On the day Mateo was crowned as the Alpha King of the Eastern Packs,

I learned that my remaining wolf's power was depleted and that the silver curse would eventually take my life.

During the coronation ceremony, the Grand Elder asked Mateo who he regretted losing the most.

Without hesitation, he dialed my number.

I answered, listening to his cold voice through the phone:

"When I got hurt, after you left me thinking I wasn't Alpha anymore, did you ever regret it?"

Looking at the astronomical bill for another month's supply of moonwort potion, I laughed softly:

"Mateo, since you're so powerful now, could you lend me 500,000 for the treatment?"

The line went dead instantly. On the live broadcast, I watched as his face turned to ice:

"Now I have no regrets."

He didn't know that seven years ago, when that cursed silver dagger was killing him,

I had secretly channeled my wolf's power to him, taking the curse upon myself.

1

The treatment center was unusually crowded today. Everyone was gathered around the TV, watching the live broadcast of the Alpha King coronation ceremony.

I sat in my usual corner, waiting for my monthly moonwort treatment, trying to ignore the excited whispers around me.

My hands trembled as I counted the remaining pills in my bottle. Only three left. Each one represented another day of keeping the curse at bay.

On the screen, Mateo stood tall and proud, his ceremonial robes flowing in the wind. Seven years hadn't diminished his presence - if anything, he commanded even more power now.

The Grand Elder Andrew's voice echoed through the speakers: "As part of the coronation ritual, the future Alpha King must confess a regret or acknowledge a loss that shaped his path to leadership."

My heart skipped a beat. The cursed silver in my blood seemed to pulse harder.

Mateo's voice carried across the ceremonial grounds. "Elder Andrew, may I reach out to someone directly?"

The Elder nodded, surprise evident on his ancient face. No Alpha had ever made such a request during their coronation.

Without hesitation, Mateo pulled out his phone. The entire audience fell silent.

My phone rang.

The other patients turned to stare as my ringtone broke the silence of the treatment center.

I made a show of muting my phone and quickly ran into the bathroom.

My hands shook as I answered, knowing thousands of wolves across the country were watching this moment.

"When you left me because you couldn't handle being an Alpha's mate anymore," his voice was cold enough to freeze blood, "did you ever regret it?"

I looked down at my treatment bill - another month of moonwort infusions that would drain my savings. A bitter smile crossed my lips.

"Mateo, since you're so powerful now, could you lend me 500,000 for the treatment?"

The line went dead instantly.

On screen, Mateo's face hardened into a mask of ice. His golden Alpha eyes flashed dangerously as he addressed the crowd:

"Now I have no regrets."

Back in the waiting area again, the watching patients whispered and pointed at me. I could hear their judgments, their assumptions about the mate who abandoned the future Alpha King.

They didn't know that seven years ago, when that cursed silver dagger pierced his heart,

I had secretly channeled my wolf's power to him, taking the curse upon myself.

The treatment center erupted in cheers as the ceremony concluded. My phone buzzed with a notification.

500,000 dollars had been transferred to my account.

I stared at the numbers, my vision blurring with unshed tears. Even his generosity was meant to hurt - to remind me of what I'd thrown away.

After paying for my treatment, I heard a commotion in the hallway.

Through the gap in the door, I caught sight of his familiar silhouette.Still so handsome, the man I fell in love with when I was 14, my once destined mate.

Seven years had passed, but time seemed to have carved strength into every line of his body, while it had only eaten away at mine.

The only thing that had truly changed was the woman at his side. No longer me.

The coronation ceremony had just ended - he was still wearing his ceremonial robes, the silver crown of the Alpha King glinting in his dark hair.

He had rushed here immediately, all because his new mate Everly had complained about a headache from the moon's pull.

I watched as he tenderly supported her, his large hand spanning her waist. The gesture was so familiar it made my cursed blood burn.

My wolf, or what remained of her, whimpered in our shared pain.

I lowered my head, trying to slip away unnoticed, my hand reaching for the door to close it quietly.

Mateo's arm shot out, catching the door before it could shut. The wood splintered under his grip.

Startled, I looked up. Our eyes met for the first time in seven years.

His gaze, sharp as an alpha's fangs, swept over my weakened form. I knew what he saw - pale skin, dark circles, the shadow of the woman who had once been his equal.

"It's been a long time..." his voice was deceptively soft. "Not even going to say hello?"

I looked at him, my lips parting slightly. A thousand words crossed my mind. I wanted to tell him everything - about the curse, the pain, the lonely nights spent fighting the silver in my veins.

Instead, all that came out was:

"Mateo, lend me another 300,000 for the treatment."

He froze, his golden Alpha eyes flickering with fury. The temperature in the hallway dropped several degrees.

His hand shot out, gripping my wrist. The force of an Alpha King's touch sent sparks of pain through my curse-weakened body.

"After seven years, this is all you have to say to me?!"

In his grip, I felt the curse pulsing through my blood.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

"Alpha King has so much power now. I wouldn't dare ask for anything else, in case Luna Everly misunderstands."

Mateo's grip loosened slightly, his eyes flickering with something that looked almost like pain.

Before he could speak, Everly wrapped herself around his arm like a vine claiming territory.

"Darling, is this your former mate?" Her voice dripped with false sweetness.

She looked at me with expertly crafted pity, her perfectly manicured hand stroking Mateo's chest - right where the cursed dagger had once struck.

"What can 300,000 do? The ceremonial robe I wore for the coronation cost 500,000!"

Her eyes gleamed with malice as she twisted the knife deeper.

"It's such a shame you didn't cherish what you had, Caroline. If you hadn't heartlessly abandoned Mateo when he needed you most, how would I have ever met him?"

I remained silent, my curse-weakened wolf curling tighter around my heart. If only they knew - every beat of Mateo's healthy heart, every surge of his restored power, was bought with my sacrifice.

But some prices were worth paying in silence.

2

I didn't want to say anything else, seeing him again was enough, I grabbed my treatment report and got ready to leave.

As I walked past Everly, she surprised me by sticking out her foot and tripping me.

I flopped heavily on the floor, scattering my treatment reports all over the place.

Seeing me fall, Matteo's face tightened and he subconsciously reached out his hand to try to help me.

Everly took his hand and exclaimed, "Look what it is."

Mateo's eyes were drawn to the reports scattered on the floor.He picked it up and scanned it quickly.

"Silver Poisoning Curse Clinic Report ......"

A flash of anger flashed across Mateo's face and he threw the case report in my face.

"Caroline, it seems like you met me on purpose today. I didn't realize that you would use such underhanded tactics to trick me for money!"

I gathered my medical records from the treatment center floor where Mateo had thrown them.

"Caroline, only you would stoop so low as to fake being cursed just to get more money." Mateo's voice dripped with disgust.

Looking at his powerful form, watching his golden Alpha eyes flash with contempt, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

If he only knew the real price of his restored power.

"Since the Alpha King knows I love money so much," I said softly, "why not lend me more?"

Everly burst into dramatic tears, clutching at Mateo's ceremonial robes. The glint in her eyes was pure poison when they met mine.

"Darling, what if she's telling the truth? What if she really did sacrifice something to save you back then?"

Her words seemed to trigger something in Mateo. His face darkened with memories of that day seven years ago.

The day I had deliberately shattered our mate bond.

My curse marks burned at the memory.

Seven years ago, when the cursed silver was slowly killing him, I had searched desperately for a solution.

The pack healers had been helpless. The curse was too strong, too ancient.

Then I found her - the Dark Witch who lived in the Forbidden Woods.

She told me there was only one way to save him. I would have to sacrifice my wolf's power, channeling it into him to overcome the curse.

But Mateo would never accept such a sacrifice from his mate.

So I made him hate me instead.

I still remember his face when I walked into his sick room that day, my voice cold as I spoke the words that would break him:

"You're pathetic, Mateo. Look at you - you can't even shift anymore. What kind of Alpha loses their wolf's power?"

His face had gone white with shock. "Caroline, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'm tired of being mated to a weakling. You're not worthy to stand beside me anymore."

Each word had been carefully chosen to cut deep, to make him angry enough to break our mate bond himself.

Because I knew - if he spoke the words of rejection, the backlash would only hurt me, not him.

His eyes had blazed with fury and pain as he snarled the ancient words:

"I reject you as my mate. Our bond is broken."

The pain had been excruciating. Like molten silver being poured through my veins.

But I had maintained my cold smile, even as blood trickled from my nose.

That same night, the Dark Witch performed the ritual.

She stripped my wolf's power and channeled it into Mateo, while transferring the curse to me.

I made her swear to never reveal the truth.

Now, seven years later, I watched as Everly continued her performance:

"Besides... it was Caroline who left you, which allowed you to become so powerful! We should help her, shouldn't we?"

"What about the witch who saved you before, dear, let's try to contact her and get her to save Caroline."

Her false sympathy made my stomach turn.

Mateo's contemptuous gaze pierced through me.

"No healers, no witch's power can save someone as heartless as her, she doesn't deserve it. "

He turned away, pulling Everly with him.

My body chose that moment to spasm with the curse's pain.

I collapsed against the wall, wiping blood from my lips.

The curse marks on my chest burned like brands, a constant reminder of my choice.

Every month, the moonwort treatments grew less effective.

I had chosen the cheapest option available, knowing it would only buy me seven years.

For seven years I watched Mateo from a short distance away, watching him grow stronger as he recovered, taking our thornpack with him to become more and more powerful and eventually become King of Alpha.

For seven years, I coughed up blood as I tried to find my own way to fight the silver poison in my veins.

For seven years, I knew that I was seen by him as a heartless partner who had abandoned him in his darkest hour.

The treatment center had fallen silent, everyone watching this drama unfold.

I ignored their stares, lost in memories of better days.

When we were young orphaned wolves who found each other at fourteen.

When our wolves awakened together under the full moon, marking us as true mates.

We had nothing but dreams then - dreams of building a strong pack, of protecting other strays like ourselves.

Together, we gathered lone wolves, fought for territory, created the Thorn Pack.

But our success bred jealousy. Rival packs couldn't stand seeing strays rise so high.

The assassination attempt had been well-planned. The cursed silver dagger was meant to destroy Mateo's wolf completely.

Instead, it had destroyed our bond, my wolf, and any chance of him knowing the truth.

Everly's mocking voice drifted back:

"Poor thing, trying to claim she helped you. As if someone like her could ever have that kind of power."

I straightened my shoulders, ignoring the burning pain.

The last three moonwort pills rattled in my pocket like a countdown.

Seven years of borrowed time were ending.

But seeing him strong and whole - it was worth every moment of pain.

Even if he would always hate me.

Even if he would never know the truth.

Some sacrifices are meant to be carried in silence.

3

After leaving the treatment center, I made my way back to the small cabin in the woods.

The cabin sat on the outskirts of pack territory, hidden among ancient trees. Mateo and I had found it when we were just two orphaned wolves trying to build a life together.

Now, this place belongs only to me - my refuge for the past seven years. Mateo had never been here; apparently he really hated me and my abandonment, and so had avoided everything that had to do with me.

The last three moonwort pills rattled in my pocket as I climbed the worn steps.

My phone rang just as I reached the door.

"Caroline." Thomas's voice was cold. As Mateo's Beta, he had once been like a brother to me.

"Alpha King Mateo demands the return of his 500,000 by tomorrow night."

I closed my eyes, leaning against the cabin wall.

"Tell him I'll find a way."

Thomas was silent for a moment. "There's a position available. Serving at tonight's Pack Gathering."

I knew what he wasn't saying - it was the only way I could earn money fast enough.

That's how I found myself at the back entrance of the Eastern Pack's grand hall, where my best friend Iris waited with an omega servant's uniform.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, helping me into the grey dress. The veil would hide my face from casual observers.

"It's simple work," she said, but her eyes were full of worry. "Just serve drinks and stay in the background."

I nodded, adjusting the scent blockers at my wrists. My hands trembled slightly - the curse making even this simple task difficult.

The grand hall was transformed for the celebration. Crystal chandeliers cast golden light over the gathered wolves - all of them powerful, all of them whole.

I kept to the shadows, serving drinks with my head bowed. The veil helped hide my identity, but every step was agony.

Then I saw him.

Mateo dominated the room in his Alpha King regalia, power rolling off him in waves. My power, though he didn't know it.

Everly clung to his arm, her white gown dripping with diamonds. She looked every inch the Luna she now was.

I tried to stay far from them, but the crowd shifted, forcing me closer.

That's when I heard it - two she-wolves whispering behind their hands.

"Look at her, acting like she's so perfect."

"Someone should take that smug Luna down a peg."

Before I could move away, one of them - a red-haired beta - deliberately stuck out her foot.

I stumbled, the tray of red wine tipping forward.

Time seemed to slow as the crimson liquid arced through the air.

It splashed across Everly's pristine white gown, staining it like blood.

The she-wolves' satisfied smirks quickly turned to mock horror.

"Everly! That clumsy omega ruined your gown!"

Everly's shriek could have shattered glass.

"You worthless omega! Do you know how much this dress costs?"

The room fell silent. I kept my head bowed, my veiled face toward the floor.

But Mateo had already caught my scent.

He strode forward, ripping away both my veil and scent blockers in one motion.

"Caroline," his lip curled in disgust. "Still here begging for money?"

Everly's gasp of surprise was perfectly practiced.

"Caroline! The former Luna, serving drinks? How... desperate you must be."

The whispers started immediately, cutting like knives.

"That's the one who abandoned our Alpha King..."

"Left him when he lost his power..."

"Called him weak and worthless..."

"Karma really does come for everyone..."

The red-haired beta who had tripped me was the first to throw her drink.

Then another wolf followed. And another.

Each splash of alcohol made my curse marks burn beneath my clothes.

My borrowed wolf power screamed in agony, trying to heal damage it no longer could.

Through it all, Mateo watched with cold eyes, making no move to stop them.

Then his voice cut through the chaos:

"Since you're so desperate for money, let's make a deal."

He gestured to a servant who brought forward a tray of glowing blue vials.

"Shifting catalyst," he announced, his smile cruel. "Drinking it forces the omega to transform. But any true alpha can resist it."

My heart stopped. Without my wolf's power, I couldn't shift at all.

"Drink these, resist the shift, and I'll give you 300,000. That's what you came for, isn't it?"

The room erupted in laughter. For normal wolves, the catalyst was harmless - they would either shift or resist it easily.

But for me, with my wolf's power stripped away and channeled into Mateo, it would be torture.

The curse marks on my chest burned at the mere thought.

"The 500,000 transfer... I won't have to return it?" I asked quietly.

His face twisted with fury and disgust.

"Fine! Show everyone how far you'll go for money!"

I grabbed the first vial with trembling hands.

The moment the catalyst touched my lips, my borrowed wolf power began to scream.

It felt like my bones were trying to break, my skin trying to split - but without my true wolf's power, I couldn't complete the shift.

I was trapped in between, the pain excruciating.

But I reached for another vial. And another.

The pack members watched, some horrified, others amused, as I tortured myself for money.

More drinks were thrown. More laughter rang out.

But Mateo's expression slowly changed from one of satisfaction to one of confusion; clearly, he'd never seen anything like this before - I neither transformed nor looked like I was resisting with my alpha power, more like I was enduring something.

As I reached for the seventh vial, his hand suddenly shot out.

"ENOUGH!" his Alpha voice shook the walls.

My body gave out. I collapsed among the broken glass and spilled drinks.

Blood trickled from my nose - the silver curse reacting violently to the catalyst.

Iris burst through the crowd, gathering me in her arms.

Her voice cracked with fury as she screamed at Mateo:

"She gave her wolf's power to save you! She's dying because she took your curse! She can't shift anymore - you're torturing her!"