Chapter 71: Silver Wounds and Broken Bonds
Chapter 71: Silver Wounds and Broken Bonds
E
(Celeste’s POV)
+3 Point:
The burning pain from Victoria’s ceremonial dagger roused me from unconsciousness. Each
heartbeat sent fresh waves of silver poison through my veins, the sensation like molten fire
tearing me apart. My wolf whimpered weakly inside me, struggling against the very substance
designed to suppress her.
—
Beyond the physical agony, a deeper wound ached within my chest. Victoria my mother, not
by blood but through fourteen years of bond had attacked me with silver.
–
I blinked up at the ceiling of my quarters, my thoughts spiraling through tangled memories.
She used to stay by my bedside whenever I was sick with moon fever. She gently brushed my
hair and whispered stories until I could finally sleep.
I closed my eyes tightly, as if I could shut out the past. How could that same loving hand now
hold a blade against me?
My scarred wolf keened softly at the memory of Victoria’s proud smile. She had once stood as my guardian, defending me from judgmental stares when I stumbled during ceremonies.
But the same wolf who raised me like her own pup had just chosen Scarlett over me once
again. And this time, it wasn’t just with words it was with silver, leaving a wound that would
scar inside and out.
–
The bitter irony struck me all at once, like a cruel joke whispered by the universe. Even the
silver–infused chains of Moon Shadow Prison hadn’t hurt this much. At least there, the pain
was expected. But from her?
I touched my cheek gently where the ceremonial dagger had cut. The skin felt raw and alien,
the silver’s poison making it burn hotter than any normal wound.
The healer’s warning echoed in my mind. “Sacred silver cuts,” he had said, “will leave a mark,
both on the surface and within.”
I stared at the bandages covering my face. The thought of carrying Victoria’s betrayal on my
skin for the rest of my life sent a fresh surge of bitterness down my spine.
“Mother,” I whispered the word aloud, testing how it felt now. A single syllable, so heavy with
contradictions. Even after four years of abandonment, it had still meant something… until
1/4
Chapter 71: Silver Wounds and B…
tonight.
Her voice was there in my mind, laced with desperation. “I didn’t mean it, Little Moon!”
ම
+8 Point:
The nickname once made me feel safe. Now, it dripped with mockery, as if she mocked me
from within my memories.
The tears threatened before I could stop them, clawing at the edges of my resolve. My wolf
stirred weakly, remembering the warmth of Victoria’s hugs on cold evenings. Her maternal aura had once been a fortress I could always rely on. That fortress had crumbled, and in its
place, sharp silver spikes gleamed.
“No,” I hissed, forcing the tears back with sheer will. I wouldn’t cry. Not here, not now. Moon
Shadow Prison had taught me better.
Tears had no place where wolves fed on weakness.
“We are in the Winter Pack house,” I reminded myself aloud, grinding my teeth together until
the sting of pain cleared my head. “No weakness. None.”
—
My wolf, though weakened, growled in agreement. Her scars mental and physical – echoed
mine. Together, we walled off the well of emotions threatening to overflow.
The door slammed open unceremoniously. My heart jolted from shock, but I immediately
recognized Nina’s scent.
“My lady!” Nina’s voice cracked with panic. Her silver–gray wolf practically radiated distress as she rushed to my bedside. “You shouldn’t be awake! The healer said the sacred silver would-”
She broke off, her sharp eyes narrowing.
She must have noticed how my hands trembled slightly on the blanket. Or perhaps it was the
redness in my eyes that gave me away.
“Nina,” I said sharply, sitting up despite the searing ache in my side. My voice came out
steadier than I expected, hard and colder than I intended.
Her lips parted to argue or protest, but I pressed my uninjured hand firmly against her mouth. My strength was diminished, but the gesture silenced her anyway.
“Not here,” I hissed quietly, my tone cutting through her rising emotions. “No weakness here.”
The fire in her silver eyes didn’t dim, but something shifted in her wolf. She understood. Of
course, she did. Nina had been at my side long enough to know how this pack worked.
In the Winter Pack house, showing vulnerability was as dangerous as silver itself.
214
+8 Point
Chapter 71: Silver Wounds and B…
She gave me a small nod before stepping back, though her protective stance didn’t waver. Her
silver–gray wolf pressed against my presence even without physical contact while I composed
myself once more.
“We have to be stronger than their cruelty,” I whispered. It wasn’t just for her. It was for myself,
too. “Harder than their silver. Colder than their betrayal.”
My wolf tucked her head down but howled softly in agreement.
Nina shifted slightly, reaching for the small jar of moon–blessed salve the healer had left
earlier. “Let me help,” she murmured, her voice quieter now.
I nodded stiffly, watching her hands as they worked. Her movements were steady but careful,
her fingers grazing over the bandage as if they might spark another painful memory.
“The scar,” she began hesitantly, avoiding my gaze.
“It’ll stay.” My voice was flat, emotionless. I already knew what her next sentence would be, so
I cut it off. “And so will the memory.”
Her wolf whimpered softly, and she lowered her hands to her lap after finishing the
application. Even without speaking, her guilt weighed heavily between us.
“You didn’t cut me.” My gaze finally met hers, bold and defiant. “Victoria did. Don’t take responsibility for her choices.”
The sharpness in my tone wasn’t aimed at her, but it softened the twisted grief taking over her
expression. She gave a hesitant nod.
“You’re right,” she admitted but averted her eyes when her wolf leaned closer protectively
again.
The silver’s poisons still swirled in my veins, making my thoughts sluggish and heavy. But I
forced myself upright once more, gripping Nina’s arm for strength.
“A scar is fitting, isn’t it?” I muttered bitterly. “A permanent reminder of her choice. Her choice to strike me out of loyalty to Scarlett.”
Nina flinched subtly but didn’t argue. Instead, she shifted closer, her wolf practically encircling
mine in quiet defiance of the room and the unseen wolves beyond its walls.
Her loyalty was a balm against the poison inside me.
My head rested back against the headboard as my exhaustion caught up again. Just
moments ago, memories of Moon Shadow Prison had seemed preferable to this betrayal.
014
Chapter 71: Silver Wounds and B…
ව
+8 Point:
“At least in the prison, we understood our place,” I murmured darkly, surprising myself with the
words.
Nina’s hands briefly stilled, and I felt her silver–gray wolf’s confusion flicker across our link.
“There was no false pretense of love,” I clarified softly. “When the guards struck with silver,
they didn’t pretend to care.”
Her wolf whined again, but I silenced the sound with a weak squeeze of her hand. “We’ll
endure this, too,” I said firmly, more for myself than her this time. “We survived worse.”
Her hands resumed their gentle work on my wounds, though her silence lingered.
I let her carry the quiet for a while longer, the faint warmth from her proximity keeping the
rising chill within me at bay. For now, we needed no more words.
Together, we would face whatever new cruelty the Winter Pack had planned.
In Moon Shadow Prison, I had learned how to endure chains. Here, I would learn to endure
betrayal.
But my
wolf silently vowed that, next time, we wouldn’t merely endure – we would fight. And we wouldn’t stop until scars, silver, and betrayal meant nothing.
Comments
Watch Ads (0/20) >
Vote
