others to hear. "She's becoming arrogant. She needs to remember her place."

Kael's jaw tightened.

But he didn't speak.

Instead, he turned and walked away.

Selene's hand fell from his chest.

Her eyes followed him like a predator locked on prey - but not in love.

In desperation.

Later that night, Liah was in the servant room, wiping blood from her mouth.

The door opened.

Kael stepped inside.

She stood immediately, startled, heart pounding.

For the first time, he looked at her not like a burden... but like a question he couldn't answer.

"You're healing fast," he said, eyes narrowing. "Too fast."

Liah blinked. "I... I don't understand."

He stepped closer. "I've seen bones broken in this pack. They don't look like you do after two days."

She swallowed hard. "Maybe I'm just lucky."

"No," Kael said flatly. "You're hiding something."

Before she could speak, he turned and left again - vanishing like a shadow.

Liah sat down slowly, trembling.

She didn't know what scared her more:

That he was right.

Or that she didn't know what was waking up inside her.

Meanwhile, across the courtyard, Selene was watching from a high window. Eyes glowing faintly. Jaw tight.

"She's getting into his head," she whispered to herself.

She turned to a warrior behind her.

"Find a reason to drag her into the Alpha's court tomorrow. I want her punished. Publicly."

The warrior hesitated. "What if the Alpha-"

"Do it," Selene growled. "He's mine. She doesn't belong here."

Her lips curled into a cruel smile.

"If she won't break under pain... then maybe it's time she bled for real."