Chapter 2 The Lethal Silver

• POV: Chloe
• The temperature in the office plummeted.
• A tiny crease formed between Damian's sharp brows. He clearly hadn't expected me—the she-wolf who usually bent to his every whim—to initiate a break.
• After a long pause, he pinched the bridge of his nose, a flash of irritation in his eyes.
• "Is this because I signed the transfer order keeping Vivian at the Central Healing Center?"
• He walked toward his desk, his massive frame radiating an oppressive aura. "She just got back from the European Pureblood Council. She has no roots here. As her former packmate, it's my duty to offer her protection."
• He looked at me, his tone leaving no room for argument. "So, drop the attitude. Threatening to break our bond won't make me revoke the order. Understood?"
• His cold, arrogant words hit me like a bucket of ice water.
• In my past life, Damian canceled all his pack leader duties and stayed by my side just to give my broken heart some peace. I had stubbornly believed he and Vivian only reconnected three years later by chance.
• Turns out, the lie was perfectly spun from day one. Vivian was at the Central Healing Center all along. They were never apart.
• Maybe my pale face tipped him off. Damian's tone softened just a fraction, offering a patronizing comfort.
• "Enough. I'll take you on a patrol of the inner territory this weekend. Stop throwing tantrums. I have pack business to handle. Go back to the cabin."
• My throat tightened. My voice was dry, but crystal clear. "There's no need. I'm not forcing you to kick anyone out, Damian. I meant what I said. We are completely over."
• Dropping those words, I ignored his suddenly darkening gaze, pulled the door open, and walked out.
• As soon as I stepped out of the Pack House, my comms device buzzed.
• "Chloe, are you really giving up the liaison position at the Neutral City Council? It's a massive stepping stone for studying advanced healing herbs. There are only two spots in the entire pack..." my mentor's voice came through, heavy with frustration.
• In my past life, I tore up that application just to stay by Damian's side. Three days later, the accident destroyed my body and my future forever.
• This life belonged to me.
• "I'll take the position, mentor. Fast-track the paperwork. I can board a flight in three days."
• He breathed a sigh of relief, gave me a few instructions, and hung up.
• As I was putting my phone away, the pack's internal network chimed. Without my knowledge, I had been pulled into a newly created group chat for high-ranking officers.
• Vivian's avatar flashed on the screen:
• *[Everyone relax on patrol. I've already explained the situation to the Alpha. Today's high-alert punishment is canceled, and I'll personally use my family's funds to reimburse your docked resource quotas!]*
• Instantly, the chat exploded with cheers from the warriors.
• *[Thank the Goddess for Doctor Vivian! You're a blessing to the pack!]*
• *[The only person in the world who can make our ruthless Alpha walk back an order is Lady Vivian!]*
• *[Why call her Doctor? That's our true Luna! Respect to the future Luna!]*
• Damian didn't correct them. He simply wired a massive amount of pack resources into the public ledger with a cold, single note: *[Quota reimbursed.]*
• My chest felt like it was crushed under a boulder.
• Damian was infamous for his iron-fisted rule. In his five years as Alpha, no one had ever convinced him to retract a punishment out of personal sentiment. Even the Pack Elders were mercilessly shut down.
• But with one casual sentence from Vivian, his ironclad rules crumbled.
• The cold-blooded pureblood Alpha wasn't without a weakness. It just wasn't me.
• My nails dug into my palms as I walked numbly down the sidewalk.
• Suddenly, the air above me ripped apart, followed by the screams of the aerial patrol workers.
• "Scatter! The containment hook snapped! Move—!"
• I looked up.
• A massive steel beam, dripping with anti-wolf silver coating, plummeted straight down from dozens of stories up.
• *BOOM!*
• Even though my dormant *inner wolf* screamed a warning, my human reflexes couldn't fully escape the devastating impact.
• The shockwave threw me sideways. Shrapnel tore deep into my shoulder and back. The suffocating, acidic burn of silver poison instantly spread through my veins like liquid fire.
• Warm crimson soaked through my clothes, blurring my vision.
• Nearby guards rushed me to the Pack Hospital's emergency wing.
• Seeing me covered in blood and pale as a ghost, Damian, who had just stepped off the elevator, lost his color. He dropped his files and sprinted to my side, a rare flash of panic in his eyes.
• "Chloe! What happened? Hold on, push your wolf to heal..."
• The agony robbed me of my voice, but seeing his panicked face brought a bitter, mocking ache to my chest.
• *So, seeing me dying still makes whatever is left of our mate bond twitch?*
• But before his hands could even touch my wounds, a dismissive scoff echoed in the quiet lobby.
• "Damian, you're the Alpha of a territory. Can't you see through such a pathetic pity play?"