Chapter 3

In the end, it was one of Lucian's men who finally noticed there was still a person lying in the poisonous grass. He grabbed a vine and dragged me out of those lethal leaves.

“Miss, are you alright?”

I didn't even have the strength to shake my head.

With my body still numb, my wounds split open again, I forced myself to walk for two hours. By the time I made it back to the guest room, my consciousness was already slipping.

I held on long enough to wipe myself down with a damp towel, change into clean pajamas, tear off the gauze on my knee—now blackened by poison—and collapse onto the bed.

At midnight, the high fever arrived right on schedule. No antidote. No one came to ask. The mental bond was as silent as a dead wasteland. Lucian, at this very moment, was probably at Selene's side, gently soothing her with his powerful Alpha pheromones.

My body burned hot, then cold, aches seeping into the cracks of my bones. I didn't know how long I endured it, but the fever retreated—miraculously.

I struggled up, intending to go to the living room for a glass of water.

I had just braced myself against the wall and shuffled into the living room when the sound of the front door opening came from the entryway.

Lucian walked in, dressed in formal Alpha attire, his expression perfectly ordinary—as if nothing terrifying had happened last night. When he saw me, he paused, frowning slightly.

“Why do you look so bad?”

I opened my mouth, but my throat was so dry I couldn't make a sound. Had he… forgotten? Or had he simply decided it didn't matter?

When I didn't answer, he didn't press. Instead, he placed an exquisite garment bag on the sofa.

“Tonight is the night of the full moon. There's a banquet with the human consul. Get ready.”

The numb scar over my heart seemed to be tugged—lightly, but enough to hurt.

In the end, I took the bag in silence.

That evening, I sat in the front passenger seat. Lucian and Selene sat in the back. The moment the car door shut, the partition between front and back rose slowly, completely sealing off the space.

When we got out, Lucian explained blandly, “Selene can't handle the wind.”

I nodded. I looked at his collar—clearly a little disheveled—and the sweet, cloying Omega scent still lingering in the air, and I said nothing.

The ballroom glittered beneath crystal chandeliers. Perfume and silk, laughter and elegance. Lucian kept a gentleman's hand hovering at Selene's waist the entire time, speaking softly as he introduced the influential human officials and wolf Alpha elders. I followed half a step behind, silent—like a transparent shadow.

Until someone lifted a glass toward Selene with a smile, intentions obvious.

Lucian almost without hesitation nudged me forward and said, “Let my assistant Agatha drink for her. She can hold her liquor.”

I started instinctively, “I—” I was injured, and wolves metabolized alcohol differently; this would only worsen my condition.

“I said it already.” Lucian frowned and cut me off, impatience in his tone. “Do your job.”

The words clogged my throat. I couldn't speak anymore.

One glass, two, three… The burning liquid rolled down my throat like fire, scorching all the way into my stomach. My face went paler and paler. My fingers trembled around the glass. No one noticed. I retched into the ornate toilet in the restroom, but only acid came up.

When I returned to the ballroom, something was clearly wrong. A ring of people clustered at the center, murmurs passing between them. I pushed my way in and saw Lucian gripping a wolf Alpha elder by the collar, eyes bloodshot, golden pupils slit into a vertical line, veins standing out on his forehead.

“…You try talking that shit again!” he roared, and his fist slammed into the man's face.

Gasps erupted around us. I heard someone whisper:

“The Alpha… is doing this for his sister-in-law?”

“Obviously. I heard that elder implied Lady Selene privately went to him…”

“Tsk… the brother's dead and he still protects her like that. Seriously…”

I stood there, ice spreading through my body.

Once, at a business engagement, a troublesome vampire merchant got drunk and started groping me—his hand sliding from my waist down my thigh. I was so startled I didn't react in time. Lucian merely blocked him once, then calmly smoothed it over with a few slick words—elegant, controlled.

But now, for a vague rumor about Selene, he tore all restraint and rules to shreds, like a beast provoked beyond reason.

The elder was already beaten black and blue, utterly unable to fight back.

“Lucian! Enough!” I lunged forward and wrapped both arms around his arm. “He can't take it anymore! This is not the place!”

He was at the peak of rage. When I blocked him suddenly, he didn't think—he swung back with force.

A huge impact slammed into me.

Almost in the same second, my back crashed into the champagne tower behind me.

Crash—

The sharp, ringing sound of glass shattering tore through the hall.

Icy liquor and razor glass poured down over me like a waterfall. Pain blossomed instantly across my back. Warm liquid soaked through the thin fabric of my gown.

Was it champagne… or blood?

I only felt bone-deep cold.

Through blurred vision, I saw Lucian rip off his suit jacket, wrap it tightly around the terrified Selene, and without a moment's hesitation turn and leave the ballroom.

In that brief darkness, I saw the blood dripping down my spine in the punishment hall; I saw Lucian's impatient fury when he told me, “Stop targeting Selene.”

And finally, I saw the beginning five years ago—Lucian yanking me out of a vampire's claws, pulling me into his arms, telling me:

“Don't look back.”

I felt a tear slide from my temple into my hair.

“Miss!”

A voice rang out urgently.

I stiffly turned my head and saw a face with glasses, brows drawn tight—a human doctor.

“Thank God.” He exhaled, but his gaze remained grave. “Listen, you need to stay conscious. You've got glass fragments that have to be removed, significant blood loss, and the old injury on your back shows serious signs of infection…”

He paused, anger thick in his voice. “But… the hospital's special detox serum has been temporarily sealed. Only the director can sign to release it. And the director is currently… doing emergency emotional stabilization for that VIP's lover.”

That VIP's lover…

Selene.

I understood immediately. For her shaken emotions, I didn't even deserve detox serum.

Pain surged in waves, but I only stared at the ceiling, my voice hoarse from weakness and dryness.

“…It's fine.”

The doctor seemed to freeze, probably not expecting that reaction.

I drew in a breath, gathered what little strength I had, and forced my words as clear as possible.

“Just take them out. I can endure it.”

“But the injury on my back… don't treat it.”