I refused to accept the arrangement, so Elder Aldric Langford immediately had my younger brother Rowan expelled from the warrior training academy.
My parents called in tears, their voices shaking as they described how they had narrowly escaped a rogue attack on the forest road—just one step away from death.
I had no choice but to yield and agree to the mating bond.
At that time, I already had a steady companion—Kael Frostmere, a Beta from a neutral allied packline. We had been together for ten years.
Kael knew the truth of my forced arrangement. He waited for me all this time, never giving up.
Elder Aldric let out a heavy sigh, the weight of age and authority in his breath. "I have heard the whispers carried through the howl-network these past few days. Since a forced bond yields only bitterness, I will release you from the pack."
"However, your body is still weak from the birthing. I have summoned a team of skilled healers to tend to you. Once your recovery cycle is complete, you may leave."
Raven Langford's shrieking pulled me back to the present moment.
I assessed her condition with the clinical eye of a trained healer.
The damage to her lower body was severe—torn flesh accompanied by a vicious infection. The tissue had already begun to blacken and die, the situation far worse than anyone had anticipated.
She writhed in agony, her whole body shuddering with spasms, yet she continued to spit curses through gritted teeth.
"Useless! All of you are useless! You cannot even handle a simple wound? Do you want me to have this infirmary shut down by tomorrow?"
"Those filthy males are all the same! They take their pleasure and run, leaving me here to suffer! When I get out of here, I will flay every last one of them!"
I kept my expression blank as I pulled on sterile gloves. "Miss Raven, based on my examination, the tearing to your lower body is extensive. Multiple infections have taken hold. You require immediate surgical cleansing."
The moment she heard the word surgery, she ignored her wounds and kept screaming. "Surgery? Who gave you permission to cut into me? I am warning you—if you leave a single scar on my body, I will make sure you all pay!"
"I am supposed to wear a ceremonial mating gown! I am going to become the Luna of a powerful pack! Can you afford to ruin that for me?"
Her eyes burned with hatred as she glared at me. "Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to destroy me? Let me tell you something—my intended mate is the wealthiest Alpha in all the territories! One word from him and every single one of you will be banished!"
I cut her off. "It is too early to worry about such things. If we do not operate immediately, the infection will spread. Forget about a mating ceremony—your ability to bear pups could be permanently damaged. Your life itself may be at risk."
I was simply stating facts.
For patients like her, sympathy was the most worthless thing I could offer.
The healer-assistant beside me handed over the consent scroll for the procedure. Raven snatched it and tore it to shreds without hesitation.
She screamed like a creature gone feral. "Sign what? I refuse to sign! You incompetent healers are trying to harm me! I will report all of you! I will destroy your reputations!"
Then something seemed to occur to her. Her gaze turned venomous as she fixed her eyes on me. "What are you supposed to be? You think you are worthy of performing surgery on me? Go fetch the head of this infirmary at once! Otherwise, I will have my intended mate tear this pathetic healing den to the ground!"
If her condition had not been so critical, I would have gladly walked away.
But my duty as a healer would not let me abandon her, no matter how much I wanted to.
I had no patience for her ranting. "Besides me, there is likely no other healer in this infirmary capable of performing this procedure. Where is your kin? Someone needs to sign."
At the mention of family, Raven's composure cracked for just a moment. "Kin? I do not need kin. I make my own decisions."
"Just hurry up and do the surgery! If you delay my affairs, you will face consequences you cannot imagine!"
I reminded her once more. "According to pack law and infirmary protocol, surgery requires a family member's signature. Or perhaps your intended mate could come?"
I pressed the question, my tone still flat, as though this were merely routine.
Raven's face twisted with something between rage and fear. "You had all better keep your mouths shut. If even a whisper of this reaches the howl-network, I will make sure none of you have a proper pyre when you die!"
I raised an eyebrow but did not push further.
This kind of situation was nothing new in the infirmary. I had seen it many times before.
