Chapter 61
My days fell into a pattern–arrive early, administer treatment, spend time with Fenris and isolde, then leave before Tristan could return from whatever Alpha business occupied him. The routine worked; I hadn’t seen him since our confrontation in my toom.
Today marked the final day of my promised week. Tomorrow, Uncle Fenris would need the cure to heal his wolf. Given that Dr. Rylan was going to check on Uncle Fenris, we all went to the hospital.
Dr. Rylan stood by the bed, reviewing charts with focused attention. Fenris sat upright–a marked improvement from the weak man I’d first encountered. Isolde hovered nearby, her silver hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights.
“His recovery exceeds all expectations,” Rylan announced, looking up as I entered.
Isolde’s face brightened. “All thanks to Lysandra.” She reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. “She’s been our saving grace this week–coming every day, administering the temporary treatment, ensuring proper nutrition.” Her voice softened. “It’s like having a daughter again.”
Something in her words touched a raw nerve. I smiled but lowered my gaze, unable to tell her that I’d already found my real family–that while I cared for her and Fenris, they weren’t truly mine.
“The temporary treatment has sustained him,” Rylan continued, “but for full recovery, we need the actual Lunaris Essence.”
All eyes turned to me.
“Will you be able to provide it?” Rylan asked, his professional tone tinged with genuine concern.
I nodded confidently. “Yes. I’ll bring the Lunaris Essence tomorrow morning.”
Relief washed over Fenris’s weathered face. “Thank you, child. Your kindness won’t be forgotten.”
As I turned to leave, movement at the end of the corridor caught my eye. Tristan stood watching, his broad shoulders filling the doorframe, expression unreadable from this distance. Our gazes connected for a fleeting moment before I deliberately looked away, unwilling to give him even that
small acknowledgment.
Still, I felt his eyes following me as I walked out, the weight of his stare heavy between my shoulder blades. Questions lingered in that look–how could I possibly acquire the rare treatment? What connections did I have? Why would I help his father after everything?
Let him wonder. I owed him no explanations.
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Back of the Black Stone Hotel, 1 paced my room, phone pressed to my ear.
Lyer Alle’s deep voice filled the line, concern evident even in that single syllable.
Ric, I need the Linaris Essence. I said, skipping any greeting. Fenris’s condition is improving with the temporary treatment, but Dr. Rylan confirmed he needs the real thing for full recovery.
A pause, then the rustle of movement on his end. “Where are you exactly? His voice carried that unmistakable edge of Alpha authority, the tone he used when issuing commands to his pack.
“Silver” I paused, confused by the odd question. “I’m in Silverblood territory, where else?”
“That’s not what I meant. The sharpness in his voice made me straighten. “Your exact location, Lyss. Hotel name.”
I frowned, moving to the window to peer out at the darkening sky. “The Black Stone Hotel, room 512. Why are you asking? What’s going on?”
The line went dead before I could respond.
I stared at my phone in disbelief. Alaric was coming personally? That wasn’t the plan. I’d expected him to send a messenger with the treatment, not to enter Tristan’s territory himself.
My stomach knotted as I rushed from my room. This was exactly the kind of confrontation I’d been
avoiding all week. Two Alphas with bad blood between them, meeting on one’s territory–it was a recipe for disaster.
The elevator seemed to crawl downward as my mind raced through scenarios, each worse than the
last. I remembered the vial of Lunaris Essence stored securely in Moonshade, obtained months ago
when Alaric had formed an alliance with the Northern Pack.
Their Alpha had offered a gift of Alaric’s choosing. When my brother had consulted me, knowing my
medical training under Dr. Eldreth, I’d requested the rare treatment without hesitation. Even then,
some part of me had known it might be needed one day.
I’d studied its composition thoroughly since then, fascinated by its properties, but never had reason
to use it. Until now.
The elevator doors finally opened, and I hurried across the lobby to the massive glass entrance doors, my heels clicking against the marble floor. Outside, I scanned the street anxiously.
An hour crawled by as I waited, chewing my thumbnail raw, My anxiety spiraled with each passing
minute. What if Alaric ran into Tristan? What if pack tensions escalated?
The sleek, midnight–blue car that pulled up outside was unmistakable–Moonshade’s signature vehicle. Security personnel emerged first, scanning the surroundings with practiced efficiency before
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Chapter 61
one opened the rear door.
Alaric stepped out, his commanding presence turning heads throughout the lobby.
When he spotted me, his stern expression softened instantly. I crossed the lobby in quick strides, throwing myself into his embrace.
“Ric, I’ve missed you,” I whispered against his chest, inhaling his familiar scent.
He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “We’ve all missed you, Lyss. Orion was asking for you again yesterday.”
I pulled back, studying his face–the same green eyes as mine, the strong jawline that marked Ravencroft lineage. “Enough pampering,” I said with a small smile. “Tell me why you came yourself. I told you to send someone.”
“Did that bastard hurt you?” Alaric’s voice cut through the hotel lobby’s ambient noise, his green eyes–identical to mine–scanning my face for any sign of distress. “Did Tristan do anything to you?”
I shook my head, squeezing his arm reassuringly. “I’m fine, Ric. Really.”
My brother’s jaw remained tight, unconvinced. His protective energy radiated in waves, making several nearby werewolves shift uncomfortably. Even in another Alpha’s territory, Alaric’s power was unmistakable.
“I was going to send someone else,” he admitted, voice dropping. “But something told me I needed to
come get you myself. I don’t trust you being in that tyrant’s territory.”
His concern caught me off guard. I’d expected anger about my extended stay, not this raw worry
etched into his features. Words failed me as I realized how much my decision to remain in
Silverblood territory had affected him.
“Where’s the Lunaris Essence?” I asked, glancing around the expansive lobby.
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