Chapter 1

Elara’s POV

The straps made from tough leather dug deep into my wrists, pinning me firmly against the chilly metal surface of the table. I twisted and turned as much as I could, but they only bit harder, leaving red marks on my skin. My breaths came out in quick, stinging bursts while I stared at the needle edging closer and closer to my arm. This wasn't new to me—I'd been strapped down like this countless times—but it never got any less terrifying.

"Please... stop. I'm exhausted, doc. You know this is messing me up," I said, shaking my head to toss my hair out of my face, my voice dropping to a faint murmur. A sour flavor clung to my mouth as I uttered those pleas, fully aware they'd fall on deaf ears once more.

The doctor for the pack, Dr. Alder, wouldn't even glance my way. He never did. He stayed glued to his task, treating my words like nothing more than static in the air.

I winced, my lips pursing in agony as the needle broke through my skin and slid into the vein. That sudden sting made tears well up behind my lashes. A cold shiver raced through my body as the heat spread up my arm, and my blood started filling the vial.

"You realize your protests don't matter, Elara. The ill depend on your blood to pull through, and I've got my duties to fulfill," Dr. Alder stated flatly, without a hint of feeling. "It'll be over before you know it."

I longed to yell back, to force him to see just how cruel and unjust all of this was. But the words stuck in my throat because deep down, I knew it wouldn't make a difference. This had become my fate now. The one who heals.

The special quality in my blood could mend and restore anyone who was injured or ailing. They kept calling it a gift, something divine from the Moon Goddess herself. To me, though, it felt like a heavy curse—one I had to shoulder all by myself.

"But what about my life, doctor? Don't I deserve to keep going?" I choked out, tears pooling in my eyes. I fixed my gaze on the ceiling, spotting that familiar serpent coiled around a staff, a symbol that mirrored my own trapped existence.

"You're different from the rest. You bounce back quicker, and your blood replenishes itself every time," Dr. Alder responded.

I did my best to push the throbbing pain and overwhelming weariness aside, the kind that hit me hard after every draw. My vision blurred, but I held back the tears with everything I had.

At last, he pulled the needle out. Dr. Alder sealed the tube holding my blood with care and released the buckles on my wrists. I slumped against the table, utterly spent.

"Take a short break here," Dr. Alder instructed, stowing his equipment in a case. "You'll bounce back soon enough."

I almost burst out laughing at that absurdity. "Is that your idea of progress? You're straight-up lying to me when you know this could kill me?" I snapped, bitterness flooding my taste buds. How could he even say that with a straight face? Each time they drained me, they took a piece of my essence along with it—something irreplaceable.

For the first time, Dr. Alder faced me directly. His eyes locked onto mine briefly before he averted them.

"We can't risk the well-being of the entire pack just for one person. The Moon Goddess has favored you, so stop being so self-centered and do your part for the clan. After all, this is the only role you can play," he shot back harshly before marching off.

His words hit me like a punch, ringing with a truth that stung too much. I lay there motionless for what felt like ages, mustering the strength to even sit up.

My limbs felt like lead, too heavy to control. Eventually, I forced myself upright, and the whole room started swirling around me. I clutched the table's edge to keep from crumpling to the floor.

"I've gotta get out of here," I muttered to myself, more for reassurance than anything. I stumbled out of the clinic.

But as I lurched toward the exit, the sound of approaching footsteps twisted my gut into a tight knot.

"Well, well, if it isn't our little prize!" The voice dripped with malicious glee, sending chills down my spine.

I didn't need to look back to know who it was. Seraphina and her cronies, always lurking nearby, waiting for the perfect chance to pounce and torment me without end.

"Where do you think you're headed, you weirdo?" one of them, Tasha, sneered, and suddenly a shove from behind sent me reeling. I barely caught myself against the wall.

"Please. Just back off," I whispered, hating how weak and pathetic I sounded. My voice shook, a far cry from the confidence I once had.

Seraphina let out a cruel chuckle. "Oh, the freak speaks," she mocked, and then their hands were on me, tossing me around like I was nothing but a limp puppet.

"You stupid slut! You think you're better than us just because the Alpha gives you special treatment? I'll carve you up while you're still breathing," Seraphina snarled, landing a slap across my face.

I cried out, my hand flying to my cheek.

"Make sure it's clean," she ordered. "Can't have the Alpha spotting any marks."

Her two sidekicks pinned my arms down while I struggled. Seraphina went for the spots that wouldn't show—my arms, my sides, anywhere clothes could hide. They knew better than to leave evidence where the Alpha might see.

I thrashed to get loose, but their hold was ironclad. Their laughter echoed brutally as tears streamed down my face.

"Stop it, please. I'm begging you. Just stop..." I pleaded, my voice breaking with desperation.

Seraphina paused, and they released my arms. I dropped to the ground in a heap.

"We don't take orders from you," Tasha yelled, driving a fierce blow into my gut.

For a moment, I couldn't draw breath, doubling over and clutching my stomach while they cackled at my pain.

"What the hell are you doing?" A sharp voice cut through from around the corner.

In a flash, Seraphina and her gang vanished. They were pros at slipping away undetected, always evading consequences.

Seraphina knew I wouldn't snitch, so she kept up her relentless bullying.

I pressed my back against the wall, trembling uncontrollably. I fought to steady my breathing, gulping air in ragged gasps. The pack house wasn't far, but right then it seemed like an endless distance. I had to escape this nightmare, but every inch of me ached, making even standing feel impossible.

Gathering what little resolve I had left, I dragged myself along the corridor, each step a grueling effort. When I finally reached the pack house door, I slumped against it, drawing on my last reserves. Inside, the sounds of chatter and laughter spilled out, a reminder of a life that now felt worlds apart from mine.

I'd been an orphan for as long as my memory stretched back. No clue about my parents or if they'd ever been part of the Lycan Pack. All I knew was that I was just an ordinary latent wolf living among lycans. Or so I believed back then.

Life had been fairly ordinary. Even though I wasn't truly one of them, the lycans treated me decently. I had friends—real, close ones—who filled my days with genuine care and warmth. The only gap was not having parents to call my own.

That all changed the night I snuck out with my two closest pals, Seraphina and Raven. The elders had warned us against heading to the waterfall after dark, but we ignored them. We were young rebels, convinced they were just spoiling our fun. So we ventured deep into the woods to the waterfall and had our wild night.

Come morning, on the trek back, a massive bear ambushed us. None of us had shifted for the first time yet, so we were defenseless. Raven was the only one with any fighting skills, so he took it on while Seraphina and I cowered in hiding.

He defeated the bear, but in its dying throes, it ripped into him, gashing his stomach wide open. We screamed as Raven collapsed.

"Raven!" Seraphina yelled, bursting from our spot. She knelt beside him, cradling his head.

Blood was everywhere, pooling around him.

My pulse raced, knowing we'd be in deep trouble if Raven didn't make it.

Seraphina was in full hysterics, sobbing as I approached.

"What do we do now, Elara?"

"I... I'm not sure," I stammered, shaking my head. "He won't survive this." The injury was too severe; he passed out cold.

I felt utterly helpless until a strange impulse pulled me toward him. I knelt down and, acting on pure instinct, bit into my finger, letting drops of blood fall onto his wound.

"What on earth are you doing?" Seraphina demanded, but I just shook my head. I had no explanation—it was like something inside me insisted this was the way to save him, or he'd be gone.

Seconds later, Raven gasped awake, his eyes flying open. The gash sealed itself right there in front of us. Seraphina gasped in horror, her eyes rolling back as she fainted dead away.

We carried her back to the pack. After that, she went around telling everyone I was some kind of monster until word reached the Alpha. He summoned me to heal another alpha on the brink of death, and that sealed my role.

Now, I was reduced to nothing more than a living blood supply for them. They showed no concern for me whatsoever, and Seraphina took every opportunity to torment me, labeling me a freak.