Chapter 5

My soul floated above, lingering unexpectedly instead of dispersing immediately.

I watched as Healer Mara used the special silver surgical blade to cut into my body, only to discover a single kidney. She cried out in shock,

"How is there only one kidney?"

Then she roared in fury,

"This is madness! You can't harvest someone's only remaining kidney! This is murder!"

Her assistant's panicked voice rang out,

"Healer Mara, the patient's heart has stopped! What's happening?"

Only then did they discover the Wolfsbane poison had already invaded my bone marrow. There was no saving me.

The assistant looked lost,

"Healer Mara, what do we do now?"

Healer Mara shook her head with regret,

"Continue with the kidney transplant. The patient is already dead. No point wasting this organ."

I left the operating room and drifted outside. Mom, Dad, and Alpha Kael were all waiting anxiously in the corridor.

Mom was extremely worried,

"Why isn't the surgery finished yet? They've been in there so long!"

Kael tried to comfort her,

"Don't worry. I hired the most professional healer in the Blood River Pack to perform the surgery. This type of operation isn't difficult. Everything will be fine."

But Mom's anxiety only grew. Her wolf was thrashing restlessly inside her, refusing to be calmed no matter how she tried to soothe it.

Dad patted her shoulder and said,

"I've had a kidney transplant before. It's really just a minor procedure. You don't need to worry so much!"

Five years ago, Dad had accidentally consumed a poisonous herb that caused kidney failure.

At the time, both Chloe and I were compatible matches. We both volunteered to donate our kidneys to Dad.

But Chloe's constitution was weaker than mine. After the family discussed it, they decided to use my kidney, and I agreed.

Everything was supposed to go smoothly, but the day before the surgery, Chloe had rogues kidnap me and hold me captive in an abandoned warehouse at the edge of our territory.

When surgery day arrived and the family couldn't find me, they panicked.

Chloe volunteered to take my place and donate her kidney to Dad.

However, the one who actually ended up on the operating table was me.

Chloe had injected me with massive doses of Wolfsbane-laced sedatives, leaving me too weak to resist. I was dragged to the surgery room in that state. After my kidney was removed, she had the rogues dump me in the Shadowlands—the cursed forest where our pack's healing abilities don't work.

Dad recovered quickly after receiving my kidney.

But everyone believed it was Chloe who had donated her kidney to him.

When I finally healed enough to stagger home weeks later, Mom slapped me across the face.

Her eyes were filled with disappointment as she looked at me,

"Elena, you're an ungrateful, heartless wolf! You promised to donate your kidney to your father, but you ran away right before the surgery. Do you know you almost killed him?"

I cried as I tried to explain,

"I didn't run away! Chloe had me kidnapped! And I'm the one who donated the kidney to Dad! Chloe stole my kidney and dumped me in the Shadowlands. I only just managed to escape back today..."

I lifted my shirt, trying to show her the surgical scar on my side.

But after weeks of recovery, my wound had healed completely. There wasn't a single trace left.

Chloe burst into pitiful tears,

"Sister, how can you slander me like this? I'm the one who donated my kidney to Dad! You were too cowardly and ran away, and now you're trying to steal credit for my sacrifice!"

She lifted her own shirt, revealing a vicious scar across her side.

Mom tenderly pulled Chloe's shirt back down, then turned to me with fury,

"Elena, you've disappointed me beyond words! Get out of this house! I don't have a daughter as cold-blooded and deceitful as you!"

That day I was thrown out of my home, I met my fated mate, Alpha Kael. It wasn't until our Marking Ceremony that Mom and Dad finally "forgave" me.

But they never loved me again. Instead, they doted on Chloe constantly. They said that because she donated her kidney to Dad, her constitution had become extremely fragile. They felt guilty and vowed to compensate her for everything.

And I owed my sister. I would spend the rest of my life making it up to her.

Except there was no rest of my life. Only this—watching as ghosts, as they finally learned the truth.