A Possible Addition to the Pack

A Possible Addition to the Pack

Chapter 160: A Possible Addition to the Pack

Lena was rushed out of the lab the second Reah realized she was unresponsive. By the time they reached the pack clinic, her skin was cold to the touch, her breathing was ragged, and she was breaking out in a cold sweat despite the chill in the air.

Reah stayed by her side the entire time, barking instructions at the healers. They checked Lena’s pulse, her pupils, and her lungs, even utilizing their specialized sensory abilities to scan for internal damage. The process took longer than Reah liked.

Finally, one of the healers stepped away from the bed with a heavy sigh, seemingly oblivious to Reah’s piercing glare. “Lady Lena is...” He trailed off, looking at her limp form with a flicker of confusion. "There is nothing critically wrong. She is simply... weak."

Reah’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. “That is not an answer.”

The healer said nothing. He turned to a cart to prepare a bowl of herbs and a fresh rag.

"She hasn't been poisoned, and there is no internal trauma. We find no traces of hostile energy. She is likely just exhausted,” another healer added, trying to soothe the tension. "She will wake up soon.”

Reah remained unconvinced. When the head healer returned to the bedside to administer a herbal tonic, Reah stepped in his path. “You don't know exactly what is wrong with her. Why are you trying to administer drugs?”

"We don't need to know the exact cause to know she needs to regain her energy," the man answered without looking at her. In truth, he was becoming quite irritated; he didn't appreciate a 'mere' human telling him how to do a job he had performed for decades.

Without asking for permission, Reah walked to the door and poked her head out. “You two!" She pointed at the soldiers who had helped her carry Lena. “We’re moving her. Now.”

The healers protested, claiming she had no right to interfere, but Reah ignored them. Lena was transferred from the clinic to her own bedroom in the pack house. Reah insisted on setting up her own equipment there, demanding her human assistant’s help while barring the pack healers from entering.

Lyra arrived shortly after, her face etched with worry. She sat by Lena’s side, ignoring Reah’s frantic movements around the room. Lyra wiped the sweat from Lena’s forehead, replacing the warm cloth with a cool one, yet Lena remained deep in a fitful sleep, her brow furrowed in discomfort.

Cain arrived not long after. He burst into the room panting, his hair disheveled and his clothes in disarray. When his eyes fell on Lena’s pale form, he felt a sharp pang of fear. Her lips looked terrifyingly dry.

“What happened?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Reah turned from a table by the window, swirling a small glass beaker. She shrugged. "I had her use her ability on a crawler.”

Cain froze. “A what?” He shook his head as if he’d misheard. "Wait—you did what?”

"She tried to reverse the transformation on our lab replica, just like she did with Teresa," Reah explained, turning back to her work. "It worked... well, partially. Then she lost consciousness.”

Cain clenched his fists as he approached the bed. “Is she alright? Is it serious?"

Lyra looked up at him, offering a small, reassuring smile. “She’s fine, Cain. She’s just tired.” She squeezed Lena’s hand. "She hasn't woken up yet, but Reah is certain she will be okay."

Cain sat on the edge of the bed and took Lena’s hand in his, pressing her palm to his lips. Only then did his racing heart begin to slow.

"I should get going; I still have work to finish,” Lyra said, nodding to Reah as she slipped out.

As she left, Andrew entered. He took one look at Lena’s state and sighed. "This is really not the time for this," he murmured. “Is she okay?"

“She will be,” Reah replied, picking up a syringe to draw a sample.

Andrew nodded, visibly relieved. He turned his attention to Cain. “The Commander has called a meeting."

Cain didn't look away from Lena. "For what?”

"Strategy and attack plans. Movement formations and supply lines,” Andrew replied.

Cain hesitated. Andrew placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. “She’s in good hands, Cain. You can't lead a war if you let this break you. You need to be sharp.”

Cain exhaled slowly. “It’s the first time I've ever seen her like this.”

“I understand. I felt the same way once," Andrew said with a supportive smile. “I’ll tell the Commander the meeting will start whenever you’re ready.”

“Thank you,” Cain whispered.

By evening, the frantic pace of the pack had begun to settle for the night. Cain had finally been forced out of the room by Reah so she could work in peace. He headed to the warehouse to inspect the incoming shipments of food and metal before wandering down toward the shore.

The sea was calm, reflecting the fading orange of the twilight sky. Shayla was sitting by a large boulder, dressed in a simple shirt and shorts with a wide-brimmed hat tipped over her eyes and a bottle of wine in her hand.

“How are things going?" Cain asked as he approached.

Shayla looked back, her expression neutral. "It’s going."

"Have you gotten used to the ships yet?”

She scoffed. "I can't shift comfortably without worrying about falling overboard, so no.”

Cain chuckled softly and began to walk past her toward the pier. Shayla watched him for a moment, her brow furrowing. "Did something happen?” she called out.

"What do you mean?” Cain yelled back.

"You look like you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders. Even for you, you look... unkempt," she pointed at his messy hair. "Something happened to Lena, didn't it?”

Before he could answer, the sound of sprinting footsteps came from the path behind them. Reah was flying toward them, nearly tripping over her own feet.

“Cain!”

He spun around, a new wave of panic rising in his chest—until he saw that she was grinning. Reah was a mess; her hair was flying in all directions and her lab coat was half-buttoned, but her eyes were wild with excitement.

“What is it?” Cain asked, instantly alert.

Reah skidded to a stop in front of him, gasping for air. "I ran tests... so many tests. Blood, fluids, I checked for every known illness, I even had my assistant cross-reference the samples..."

Cain frowned and Shayla stood up, trying to make sense of the rambling. “Reah, slow down. Is she okay?”

Reah broke into a massive, triumphant grin.

“Congratulations,” she panted. “She’s pregnant.”

“What?!”