Chapter 16 CHAPTER 16
The warm water from the shower did little to wash away the heaviness pressing on my chest. Steam curled around the bathroom, fogging the mirror, and I tried to lose myself in the simple rhythm of rinsing my hair. But even that couldn’t quiet the thoughts racing through my mind Callen’s audacity, Branden’s absence, my father lying fragile in the hospital.
I turned off the water, stepping out, and wrapped myself in a towel. My bare feet met the cold tiles, and for a moment, I thought I was alone. I let out a shaky breath, thinking about collapsing on my bed, when I heard it footsteps. Slow, deliberate, echoing across the floor outside my bathroom.
My heart jumped. My parents were supposed to be at the hospital. I strained my ears, holding the towel tighter around me. The footsteps stopped. Silence followed, thick and tense. I called out softly, “Hello?” No answer came.
My pulse quickened. I wrapped a robe around myself and crept toward the bedroom, peering into the hall. Empty. No one. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and my stomach twisted. “This isn’t funny,” I muttered under my breath. I grabbed my phone, the temptation to call Branden overwhelming, but hesitated. Instead, I decided to head back to the hospital. My father had been stable, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had worsened.
The drive was quiet, my thoughts echoing in the car. When I arrived, the waiting room was almost empty, a stark contrast to the usual hum of visitors. I pushed open the door to his room and froze. His head was lowered, breaths shallow, and the color in his face had drained further. Machines beeped a little faster, almost urgently.
“Dad?” I whispered, rushing to his side. His eyes flicked open, faint recognition, and he managed a weak smile. “Ayla… you’re here,” he croaked.
“I’m not leaving,” I said, gripping his hand. “We’re going to get through this together.”
He coughed, a dry, rattling sound, and I held his shoulders, steadying him. “You need to be strong for your mother,” he said, voice low, almost fearful. "If anything happens to me, I dont feel well.:
“Shh, don’t talk like that,” I said, brushing the damp hair from his forehead. “We’ll figure it out. I’ll make sure the doctors do.”
Before he could respond, the door swung open, and a presence filled the room. I tensed immediately. The Luna stood there, arms crossed, eyes sharp and unreadable. “You’re making a mistake, Ayla,” she said, her voice icy, but calm.
I straightened, my hands still holding my father’s. “No, I’m not. Branden is my mate. He is leaving you wife for me. I won't let you have him.”
Her gaze flicked to my father, then back to me, narrowing slightly. “There is a lot at stake here be sure about your decision.”
“I understand perfectly,” I said. “I’ve watched him with his wife. I’ve seen his hesitation, his longing. He is mine. He wants to be with me, and he’s ending that marriage. You have no right to interfere.”
The Luna stepped closer, her aura sharp, her presence suffocating, and I felt the stirrings of my own power rise inside me. “I’m warning you, Ayla. There are consequences for breaking bonds, for disrupting order.”
I stood taller, ignoring the tremor in my stomach. “I don’t care. My heart, my soul, my bond with him it’s not yours to dictate.”
Her eyes softened for a fraction of a second, almost as if she was reassessing me. “This isn’t over, Ayla. You may have won today, but the pack does not forget.”
“I’m not here to fight the pack,” my voice steady, though my heart was racing. “I’m here to protect what’s mine. Branden is mine,"
The room seemed to shift, tension thick enough to taste. I could feel the subtle energy of our powers, the barely controlled heat of the werewolf pack, and the latent magic thrumming in my veins. My father squeezed my hand weakly, offering silent encouragement.
The Luna’s lips pressed into a thin line, and without another word, she turned and left, the echo of her boots fading down the hallway.
I sank into the chair beside my father, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The hospital felt less oppressive now, filled not with fear but with the determination coiling in my chest. I could feel Branden’s presence in my mind, faint but comforting, as though he knew I had faced the threat for both of us.
“Dad…” I whispered, brushing my thumb across his hand. “Why didn’t you tell me this was getting worse?”
He coughed again, the sound harsh and unsettling. “Ayla… I didn’t want… to scare you. I wanted to… be strong for you.”
I pressed my forehead to his shoulder. “You are strong. But you don’t have to be alone. I’m here. I’ll face it with you. Always.”
He tried to smile, a thin, trembling curve. “You… you’ve always been the one… who faces everything head-on. I’m proud… of you.”
A warmth spread through me despite the fear and tension, the kind that comes from knowing someone believes in you, even in the hardest moments. I let myself stay there a little longer, feeling his hand grip mine with a faint squeeze.
Eventually, I stood, brushing tears from my cheeks. “I’m going to check on things outside,” I said softly, wanting a moment alone to gather my thoughts.
I stepped out into the corridor and pulled out my phone, my fingers hovering over Branden’s name. Should I call him? Should I ask if he’s okay? My chest tightened at the thought of his voice, at the memory of our last night together. Finally, I tapped the call button.
His voice answered almost immediately, warm and low. “Ayla?”
“Branden… I need to know you’re safe. Are you… are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he said, though I could hear the faint edge of worry behind his words. “But I can’t stop thinking about you. About us. Are you okay?”
“I’m managing,” I admitted, my voice quiet. “It’s just everything is happening all at once. Dad, the Luna, Callen I don’t know how to deal with it all.”
“I know,” he said softly, and I felt a small tremor of relief. “I’ll be there soon. I promise, You’re mine, Ayla. And nothing… nothing will take you away.”
I closed my eyes, letting the words sink in, grounding me. “Okay,” I said finally. “Just come soon.”
We hung up, the corridor silent except for the faint hum of hospital machines drifting from the rooms. I returned to my father’s side, feeling more centered. I could face whatever came next.
The day stretched long, filled with quiet moments, soft conversations with my father, and the faint tension of the lingering threat from the Luna. But through it all, I felt something shift inside me a growing confidence, a realization that I can protect what was mine. That I could survive whatever this world threw at me, because I was not alone.
And as I watched the machines tick steadily, keeping my father alive, I made a silent vow. No threat, no pack, no person would take him, or Branden, or my life from me without a fight. I would face every challenge, every betrayal, every shadow, and I would not falter.
The day had only begun, but for the first time in a long time, I felt ready.