My Alpha Poisoned Me To Keep Me Weak

The silver light faded from my fingertips as Elder Thomas drew his first full breath in three days. His chest rose and fell steadily now, the death rattle gone from his lungs. Around me, pack members gasped and whispered, their voices blending into a chorus of awe that made my heart swell.

"She did it," someone breathed. "The bone-knitting technique actually worked."

I pulled my hands back, studying them in wonder. That strange silver glow—I'd never seen it manifest so brightly before. It had pulsed through my veins like liquid moonlight, warm and powerful and utterly foreign. For a moment, I'd felt something stir deep inside me, something that felt like recognition.

"Ocean, you're a miracle worker," Elder Thomas's daughter sobbed, clutching my hand. "Thank you. Thank you."

I smiled, though exhaustion tugged at my bones. "I'm just glad I could help."

As I walked through the pack house that evening, heads turned. People actually looked at me—really looked at me—with something other than pity for the wolfless girl Alpha Jaden had taken in. Maybe this was it. Maybe this achievement would finally prove my worth. Maybe Jaden would see that I deserved to stand beside him, wolf or no wolf.

The Pack Gathering was in two days. I spent my meager savings on a simple cream-colored dress, nothing fancy, but it made me feel almost pretty. Almost worthy.

I should have known better.

The gathering hall blazed with torchlight, packed with every member of the Crimson Fang Pack. I stood near the back, my heart hammering with nervous excitement as Jaden took the stage. He looked magnificent in his Alpha formal wear, commanding and powerful. My chest ached with something I told myself was love.

"Tonight, we celebrate an extraordinary achievement," Jaden's voice boomed across the hall. "A revolutionary healing technique that will elevate our pack's status among all territories."

This was it. I smoothed down my dress, preparing to be called forward.

"Rosalie, please join me."

The world tilted.

Rosalie glided to the podium in a stunning red gown, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She moved with the confidence of someone who had every right to be there, while I stood frozen, my smile cracking like thin ice.

"Rosalie has discovered a bone-knitting technique unlike anything our healers have seen," Jaden continued, his hand settling possessively on her waist. "Through her brilliance and dedication, she has given our pack a gift that will save countless lives."

No. No, this wasn't happening.

"Therefore, I award her the Healer's Crest, our highest honor."

The silver medallion—the one I'd dreamed of earning—glinted as Jaden fastened it around Rosalie's neck. She turned to face the crowd, and her eyes found mine across the sea of faces. Her smile was pure venom.

Applause thundered through the hall. People cheered. Someone started chanting Rosalie's name.

I couldn't breathe. My years of research, my late nights studying ancient healing texts, my innovation—all of it credited to her. The girl who could barely set a broken bone without supervision.

I pushed through the crowd, my vision blurring. No one noticed me leave. Why would they? I was nobody. Just the wolfless girl Jaden had saved out of pity.

I didn't remember walking to his office, but suddenly I was there, my fist pounding on the heavy oak door.

"Come in."

Jaden sat behind his desk, pouring himself a drink. He didn't even look up.

"That was my technique," I said, my voice shaking. "My research. My discovery. How could you—"

"Your technique?" He finally met my eyes, and the coldness there stole my breath. "You really think a wolfless nobody like you could hold such an honor?"

The words hit like a physical blow. "I saved Elder Thomas. Everyone saw—"

"Everyone saw a servant doing her job." He stood, moving around the desk with predatory grace. "You're useful, Ocean, I'll give you that. Your healing abilities are... adequate. But you're not pack material. You're not worthy of standing beside an Alpha."

"You said you loved me." The words came out broken. "You said when I proved myself—"

"I said what I needed to say to keep you compliant." He leaned against the desk, studying me like I was an insect. "Here's what's going to happen. You will teach Rosalie every detail of that technique before the Allied Alpha Summit. You will do it with a smile. And you will never speak of this again."

"No." The word surprised us both.

His eyes flashed dangerously. "No?"

"I won't let you steal my work. I won't—"

"You'll do exactly as I say, or I'll brand you an Omega Exile and cast you into rogue territory." His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "How long do you think a wolfless girl would survive out there? A day? An hour?"

The threat hung in the air between us, sharp as a blade. Outside his window, storm clouds gathered, darkening the sky to match the darkness closing around my heart.

"You have until sunrise to decide," Jaden said, returning to his drink. "Choose wisely."