MARA"No, Rolan! Don't listen to him!" I gripped his hand tightly, shaking my head as Doctor Allen's ominous words still rang in my ears. "I’ll fix this. That doctor doesn’t know what he’s talking about."“I’ll fix you, Rolan!” My voice echoed across the room.I could barely hold back the flood of frustration. The moment Doctor Allen had dropped the bombshell about Rolan’s leg, he’d left peacefully as if he had not just painted the world’s grumpiest storm cloud exiting a sky. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady."Get me a nurse! And where's the radiographer?" Even I was pleasantly surprised by how loud and authoritative my voice was.Soon, Lach, the radiographer, walked in, his face a mix of worry and calm. "You called? My name is Lach and I’m the radiographer here.""Yes, I need you to run the lateral view of his leg," I instructed."I want every angle you have. And any possible fracture details but start with the lateral view," I rattled on, aware of how crucial it
MARAI startled awake with a cold shock, my body pressed against the hard, freezing floor of a place that smelled bad and was totally dark. I blinked quickly and squinted to make sense of what was going on around me, but the room was as dim as void.My head throbbed, and as I struggled to sit up, I felt the cold bite of metal against my wrists and ankles.Chains. I was chained to the floor.“Where am I?” I whispered, my voice barely above a tremble. My eyes instinctively went to my wrist, checking my watch. 8:00 p.m.My chest clenched due to panic when I remembered where I was supposed to be—Rolan's surgery should’ve started an hour ago.Rolan… I imagined him there, helpless, counting on me to save him. And here I was, tied up like a lamb for slaughter.A faint and hoarse chuckle echoed from one corner of the room. “Hello, Mara. Long time no see.”I turned my head towards the voice. A dim yellow bulb dangled from the ceiling, casting a faint shadow and illuminating just enough of the
MARA As I arose from dizziness, the sanitary, cold air slapped me. I blinked, disoriented, at my unfamiliar surroundings. It was an office, but not the kind with cushy chairs and fake plants. This one screamed money, with glass walls, pristine white floors, and medical equipment humming softly in the background. Sweat trickled down my temple as my gaze drifted to the glossy x-rays plastered on the walls, each one showcasing the intricate structure of a spinal system. The whole office reeked of antiseptic and desperation—the kind you can’t scrub away, no matter how hard you try. One particular x-ray caught my eye – the one with the dark, menacing blob looming over the T9 vertebra. That was definitely a tumor. Its presence in that particular area of the spine was a ticking time bomb. And removing the tumor would require a surgical precision that will bank on a miracle. One misstep, one miscalculation, and the consequences would be catastrophic. The patient's spinal
MARAI burst through the double doors of the operating room, my boots squeaking against the polished floor, the sound echoing like my heart pounding in my chest. The bright overhead lights reflect off the steel instruments, too clean for the mess I’m about to handle. My thoughts are a jumbled mess, but I push them aside, focusing on the task at hand. Rolan's life hangs in the balance, and I'm his only hope.The masked man's brutal cut was no accident. It was a deliberate strike, meant to inflict maximum damage. Whoever did this knew exactly where to strike. The artery, severed cleanly, had already bled out enough to make Rolan as white as a paper.My hand trembles as I put on the surgical gloves. But I don't have time for fear. Trembling won’t save him. I steel myself, grabbing the suture kit. "Clamp," I bark, and the nurse snaps to action, handing me the instrument.My hands move on instinct, threading the needle and stitching the lacerated artery with precision. Even though I w
ROLANI slowly regain consciousness with a blank mind and weak body. I wake up to the sound of steady beeping. My eyelids are heavy, like someone’s tied weights to them.I try to open my eyes, and when I do, I'm met with empty bags of blood hanging from the drip stand like forgotten ghosts and I know I’m in a hospital and I've lost a lot of blood.My head spins, a dull ache throbbing at the base of my skull as my gaze falls on my bandaged leg, and it all comes rushing back—Memories of the war with Kael's pack, the trap, Mara saving me...it's all still a bit fuzzy, but I remember the pain and the fear.Mara’s determined and gentle face flashes in my mind, as she crouches over me, saving my life.I try to sit up, but the world tilts violently forcing me to lie back. I let out a sharp breath as the dizziness pins me back down.My gaze falls to my leg, now heavily bandaged. The memory of the masked man clawing at my flesh, the artery cut clean through.I felt so embarrassed but it’s not
MARAI breathe a sigh of relief as Rolan's vitals stabilize. I nodded my head in approval as I checked on him. "He's experiencing a mild hemolytic reaction," I told the nurse standing beside me. "It's a common reaction to blood transfusions, especially for first-time recipients."She nods, taking in the information. “I've heard of hemolytic reactions before, but I've never seen one up close.”She then frowns. “What’s the solution, Doctor?”“I will prescribe a medication to help alleviate the symptoms, and you should make a mental note to monitor Rolan's condition closely.”Rolan stirs, his pale face regaining color under the fluorescent lights. The transfusion did its work, but his sudden reaction to it got me scared. His body stiffens momentarily but he’s much better now.I push past him, grabbing a vial of antihistamine from the counter. “This,” I say, drawing the liquid into a syringe. I turn to Rolan. “This might sting, but it’ll help.”He nods weakly, his lips parting to murmur
MARAMy heart sliced through me as Ria cried out, "Our mate is injured!" Panic swelled within me—could it be Kael, my former mate from Ravencrest Pack? Fear rippled through my veins, imagining his wrath if he found me, he will either drag me back to face the pack as a fugitive, or worse, KILL ME! which was his best option. I knew how much Kael hated me.“MATE!” Ria kept purring.“Shut up Ria! Do I have two mates now?!” That is not Kael, can’t you see?” I snapped back at her when I soon noticed something about the scent we’ve been perceiving."Not Kael!" I gasped. Ria purred in agreement. This scent was different—not the familiar honey and jasmine, but a tantalizing blend of caramel and rosemary.“A new mate?” Confusion and curiosity mingled as I studied the injured wolf before me, caught in a vicious boar trap.I realized why the beast couldn't shift—doing so would tear its leg apart. Rival packs often used such traps to catch and interrogate enemies.Despite its shattered leg and
3 YEARS AGO MARA “The Moon Goddess has decided,” the sage of Ravencrest Pack announced after a while of silence, his gaze zoning in on me and making me want to sink into the ground from all the attention I was getting. “You, Mara, are destined to be the next Alpha of the pack.” ~ “Your coronation is drawing closer by the day. How do you feel?” Alpha Kalen, the man who had adopted me as his own, said. It all felt surreal. Ever since I had been announced as the rightful heir to the throne of someone who wasn’t my biological father, things had gone off the rails. I felt eyes on me every single time I moved, and Kael—Alpha Kalen’s own son—now had hatred for me. We were having dinner now, and I couldn’t help but notice Kael glaring at me from the other side of the table as Alpha Kalen waited for my answer. “I feel…” I sighed, not sure what to say. I couldn’t tell if I was more happy than scared or vice versa. “I don’t know, it doesn’t feel real enough for me to believe just
MARAI breathe a sigh of relief as Rolan's vitals stabilize. I nodded my head in approval as I checked on him. "He's experiencing a mild hemolytic reaction," I told the nurse standing beside me. "It's a common reaction to blood transfusions, especially for first-time recipients."She nods, taking in the information. “I've heard of hemolytic reactions before, but I've never seen one up close.”She then frowns. “What’s the solution, Doctor?”“I will prescribe a medication to help alleviate the symptoms, and you should make a mental note to monitor Rolan's condition closely.”Rolan stirs, his pale face regaining color under the fluorescent lights. The transfusion did its work, but his sudden reaction to it got me scared. His body stiffens momentarily but he’s much better now.I push past him, grabbing a vial of antihistamine from the counter. “This,” I say, drawing the liquid into a syringe. I turn to Rolan. “This might sting, but it’ll help.”He nods weakly, his lips parting to murmur
ROLANI slowly regain consciousness with a blank mind and weak body. I wake up to the sound of steady beeping. My eyelids are heavy, like someone’s tied weights to them.I try to open my eyes, and when I do, I'm met with empty bags of blood hanging from the drip stand like forgotten ghosts and I know I’m in a hospital and I've lost a lot of blood.My head spins, a dull ache throbbing at the base of my skull as my gaze falls on my bandaged leg, and it all comes rushing back—Memories of the war with Kael's pack, the trap, Mara saving me...it's all still a bit fuzzy, but I remember the pain and the fear.Mara’s determined and gentle face flashes in my mind, as she crouches over me, saving my life.I try to sit up, but the world tilts violently forcing me to lie back. I let out a sharp breath as the dizziness pins me back down.My gaze falls to my leg, now heavily bandaged. The memory of the masked man clawing at my flesh, the artery cut clean through.I felt so embarrassed but it’s not
MARAI burst through the double doors of the operating room, my boots squeaking against the polished floor, the sound echoing like my heart pounding in my chest. The bright overhead lights reflect off the steel instruments, too clean for the mess I’m about to handle. My thoughts are a jumbled mess, but I push them aside, focusing on the task at hand. Rolan's life hangs in the balance, and I'm his only hope.The masked man's brutal cut was no accident. It was a deliberate strike, meant to inflict maximum damage. Whoever did this knew exactly where to strike. The artery, severed cleanly, had already bled out enough to make Rolan as white as a paper.My hand trembles as I put on the surgical gloves. But I don't have time for fear. Trembling won’t save him. I steel myself, grabbing the suture kit. "Clamp," I bark, and the nurse snaps to action, handing me the instrument.My hands move on instinct, threading the needle and stitching the lacerated artery with precision. Even though I w
MARA As I arose from dizziness, the sanitary, cold air slapped me. I blinked, disoriented, at my unfamiliar surroundings. It was an office, but not the kind with cushy chairs and fake plants. This one screamed money, with glass walls, pristine white floors, and medical equipment humming softly in the background. Sweat trickled down my temple as my gaze drifted to the glossy x-rays plastered on the walls, each one showcasing the intricate structure of a spinal system. The whole office reeked of antiseptic and desperation—the kind you can’t scrub away, no matter how hard you try. One particular x-ray caught my eye – the one with the dark, menacing blob looming over the T9 vertebra. That was definitely a tumor. Its presence in that particular area of the spine was a ticking time bomb. And removing the tumor would require a surgical precision that will bank on a miracle. One misstep, one miscalculation, and the consequences would be catastrophic. The patient's spinal
MARAI startled awake with a cold shock, my body pressed against the hard, freezing floor of a place that smelled bad and was totally dark. I blinked quickly and squinted to make sense of what was going on around me, but the room was as dim as void.My head throbbed, and as I struggled to sit up, I felt the cold bite of metal against my wrists and ankles.Chains. I was chained to the floor.“Where am I?” I whispered, my voice barely above a tremble. My eyes instinctively went to my wrist, checking my watch. 8:00 p.m.My chest clenched due to panic when I remembered where I was supposed to be—Rolan's surgery should’ve started an hour ago.Rolan… I imagined him there, helpless, counting on me to save him. And here I was, tied up like a lamb for slaughter.A faint and hoarse chuckle echoed from one corner of the room. “Hello, Mara. Long time no see.”I turned my head towards the voice. A dim yellow bulb dangled from the ceiling, casting a faint shadow and illuminating just enough of the
MARA"No, Rolan! Don't listen to him!" I gripped his hand tightly, shaking my head as Doctor Allen's ominous words still rang in my ears. "I’ll fix this. That doctor doesn’t know what he’s talking about."“I’ll fix you, Rolan!” My voice echoed across the room.I could barely hold back the flood of frustration. The moment Doctor Allen had dropped the bombshell about Rolan’s leg, he’d left peacefully as if he had not just painted the world’s grumpiest storm cloud exiting a sky. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady."Get me a nurse! And where's the radiographer?" Even I was pleasantly surprised by how loud and authoritative my voice was.Soon, Lach, the radiographer, walked in, his face a mix of worry and calm. "You called? My name is Lach and I’m the radiographer here.""Yes, I need you to run the lateral view of his leg," I instructed."I want every angle you have. And any possible fracture details but start with the lateral view," I rattled on, aware of how crucial it
ROLANA trespasser that I’m convinced was from Ravenclaw had traced Zander and my warriors down to the middle of the woods where I was trapped before Doctor Pretty rescued me.Without a second thought, I lunged forward, feeling my bones agile and muscles surge. I didn’t even feel the pain in my injured leg as I cut off his neck cleanly with my sword, sending his lifeless body crumpling to the ground at my feet.She gasped, stumbling backwards, her eyes wide with shock as she took in what just happened. I knew what she must think—that I was demonic and ruthless. Well, I knew that was not much of a romantic thing to do in front of one’s mate but he was a threat, that is what a trespasser deserves. And I would do anything to keep my pack safe even if it means cutting as many heads as possible that I can.My gaze met hers, steadily and unwavering. I moved a bit closer to her from the back because she was now standing in front of me, interestingly looking at the lifeless body in the pool
ROLANGoddamn! That Nyx, my wolf, and I could fall into this damned boar trap is unbelievable. Nyx was raging with rage inside of me, moving up and down as though he were trying to tear out. "Fucking Kael!" I muttered a curse at Kael, who had placed the trap to try to get away and take the upper hand after he fled the battlefield. For that reason, I was running around his escape path in an attempt to catch up to him before I entered the trap. I would run to unalive him with my last breath. Kael knew I'd race with my last breath to unalive him.There has been conflict between my pack, Ashclaw, and Ravenclaw for a few months now because of the abrupt disappearance of my pack members that could be linked to him. I've heard of an underground slave trade, but I've never been interested in it, so I don't understand why my pack should be dragged into that mess.For what seemed like forever, I was left abandoned and defenseless as our packs engaged in a furious combat. I know that my beta an
PRESENT MARA I was now a lone wolf in a human and rogue world. If it weren't for Kael, I wouldn’t have a cause to run away from my pack. My so-called brother was all over me, determined to force me to sleep with him because of some silly believe- we were ‘mate’. And besides that he wanted me dead because I was chosen to be the crown alpha of Ravenclaw. Even when he tried hard to hide it, it was so clear that he was behind the attack on Ravenclaw a night before my coronation as alpha. "Disgusting, huh?" I muttered to Ria. As I moved through the woods, loneliness engulfed me. "I once had a family, a home. Now I’m alone living among dangerous rogues, fugitives and lone wolves like me." “No," Ria snapped. "We're survivors. Kael can't break us." "I miss him," I confessed. Ria snorted, "Alpha Kalen of course." I retreated. My heart ached as memories flooded in. Alpha Kalen, my guardian, had raised me after my father died in pack war and my mother after she gave birth to