Chapter 146

Chapter 146

Lucian's POV

I stood in the corridor outside Howling Hall's treatment room. Morning light streamed through the windows onto the stone floor, warm yet unable to melt the ice in my heart.

Donny had just finished examining Claire's injuries, his expression grave. "Her condition is stable, but the skull fracture requires at least seven days of rest. Long-distance travel could cause the wound to tear or trigger internal bleeding again. She needs an experienced escort, preferably someone familiar with her constitution."

My gaze wandered between the treatment room and Seraphina's guest quarters. My hands clenched into fists, knuckles white from the pressure. As Alpha, I should escort the injured pack member home—this was my duty, my mission drilled into me since childhood.

But as a mate, as a wolf about to become a father, Seraphina was carrying our cub. She needed my protection more.

Why did I always have to choose between duty and love?

Just then, the guest room door opened. Seraphina emerged holding the wooden box containing the three precious herbs, her silver-white hair catching the morning light with its faint blue luminescence, like moonlight itself. She looked at me, her clear eyes flashing with something complex before settling into calm.

"You should escort Claire back to Blackmane Pack first." Her voice was so calm it made my heart ache. "She's badly hurt. She needs her pack's care."

I whipped around to face her, my heart clenching as if gripped tight. "Seraphina, I..."

"I'll return to Northern Peak with Ember and Donny." She cut me off, fingers gripping the wooden box tightly, yet her face remained composed. "Three of us is safe enough. Your pack member needs you."

Not enough! I wanted to shout. You're pregnant, you could encounter rogues on the road, there could be accidents... I should be by your side!

But the distance in her eyes stabbed into my heart like a knife.

Ember immediately protested, "Again! Seraphina, you're pregnant, he should..."

"Enough, Ember." Seraphina stopped her, looking at me with determination. "Go, Lucian. Your pack member needs you. This is your duty as Alpha."

Duty. Always duty.

I took a deep breath and walked to her. I wanted to hold her, tell her my worry and care, but I knew she wouldn't accept my touch.

"Three days." I looked into her eyes seriously, trying to let her see my determination. "Give me three days. I'll settle Claire and return to Northern Peak immediately. Seraphina, I swear—this time I won't make you wait long."

She turned her face away. "Whatever."

But I still caught the moisture at the corner of her eye. In that instant, my heart nearly shattered. I reached out to touch her, but stopped mid-air. I had no right. Not now.

I could only clench my fist and slowly lower it.

The journey back to Blackmane Pack felt stretched in time. I walked beside Claire's stretcher, carried by four warriors. My wolf form cast a long shadow in the sunlight, silver-gray fur symbolizing strength and authority, but right now I only felt endless exhaustion and guilt.

Seraphina's coldness and that "whatever" kept echoing in my mind. She no longer expected anything from me, no longer believed I'd make the right choice. And I had disappointed her again.

"Lucian." Claire's weak voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Don't talk. You need rest," I said.

"No, if I don't say this now, I won't get another chance once we're back at the pack." Claire turned her head with difficulty to look at me. "Lucian, about Seraphina's pregnancy... I heard everything in the treatment room. Your conversation about the cub possibly being sick, about needing the 'Moon Essence Purification' ceremony—I know it all."

My steps faltered, my amber eyes darkening. I didn't deny it or explain.

Claire's tears fell. "God, Lucian... she's carrying a cub that might be sick, and she still risked danger to save me. I used to treat her that way, mock her, say she wasn't good enough for you, call her a lowly border wolf... but she still saved me."

"She's a healer." My voice came out low as thunder. "In her eyes, life has no hierarchy. That's her oath—to provide equal treatment to all wolves, not just serve powerful packs."

This was what I admired most about her. Even when rejected and mocked, she still held to her principles, using her gift to save every life that needed help.

"But what about our pack's wolves?" Claire said painfully. "What did we give her? Rejection, mockery, humiliation! Lucian, I understand now—we were all wrong. Seraphina is nobler and kinder than any of us. She's exactly what Willow said—'has the gift and nature of a true healer.'"

I fell silent. Every word Claire spoke was like a whip across my heart. Yes, we were all wrong. And I, as her mate, as Alpha, made the biggest mistake.

"When we get back, I'm telling everyone the truth." Claire's voice grew firm. "I'll tell them what Seraphina is really like, tell them how foolish we've been. Lucian, I'll help you."

I looked at Claire, gratitude stirring in my chest, but more than that—guilt. "Thank you, Claire. But I don't know if any of this will be enough."

"Enough or not, we have to try." Claire said. "At least we need to let the pack know the truth. Willow always supported Seraphina—now it's time for us younger wolves to stand up."

I nodded, but the unease in my heart didn't lessen. Would Seraphina forgive me? Would she give me a chance to make things right? Or had I already lost her completely?

When we arrived at Blackmane Pack, it was already evening. The setting sun painted the entire territory gold and crimson, yet my heart felt heavier than ever. Claire was taken to the Healing Temple, and news quickly reached my father Dwayne. He immediately summoned me, Willow, and Mira to his residence.

We gathered in the private chamber of his dwelling, stone walls carved with the names of past Alphas, moonstone lamps casting soft silver light, yet unable to dispel my oppression.

"Speak." Father sat in the main seat, his face iron-gray. "What happened to Claire? Who caused her injuries?"

I briefly explained the attack at Howling Hall, deliberately leaving out Seraphina's part. I knew once I mentioned her, Father would start his lecture about bloodlines.

"Rogues?" Father frowned. "Howling Hall's security is that poor? Claire suffered such severe injuries—what happened to those rogues?"

"They've been captured by the guards," I answered curtly.

"Good." Father nodded, then his tone shifted, voice rising sharply. "I heard... you went to Northern Peak?"

Here it comes. I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes."

"For that Seraphina?" The entire chamber echoed with his roar. "Lucian, how many times have I warned you! That border she-wolf isn't worthy of you! She'll only bring you and the pack trouble!"

Something burned in my chest. Not worthy? How many pack members' lives had she saved? How many contributions had she made? And what had they given her?

Before I could speak, Willow cut in.

"Dwayne, enough." Her voice, though aged, carried authority. "Seraphina is a good wolf. Your prejudice against her runs too deep."

"Mother, stay out of this." Father said. "This is my decision as Alpha."

"Your decision?" Willow laughed coldly. "Your decision is to drive away a gifted healer? Drive away your son's fated mate?"

I looked at Willow, gratitude in my heart. At least she stood on Seraphina's side.

Father tried to argue back, but Willow continued, "I've lived long enough to see too many good bonds destroyed by bloodline prejudice. How many pack members has Seraphina saved? She uses her gift to save lives, but what have you given her?"

Father was struck speechless. Just then, word came from the Healing Temple—Claire had woken and wanted to see us. Everyone immediately rushed to the temple. I walked at the front, heart racing. What would Claire say? Would she tell them the truth?

Entering the Healing Temple, Claire lay weakly in bed, head wrapped in thick bandages, face pale as paper.

Father approached with concern. "Claire, my poor child, you've suffered."

"Dwayne, I'm alright," Claire smiled weakly, her gaze shifting to me. "Thanks to Seraphina saving me."

"What?" Father froze.

My heart pounded hard. The truth was finally being revealed.

Claire began recounting the attack at Howling Hall. Her voice was weak but every word clear. She described in detail how Seraphina risked danger to save her, how she used precious Life's Essence to stabilize her condition, how she remained calm under the rogues' threat.

Images flooded my mind—Seraphina kneeling on the ground, hands covered in blood, eyes steady as she treated Claire. She was pregnant. She could have turned and left. But she didn't.

This was my mate. This was the woman I loved.

"She's pregnant too," Claire's tears fell. "But she didn't abandon me. Dwayne, I used to treat her that way, mock her, humiliate her, but she still saved me."

Father stared at Claire in shock, then turned to me. "What she said... is it true?"

I nodded, voice low. "Yes, Father. Seraphina saved Claire's life."

Willow's eyes flashed with satisfaction. "I knew that child had a kind heart."

"She's... pregnant?" Father's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes." I met Father's eyes, voice firm. "She's carrying my cub."

"What?!" Father nearly shouted.

Mira's face turned deathly pale, her body swaying as she grabbed the door frame. Her deep red fur looked especially sharp under the moonstone lamps, those reddish-brown eyes flashing with shock, disbelief, and hatred.

Willow noticed Mira's reaction sharply, her eyes growing alert.

"It's not just pregnancy," Claire continued. "The cub... the cub might have problems."

"What problems?" Father immediately tensed, voice full of anxiety.

I had to say it. I had to let them understand how serious this was.

"The cub may carry the gene for Silver Moon Depletion Syndrome." My voice was heavy as stone. "Without timely treatment, the cub will gradually lose strength after birth, unable to shift, and might not survive past three years."

Speaking these words, I felt my heart tearing apart. This was my cub, mine and Seraphina's cub, possibly facing such a terrible fate.

"No... it can't be..." Father's face turned ashen, his body swaying. Willow quickly steadied him. "My grandcub... it can't be... there must be a way, right? Lucian, tell me there's a way!"

This was the first time I'd seen Father so shaken. The power of bloodline was truly this strong—strong enough to make him set aside all prejudices.

"There is." I said. "Northern Peak's chief healer found a treatment method. It requires a 'Moon Essence Purification' ceremony during the cub's first full moon after birth. We just retrieved the necessary rare herbs from Howling Hall."

Father immediately said, "Excellent! Send our best warriors and healers to Northern Peak right now to bring Seraphina back! I'll give her the best care, the best treatment, ensure my grandcub is safe!"

"No." I said calmly but firmly.

Father froze, his eyes full of disbelief. "What did you say?"