Crippled By Love
Alaric and I had been mates for five years, and I had believed with all my heart that I would become the first female Gamma of the pack by proving myself in the warrior’s trial. I had trained relentlessly, sharpening my claws and honing my instincts, ready to fight for my rightful place.
But fate had other plans.
Three days before the trial, I was ambushed by rogues. They didn't just attack me—they hunted me like prey. Their fangs tore into my flesh, their claws shredded my tendons, and when they were done, they left me with a shattered spine and a body soaked in my own blood. The scent of death clung to me, my wolf howling in agony, desperately trying to heal, but the wounds ran too deep.
As I lay barely conscious on the blood-stained sheets, I heard my husband's cold, indifferent voice.
"Is she dead?"
The witch doctor hesitated before answering, "No, but—"
"It doesn’t matter," Alaric interrupted, Coat her wounds with wolfsbane and silver—make sure it seeps into her blood, burns through her veins, and poisons her wolf beyond repair. I want her body to reject her own nature, so she will never heal. There will only be one Gamma in this pack, and that's Serina."
In that moment, the truth became clear—I had never truly stood a chance in the warrior’s trial I had dreamed of. The battle had been decided long before I ever stepped into the arena.