I packed up fast. Andrew had swiped my inheritance, leaving me with nothing but a few medical tomes. Those books were stuffed with my notes on Northland's herbs, a treasure trove of knowledge.

Northland had it all. Food, herbs—you name it. Southland packs do not hold a candle to it. They all started in Northland but got kicked out by the big guys after a scrap over the land.

Southland's Wolven Clan dreamed of Northland but were scared stiff of it. Even a free spirit like Louise stuck to the Southland packs.

Me? I snuck off to Northland once, just to get my hands on those herbs, not caring what my parents would think.

Would Andrew still have seen me as a yes-woman with no dreams after finding my notes?

I could not waste time wondering what was in his head. I just wished I had not run into him, all poisoned, on my way back. Saving him felt like a waste then, especially of those magical herbs I gathered in Northland.

No worries. By tomorrow, I would be back on the road to Northland, gathering the herbs I loved.

That evening, I got a text from Andrew. There was a pack dinner, and he wanted me at the restaurant.

When I walked in, Andrew and Louise had already claimed the head table.

Louise gave me a haughty look like she owned the place, then turned back to her animated storytelling about the Southland packs' oddities.

All eyes from the Wolven Clan were on me, including Andrew's, which held a clear warning: 'Don't stir up trouble.'

Was that all to make Louise happy, to see me bite my tongue and smile?

'Alright, I'll play your game one last time before I go,' I mused.

I quietly took a seat in the back, not making a sound.

Andrew looked pleased, a smug lift to his brow.

Someone asked Louise why she had come back to the pack all of a sudden. She threw a challenging look my way. "It's Andrew's imprinting ceremony. I had to be here. However, I never expected his choice to be so... tame."

She giggled at Andrew. "She's as lively as a log. Won't she bore you to death?"

I just rubbed my nose and kept my eyes on the medical book I was flipping through, acting as if I were just an observer.

Andrew did not like my act one bit. He glared at me, his frown deepening. "Lina, Louise is speaking to you! What's with the attitude?"

Seeing the medical book in my hand, his annoyance grew. "Weren't you supposed to be devoted to helping me? Why waste time on this nonsense?"

Before I could even respond, one of Louise's friends, a female from the Wolven Clan, jumped in with a taunt.

"Your parents have been gone for ages, and you're still playing the healer? Such a pretender. You know you're out of Andrew's league, right?"

"Don't worry, with Louise handling the healing, you just need to be Moon Queen. Focus on the finances and the flirting—that's plenty!"

The room erupted with laughter.

Louise, hearing the jest, was overjoyed, playfully grabbing Andrew's arm. "Hey, don't be so tough on Lina. She's not like me; she hasn't traveled much or met many people. The fact that she's willing to bury her nose in books shows she's got ambition!"

She craned her neck to peek at the book in my hand. "Is that a medical text? Lina, to be a healer, reading alone won't cut it. You need real-world experience and wisdom! You've got to be bold, travel between packs like I do—that's how you learn the good stuff!"

Louise went on bragging about her adventures, and everyone looked on with admiration and awe.

Andrew's gaze, which had been filled with irritation because of me, softened into tenderness and affection when he turned to her. "You're incredibly brave for a girl, Louise! I wouldn't even dare dream of doing what you do."

"Obviously, I'm not one of those women who just orbits around home and their mate! My goal is to master the art of healing, to be a true support to my Alpha."

Louise shot me a scornful look. She puckered her red lips and slumped against Andrew, whispering hotly in his ear, "And let's not forget, when it comes to the bedroom, I can hold my own against any woman."

Andrew's pale ears blushed a delicate pink.

Louise, seeing his reaction, taunted me with even more glee, "Looks like our Alpha's got needs that aren't being met, Lina. Seems you're falling short in your duties.

"You know, there are these wild magical herbs up in Northland that bloom right before the full moon. Eat them, and even the most indifferent male will spend the night with you. Sounds like they're made for you!"

I noticed a flicker of recognition cross Andrew's face as if the name of the herb struck a chord.

"You're mistaken." I snapped the medical book closed and faced Louise head-on. "The magical herbs bloom the day after a full moon, known for their detoxifying properties. It's said to induce a hallucination of love, but only with one's destined partner. Otherwise, it's as good as useless.

"You got the effects and the harvest time all wrong. Looks like your expertise isn't that impressive, Louise," I said with a hint of mockery.

Louise went pale instantly, and Andrew, standing beside him, froze, his eyes flickering with a mix of reproach and curiosity.

I did not care about his reaction.

The female friend, defending her, snapped at me, "Stop putting on airs! Everyone knows you're just cooking and washing feet all day, flipping through a couple of pages, and then you think you're some kind of herbalist from Northland? Why not claim you've been there too?"

I met her gaze steadily. "I have, indeed."

The table burst into laughter. "Oh please, you can't even tell a convincing lie. You've never left our pack, right?"

"Yeah, what else do you know besides the kitchen, the bathroom, and Andrew's big bed?"

"Lina, you look so grumpy today. Did Andrew's mom splash you with foot water again?"

Ignoring their taunts, I reached for the book on the table, ready to leave, when I noticed Louise, tears brimming in her eyes, clutching at Andrew's sleeve, looking utterly wronged.

"Andrew, I came back just to wish you well. I didn't expect your mate to be so unwelcoming!

"Magical herb is an aphrodisiac, plain and simple. Her lies are just a way to bully and discredit me! If she doesn't welcome me, then I'll just go..."

Louise tried to rise, but Andrew forced her back down, his face a stormy shade of blue as he hissed a warning at me, "Apologize to Louise for your lies."

I gripped my medical text, defiant. "And what if I refuse?"

"Don't even think about leaving this restaurant without the Alpha's say-so."

The guy next to me, seeing I was not talking, snatched the medical tome I was gripping. Sheets of herbal notes fluttered to the floor, and one I missed was scooped up by Andrew, his brow furrowed in confusion.

The man beside him peered over with a mix of curiosity and surprise, blurting out, "Is this stuff from Northland? Lina, did you actually go there?"

The paper Andrew picked up detailed the magical herbs. It was all there: where to find it, what it could do, and even a sketch I had made myself.

"Hand it over," I said, my voice ice.

Andrew stared at me, his face a mask of shock.

Louise, quick to jealousy, grabbed the paper from him. "Lina, are you so desperate to be a healer that you've lost it? Lying, and now delusions? Making up herbal lore?"

Her accusation fell flat.

The room was silent, the Wolven Clan unmoved. Louise, fuming, crumpled my notes and tossed them into the fire. "I won't just watch you twist facts and disrespect the profession I adore!" she declared.

Andrew was speechless. To convince him, Louise gave him a pitiful look.

"It's all lies, Andrew. Even you hadn't been to Northland. Do you really think she could go there?"

Andrew's gaze flickered to me, words caught in his throat. Finally, he murmured, almost consoling Louise, "It's just a piece of paper. No need to get worked up."

Just a piece of paper? He knew what it was. He knew the magical herbs had cured his wolfsbane poisoning. He knew its power better than anyone.

I never counted on him to be on my side, but I sure did not see him spinning such bold-faced lies to cover for Louise.

Hey, it was no big deal. There was a whole world of opportunities out there, as vast as the fields of magical herbs in Northland.

Without so much as a backward glance at Andrew, I strode out of the restaurant.

After a good night's rest, I was all set to head Northland.

That was when I noticed my medical book was gone from my desk.

Andrew, stinking of booze, just tilted his head with a smirk when he saw my panic. "Louise wanted it, so I handed it over."

"What are you saying? She called it a fake, so why take my book?!"

I was shaking with rage, ready to confront Louise, but he shoved me back onto the sofa.

"Louise is long gone with your book.

"It's just a bunch of papers. Real or fake, what's the difference? You're Moon Queen, so why sweat the small stuff?

"You hunted down those magical herbs for me, not just to cure my poison but hoping I'd fall for you, right? Consider your wish granted."

He leaned in for a kiss, but I shoved him away, furious.

"Back off! You're not what I want! My life has more to it than you! I've got my own path to follow! I'm out of here!"

He checked his watch and released me, a knowing look on his face. "Right, time to wash my mom's feet."

He sat back, closed his eyes, and did not bother looking at me again. "Make it quick, I'll be here waiting."

I shot a harsh look at him lounging on the couch, my eyes void of any lingering affection.

Ha.

'Sorry, your wait is over. Not now, not ever,' I mused.

Andrew did not realize I was gone until I reached Twin Shores Lake, the boundary between our worlds. He had been out cold on the couch all night.

Just before dawn, his mother burst into my room, hurling insults.

"Lina, where did you go?! You skipped out on washing my feet last night and didn't even bother with breakfast this morning!"

The commotion stirred him from sleep, and that was when he noticed my absence. Initially, he figured I was just peeved about the medical book, probably taking a breather at the nearby pack.

However, then, a sharp pain seized his heart, and he crumpled to the floor.

Andrew's wolfsbane poisoning had returned, unbeknownst to us all—the poison had not been fully purged from his system.

He had been managing because my healing gifts had been keeping it at bay.

Andrew's eyes snapped open, his forehead slick with sweat, as he gasped my name.

His mother, beside herself with worry, lashed out, "Where's that Lina?! Is now really the time for her antics? Get her back here to cure my son!"

The tribal healer was clueless.

"Lina left for Northland alone last night, and she's not coming back. Didn't she tell you?"

"What?!"