Chapter 23

Roman’s POV

I had traveled through the packs from Lycan blood all the way to the border of the Silver moon. All the packs I passed through I had gotten their permission to walk across their land however I never made contact with the alpha from the Silver moon to request permission to enter their land. I looked around, I spotted the big willow tree, up it was a really good hiding spot. I hid there for many games of hiding and seek as a child. Across the street was an ice cream cart where the man had only three flavors of ice cream: Cotton candy, Vanilla bean, and Caramel twist. It was only those three flavors he had yet his business did so well.

Being this close to the Silver moon brought back some memories for me, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to experience them. It only reminded me of everything I had lost based on a single rumor. At least at Lycan Blood pack, I’m valued, my opinion matters, and my words are a bridge of honesty and trust. I ran my fingers through my hair, putting it in its place. I took a deep breath and exhaled through my nose and finally stepped over the border. It would take less than five minutes for them to show up when a foreigner has crossed the border, even faster when there has been lingering.

I spotted Theo walking over, he froze in his tracks. Slight confusion on his face but it was soon masked, and he just walked over to me with Uncle Ethan by his side along with two other pack members. Uncle Ethan sure had aged, he had the whole salt and pepper look going. Theo, now he seemed all grown up, as if he knows exactly what he’s doing but I knew him, he didn’t know shit he was doing. He always had a good what one would call a poker face. Theo just looked like he aged and started working out more, comes with being alpha which I’m assuming he is.

I wasn’t impressed or bothered at all till I saw Tessa walk over to us. My lips parted for a moment, it just hit me Tessa wasn’t a little girl anymore. She sure grew a few inches but was of course still shorter than me. Her blonde hair had darkened a little, her ears had more than two piercings now. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were tattoos under the jacket she wore, she always spoke of having them.

My heart started beating faster, the scent of cherry blossoms filled my nose and when I looked in the distance I saw a redhead walking over, as she came closer I saw it was the queen of wolves. I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t hurt for a moment, but she didn’t deserve that. I went numb a long time ago and it was her fault, all I needed was her trust.

Part of me wished I had rejected her back, but I knew it would worsen the nightmares I was ‘blessed’ with by the Moon Goddess. All because I had failed to be with the mate the goddess had picked for me, but it was completely out of my hands now, whatever important mission the Moon Goddess had for me I hope she had a backup plan.

“Roman Sterling, you are trespassing, any reason you’re currently on Silver moon’s land,” Theo announced, from the way he stood and had the others around him it seemed like he was in charge right now.

“Ah, Theo—” I said, but got cut off by Theo.

“Alpha Theo,” My little brother corrected me, making me chuckle.

“Sure don’t look like it,” I scoffed, a smirk on my face as I noticed my comment annoyed him.

“We want you gone within five minutes, if you are still here after five minutes we will see you as an enemy,” Theo responded, ignoring what I had just said, or at least he tried to ignore it. It sucked how we were right now, growing up we were so close then one stupid little thing ruined that.

“I’m here for Natalia Sterling, I heard she was dying,” I told them, crossing my arms and looking between them all.

“We don’t accept rogues here and especially not to visit our sick patients,” Theo replied, a proud look on his face as if he won something.

“Don’t call me a rogue, boy,” I narrowed my eyes on him, taking a step further causing the others to become alert.

“Oh sorry, are you affiliated with some pack?” Uncle Ethan asked, almost mockingly.

“As a matter of fact, I am. I’m Roman Sterling, the beta of the Lycan blood pack,” I corrected them, my lips forming into a smirk as I looked at the surprised look on their faces.

“What?” Theo frowned.

“Roman, since when?” Tessa finally spoke up, raising a brow at me. A worried look on her face. Part of me wished I never broke our contact.

“I’ve been with them for almost four years already but I’m not here to catch up with you,” I shrugged, tucking my hands in my pockets and looking between the three, refusing to acknowledge that Tallulah was there.

“Oh, did you make some blood oath with them?” Theo mocked. The Lycan blood pack may or may not have done blood oaths in the past and some in the present.

“You tell me,” I showed him the palm of my hand that had a large scar, but it wasn’t from doing some blood oath, that they did not need to know.

“We don’t want you here Roman and something is telling me you’re not here to seek forgiveness from mom,” Theo made up his mind.

“I have all the right to visit the dying woman, Theodore,” I stated, glaring at the man in front of me. “And no, I’m here to remind her of her stupid chose she made,” I informed him.

“I said you’re not allowed here,” Theo pushed me back when I took a step forward. I removed his hand from a shoulder and raised a brow at him, “Do I have to challenge you for your position, Theodore?”

“That might be the only way you’ll get to see her,” Theo snarled.

“Theo, don’t be an idiot, he’s still our brother and has every right to visit mom,” Tessa pulled our brother back and glared at him then turned to me.

“Good to see you again, Tessie,” I smiled innocently.

“Oh no, we are not okay Roman, you abandoned me,” Tessa scoffed and rolled her eyes at me.

“Fair enough,” I mumbled, that’s what I get for abandoning her. “Now may I visit Natalia?” I asked, looking at the two.

“Come on then,” Theo scoffed and turned around.

I followed them through the town and to the hospital, on the way there I could feel many eyes on me, judging me as if I wasn’t allowed to be there. I wondered why the queen was here and following us, was she here to see Natalia too? It was safe to say I was still salty about the way things were handled four years ago. Yes, I found my way around and made a good life for myself, but that doesn’t mean it is the life that I wanted or deserve.

Tallulah finally broke the silence and cleared her throat, facing me. I raised a brow at her for a moment then turned to look away.

“Roman, we have to talk,” She walked closer to me, I looked down at her and raised a brow at her.

“No, we do not, your highness,” I countered and looked away from her.

“It’s important, Roman,” She narrowed her amber eyes on her, dammit it took everything in my wolf to refuse to look at her.

“Is my life in danger?” I questioned.

“No,” She frowned.

“Is Tessa’s life in danger?” I raised a brow at her.

“No,” Tallulah sighed.

“Is my pack, Lycan blood, in danger?”

“No—” zhe answered and was about to say something else, but I cut her off by saying, “Then I don’t give a fuck about what you have to say.”

I could tell my answer wasn’t approved by the others but luckily the elevator stopped and opened. As we entered floor 6, the private floor, my father stood there and was about to enter a room when he turned around and frowned at me.

“What is he doing here?” My father asked, looking at his youngest son as if I couldn’t answer myself.

“I am here to visit Natalia, I heard she’s dying,” I told him, looking into the same blue eyes I inherited.

“Natalia? Is that what you call her now?” My father raised a brow at me.

“Well, it’s not mom or mother anymore if you’re wondering,” I shrugged, looking around the hospital.

“Disrespectful,” My father scoffed.

“Luca, the day you and Natalia decided to side with everyone else other than me you lost all the respect I had for you,” I made it clear to him and wanted to walk through him and see his mate, but he stopped me.

“This right here is all your fault, you just couldn’t follow the damn rules,” My father accused, losing his temper a little. I chuckled and shook my head.

“No, I had the right to a trial, but Natalia had made up her mind and you never bothered changing her mind,” I corrected him. He was surprised, unable to say anything back.

“I’d like to see Natalia now,” I sighed. My father nodded and just opened the door to her room.

I walked in and saw Natalia laying there on the bed, her skin as pale as ever and she used to be a tanned woman. The roots of her hair were now greying. It was weird seeing her like this, I came here to make her regret kicking me out, but it hurt me to do that, to see what happened to her over the years. I opened my mouth then closed it again. What bothered me was the green in her veins, it was impossible to ignore and there was a slight hint of jasmine as I got closer to her. I knew these symptoms, someone from the Lycan blood pack had this exact problem only she had died from it. This couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Roman?” My mother coughed, a frown on her pale face. She struggled to sit up and looked at me as I came closer to her.

“Hello, Natalia,” I said, looking down at her. Her eyes were sleepy, her voice barely audible.

“Natalia. Wow… You’ve changed,” She mumbled, looking at me from top to bottom. When I sat down she reached her hand to touch my face.

“Don’t,” I muttered and pulled away from a little. I could tell my actions hurt her. “I see you’ve changed too,” I said, sitting back and crossing my legs.

“Where have you been?” She began to ask and continued on with another question. “How’s your child?” Good luck getting an answer you’ll like.

“Are you worried about my whereabouts just now?” I raised a brow at her, clenching my jaw.

“Roman. It’s—” Natalia coughed.

“It was the law… You know what’s also the law?” I asked and smiled looking at the woman in front of me who seemed to live by the law.

“What?” She wondered.

“My right to a trial which you had failed to mention,” I scoffed. She must have known about that but didn’t let us go through that process.

“Roman—” She was about to say.

“No. Don’t make any excuses, you and Luca wanted to be the best leaders which you have succeeded but goddess you were the shittiest parents ever,” I accused her and watched as she became silent and avoided looking at me. Still, after everything, it was difficult for me to go further and tell her how far off she was.

“What about my whereabouts, I’ve been at the Lycan blood pack, now I’m their beta,” I spoke quietly.

“That’s good, I’m glad you found a place,” She smiled at me.

“Whatever,” I mumbled. “How did you contract this?” I wondered.

“I don’t know,” She sighed, rubbing her forehead.

“Do you know anything at all?” I asked, looking over my shoulder when I heard the door open and saw a nurse walk in.

“No,” She answered.

“Let her rest up,” The nurse said, helping her lay back down and wore her mask and turned up everything then changed her fluids.

“She can’t sleep on her own?” I asked, following the nurse back outside.

“She needs this oxygen, her flow is abnormally low,” The nurse explained and stopped in front of the others.

“Fine, but I have some questions,” I sighed.

“Ask Fredrickson,” She said and walked to another room.

I heard the elevator open and looked over to see Ayla stepping off. A clipboard in her hand as she focused on whilst walking. “Fredrickson?” She meant Ayla, wow she looked gorgeous.

“Yes, yes, I’m here,” Ayla sighed tiredly and looked up to see me.

“Ayla?” I raised a brow at her.

“Oh, my. Roman?” She finally noticed me, her lips turning into a smile.

“Damn you grew,” I said. Her hair was now shoulder length, the way she presented herself seemed a lot more mature than years ago.

“You make it sound like you were gone for decades,” Ayla smiled, her white teeth poking through.

“Starting to feel like it with all the changes,” I chuckled, looking around us. Even the hospital had changed.

“How have you been, Roman?” Ayla asked, putting away her clipboard.

“As good as one can be. You? I see you walked into your parents' footsteps,” I shrugged and looked at her whole outfit. Either she was a doctor or studying to be one.

“Oh yeah, I’m managing,” She chuckled.

“Great to see you again,” I smiled, I spotted Theo close by and could tell her was annoyed by us talking.

“Yeah,” Ayla mumbled.

“Hey, I have a question,” I mentioned, realizing what I needed her for.

“What do you want, Roman?” Theo asked rudely, joining Ayla’s side. Luca, Tessa, and Tali too came around.

“I’m pretty sure you have no answer for my question, Theo,” I narrowed my eyes on him, watching as he huffed. “Do you have any idea where Natalia contracted this thing?” I asked.

“Uh it was when we came back from midtown,” Luca answered, frowning.

“Human ground?” I raised a brow at them.

“Yeah, I thought maybe it was a human illness, but I can’t find it anywhere in the textbook,” Ayla explained, looking down at her clipboard.

“You won’t find it there,” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair.

“How do you know that?” Tessa raised a brow at me.

“Because this is a virus designed to attack just werewolves,” I told them, a slight look of fear on their face.

“Where did you gather this information from?” Tali questioned, frowning.

“A woman from my pack passed away the same way. She was dark-skinned before but near the end, she was the same color as milk, jasmine scent, and big green veins,” I explained, tucking my hands in my pockets.

“Are you saying this has been around before? How long ago did that woman die?” Theo asked, worriedly.

“Around two months ago?” I guessed; I didn’t exactly remember.

“How do you know it’s a virus?” Luca questioned.

“Our lab analyzed it. If I’m correct this may be an attack on the werewolves,” I responded. Alpha Vesper and I talked about it, but we assumed it was just on our pack, but it seemed to be other places too.

“But it hasn’t spread,” Ayla pointed out.

“That’s because they’re advancing, Natalia might be the first case. Your woman, how long was she diagnosed with it?” Tali asked, crossing her arms.

“She was out of town for around two weeks, when she returned it was after a day she got hospitalized and within six hours she passed away,” I responded, looking everywhere but at her.

“I get it now… There was something weird in her blood work, this thing only works on werewolves but cannot spread because our DNA tears it apart after it infects us,” Ayla mumbled, writing down something on her clipboard.

“Ten points to Ayla,” I clapped my hands, but she just narrowed her eyes on me.

“How do you know so much about this? Is this something you’ve been working on?” Theo accused, once again villainizing me.

“I might’ve been the prime suspect in the lady’s death, but I didn’t do it,” I rolled my eyes.

“How can we be sure?” Luca frowned.

“Ask the inspector’s daughter, we had a wonderful weekend together,” I smirked, looking over at Tali who clenched her jaw.

“The inspector cleared you?” Tessa asked.

“Yeah, she’s my alibi along with the delivery man,” I shrugged, pulling my phone when I felt it vibrate.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” The queen said awkwardly.

“Oh, you do?” I scoffed. She opened her mouth to say something but couldn’t.

“Ignore him, you were saying?” Luca glared at me then turned to Tallulah.

“Aunt Natalia and the Lycan blood’s woman aren’t the only ones affected by this...“ Tali said quietly.