Chapter 180

Chapter 180
Freya's POV

I stood in the hallway, gently rubbing my right wrist where a dull ache had persisted for an entire day. After giving Theo the silver rattle yesterday morning, I'd hoped it would be the first step in building our connection, but what followed disrupted all my plans.

Morning sunlight streamed through the hallway windows, casting golden bands across the floor. I had intended to go to the kitchen to prepare a bottle of warm milk for Theo, but when I rounded the corner, my wrist suddenly flared with sharp pain, as if sliced by something razor-edged. At the time, I thought I'd simply caught it on a wall decoration and didn't give it much thought. Hours later, though, the pain had spread, my entire wrist swollen and red, making even basic gripping motions difficult.

After examining it, Noah told me I had severely strained ligaments that would need at least three weeks to heal. "During that time, you can't lift anything heavy," his words had hit me like a hammer, "including Theo."

I had tossed and turned all night, with Ember growling uneasily inside me. We both sensed something was wrong. An ordinary bump shouldn't cause this level of injury, especially since my werewolf physiology should quickly heal minor wounds.

This morning, I decided to return to the spot where I'd been injured. The morning light flowed like water through Silver Moon Manor, and I was alone in the hallway. I carefully examined the wall and decorations at the corner, but found nothing. Just as I was about to give up, a flash of reflection from a trash can at the end of the corridor caught my attention.

I walked slowly toward it, crouching to investigate. In the trash can lay the silver rattle I had crafted with my own hands and given to Theo just yesterday, the engraving "Theo & Freya" clearly visible in the morning light.

"How did this end up here?" I whispered to myself, uneasiness rising within me.

As I reached to pick up the rattle, I noticed another small object beside it—a special silver needle typically used for the most intricate silver crafting work. The needle's tip was strangely bent, with an almost colorless viscous substance clinging to it.

I carefully brought the needle close to my nose and sniffed lightly. An unfamiliar, acrid scent entered my nostrils, something I couldn't quite identify but that seemed oddly medicinal. Troubled by my discovery, I immediately took both items to Noah's office in the east wing.

"I found this where I was injured yesterday," I explained, showing him the bent needle.

Noah examined it carefully under a magnifying glass, then scraped a tiny sample of the substance onto a glass slide. After a few quick tests, his expression darkened.

"This contains blue root and moongrass extract," he said grimly. "An ancient mixture called 'Silver Moon's Thorn.' Werewolf hunters used to apply it to weapons—it temporarily weakens a werewolf's healing abilities and strength." He looked up at me. "This is why your wrist isn't healing properly. Someone deliberately placed this where you would encounter it."

My heart raced at his confirmation. This was no accident—someone had deliberately placed this needle at the hallway corner to injure my wrist, preventing me from holding Theo.

The discarded rattle further confirmed my suspicion.

"Lyra," the name surfaced in my mind with certainty and a touch of sadness. Only she had the motive to do this, only she would feel threatened by my connection with Theo.

I took a deep breath, carefully pocketing both the rattle and the needle, feeling a chill spread from my spine throughout my body. This wasn't just an injury to me; it was a direct challenge to an Alpha's mate—an extremely serious offense in werewolf society.

I turned and walked quickly toward Ethan's study, conflicted about whether I should tell him the truth. Ember paced restlessly inside me, angry at the harm done but worried about the conflict that might follow.

"Freya?" Ethan's voice came from the study doorway. He must have sensed my emotional turmoil through our soul mark. "What's happened?"

I stood there, clutching the abandoned silver rattle and bent needle in my hand, knowing the conversation to follow would forever change our relationship with Lyra.

"I found something," I said softly, my voice calmer than I expected. "I think I know why my hand was injured."

Ethan's expression shifted from confusion to alertness. He gestured for me to enter his study. After closing the door, I placed my discoveries on the desk before him and explained my deductions.

As I spoke, Ethan's expression grew darker, a dangerous energy radiating from him. When I finished, the room fell into a brief silence.

"This was deliberate harm," he finally spoke, his voice low as thunder. "As Alpha, I cannot tolerate anyone injuring my mate, especially someone we've given shelter to."

"Ethan, please stay calm," I gripped his arm, feeling the tension in his muscles beneath his skin. "I want to talk to her first."

"Talk? She's betrayed our trust!" Ethan stood, golden light flashing dangerously in his eyes as his wolf pushed close to the surface. "By pack law, she should be banished."

"She didn't harm Theo," I said softly, trying to soothe him. "She was just... afraid of losing him. Remember, she risked her life to bring him back to us."

Ethan took a deep breath, and I could feel him struggling to control his anger. I sensed his internal conflict—his duty as Alpha and his concern for me pulling him in different directions.

"If it's for the child's sake, I can understand her fear," he finally said, his tone somewhat softer. "But hurting you is unacceptable. For whatever reason."

"Let me speak with her first, please?" I asked. "If things don't go well, you can make your decision then."

Ethan stared at me for a long while before nodding, though I could see his wolf remained on high alert. "Be careful," he said. "If she hurts you again, I won't be so merciful."

I left the study with my heart pounding, uncertain of what would happen next. I knew I was about to face not just an overprotective werewolf woman, but a mother who might do anything to protect the child she loved.

I walked directly to Lyra's room, each step making me more certain of my theory. When I reached her door, I found it slightly ajar. Through the gap, I saw Lyra sitting on the floor with Theo lying on a blanket before her. She was making exaggerated faces at him, and his laughter—that clear rattle-like sound—made my heart feel simultaneously warm and pained.

My son was so happy, but that smile wasn't for his birth mother.

Just then, Lyra seemed to sense something and unconsciously looked up, catching me at the door. Her expression instantly changed—shock and guilt flashed in her eyes before quickly disappearing into neutral composure, as if nothing had happened.

I knocked gently on the door. "May I come in?"

Lyra nodded, her expression wary. "Of course, Luna."

I entered the room, my eyes automatically drawn to Theo. He looked so healthy and happy, playing with a stuffed wolf toy. Seeing him safe and content dampened some of the anger I felt.

"Could I ask Olivia to watch Theo for a while?" I asked calmly. "I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Lyra immediately tensed, instinctively moving closer to Theo. "I'm taking care of him. He's fine," she replied defensively, watching me with cautious eyes.