Jolie pov

The first healing session with Elena is brutal.

Not because she resists—conditioned wolves don't have enough emotional capacity for resistance—but because watching Mara witness her sister's complete emptiness is heartbreaking.

"Tell me about your childhood." I start gently, my moonfire connecting with Elena's damaged neural pathways. "What do you remember about growing up?"

Elena's response is mechanical. "I have memories of a residence, two parental figures, and a sibling. They ...