Chapter 18 Vivian struggled with all her might . Her wolf was panicking , clawing . Because she had personally witnessed Celeste's skin being cut off without moonflower anesthetic , that pain worse than death as proud as she was back then , that's how desperate she was now . Before long , she was tied down to the healer's table . Xavier sat coldly in the observation room , as if watching a surgical demonstration , with no emotion in his eyes . My wolf hated him . Once all the preparations were complete , he picked up the Mind - Link crystal beside him and calmly reminded : " No moonflower anesthetic needed . However much of Ms. Bennett's skin is burned , that's how much skin you'll graft . Fulfill this deep sire - dam bond , just keep her alive for me . " Grace's burn area was about 70 % . To cut off 70 % of her skin without moonflower anesthetic throughout the entire process , how was this any different from death by a thousand cuts ? The chief healer gasped . His wolf was disturbed . But he dared not disobey in the slightest . After all , Xavier still held a handle over him , and his future career also depended on his support , so he could only prioritize his own interests . After some thought , he made the first cut . " Ah- ! " Vivian's features instantly twisted . The pain from her body was a hundred times worse than she had expected . How did Celeste endure it ? Then came the second cut , the third cut ...... Until her two thighs were bloody and mangled , it was impossible to count how many cuts had been made . And Vivian , from begging for mercy at first , then to hysterical insults , finally shouting until her voice was hoarse and her whole body lost strength , only then did she truly start to regret it in her heart . But this regret came too late . From a young age , her family was poor . She finally managed to leave the countryside through hard work and came to the city to attend university , but in the end , she was dazzled by the glamour and wealth here . Thinking she could use a shortcut to gain wealth for life , little did she know she was played until there was nothing left . Xavier watched with bloodshot eyes from the observation room . My wolf hissed . But it wasn't out of pity for Vivian , rather , her pain made him think of Celeste . How much pain must she have been in back then ? But that pain was caused by him personally . When he first learned the truth , just hearing the description was hard for him to accept ; now witnessing it firsthand , his heart felt fiercely clutched , suffocated , and aching . 6.2 % Chapter 18 He didn't dare to continue thinking further . He stood up abruptly , lacking the courage to keep watching , and turned to leave the observation room . After the surgery , Vivian was basically crippled . Mera Her entire body was wrapped in gauze , lying on the healer's bed with only a faint breath , and a line of tears silently streamed down her pale face . But her nightmare wasn't over yet . To help Celeste clear her name , Xavier handed over the evidence of Vivian leaking pack secrets to the Alpha Council ; she would have to face wolf law sanctions after waking up . After leaving the healer's den , Xavier also ran into trouble . Rumors were circulating on the howlnet that he had poor conduct , condoning his lover stealing business secrets from pack allies , and being heartless and ungrateful , pushing his mate , with whom he started from scratch , out to take the fall . In an instant , the entire howlnet exploded . Ordinary wolves cursed him for being heartless , pack allies lost trust in him , rival packs seized the opportunity to kick him when he was down , and bought more negative dirt , adding fuel to the fire . As a result , Sinclair Pack's standing plummeted . The PR department tried everything to suppress the trending howls , but it seemed someone was working against them behind the scenes , continuously manipulating public opinion , and the heat only increased . Finally , someone urgently called a Clan Elder meeting . Xavier , who was on his way to the border to Austin , was also called back to the pack lands by a mind - linked message . At the Clan meeting , Elders condemned him one after another . He sat in the high position with a dark face , his already vexed mood becoming even more irritable , " Sinclair Pack is the territory I built with my own claws . How can it collapse so easily ? You all kept quiet when you were enjoying the benefits , but now you're so anxious at the slightest sign of trouble ? " He didn't take this matter seriously at all . Since the pack was founded , what major storms hadn't he encountered ? In the end , didn't he just become stronger with each setback ? His mind was full of Celeste now ; if it weren't for these people obstructing him , she might already be in Austin . Thinking of this , Xavier stood up . Said in an Alpha tone : " I'll give everyone an explanation for this whole mess , but I have to leave now as I have other matters . Feel free to stay and continue discussing if you wish . " Such arrogance greatly displeased the Elders . However , they were angry but dared not speak . After all , Xavier was the largest shareholder , and they had no choice but to obey . Just then , a voice came from outside the door : " Wait , the Clan meeting cannot end yet . " < Chapter 19