Semua Bab The Wilderness Deception: Bab 1 - Bab 10

"That was a brilliant move on the cliffs, Ryker. Making her fall was a stroke of genius.""Otherwise, her instincts would have led her out of this forest long ago."A sharp voice echoed from the communication crystal.I knew that voice all too well. It was Selena, the impostor who had stolen my life, shamelessly claiming the honor that should have been mine for two decades.Her tone was triumphant as she applauded Ryker's methods.Ryker's voice was utterly cold, a stark contrast to the deep affection he faked for me during the day."Selena, if she hadn't insisted on coming back to fight you for what is rightfully yours, I wouldn't have had to go this far.""She brought this on herself."He had fooled me completely.I had thought he was a gift from the Goddess, the one mate in this wilderness whose blood called to mine, the one to whom I could give myself without reservation.It was all a lie.Ryker promised Selena I would never set foot out of this forest again.But Selena's suspicions

I stared at the bowl of frothy poultice and shook my head. "Ryker, this poultice is too strong. It makes my bones ache. I don't want to use it anymore."He had never told me his family name, only that I should call him Ryker, and I had never asked.Now that I thought about it, since it was all a lie, his name didn't matter anyway.The thought of Selena cooing his name in that sickly sweet voice made my chest tighten.But Ryker wouldn't give up.My voice turned cold. "With a dose this strong, aren't you afraid you'll cripple me for good?"At this, his breath hitched. Then he forced a smile, leaned in to bite my earlobe, and whispered:"This will help you heal, Elara. Be good and put it on. You can punish me however you want once you're better."Lying to me had become as natural to him as breathing, so smooth and gentle.To avoid raising his suspicions, I did as he wished, taking the wooden bowl and letting him spread the poultice over my wound, inch by inch.A sharp, burning pain shot f

"Elara, no!"Ryker's roar was shredded by the raging wind.I gave him one last look.Those eyes, the ones that had deceived me with countless lies, now held a devastation I had never seen.But it was too late.My body was falling. The wind shrieked in my ears, and the blood-red moonlight receded into a frantic blur.From the top of the cliff, I heard a roar like the death cry of a beast."ELARA!!"The sound tore through the storm.But I didn't look back.The icy river water cut into my flesh like knives. The river's deadly undercurrent dragged me toward the bottom.I clenched my jaw, fumbling at my waist underwater. The sinew rope was still there.This time, my gamble had paid off.The other end of the sinew rope was tied to a buoyant, hollow log I had secretly wedged beneath a reef the night before. They were the same logs Ryker himself had treated for extra buoyancy.I clung to the rope, letting the fierce current sweep me downstream, my broken leg smashing against the rocks until it

"Master, they've carried out another dozen bodies from the pack grounds."The black wolf, now in his human form, knelt before me, his voice low.He was the only one among the rogue wolves old enough to manifest a half-human form. I had named him Kade.My hand, stirring a potion, paused."They say Selena has locked herself in the infirmary for three days. Every potion she brews is darker and more toxic than the last. The patients who drink it die moments later, bleeding from their eyes, nose, and mouth."Selena couldn't even tell the difference between poison and medicine. The thought of her healing anyone was absurd."What else?" I asked, stirring the potion. "What is Alaric's reaction?""Alpha Alaric is already questioning Lady Selena in the council hall." Kade looked up at me. "Also, Ryker smashed everything in the cabin. He's been starving himself for days, and his grief is causing his wolf soul to fester. Alaric's men had to drag him back for the meeting. He's a walking corpse."T

Ryker's fingers gripped my medicine basket, his knuckles white with agony.Blackish-purple blood gushed from his wound, burning the muddy ground with a noxious white smoke.I watched him, calmly crouching down, my gaze sweeping over his festering wound.I crouched and lightly touched the wound on his chest, where black blood oozed.I dabbed a little on my fingertip and brought it to my nose."Three parts wolfsbane, two parts night-wolf root, one part bone-rot vine," I recited the formula softly.Ryker's pupils contracted."A formula I know well. As, I imagine, do you," I said with a cold smile.This was the same poison he had personally applied to my broken leg every day in the wilderness.I saw his lips tremble, but he couldn't form a word.I stood up and mercilessly pried his fingers from my basket, one by one."Elara... please..." he whimpered, not giving up.I slowly rose and dusted the blood from my hands."Ryker," my voice was quiet, but it chilled the air, "I am a Healer. I save