I sprinted the entire way down the cobblestone path, my unlaced boots slapping loudly against the stone as my breath came in short, ecstatic gasps. The cool evening air burned in my lungs, but I barely felt it. The sheer velocity of the realization thrumming through my veins made every nerve ending sizzle with excitement.
Blood. It was so glaringly obvious. We had spent weeks scouring ancient texts for plant lipids, moon-water derivatives, and rare botanical binders, trying to trick a Lycan’s hyper-reactive cellular system into accepting a foreign liquid spell. But the body didn't want plant matter—it wanted life. It wanted a recognized biological blueprint.
I practically threw myself through the heavy timber doors of the clinic basement entrance, pushing past the threshold with my chest
