2

I maintained the smile on my face until the moment I walked out of Richard's house.

The wooden door clicked shut behind me, and only then did I let my expression crumble, my jaw clenching so hard it hurt.

In my previous life, Richard had encouraged me the same way to participate in the Gamma selection, even giving me many precious herbs to help with my elixir brewing.

He'd placed the herbs in my hands with that same paternal smile, telling me I was destined for greatness.

I had nothing but reverence and gratitude for this highly respected Beta, never once harboring any suspicion.

His wisdom was legendary in our pack, his decisions always fair and just—or so I had believed.

Since childhood, he had kindly taught the pack children how to brew werewolf enhancement elixirs, always with a gentle smile that made everyone feel comfortable around him.

Most of my skills were taught by him.

In my heart, he was my mentor and also my family.

After my parents died fighting rogues when I was twelve, Richard had taken me under his wing, giving me extra lessons and encouragement.

However, the person who made my wolf lose its resistance and became the pack Gamma was Victoria.

And Victoria was Richard's granddaughter.

It was hard not to overthink this connection.

Had he groomed me all these years just to build me up for Victoria's triumph? Was I nothing but a stepping stone?

I couldn't figure out where things had gone wrong, but this time I wouldn't brew the Beta wolf enhancement elixir, nor would I use the method from Richard's book that called for heart blood. Surely then, nothing would go wrong.

I was naturally talented and had worked diligently, conducting thousands of experiments until I succeeded. The Gamma position should have been mine by right.

This time around, I was determined to make those who had mistreated me kneel at my feet and beg for forgiveness.

Back home, I opened the glass bottle hidden in my cabinet, containing the Beta wolf enhancement elixir I had spent over a decade perfecting.

My wolf, Willow, howled with desire when she smelled the elixir.

Instead of experimenting to improve its effect as I usually would, I took out silver powder and poured it directly into my treasured elixir bottle. The entire potion was completely ruined.

My wolf Willow howled almost uncontrollably, "What are you doing! Stop! This is our only hope!"

Willow struggled violently within me, desperately trying to stop me.

The anguish in her mental voice was so strong it gave me a splitting headache. I gripped the edge of the table, steadying myself.

"Trust me," I gritted out. "We can't use this. It's what killed us."

My wolf Willow's abilities ranked quite low in the pack, her healing ability, speed, and strength all inferior to other wolves of the same age, which was why we had been bullied by our peers.

The memory of older pack members forcing us to our knees in the mud, laughing as they called us "runt," still stung.

We had been waiting for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enhance my wolf's abilities, and I had spent over a decade researching this Beta wolf enhancement elixir.

I hesitated briefly, but then remembered the agony I felt at death in my previous life, and steeled my resolve.

The memory of silver burning through my flesh, melting me from the inside out, was impossible to forget.

Besides, the silver powder I had just added was lethal poison to wolves, with no antidote even for myself. The pungent metallic smell made my eyes water and my nose burn.

Once poured into the elixir, the potion was beyond salvation.

At this point, there was no turning back, and I absolutely refused to repeat my previous life's tragedy.

My gaze hardened, and gradually my wolf Willow stopped struggling. I could feel her resignation, her fear, but also her growing trust in my decision.

I let out a long breath. This time, I wanted to see how Victoria would make my wolf submit.

I changed into light, comfortable clothes and headed toward the forest.

In my previous life, I had often risked my life venturing deep into the forest to find herbs for brewing the Beta wolf enhancement elixir.

I remembered a particularly precious mooncrest herb growing on a cliff. This herb, when used in werewolf enhancement elixirs, could dramatically increase a wolf's speed.

But since my Beta wolf enhancement elixir hadn't required this herb in my previous life, I never picked it.

This time, I planned to brew a completely different enhancement elixir using the mooncrest herb. If Victoria wanted to play dirty, I'd change the game entirely.

I searched carefully along the cliff, which was extremely steep. Several times I nearly fell, my fingers slipping on loose rocks.

My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline spiking with each near-miss, but I didn't give up.

—Found it!

Pushing aside the underbrush, there indeed was a mooncrest herb.

I carefully picked the herb and tucked it safely against my body.

To be safe, I didn't take the mooncrest herb directly home, nor did I use my usual elixir brewing equipment, and definitely didn't use heart blood in the brewing process.

I couldn't risk Victoria discovering my plans or tampering with my work.

I found a temporary cave in the forest and settled there.

The brewing process was completely different from my previous life; I meticulously controlled every detail.

I set up three or four alarm bells at the cave entrance so I would know immediately if anyone approached. Simple contraptions made of string and small metal objects—primitive but effective.

"Paranoid much?" Willow commented.

"Not paranoid enough last time," I replied darkly.

Even when sleeping, I remained vigilant, wary of anyone trying to tamper with my work.

The cave was remote. I stayed there for four days until my elixir was finally complete. Tests showed this elixir could increase my wolf's speed by 200%!

When I tested a single drop on a field mouse, the creature zoomed around the cave so fast it was almost invisible.

With this level of speed enhancement, even if my wolf lacked strength, I was confident I could secure the Gamma position, as no other wolf would be able to catch me.

I carefully packed my elixir and headed home.

While passing through the woods, I overheard two pack members talking.

"Hey, what kind of elixir do you think Alexis will brew this time? Among us, she's the only one qualified to be Gamma."

"Hard to guess. Alexis hasn't been in the pack for nearly a week now, probably working hard somewhere."

"By the way, I heard that Victoria, who has always been mediocre, somehow brewed a speed enhancement elixir using mooncrest herb that can increase a wolf's speed by 200%. Though she hasn't shown it to anyone, so who knows if it's true."

"No way," Another one gasped. "Victoria? The girl who couldn't even brew a basic healing potion last summer?"

As the two walked further away, their voices gradually faded.

But I stood frozen in place.

A speed enhancement elixir?

Among the many types of werewolf enhancement elixirs, Victoria happened to be brewing one with mooncrest herb, with exactly the same effect as mine?