Chapter 3

My eyes were blindfolded, and my lower body was submerged in water. I could feel snakes swimming around me, and my whole body went rigid with fear.

I had no idea how long I'd been stuck there when I finally heard footsteps approaching.

Someone demanded, "Where's the moonstone?"

I shook my head, refusing to answer.

The next moment, someone tore off my fingernail.

A scream ripped from my throat. Agony exploded through my body, and my mind went blank.

Memories came flooding back, and I remembered that day.

There was a little pup at the clinic I took care of. He was a kid like me, an orphan with no parents, born with a heart condition.

But he was tough and kind. Whenever patients yelled at me, he would secretly slip me a piece of candy.

He told me that when he grew up, he would give the orphanage director lots of money so she wouldn't have to struggle anymore. He said that once winter was over, he would go back to school.

But he didn't make it through the winter.

The day he died was the same day I found Ethan.

When Ethan looked up at me, his eyes were clear as moonlight, flawless like a moonstone, exactly like that pup's eyes.

I couldn't save the pup, so I saved Ethan instead.

And in the end, I ended up saving a wolf who would bite the hand that fed him.

By the time I snapped back to reality, all five of my fingernails had been torn out. I blacked out from the pain.

When I came to, I was lying in an alley, soaked to the bone. My right hand was ruined. Not only had my fingernails been ripped out, but my fingers had been smashed too.

By the time I made it to the clinic, the healer told me it was too late. Some bone fragments were lodged deep in the tendons. Even if they managed to heal me, I would never be able to do intricate procedures again.

I had spent twelve years training to be a healer. If I couldn't do delicate surgeries anymore, what was the point of my life?

That was when Ethan called, "Did you like my little present? You thought you could use the moonstone to remind me I owe you, huh?

"Fine. I will give you two million. That should set you up for life. Don't push your luck, or what happened yesterday will be the beginning of much worse."

I laughed. So saving someone did come with a price. "I regret ever saving you," I said, and tossed my phone aside.

I made my way to the rooftop, one heavy step at a time.

The wind whipped past my ears, and I remembered the promise I had made to the orphanage director: I would become a healer and save countless lives.

But now, everything was destroyed by my own kindness. My hands would never hold a scalpel again.

I was about to jump when two people rushed over and grabbed my arms. "We finally found you," they said.

I assumed they were more angry patients looking to cause trouble for a healer.

But when I looked at them, the woman was dressed head to toe in designer brands, every inch the picture of wealth. The man wore simpler clothes, but he carried an unmistakable authority. They were clearly not ordinary people.

The woman quickly pulled out an official bloodline test report. "Don't get the wrong idea. We mean no harm. We're your real parents."

I froze. My real parents?

I took the report and read it over and over. According to the document, I really was their daughter.

"If you don't trust us, we can go get another DNA test right now," the woman insisted urgently.

I didn't trust them at all. So they dragged me to the best DNA clinic in town and had the test redone.

I watched the results come in. Exact same as before. They really were my parents.

*****

I returned to the Manning Pack house. There was my brother, James Manning, my sister, Olivia Manning, and the adopted Omega daughter, Emma Manning, who was basically my replacement.

James looked warm and friendly on the surface, but the way he glanced at me was anything but. Honestly, I couldn't care less. At my age, I wasn't holding out for some brother-sister bonding.

Olivia, on the other hand, was thrilled to have me back and had prepared a bunch of gifts.

As for Emma, she was quietly respectful. That night, she told everyone she planned to move out, saying she had never truly belonged to the Manning family and it wasn't right for her to stay.

"The Manning family only has two daughters," she said. "I've been taking Chloe's place for years. I guess it's finally time for me to go."

The Luna nodded. "Alright. But before you leave, you need to end your alliance bond with Ethan. That bond was always meant for my youngest daughter. Since you're moving out, the Morton Pack won't accept an adopted Omega as their heir's mate."

Morton Pack? I ignored the silent tension in the room, my attention locked on those two words.

James was the first to object. He said Emma was part of the pack too, and they couldn't kick her out because I was back. He told Mom not to play favorites.

My dad shot him a glare. "Is that how you talk to your mother? No manners at all. You're not eating dinner tonight. Go to your room and think about what you've done."

Olivia ate her dinner with perfect grace, completely tuning out the family drama.

It was supposed to be my first dinner back at the Manning Pack house, but I couldn't enjoy a single bite.

In the end, Emma stayed. She had proposed leaving first so the Alpha and Luna wouldn't get the chance to force her out. If they had spoken first, she would have had no defense.

But by volunteering, she left the door open for someone to object. James walked right through it.

Over the next few days, I got a pretty good sense of everyone.

The Alpha's word was law. Nobody dared to question him.

The Luna was soft and had no backbone. She always went along with what others decided.

James had a strange attachment to Emma. At first, I thought it might be love, but watching them, it felt more like she was the master and he was the obedient pet.

Olivia was the classic heiress. She loved luxury, had no interest in family drama, and only cared if something threatened her own interests.

The Manning Pack was powerful, and now I finally had the backing to go up against Ethan.

He had destroyed my career as a healer. So I would destroy his future as the Alpha heir.