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.