Alpha’s Regret After Putting Me In Jail novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Silver Wounds and Pack Politics

Chapter 77: Silver Wounds and Pack Politics

(Celeste’s POV)

I woke to the now–familiar burn of silver poison coursing through my veins. It crawled beneath my skin like liquid fire, relentless and consuming. Every pulse of pain threatened to extinguish my resolve, but I forced my face to remain calm.

Victoria’s sacred dagger hadn’t just left its mark on my face. It had carved her betrayal into my very soul.

The scar stretched angrily from my temple to the corner of my jaw. Its raw, jagged edge throbbed with a pain far deeper than its physical sting–a reminder that the woman who once called me daughter had raised a blade against me.

My wolf remained eerily silent, retreating somewhere deep within. She didn’t even growl. Just soft, invisible keening as she licked wounds both physical and emotional.

Beside me, Nina moved swiftly and carefully, as though one small mistake might shatter what remained of my composure. Her silver–gray wolf exuded protective energy, its concern wrapping around me like a shield.

With steady hands, Nina applied another layer of moon–blessed healing salve to my cheek. The cool touch of the ointment contrasted sharply against the burning pain beneath my skin.

“The swelling’s gone down,” she murmured, her tone almost too hopeful, as if willing the truth into existence. “The cut is healing faster than expected. That salve is working wonders.”

I let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Working wonders, is it?” I echoed, the bitterness in my voice unmistakable. “Fitting. I’ll carry another scar for the Winter family’s legacy.”

Nina paused, her hand stilling mid–motion. The hurt in her eyes was painfully apparent.

“Don’t say that,” she said quietly. Her voice wavered. “You’ve endured too much already. You don’t deserve-”

“I deserve every scar,” I interrupted sharply. My tone cut through her words like a knife. “They serve as reminders–of mistakes, of misplaced trust.”

Her shoulders tensed at my words, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she reached for the wooden bowl next to the bedside table, its contents a concoction strong enough to neutralize silver poison.

Chapter 77: Silver Wounds and P…

“You need to take this,” she said, her voice firmer now. She held the bowl out to me, her

silver–gray wolf whimpering quietly at the hesitation in my gaze.

The smell alone was enough to churn my stomach. My wolf flinched internally, recoiling from

the thought of ingesting something so vile.

“Nina, I’ve taken worse,” I began, a weak attempt to brush her off. But her glare told me she

wasn’t playing games.

“Drink it, Celeste.” Her words left no room for debate.

I took the bowl reluctantly, raising it to my lips. The bitter liquid coated my throat like sludge,

its foul taste clinging to me long after I forced the last drop down.

“Happy now?” I asked, my voice hoarse from the effort of swallowing.

“It’s not about happiness,” she said matter–of–factly, placing the bowl aside. Her silver–gray

wolf whined softly. “It’s about keeping you alive.”

I huffed a quiet breath, leaning back against the pillows as the concoction began its work. The

fire within me softened slightly, but it was nowhere near extinguished.

Nina’s movements quickened as she cleaned up the remaining tools and dried cloths

scattered around. But her body language betrayed her unease.

She was holding something back.

“What is it, Nina?” I asked abruptly, my tone sharper than intended.

She froze for a moment, her hands tightening on a jar of salve. “What do you mean?”

“You have that look,” I said flatly. “That ‘I know something, but I’m afraid to tell you‘ look.”

Her wolf gave a guilty whimper, and she sighed deeply, lowering the jar in her hands.

“They punished Lucas and Scarlett last night,” she admitted carefully, her words slow and

deliberate.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips, humorless and sharp. “Punished,” I repeated, as though the very concept was foreign. “What does punishment even mean to this pack?”

Her wolf bristled slightly, uneasy at my tone. Still, she continued. “They were taken to the Sacred Moon Temple. Chained with silver.”

My eyebrow lifted, the faintest trace of amusement creeping into my voice. “Silver chains?” I echoed mockingly. “For how long?”

+8 Points

Chapter 77: Silver Wounds and P…

Her hesitation answered before she did.

“Scarlett didn’t make it through the night,” she said finally. Her voice was tighter now, frustration leaking into her words. “She… collapsed before dawn. They released her early.”

The irony of it was almost too painful to bear. Another laugh bubbled in my throat–low and

bitter.

“One night,” I muttered, more to myself than her. “One night, and she collapses. How

predictable.”

Nina’s wolf bristled again, its energy sharp and protective now. “Lucas is still there,” she added

hastily. “Alpha James ordered him to endure three full days.”

“Three days,” I said dryly, the words tasting like ash on my tongue. “Seems generous, considering he hired mercenaries to kidnap me.”

A low growl escaped Nina’s throat, her wolf’s anger barely contained. “It’s not enough,” she

snapped. Her hands trembled slightly as she replaced the salve jar on the table. “After

everything he’s done, three days is nothing.”

Her rage simmered just below the surface, raw and unfiltered. I softened my gaze slightly,

reaching out to rest a hand on her trembling arm.

“Nina,” I said quietly, my voice gentler now. “I know how you feel. But we can’t afford to act recklessly.”

Her silver–gray wolf whimpered softly under my touch, its fierce loyalty dimmed momentarily by my calmness.

“I’m tired of seeing them get away with everything,” she muttered. Her voice was thick with

frustration. “They’ve torn this pack apart. They’ve hurt you more than anyone.”

I nodded slowly, letting her words sink in. “They have,” I agreed. “But retaliation won’t solve

this.”

She looked at me, her expression caught between confusion and resignation.

“We need strategy,” I continued firmly. My violet eyes locked onto hers, unyielding. “The kind

that exposes the truth without us becoming monsters in the process.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she nodded reluctantly. The tension in her shoulders

eased slightly, though her wolf’s bristling energy didn’t fully subside.

As she busied herself with tending to my bandages, I leaned back, letting my eyes drift toward the window. The storm outside mirrored the storm within, each rumble of thunder vibrating in

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Chapter 77: Silver Wounds and P….

8 Point!

time with the silver burns on my skin.