I held Vivienne’s hand tightly, my gaze fixed on hers with unwavering intensity. I refused to die at her hands. Even if I were to perish, I would do everything in my power to harm her in return.
As this thought crossed my mind, a sudden surge of strength coursed through me. I felt my grip tighten, and Vivienne’s face twisted in alarm. “How can you…” she began, but her voice faltered.
I realized then that my fingers had pressed deep into her wrist, leaving a sunken mark. I could feel the bones beneath her skin, fragile and cracking under my grip. It was true-when facing death, the human body could summon strength beyond its limits.
Vivienne let out a sharp scream, clutching her injured wrist as she was forced to release me. I collapsed onto the ground, pain shooting through my knees and arms from the impact.
“You pathetic bitch! Don’t think I won’t kill you!” Vivienne snarled, her crimson eyes glowing even brighter, filled with rage.
I scrambled backward, my hands instinctively clutching my neck. As oxygen flooded back into my lungs, I gasped for air in heaving breaths. My throat burned from her strangling grip, making each breath painful, but at least I was alive. For now, I was out of immediate danger.
Vivienne seemed ready to attack again. Desperate, I shouted, “If your tribe finds out what you’re doing, they’ll exile you!”
I remembered Kael’s words: werewolves living in human society had to abide by human rules. They had to conceal their true identity at all costs. Using their supernatural abilities recklessly would lead to banishment from their tribe, turning them into rogues.
Rogue wolves were unprotected, vulnerable to attacks from any other werewolf.
I hoped Vivienne would think twice about her actions, though I suspected jealousy had clouded her judgment.
My words struck a nerve. Her cold, hard expression faltered, replaced by uncertainty. That hesitation was all I needed. I prayed Marek had already contacted Kael.
“No! If I kill you, no one will ever know!” Vivienne roared, snapping out of her hesitation.
At that moment, a dark figure darted toward me and swept me off the ground. It was Marek.
He looked pale, clearly weakened by Vivienne’s earlier assault. I had heard that werewolves could heal from injuries, but if the wounds were severe, the healing process consumed too much energy and slowed down dramatically. Marek was undoubtedly in bad shape.
As Vivienne prepared to attack again, Kael appeared, stepping between us and shielding us from her blows.
The sight of Kael stopped Vivienne in her tracks. She hesitated for only a second before turning and fleeing.
Kael glanced at me. “Seraphina, Marek will take you home. I’ll go after Vivienne.”
“Okay. Go. I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile to reassure him.
I didn’t want Kael to worry about me. Right now, capturing Vivienne was far more important.
Kael nodded once, his expression unreadable, and vanished as quickly as he had arrived.
Marek carried me in his arms. “I’ll take you to the hospital,” he said.
“Thanks,” I replied softly.
I knew which hospital he meant-Kael had brought me there once before to see Lucian. It was a werewolf-run facility, a safe place where injured werewolves could receive treatment without arousing suspicion.
When we arrived, David was already waiting at the entrance.
“Kael told me what happened, so I came to meet you here,” he explained as he guided us inside.
He led me to a familiar, secluded room at the far end of the hall. It was empty, eerily quiet.
I sat down, and David began examining the bruises on my neck. Through a nearby mirror, I caught sight of the damage Vivienne had inflicted. Deep purple marks marred my skin, the imprint of her fingers stark against my pale throat. It looked horrific.
My arms and legs throbbed with pain as well, likely from where Vivienne had thrown me to the ground.
David shook his head as he inspected my injuries. “Vivienne attacking a human-it’s unforgivable within our tribe.”
“Fortunately,” he continued, “these are only surface wounds. I’ll heal them for you.”
He extended his hand, and a soft blue light glowed in his palm.
As he pressed his hand to my neck, warmth washed over me. The sharp pain began to fade, replaced by a soothing sensation. When he removed his hand, the bruises were gone, as if they had never existed.
It was miraculous. Even though I had experienced werewolf healing before, it still amazed me every time.
“I’ve taken care of the injuries on your arms and legs as well,” David said with a smile.
“Your abilities are incredible,” I remarked in awe. “You’re even faster than Kael.”
David chuckled. “Every werewolf has their strengths. Some excel at fighting, while others, like me, are better at healing.”
That made sense.
“Now, Marek, let me take care of you,” David said, turning his attention to him.
I watched as David used the same glowing light to heal Marek’s wounds.
“Thank you,” I said when he finished.
David shook his head. “No need to thank me. You shouldn’t have been hurt in the first place. This is all because of Vivienne.”
“Will she be exiled?” I asked hesitantly. “But her father is Kael’s father’s assistant, isn’t he?”
Kael’s father was the most powerful figure in their tribe, and I assumed his assistant held a significant position as well. Would Vivienne’s connections protect her from punishment?
David’s expression hardened. “Rules are rules. No one is exempt, no matter their status.”
That response reassured me. Vivienne would face justice for what she’d done.
Still, the memory of her trying to kill me-and of Marek being gravely injured-left me unsettled. I wondered if Kael had managed to catch her yet.
Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Evelyn:
“Seraph, where are you? I’ve been waiting for almost an hour!”
Oh no! I had completely forgotten about our dinner plans.
I quickly texted her back to apologize and canceled the meeting. Thankfully, Judy was with her, so Evelyn wouldn’t be too upset with me.