oe

was a merciless dru

y. The panic was a cold knot in my stomach, but th

and clear. "Full vital scan. Analyze curse co

olled across my

position - Nine-Turn Curse variant, engineered for targeted suppression of Alpha core energy circuits. Vi

d my

In this territory, only one

e Crescent Moon Domi

ex creations, a blend of ancient acupuncture and energy manipulation theory.

any needles,"

least, all the life I had jus

ed, without a sh

ofound, bone-deep weakness washed over me, so intense it almost made me black out. I sway

d with a faint shimmer. Inside, a set of nine, exqui

, 05:

f their own, a blur of muscle memory I didn't know I had. I selected the first needle. My

second, and the third. My hands flew, a dance of deadly grace, sinking each silver needle int

plex array, a miniature circuit board of

edle. I channeled the entirety of my remaining 1% life force i

invisible lines of energy. The chaotic, destructive power raging within him was drawn into the arr

ceding back under the surface. His breathing, once sha

d I sagged, every ounce of strength go

t-lived. The assassin's

y min

ce. I had drained his energy and left him for dead before saving him. He wouldn't wake up gra

to b

t closed and buttoned it neatly, making him decent. I had to hide the evidenc

ch one left his skin, it crumbled into a fine, grey dust t

my footprints, wiped my hands on the damp le

complicated knot of emotions tightened in my chest. I had saved his life,

exhausted, broken body, I stumbled in

ion

ing up sharply. The curse in my veins had quieted-more peaceful th

. The scent of a weak, wolfless female.

but my shirt... my shirt was buttoned. Neatly. As

ion Romero, Alpha King of the Crescent Moon Dominion, had been played, us

rom my very consciousness, a command that pie

ow! Find that woman! I

t voice echoed in my mind: "We're on

pack magic... ancient, deeply tied to this territory. The Stonefang Pack. "She might be connected to the