Page 16 of The Alpha's Shattered Bonds

Heat flushed along my skin, but I refused to let Logan’s spite hinder me.

Ignoring him, I announced to the infirmary, “Hi everyone! If you’ll listen for a moment, I think you’ll be pleased to know I have seen this type of illness before. A dear friend of mine, Selina, Luna of the Shadow Moon Pack, had a similar infection that had passed through one of her herbal products. It had been tampered with in her boutique.”

Many in the pack respected title. If my friendship with a luna could help me convince them of my ability to help, I would lean into it.

“With both magic and herbal treatments, we were able to reverse the illness,” I explained. “I’m confident I can do the same here. Who wants to go first?”

My heart raced, and shaky breaths clawed at my throat. As a resounding silence permeated the infirmary, I felt cornered. Frustration made me want to shout thatIwasn’t the enemy. I was here to help. But it seemed abysmally clear that Logan was right—this pack, the one I needed to remain in to find the true traitor and clear my parents’ name, was determined to hate me.

As Linda flitted around the infirmary, distributing poultices with heavy steps—each one seeming to beat with purpose and mock my own inaction—I felt defeated, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Time stretched agonizingly slowly. I pressed my fingertips to my temples, fighting the start of a headache as I racked my brain for a way to convince the packmates around me.

In that moment, I felt Logan’s spiteful presence more than anything else. Images flickered in my mind: us as teenagers gathered around the bonfire, the crackling flames casting elongated shadows across our faces. I could hear his cruel laughter mingling with the others as they hurled insults my way, their words sharp and unrelenting. I had skulked away, head down, veins burning with shame, retreating to the safety of Tyler’s, locking myself in my bedroom. My studies became my refuge, the pages of my books the only companions who didn’t remind me of the betrayal that shattered my family.

Those memories hung heavy, a bitter reminder of how I had been cast out, an outsider within my own pack. But things were different now. I had returned with the certainty that my parents were innocent. Everything I’d endured as a teenager—the bullying, the isolation—had been unjust.

So, despite the resounding silence around me, I held my head high, refusing to be forced away as I once had been. I wasn’t the helpless girl they’d once dismissed. I would reclaim my strength and my place, no matter how long it took. This time, I wasn’t backing down.

Tension and silence enveloped the infirmary like a dense fog. Pale morning light sifted through the eastern windows, illuminating the weary faces of packmates, their expressionsa mix of doubt and fear. Justin stood at his brother Harry’s bedside, worry creasing his brow as he watched the still form. A few beds away, Susan hunched over her daughter, her fingers worrying the blanket. Craig, a brooding figure with strong shoulders, gripped his wife’s hand. Yet despite my offer to help, an impenetrable wall of uncertainty hung over the room, keeping all the packmates frozen.

Golden light crept across the cold stone floor, coaxing dust motes to dance like tiny spirits caught between worlds. As the sun’s warmth slowly spread, I felt a weight settle heavily on my chest—a gnawing urgency that time was slipping away. How could I earn the pack’s trust? How could I convince them that I meant them no harm?

Finally, muffled voices stirred, low and cautious. My heart quickened, hope flaring. Susan and Craig were whispering, looking at me. No… they looked past me. I turned. My breath caught in my throat. Tyler stood beside David, the unconscious Silver Moon warrior. Blood dripped from Tyler and David’s hands. That’s when I noticed myulublade gleaming in his other hand.

Chapter Seven

Seraphina

My breath caught in my throat as I watched Tyler slice the blade across David’s palm.

“Tyler—what are you doing?” My voice erupted, laced with disbelief and panic constricting my throat. Horror washed over me as the terrible realization sank in: he was infecting himself.

I lunged forward, urgency propelling me as I wrapped a towel around his bleeding hand. “What have you done?” I exclaimed, fear clawing at my insides.

“Will you please heal me?” he asked, his voice echoing through the air, a strange calmness amidst the doubt around me. A smile tugged at his lips, attempting to thaw the harsh atmosphere around us. My heart raced as I caught the glimmer in his cerulean eyes—the weight of overwhelming trust resting there.

Amidst the whirlwind of suspicion encircling me, I found strength in Tyler’s unwavering faith. He had risked his health to prove that my skills could be trusted—a light in this cloying uncertainty.

With that in mind, I leaped into action. Ushering him into the empty bed beside David, I instructed him. “Lay down. We don’t know how quickly the infection will hit you.”

He followed my instructions.

“Kelly?” I called one of the infirmary aides over. My voice took on a resolute tone. “Disinfect the blade at once. I need my cutting board and the potion bottle cleaned, too. And bring plenty of boiling water over here.”

I felt the prickling sensation of being watched, my instincts flaring as Linda’s assessing gaze bore down on me. Her eyes held a fierce intensity, and I was worried she was going to interrupt me. But she didn’t hinder me, perhaps recognizing the gravity of the situation at hand. After all, Tyler’s life hung in the balance.

When Kelly returned with the tools, vibrant energy surged through me. I turned to the herbal supplies I’d set up on the table in the center of the infirmary. I drew the first array of the herbs I’d brought from the Shadow Moon Pack from their wrappings. The two herbalism students, curious sparks in the otherwise dim room, began asking questions about my method.

“That’s kulvich, right?” Kelly asked, her voice rising with interest.

“Yes,” I affirmed as I chopped, the knife’s edge biting into the fragrant herb, releasing its peppery aroma into the air. “It has anti-inflammatory properties like the kuppik you’re using. But in a tea form, it’ll have a more immediate effect on lowering the fever.”

“What’s that one?” Laura inquired as she passed by, enthusiasm painting her features.

“Palliks,” I explained, my fingers deftly handling the cottony leaves.

Laura frowned slightly. “Isn’t that for sleep?”

“It is,” I nodded, focusing on the task. “But in potion-making, it connects the spellcaster to the otherworldly. The tiny bit of palliks in this concoction will help me form a bridge to the Moon goddess’s power.” As I spoke, I stole a glance at Tyler. It had only been about fifteen minutes since his self-inflicted wound, and the clamminess of his skin sent a fresh wave of urgency coursing through me, a reminder of the stakes involved. I saw that the other packmates in the infirmary were watching his condition deteriorate, too.

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