Chapter 10: The Final Warning

The masked wolf tightened his grip around Stella's throat.

"One wrong move, and the Elder's daughter dies."

I stared at him.

"What do you want?"

He laughed softly.

"You, Cora."

Julian immediately stepped in front of me.

"You're not taking her anywhere."

The masked wolf's eyes narrowed.

"Then she'll watch Stella die."

Stella's face was pale.

For the first time, there was genuine fear in her eyes.

"Cora, don't listen to him!" she cried.

The masked wolf pressed his claw closer to her throat.

"You have ten seconds."

I looked at the red words floating in front of me.

【DO NOT TRUST THE MASKED WOLF.】

Then another line appeared.

【HE IS NOT HERE TO KILL YOU. HE IS HERE TO TEST YOU.】

My mind raced.

A test?

I scanned the corridor.

The smoke was getting thicker, but there was something strange about it.

The masked wolf wasn't coughing.

Neither was Stella.

That meant the smoke wasn't spreading naturally.

It was being controlled.

I suddenly understood.

"You're not trying to escape," I said.

The masked wolf went still.

"You're trying to make me use my healing power."

His eyes flashed.

That was confirmation enough.

The red words appeared again.

【THE SMOKE CONTAINS A HEALING SUPPRESSANT.】

【IF CORA USES HER POWER, HER LIFE FORCE WILL BE DRAINED.】

I looked at Stella.

She was terrified, but beneath that fear I saw something else.

Regret.

"Stella," I said quietly.

"Tell me who ordered you to poison the Luna."

Her lips trembled.

The masked wolf snarled.

"Don't answer her."

Stella closed her eyes.

Then she whispered, "My father."

The masked wolf's expression changed.

She continued.

"But he wasn't the one who planned everything."

I felt my heart stop.

"Who was?"

Stella opened her eyes and looked directly at me.

"The Sanctuary's deputy director."

At that exact moment, the emergency doors burst open.

A group of Enforcers stormed inside.

Behind them stood the Ironclaw Alpha.

His eyes were cold and focused.

"Drop your weapon!"

The masked wolf tried to move, but the Enforcers surrounded him from every direction.

He released Stella and attempted to escape.

The Alpha transformed halfway, blocking the exit with his massive frame.

Within seconds, the masked wolf was restrained.

The deputy director was arrested shortly afterward.

The investigation uncovered everything.

The Luna had discovered that several Sanctuary officials were secretly selling restricted medicines to hostile packs.

Harrison had helped cover up the operation to protect his daughter.

Stella had poisoned the Luna after being ordered to destroy the evidence.

They had planned to frame me because my reputation as the Sanctuary's top healer would make the accusation believable.

But my fall into the silver trap had destroyed their entire plan.

Weeks later, the Sanctuary was finally quiet again.

My leg was healing slowly.

My wolf's strength had begun to return.

The Ironclaw Alpha came to visit me before leaving the territory.

"I owe you an apology," he said.

"You saved the truth when everyone else was ready to condemn you."

I shook my head.

"I just followed a warning."

He frowned.

"What warning?"

I looked toward the window.

The red words had disappeared days ago.

I had never told anyone about them.

Maybe they had been a gift from the Goddess.

Maybe they had been my own instincts given a voice.

Either way, they had saved my life.

I smiled faintly.

"Nothing important."

The Alpha left.

Julian walked into the room carrying my discharge papers.

"You're officially cleared to return to work."

I looked at him.

"Then I guess I'm going back to saving lives."

He smiled.

"Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Next time you see a mysterious red warning, don't jump into another silver trap."

I laughed for the first time in weeks.

"Deal."

Outside, the full moon rose over the Neutral Territory.

For the first time, I wasn't afraid of what waited in the darkness.

I'd survived the trap.

I'd survived the betrayal.

And I'd uncovered the truth.

The warnings had saved my life, but in the end, it was my own choice to trust them that had saved me.

THE END