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Bella, still waiting for some aid, still holding onto hope, looked to Zachary, who seemed conflicted.

Finally, Zachary rubbed his forehead and spoke hesitantly, "I would give Leo my blood, but I'm not sure if my body would heal itself afterward. I don't know if I have a 100% pure royal bloodline."

Shock washed over Bella's face. She had been prepared to beg Zachary for help, but in that moment, she realized it might be better for Leo to die than to rely on someone who didn’t truly love him.

Elinor stared at her son Xavier, her voice filled with disappointment. "Son, why didn't you speak up?"

Xavier curled his lips into a smirk, his eyes now fixed on Bella. He replied to his mother nonchalantly, "Because I'm waiting for this amusing situation to come to an end."

Bella's brows furrowed in anger. "Amusing? Is this a joke to you?"

Xavier nodded, moving closer to Bella. "Yes, it's amusing because you expected them to sacrifice themselves for our son. But really, who are they? Did you truly believe they would love my son more than me or my mother, just because they have been around him for a few months?"

Bella's confusion deepened as she searched Xavier’s eyes for any truth in his words.

Xavier said, his voice carrying a deep growl, "No one would love my son more than me. Except you. You and I alone would risk everything for him, and maybe later, the gramps."

Bella's heart pounded in her chest as she listened to Xavier's words. The weight of his statement hadn’t fully registered yet, so she hesitantly asked, "What do you mean? Are you saying you're willing to give Leo all your blood? And risk your life for him?"

A slight, feral smile played on Xavier's lips as he answered without a moment's hesitation, "Of course. I would give everything for my son. My blood, my life. He means everything to me."

Bella instinctively rubbed her belly, already carrying another one of Xavier's babies. Fear building within her, she repeated her question, "Are you sure, Xavier?"

Xavier raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with a hint of annoyance. "Are you deaf, Bella?"

Turning his gaze to the doctor, Xavier declared, "I'm ready. Give me an hour, and I'll be prepared."

He swiftly grabbed his cellphone and dialed his lawyer. "Come to the hospital immediately. Bring me the papers for my will. You have 45 minutes."

Elinor's tears flowed freely, rendering her unable to speak.

Xavier approached her, gently guiding her to sit in a nearby chair. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead, his voice soothing. "Don't be sad, Mom. Even if I die, you will raise my two kids with happiness."

His words only caused Elinor to cry harder as she embraced him, pleading, "Please forgive me for everything. Please."

Bella couldn't believe her ears. Elinor hadn’t stopped Xavier. She had sacrificed her own son's life for her grandson.

Meanwhile, Zachary stood nearby, his expression impassive next to Breanna. Grateful for his years of care for her son, Bella uttered her thanks to him, although deep down, she knew their path together had reached its end.

"Thank you, Zachary, for everything."

But Zachary's embarrassment was evident. He knew now Bella would never marry him.

Bella confirmed his assumption, saying, "But Zachary, I can't be with you anymore. We can't get married."

Zachary's voice trembled, pleading, "I understand. But can I at least wait and see Leo?"

To everyone’s surprise, Xavier interjected, "No... Actually, you can wait a bit longer."

Approaching Zachary, Xavier made a request, his voice filled with authority. "I want you to stay here until the operation is complete. Whether it takes hours or days. If I don’t survive, marry Bella and take care of my kids. I know you’ll be a good father to them."

Before anyone could respond, Samantha stepped forward, her voice sharp and loud. "No... Zachary could never be a good father. He manipulated me from the beginning to be with Xavier. He paid me money, gave me diamonds to separate them. It was all part of his plan. And it wasn’t out of love for Bella, but out of revenge. He even intended to abandon her at the wedding ceremony, in front of everyone."

Bella was stunned, her gaze fixed on Zachary. She asked, her voice trembling, "Is this true?"

Zachary gulped, realizing his predicament. It was clear he wanted to flee the hospital immediately.

However, Xavier’s fist connected with his face, sending Zachary sprawling to the ground. Xavier spat, "If I survive this, I will make you regret it."

Removing her ring, Bella threw it at Zachary’s face, disbelief etched on her features.

Breanna helped Zachary to his feet, her voice barely a whisper. "You have ruined everyone’s lives here, including mine. But you’re my cousin, like an elder brother, so I can’t hate you."

Zachary whispered, "I’m sorry," before hastily leaving the hospital.

After a few anxious minutes of waiting, the lawyer arrived. Xavier took hold of the will papers and other relevant documents, signing them all before handing them to Bella and his mother. His voice was filled with a mixture of sorrow and resignation. "This is my will. I have divided everything between the two of you, and the rest is for my kids. In case I die, I hope you both can live together peacefully in my castle, without any more fights. As you can see now, no one will love my kids more than both of you."

Elinor wept as she embraced her son, while Bella threw herself into Xavier’s arms, confessing, "I have always loved you. I never loved Carl or Zachary. My heart and soul were always yours. Please, don’t die. Please."

Xavier’s heart swelled with joy at Bella’s words. He kissed her softly, vowing, "I will try my best not to die, because I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our kids."

With his declaration, Xavier prayed to the moon goddess, hoping she would grant his wishes.

Turning to the doctor, Xavier stated firmly, "I’m ready."

But the doctor smiled, their voice laced with relief. "There’s no need."

Xavier narrowed his eyes, demanding an explanation. "What do you mean?"

Bella’s heart raced in her chest, fear gripping her every nerve. "Did something happen to my son?"

Elinor trembled, her voice barely a whisper. "My grandson…"

The doctor finally spoke, "The Alpha King himself donated his blood... while you were all talking."

Xavier furrowed his brow, confusion evident in his eyes. "What? But why?"

Stepping forward like a powerful lion, the Alpha King approached with an air of authority, as though nothing had been taken from him. His gaze locked onto Elinor’s, filled with accusation. "Because Leo is my grandson, and you are my biological son. Your mother here should explain to us why she ran away from me years ago, without telling me she was pregnant and then mated with another Alpha."

Elinor evaded the topic, her voice trembling. "Not now. I need to check on my grandson."

Xavier sighed heavily, his hand pressed against the wall for support. Bella rushed to his side, offering him water, her voice filled with concern. "Are you alright?"

Xavier patted Bella’s hand, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I will be fine. First, let’s check on Leo’s health. We can talk about everything else later."

They quickly made their way to Leo’s room, their hearts pounding with a mix of dread and hope. Inside, the little boy lay on the hospital bed, pale but breathing steadily. Machines beeped softly around him, monitoring his fragile condition. 

Bella gasped, tears streaming down her face as she rushed to his side. "Leo…" she whispered, brushing a soft hand over his tiny forehead. His body seemed more at ease, the tension from his struggle visibly easing. 

The Alpha King stood at the foot of the bed, his expression unreadable. Elinor avoided his gaze, focusing instead on her grandson. Xavier moved to stand beside Bella, his hand resting protectively on her shoulder.

The doctor cleared their throat, drawing everyone’s attention. "The transfusion was successful," they announced. "Leo is stable now, but he’ll need time to recover fully. His body is still adjusting to the royal blood."

Bella let out a shaky breath, holding Leo’s small hand tightly in hers. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice breaking. She turned to the Alpha King, her emotions swirling. "Thank you for saving my son."

The Alpha King’s eyes softened as he looked at Bella. "He is my grandson. I would do anything for him." His gaze drifted to Xavier, and a flicker of pride crossed his face. "And for my son."

Xavier tensed, his jaw clenching. "I don’t need your gratitude or your acknowledgment," he said coldly, his voice laced with bitterness. "You weren’t there for me when I needed a father. Don’t think you can walk in now and act like you care."

The Alpha King’s expression hardened, but he remained calm. "You don’t have to accept me, Xavier," he replied. "But the truth is undeniable. You are my blood, and I will protect you and your family, whether you like it or not."

Elinor finally spoke, her voice trembling. "This isn’t the time for arguments," she said, stepping between them. "Leo needs us to be united, not divided. Whatever issues exist between us, we can address them later."

Xavier glared at his mother but said nothing. Bella, sensing the tension, placed a calming hand on his arm. "Xavier," she murmured, her voice soft but firm. "This is about Leo. Let’s focus on him right now."

Xavier exhaled sharply, nodding reluctantly. "Fine," he muttered. "But don’t expect me to forgive or forget."

The Alpha King’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to the doctor. "What else does Leo need for his recovery?"

The doctor nodded. "He’ll need rest, a controlled environment, and constant monitoring. I’ve assigned the best nurses and staff to his care. With time, he should make a full recovery."

Relief washed over the room, though the underlying tension remained. Bella stayed by Leo’s side, refusing to leave him for even a moment. Xavier stood close, his protective instincts on high alert.

Elinor and the Alpha King stepped outside, leaving the parents alone with their son. As they walked down the corridor, the Alpha King broke the silence. "You owe me an explanation, Elinor," he said, his tone firm.

Elinor sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I left because I was scared," she admitted. "Scared of the rejection our son might face. Scared of the pain it would bring. So I ran, thinking I was protecting him."

The Alpha King’s eyes narrowed. "You didn’t give me a chance to protect him with you. Instead, you made me believe you were gone forever. Do you know how many years I spent searching for you?"

Elinor looked away, guilt etched across her face. "I thought I was doing what was best for him."

The Alpha King shook his head, his voice filled with a mix of anger and sorrow. "You made that decision alone. And now, because of your choices, our son resents me. He’s grown up without knowing who he truly is."

Elinor’s voice cracked as she replied, "He’s alive, isn’t he? He’s strong. He’s built a life for himself. Isn’t that what matters?"

The Alpha King sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It matters. But the bond between a father and son also matters, Elinor. And you took that away from both of us."

They walked in silence for a moment, the weight of their shared history pressing down on them. Finally, the Alpha King spoke again, his voice softer. "I want to make things right. For Xavier. For Leo. But I can’t do it alone."

Elinor looked at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "I don’t know if Xavier will ever forgive us," she said quietly. "But for Leo’s sake, we have to try."

The Alpha King nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "Then we will."

\---

Back in Leo’s room, Bella and Xavier sat together, watching their son sleep. The tension between them had eased slightly, replaced by the shared relief of knowing their child was safe.

Bella broke the silence, her voice soft. "Xavier, do you think we’ll ever have peace?"

Xavier turned to her, his expression thoughtful. "Peace isn’t something that comes easily," he replied. "But for Leo—and for our future child—I’ll fight for it. No matter what it takes."

Bella smiled faintly, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I believe you," she said. "And I’ll fight with you."

As they sat together, their love for their children strengthening their bond, they knew the road ahead would be difficult. But for their family, they were willing to face whatever challenges awaited them.

The moonlight filtered through the hospital window, casting a gentle glow over the room. And for the first time in what felt like forever, there was hope.

THE END.