Chapter 304: Betrayal

Chapter 304: Betrayal
The familiar stone facade of Silverblood Pack Hospital came into view. Tristan pulled into the emergency entrance.

We walked through the automatic doors, Tristan carrying Orion while I held Lyra's uninjured hand.

"Good evening, Alpha. How can we help you?" The receptionist smiled warmly as we approached her desk.

Before I could answer, a familiar voice called out from behind us.

"Alpha."

I turned to see Rylan approaching. Relief flooded through me at seeing a face I trusted completely.

His attention shifted to me, and his expression softened into genuine warmth. "Lysandra, it's so good to see you again. I've been incredibly busy lately—I meant to visit your brother before you all returned to Moonshade Pack. How is everyone? Are you settling back in well?"

A pang of guilt hit me. I'd wanted to say goodbye to Rylan before leaving Silverblood territory, but when I'd called, his secretary had told me he was out of town on medical business. This man had helped me through some of my darkest moments, especially during those terrifying early days when I'd needed to hide my pregnancy from Tristan.

"Rylan, I'm so glad to see you." My smile was genuine despite our current circumstances. "We should definitely have dinner soon and catch up properly. But right now..." I gestured toward the children.

Rylan's expression immediately shifted to professional concern as he took in their injuries. He knelt down to their level, his voice gentle and warm.

"Oh, my little patients! What happened to you two? Let Dr. Bear help you feel better, okay?"

The silly nickname made both children giggle despite their discomfort.

He examined Orion's nose with practiced gentleness, barely touching the swollen area. Orion winced slightly but didn't pull away.

He examined Orion's swollen nose with practiced gentleness, then studied the angry scratches on Lyra's arm.

"Nothing too serious," he announced, standing to address us. "Orion's nose might need minor adjustment, and Lyra's wounds need proper cleaning. Thirty minutes maximum."

Having Rylan here made my shoulders relax for the first time since the fight. With him taking care of the twins, I knew they were in the best possible hands.



"I have a suggestion that might make this easier for everyone," Rylan said, leading us toward the treatment area. "We can handle both children simultaneously—one in each room. That way you won't be here all night, and they can both get the attention they need."

Orion straightened his small shoulders, trying to look braver than his five years. "It's okay, Mom and Dad. I'm not scared."

Lyra nodded eagerly. "We'll be super good patients! And we'll see each other really soon, right Dr. Bear?"

"Absolutely," Rylan assured them. "Thirty minutes maximum, then you'll be back together."

"I want to stay with them," I said immediately. "At least one of us with each child."

Rylan's expression remained gentle but firm. "The treatment rooms are quite small, and sometimes children feel more anxious when parents are watching. It's natural—they want to be brave but also want comfort when things hurt."

He gestured toward a door marked 'Family Observation.' "However, I can offer you something better. We have a monitoring system that lets you watch everything from the observation room."

Tristan stepped closer to me. "That sounds reasonable."



The observation room was smaller than I'd expected but equipped with two large monitors showing different treatment areas. Through the screens, I watched Rylan help Orion settle onto an examination table in one room while another doctor I didn't recognize prepared supplies for Lyra in the second room.

The observation room was equipped with two large monitors showing different treatment areas. Through the screens, I watched Rylan help Orion settle onto an examination table while another doctor I didn't recognize prepared supplies for Lyra.

"They're being so brave," I murmured, watching Orion sit very still as Rylan began his examination.

Tristan moved closer, his arm brushing mine. "Rylan's good with them. They trust him."

About fifteen minutes in, both screens flickered with static interference. Alarm shot through me immediately.

"What's wrong with the feed?" I demanded, but the nurse stationed near the door had mysteriously vanished.

"Something's not right," Tristan muttered, reaching for the door handle.

Nothing happened. He tried again, putting his shoulder into it. The door didn't budge.

"We're locked in," he said grimly.

Tristan stepped back, his face set in determined lines. "Move away from the door."

I barely had time to step aside before his boot connected with the door frame. The impact was tremendous—wood splintered and the door flew open with a crash that echoed through the suddenly silent hospital wing.

We rushed into the hallway. It was completely empty. No nurses, no other staff, no sounds of normal hospital activity.

Tristan was already moving toward the first treatment room. I followed, my heart hammering against my ribs.

The door opened to reveal an empty examination table. Medical supplies sat arranged neatly on counters, but there was no sign of Orion or the doctor who'd been treating him.

The second room was equally empty. Lyra's examination table bore only a single spot of blood on the white paper covering.

"No," I breathed. "No, no, no—"

Tristan pointed toward the emergency exit at the end of the hallway. The door stood slightly ajar, and I could see tire tracks in the dirt outside.

We ran toward the exit. Just outside the door, caught on a piece of broken concrete, was Orion's small sneaker.

My knees nearly buckled. Tristan caught my arm as we both stared at the evidence of our worst fears.



Back inside, we found the security office and Tristan used his Alpha voice to demand access from a confused guard who'd apparently been locked in a supply closet.

"I don't understand," the man stammered as he pulled up the footage. "Dr. Jones said there was a gas leak in this wing. All non-essential personnel were evacuated."

"Show me the cameras from thirty minutes ago," Tristan commanded.

The footage was damning. We watched Rylan—our trusted friend—wheel two small gurneys toward the emergency exit. Two unconscious children lay on those gurneys, covered with hospital blankets.

"He drugged them," I said, my voice hollow with disbelief. "He drugged our children and took them."

The security feed showed Rylan loading both gurneys into a waiting black van before climbing into the passenger seat. The vehicle disappeared into the night, taking my babies with it.

"Dr. Jones wasn't even on the schedule tonight," the guard said, checking his roster with growing confusion. "He's not supposed to be here at all."

Everything clicked into horrible clarity. The convenient appearance at exactly the right moment. The reasonable explanations for separating us from the children. The locked door, the evacuated wing, the elaborate deception with the monitors.

"It was all a setup," Tristan said grimly. "From the moment we walked through those doors."

I sank into a nearby chair, my legs finally giving out. The man I'd trusted with my deepest secrets —he'd betrayed us.

Tristan placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "Lysandra, don’t worry. Even if I die, I won’t let anything happen to our child. I’ll call Varian right now and have him seal the borders."