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Chapter 83

Elise’s POV

After Abby revealed everything to me, I went back to my room to be alone, my head filled with so much emotion that I felt a dull ache worsening by the minute.

“Maybe a panic attack?” I thought as I rushed to the bed, pulling the covers over myself and clutching a hand over my mouth to control the harsh breathing, to an extent.

But more than ever, I wanted to replace out what happened to my father, and once I found out, I would leave and seek my revenge, starting with Dexton, my ex–father who had ruined my life. Maybe I could start over after that; I wanted a clean slate, I prayed desperately a yearning my heart desired.

My eyelids grew heavy as I fell into a deep slumber. I found myself in that familiar mist, but this time it was calming. I watched as a shadow emerged, this time enormous and powerful. with those violet eyes I remembered from my wolf.

She gazed up at me, the closest we had ever been. I reached out to touch her, and she extended her neck for more caressing, which I obliged before she sat with her hind legs folded in a squat.

“You are more peaceful; I’m glad your powers are fully manifesting, a response to your survival,” she said to me, and I stopped my touch.

“This pack is my start to replaceing out who I am. I don’t know, but I’m afraid to trust anyone, not after what happened at the Black Moon Pack, not after Kaide and Ryan. I want a clean slate… to forget it all,” I said breathlessly.

My wolf licked the expanse of my neck and hands. The places where I was marked twice. warmed from her licks, and I wondered if she was trying to calm me. “You have proven how strong you are, and now this is your destiny, your power to choose who you want, an ultimate alpha, my wolf said to me.

“What do you mean by that?” But an echo caught my attention, and I turned to look over the mist, wondering what that sound was: “Take care of him. The little prince calls for you, my wolf said. I became confused about what she meant, but then my eyes shot open from the sound again.

A knock on the door caught my attention as I heard Abby’s voice through it. My eyes shot open, and I was back in my room. “Hello, dear, I’ll be heading to the clinic in case you want to

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replace me, you’ll replace breakfast, she said kindly before I heard footsteps quiet down.

Abby was the kindest person, and she gave me a bit of clarity on what I wanted, but I couldn’t help feeling a bristling warmth under my skin, especially in my marked area.

So I decided to head to the attached bathroom. The dark–lined tile walls were a beautiful contrast to the metal–lined mirror, things I hadn’t noticed yesterday because I was overwhelmed.

I entered the shower, immediately sighing from its heat. My stress felt like it was being washed away as I took my time washing my body. I wrapped my body with a towel as I emerged from the shower space.

I reached for the mirror to clear the mist, but I froze in turn. I quickly pulled my hand away from the mirror, grabbing my left arm as if it belonged to someone else. I couldn’t help but widen my gaze in shock when I noticed that the bite from Kyren was gone. “What are moons?”

I pulled my hair away from my nape to replace the other bite had disappeared as well. I covered my mouth in shock and backed away from the mirror in confusion and relief. That warmth I felt from my wolf’s touch in my dream had removed my marked bites.

I felt a rush of relief that Kyren’s marks were gone. I felt a warm tug in response, an answer from my wolf that she had done this; she had rejected both bites, a new start and a clean slate that I wanted. I still couldn’t fathom how, because it was inherently impossible. My heart ached from the bite in my nape that was gone. I had asked for this, so I should be happy. right?!

I heard a shuffle from outside my door; it sounded nothing like Abby. With my room still dark, I rushed out at a silent speed, replaceing the figure of the intruder by my window.

My hands attacked, swiftly pinning the stranger, but his back clicked the light switch on, and I saw Hayden, his hands up in defeat as he stared at me.

“Woah, kitten, why so feisty in the morning?” He called to me. I was crossed beyond reason and questioned why he had sneaked into my space, especially since I was still on edge.

“Why the hell are you in my room?” I snarled at him.

“You didn’t answer when I called you, and Abby told me you were here, so I was worried enough to check here, he answered. I studied his frame to see his torso was bare, and he smelled like musk earth, a stark difference from his sandalwood scent, surely from patrolling the pack’s grounds.

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For a moment, I felt his eyes studying my frame, his gaze darkened with intensity. “I mean. this was a surprise you wanted to show me: I’m all up for it, angel, he called with a smirk that quickly disappeared when I remembered I was just in a towel and my hair was still wet.

Your marks,” he called faintly, and my heart thundered as I watched him. He must have seen them earlier when I was unconscious! “They are gone. How?”

his chest

“That is none of your business, Hayden; get out, I snarled at him with a shove and told him to turn away. I could feel his stare at the back of my head, like it was burning lasers, but then I heard a soft shuffle by the window. I turned to look, and he was gone.

My wolf scolded me in protest as to why I pursued him. But I tethered back to that channel and sent down my annoyance through it to her. But more than ever, I was still left stunned by the marks being gone. I traced a hand on my arm, feeling clear skin.

I was free; I couldn’t believe it. This must mean something right? It had to. I felt elated as I got dressed, leaning into the first black top and fitting pants. My hair was damp from the shower, so I let it dry before I made my way to the clinic.

The word of my arrival had quietly spread through the pack. I could tell from the new faces that they tried to control their stunned expressions when they saw me.

But my attention was drawn by a scream from another room. I rushed in to see Abby with a little child, no more than a year old, her face wet with tears while Abby worked on a deep wound by her ankle. The child’s mother held her hands by her side.

“It hurts, she cried, and from her young age, the girl’s powers had probably kicked in, so she couldn’t start the healing process herself.

“El, I’ll be with you. I just need to help this little girl out,” Abby calmed kindly. My hands. itched, knowing I could do something to help. What was the use of these powers when I didn’t do anything with them? So I did.

I rushed forward, leaving Abby a bit confused as I rested my hands on top of hers to stop the stitch she was about to start. “Hello, dear, what’s your name?” I said calmly to the girl.

“Hello… I’m Lily,” she sniffled back, with her hands clutching her mom’s dress. So adorable, I thought.

“I want to help you, but you have to trust me and be still for me, alright, Lily?” I said to her, and she nodded in response. I looked at the little girl’s mother, who was desperate for any sort of healing. I gave a pleading gaze to Abby, who understood, and I placed my hand on the deep cut of her wound.

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Chapter 83

I allowed that power to filter through me and down my hands, letting my power weave and mend through. I then removed my hands when I felt it was time, and a gasp left Abby’s lips as I look

at the wound to replace it fully healed.

I heard a cry of relief from Lily’s mother, who couldn’t believe her eyes. “Luna mine,” she whispered in disbelief. I wasn’t so sure about the Calhan tongue, but a part of my wolf pretended to know what she meant. “Thank you so much, thank you,” she called, holding my hands tight in thanks with a cry.

They rose from the bed, the woman holding her daughter in her arms with Abby in tow, as they walked out of the room. “Thank you,” Abby whispered past me. That’s when I turned to see that not only Abby had been watching the entire time, but Hayden too.

He was back, now freshly washed up and clean, his smile filled with intrigue and pride from what he witnessed. It did something to me. “Brilliant, utterly brilliant,” he muttered as I turned away.

I didn’t want to talk with him, annoyed with what he had done earlier in the morning. I walked out to meet Abby, but I could still sense the amusement in his gaze when I walked past him.

I helped Abby and her apprentices for a few hours, doing what I could, before I began to feel lightheaded, maybe because I had skipped breakfast.

But Hayden was right there again with a smile and lunch, arguing with Abby, who gave it to me, thankful for what I did.

It was already evening when I left the clinic with Hayden, who was yet again waiting for me. “Can I walk you home?” he asked me, but I rolled my eyes.

“Abby’s house is this way, and it’s not even a minute away, I argued.

“You must be bored staying in one place; how about a walk till you’re up for the town?” he suggested. I bit my lips in thought, but I agreed anyway; I needed the fresh air. We took a longer turn through a walking trail through the woods, but I could still peek at a little part of the building before it disappeared.

We walked in silence for a few minutes, side by side, before he fully faced me. “You seem mad at me, angel, and more than me coming into your room this morning,” he said. “Is it because of your marks?” He said, his face stoic and serious.

Elise bit her lips in response, hesitant at first to say anything before turning to him. “I woke up, and they were just gone… I don’t even know how to explain it.”

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Chapter 13

“Then you had a mate before?”

“No, and like I said, that is none of your business, you didn’t even try to tell me your father was the chief, so why should I tell you mine?” I snapped at him.

The realization hit as the smile faltered. I’m sorry, El, I was going to tell you today; it must have slipped my mind, he said to me. And just like that, I felt that annoyance seep away.

“You’re a jerk,” I muttered, pushing his shoulder and passing him by before I walked ahead, but I heard his pace quicken as he jogged to me, his eyes playful yet flirtatious. What’s with this male? I wondered.

“About a running angel, it’s always good to get my mind off things,” he suggested to me. I rolled my eyes, but I wasn’t against his proposal. My wolf yearned to be free, to run, and to feel the wind against my fur.

“You think this will make me forgive you… I don’t even know you well enough,” I said to Hayden, but his shirt had already come off, and his pants too. And when he went for his underwear, I didn’t turn, unflinching at his nakedness, even though I forced myself not to look down; he was testing my patience.

“Not bad,” he complimented my unfazed gaze with a smirk on his face as he looked at me, pointing a hand to take my clothes off. “Your turn,” he dared.

It was a dare that I couldn’t refuse, a dare I never anticipated would bring on an unexpected

attack.