Chapter 53: Gentle poison
If she could have let she would have.
They were so absorbed in their own world that neither of them noticed Yuki and Olivine standing quietly near the entrance.
Eloise sat pressed tightly against Killian’s side, her fingers twisted into the fabric of his shirt as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Every few seconds another tear slipped down her cheek. The fear on her face looked genuine.
"I do not want to do it," she admitted softly, her voice trembling. "Everyone keeps saying it is normal, but what if it hurts too much?"
Killian lowered his gaze to her and gently brushed the tears gathering beneath her eyes with his thumb.
"It will hurt," he answered honestly, his tone low and soothing. "The first shift is never pleasant. But you can endure it. This is something every werewolf has to face on their own."
His reassurance did little to calm her. Eloise’s eyes immediately filled with fresh tears. "What if I cannot bear it?" she whispered. "I am scared."
Kaden released a heavy sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "It will be fine," he said. "If anything feels wrong, mind link one of us immediately. Once your wolf awakens, we will be able to sense you more clearly."
His voice carried certainty, but Eloise still looked unconvinced. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly.
Kieran smiled softly at her and lifted her hand, pressing a gentle kiss against her knuckles.
"Of course I am sure," he murmured. "I even prepared special potions to help reduce the pain. They should be here any moment."
Yuki’s eyes slowly lowered to the glowing bottle still clutched tightly in her hand..A faint, bitter smile touched her lips. Of course, Eloise was the important person.
The person worth losing sleep over. The person worth creating rare potions for. The one capable of making all three heirs drop everything and gather around her at a moment’s notice.
The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth that shouldn’t be there.
Eloise seemed slightly calmer after hearing Kieran’s words. She reached up to wipe her tears, but Kieran was already unfolding a clean handkerchief. Carefully, he dabbed away the remaining moisture from her face.
A small, grateful smile appeared on her lips."I hope tonight ends quickly," she whispered. "Then we can finally be together officially."
"Sure, Eloise," Kaden replied.
The smile on her face brightened immediately. She leaned closer toward him.
Yuki looked away as Eloise leaned closer. Something twisted painfully inside her chest. Her grip loosened for the briefest second.
Eloise’s lips had barely brushed Kaden’s when a loud crash shattered the atmosphere..Glass exploded across the marble floor.
The sound echoed sharply through the elegant lounge. Every head turned immediately and Yuki froze.
Her breathing stopped. Slowly, she looked down. Purple liquid spread across the polished marble beneath her feet, glowing softly against the floor. Shards of crystal glass glittered everywhere like broken stars.
Her hand remained suspended in the air, empty. For several long seconds, nobody spoke. The silence felt suffocating.
Kieran stood abruptly from his seat. His face was pale "Yuki."
Her body jerked violently at the sound of her name. The warmth that had filled his voice moments ago was completely gone.
"I am sorry," she blurted out immediately, her voice shaking. "I did not mean to drop it."
She stared at her trembling fingers in confusion. Even now she did not understand how it had happened.
Kieran’s gaze moved from her pale face to the shattered remains of the bottle on the floor. The potion had taken days to complete.
There were rare ingredients, hours of careful research, and countless failed attempts. Everything was now spilt across the marble.
Anger surged through him. Yet when he looked at Yuki, standing there pale, visibly trembling, and clearly horrified, some of that anger faltered. His jaw tightened.
"What did you do?" The sharpness in his voice made her flinch.
"Do you have any idea how important that was?"
Yuki swallowed hard but could not find the words.
"If you cannot handle something fragile with care, how do you intend to become a medical professional?" Kieran continued, his tone cold. "Caution is one of the first things a healer learns."
Each word struck harder than the last. Yuki lowered her head. She had no defence..The bottle had slipped from her own hand.
Nobody had pushed her or interfered. It was entirely her fault. Killian released a quiet breath. "That was very valuable, Yuki."
His quiet disappointment somehow hurt more than Kieran’s anger. Her hands curled into tight fists at her sides. She knew exactly how expensive high-grade magical potions were.
The amount was probably more money than she could ever afford. Eloise’s gaze remained fixed on the broken glass. Her expression darkened. "Was that mine?" she asked
Kieran immediately looked at her. "It was intended for you, but there is still another bottle."
Instead of calming her, his answer only seemed to worsen her mood. Eloise slowly stood. "She destroyed something important, Kieran."
Her eyes settled on Yuki. "If she cannot pay for it, then she should take responsibility." The room fell into heavy silence. Nobody disagreed.
Everyone knew how valuable the potion was.
"Pack law is very clear," Eloise continued, her voice soft but cutting. "Destroying something that belongs to the Alpha’s family and holds that much value deserves lashes."
Yuki’s stomach dropped. Kieran closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. When he spoke, his voice was completely emotionless.
"Take her away," he instructed. Yuki looked up in shock. "Twenty lashes. Let this end there," he added. The words landed heavily.
"Do not allow the guests to hear about it." Two guards stepped forward immediately. One stopped on either side of her.
"Please come with us quietly," one of them said. "Do not make this harder than it needs to be." Yuki bit down hard on her lip. Part of her wanted to argue and beg but she knew there was no point. The bottle had fallen from her own hand
Olivine looked horrified. Still, even she remained silent. Everyone’s eyes said the same thing, don’t make this worse. "Please," Yuki whispered, her voice cracking. "Can you reconsider? My first shift is tonight too. The injuries would make it worse.."
"That is enough." Killian’s voice cut through the room. "Considering the value of that potion, the proper punishment would be one hundred lashes."
Yuki’s face was drained of colour. "Twenty lashes is already mercy. If this matter becomes public, you could face the full punishment and spend your first shift inside a silver cage."
The last bit of resistance disappeared from her face. Her shoulders slumped. "I understand." The words felt bitter. "I will accept the punishment," she said then turned toward the door.
"Wait."
Her body froze instantly. A fresh wave of dread settled over her. Slowly, she turned around. Eloise was standing now, and her posture remained elegant. The smile on her face was calm enough to make Yuki uneasy.
"That potion was expensive." Eloise glanced toward the glowing liquid still pooled among the shards of glass. "It would be wasteful to leave it there." she chimed
Yuki’s stomach sank. "Since you are having your first shift tonight as well, and since you broke it, it is only fair that you drink it." she gracefully said and no one said a thing.
The meaning behind her words was painfully obvious. Yuki stared at the purple liquid pooled among the broken glass.
"What are you waiting for?" Eloise asked.
Nobody grabbed her or forced her down, there was simply no alternative. Slowly, Yuki lowered herself onto her knees. The marble felt ice-cold beneath her skin.
Humiliation burned through her chest like fire. She bent forward. Sharp fragments sliced into her palm immediately and pain shot through her hand. She ignored it.
The liquid tasted bitter and strange as it slid down her throat. She swallowed, every second felt endless.
The room remained deathly silent. Nobody stopped her. They watched until the last drop was gone. Yuki pushed herself upright, blood trickled from her injured palm.
She wanted nothing more than to leave. Eloise stepped forward before she could move. A hand settled lightly on her shoulder. "You are not done yet." she chirped
Yuki stared at her, confusion mixed with dread. Loise’s smile widened slightly "There is still some left. The potion is still usable. It would be a shame to waste Kieran’s hard work."
Her gaze shifted toward the faint purple stains still visible across the marble. The meaning hit Yuki instantly.
For several long seconds, she could not move. The helplessness lodged itself deep in her throat. Slowly, she looked toward the triplets.
Killian stood watching silently.
Kieran’s expression remained unreadable.
Kaden had not moved from his position.
Not one of them intervened.
A painful lump formed in her throat.
She hated this place.
She hated this pack.
Most of all, she hated the way her chest still hurt when she looked at them, even after everything they had shown her.
