The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 269

Liora’s POV

I had to think quickly. Wolfsbane was dangerous for wolves—when ingested or infected via bodily fluids, it could easily turn even the most docile of wolves into hungry predators with no sense of right or wrong. It completely pacified the human side, allowing the primal wolf side to completely take over.

Eventually, with most cases, the effects would wear off. The victim would likely wake up in the morning with a bad hangover and no memory of what they did while under the influence.

But for wolfless, it was different.

The wolf side absorbed the negative effects of the wolfsbane, as it did with most other things. Injuries, poison, illness—the wolf served as a barrier, lending the body the strength necessary to heal and recover at an enhanced rate.

With no wolf to absorb the impact of the wolfsbane, a wolfless individual could die very quickly.

It was fatal to people like us. If a single one of those wolves bit us, we could die.

The wolves stalked closer, making the wolfless press against the wall, whimpering and frightened. One girl cried out and tried to make a run for it, but Amy grabbed her and pulled her back.

“No!” she whispered. “If you run, they’ll think you’re prey! Hold your ground!”

“B-But…”

“Do you want to die?” Amy barked. The girl whined and shrank into the corner.

I turned to Amy. “Can you keep the wolves distracted for a minute?”

“Why? What are you gonna do?”

“Wolfsbane reacts to clean water. I’m gonna turn on the sprinkler system. It should snap the wolves out of it.”

Amy hesitated, but then nodded and picked up a nearby broom, brandishing it like a weapon.

“Now, listen here, wolves,” she said, waving the broom handle around, “you’d better behave, otherwise you’re gonna get a good dose of—”

The first wolf lunged. I heard the sickening crack of wood as it clamped its jaws down on the broom handle and snapped it in one motion.

Chaos erupted. More wolves attacked. Wolfless screamed. Amy, still holding the broken end of the broom, turned to me. “Go! Hurry!”

“A lighter?” She patted her pockets, then fished something out and threw it. I caught it with one hand: a small, pink lighter. I hoped it would work.

I scrambled back out into the hallway just as Jessica’s wolf spotted me again. I could hear its low snarls of hunger and rage as it stalked toward me.

I didn’t slow down. There was a ladder leaning against the wall all the way down the corridor. I ran as fast as I could, then set it up right underneath one of the sprinklers.

The wolf was only a few yards away by now. It was stalking me slowly, like an animal toying with its dinner. I clenched my jaw and climbed the ladder, then struck the spark wheel for the lighter. It took a few times to light, but finally, the flame held.

I held the flame over my head, right beneath the sprinkler so the flame was touching the metal. All the while, the wolf stalked closer and closer. I grit my teeth and fished into my pocket for something, anything. Finally, I grabbed my wallet and chucked it.

“Go fetch!” I said.

The wallet merely smacked the wolf directly between the eyes. The wolf paused, shaking its head for a moment before turning its gaze on me once more with a snarl. It was even angrier now, and suddenly, it began to run.

My stomach dropped as I saw the wolf racing toward me. In just a moment, it would barrel into the ladder, knocking me down. But I held fast, even when the spark wheel began to turn hot and burn my finger.