3

Chapter 3

Soon, Kieran and Luna came to visit me in the treatment room.

Luna walked ahead, her platinum gown shimmering like ice in the moonlight.

Kieran stood at her side, his protective posture obviously, almost painfully obvious.

"Raven, are you alright?" Kieran's voice sounded flat.

"Still alive." I responded just as calmly.

But Luna said: "I'm truly grateful to you, Raven. You protected Kieran and me. You're really amazing."

Protected?

I couldn't help wanting to laugh. That day, it was clearly Kieran who pushed me out as a shield.

My hand uncontrollably moved to the claw mark necklace at my chest. This claw mark was from an attack years ago when Kieran blocked a strike to protect me.

Back then, he held me firmly, while he himself was covered in blood. At that time, enduring the pain, he pulled the claw tip from his shoulder and placed it in my palm.

He said: "This is the life I blocked for you. Keep it. You'll always be mine."

Later, I had that claw tip forged into a necklace, wearing it around my neck always. When I felt nervous, I would unconsciously touch it. It made me feel secure.

However, Luna quickly caught this gesture.

Her smile paused slightly. She raised her hand, her fingertip pointing at the necklace on my chest: "Is this a memento? Kieran, you always make me suspect you two have some unknown past. You know, this makes me feel very insecure."

Her tone carried obvious hostility.

Kieran glanced at me, then suddenly called out: "Dante."

Dante almost instantly pushed through the door.

I tensed my entire body, even instinctively shrinking back half an inch, feeling my blood run cold.

Was he going to kill me?

Luna looked shocked at first, then couldn't hide a hint of... anticipation.

But when Kieran walked toward Dante, he unbuttoned his shirt instead.

Exposing his shoulder, I saw that deep scar.

It was left when he blocked that attack for me, the deepest mark between us. Every time we joined, I would kiss that scar.

Kieran pointed at the scar, his tone cold and firm: "Right here. Tattoo Luna's name over it."

My mind exploded with a roar.

He was going to... cover the mark that belonged to us with another she-wolf's name?

My throat tightened, unable to utter a single word.

Luna covered her mouth, her eyes reddening from "emotion."

Dante began preparing the tattoo needle. The electric hum of the tattoo gun echoed in the room, each sound like a stab to my chest.

I watched the needle pierce Kieran's skin, piercing the scar that once existed because of me.

Luna gently held his hand, as if comforting him.

And I could only grip the bedside tightly, my fingertips turning white.

Until the tattooing stopped, the scar had been completely covered by the tattoo. Without looking closely, you couldn't see it at all.

He erased everything, erased everything that once belonged to us.

"Kieran, I'm truly so moved." Luna covered her mouth.

"For you, everything is worth it." Kieran looked at her tenderly.

Then he suddenly raised his eyes, looking at me: "Raven."

My voice was so soft it was barely audible: "What is it?"

Kieran straightened his clothes and ordered me: "Starting tomorrow, you'll design a silver dagger for Luna. The specifications should match the one I currently use. Precision, weight, balance—all identical. But the appearance should be more beautiful, suitable for a female."

Luna smiled softly, looking at me: "Thank you, Raven. I'm really happy to have my own unique weapon."

I bit my lip hard. Over ten years, I'd designed dozens of weapons for him. Each one embodied my understanding of his strength, rhythm, fighting style.

That was the tacit understanding between us, our most dangerous intimacy. And now, he wanted me to offer that intimacy to another she-wolf.

He stared at me, ordering: "Complete it independently. I don't want anyone else touching this."

I raised my head, my eyes no longer fearful, only desolate: "I won't help you design it."

The air in the room froze in that instant.

Kieran froze: "Say that again?"

My voice was so calm it felt foreign even to me: "I said, I won't help you make some damn love token!"

I stood up from the hospital bed, the pain almost making me unable to stand, but I forced myself to raise my head and look directly at him: "Want something unique? Go find someone else yourselves."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I turned and left without looking back.