Chapter 229

Chapter 229
WREN

I was still lying on my bed, exhausted and in deep contemplation about my decision. The priestess had tried to beg me to reconsider, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to take any chances.

I couldn’t risk the life of my daughter.

And then, I heard a scream.

It wasn’t a normal scream.

It was the kind that rips the air apart.

The kind you only hear when something terrible has happened.

Seconds later, Reed burst through the door a moment later, his breath gone, his eyes wide.

“Wren….” he gasped. “Cassian… Cassian collapsed.”

My heart stopped.

“What?” I pushed myself upright, pain shooting through my abdomen. “No, no, Reed, what do you mean collapsed?”

“He just… he fell,” Reed said, running a trembling hand through his hair. “He isn’t waking up, his heart rate is dangerously low. The doctors, they, they’re trying everything.”

I didn’t even feel my legs. My body moved without me, dragging itself out of the bed. I didn’t care about the stitches, the pain, anything. I needed to reach him.

“Take me to him,” I breathed.

Reed didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the wheelchair and helped me in before sprinting me out of the annex and back to the main building.

We reached the room Cassian had been taken to. The door was open. The pack doctor and two doctors were bent over Cassian, who lay motionless on the bed, too still. He looked so pale.

I couldn’t understand it. He was fine just a while ago.

Too silent.

My cry tore out of me.

“Cassian! Cass—Cassian, please—” I tried to get up, but Reed held me down, his arms strong but gentle.

”Don’t hurt yourself Wren. You’ve only just gave birth. We’ve called for an ambulance. They want to run some tests on him.”

Christina was on the other side of the bed, sobbing, her hands on Cassian’s arm. Derek’s brother, Locke, stood near the door, face pale.

We were all there until the ambulance came, until it took him away. Reed held me down and prevented me from going, reminding me my baby still needed my attention.

So I waited, I waited for what seemed to be like hours back in my room with Eliana in my arms.

The priestess came in a while later, her expression tight. Christina followed, looking equally unpleasant.

“Have you seen him? He’ll be okay right?” I asked frantically.

“I have…” she whispered. “And I think… this might be the curse.”

I froze.

“But, I don’t understand,” I stammered. “The curse was supposed to affect the firstborn. Not Cassian.”

The priestess walked to my side and held my hand gently.

“Wren,” she said softly, “Cassian is also a firstborn. On his father’s side.”

Christina let out a broken sob.

“No,” she cried. “No. Not my son. Not now.”

My chest tightened painfully. Cassian, my Cassian, who had fought for me, fought for our child, fought against fate itself… affected by the curse.

I didn’t want to believe it.

The priestess cleared her throat and wiped her face, trying to stay strong.

“They are bringing him back from the hospital. His vitals are fine but he is unresponsive to any treatment. For now it’s important to keep this away from the pack,” she said. “Nobody outside this room needs to know what’s happening. Not yet.”

I barely heard her.

“This can’t be real….”

The priestess stepped back slowly.

“I will keep him stable,” she said. “But this curse… it wants a life. And it will keep fighting until it gets one.”

Her words echoed in my skull.

A life.

A sacrifice.

Only two ways to break the curse.

Alexander breaks it willingly.

Or a nine-tailed fox gives up her life and blood.

I had known this already. I had accepted it already.

My daughter was alive.

Cassian was still breathing.

The curse was killing him, right in front of me.

“I want you to prepare the ritual,” I whispered.

Silence fell across the room.

Christina spun toward me. “Wren… what?”

“I said prepare it,” I repeated, louder this time. “I’m ready.”

Christina’s eyes filled with confusion. “Why? Wren, what are you saying?”

“Christina,” I said softly, “please… not now.”

My phone began ringing again on the bedside table. It had been ringing all afternoon.

I ignored it.

I couldn’t handle anything except what was happening.

I needed to write him something before I left.

Before he woke up and found me gone.

With the priestess and Christina gone, I had a nurse bring me some things from my room.

I spent hours labouring on the words to write, on what to tell him.

When I was finally done, I called for Reed and handed him the letter. With specific instructions to give it to him when Cassian was awake.

“Wren… you’re scaring me,” he finally said. “What is this for? Why can’t you wait till he’s awake.”

I swallowed hard. “Just give Cassian this when he wakes.”

I held out the folded letter with shaking fingers.

Reed stared at it and didn’t take it.

“Wren.” His voice cracked. “What’s going on? Why are you giving me this?”

“I can’t,” I whispered. “Please, Reed. Just take it.”

He stared at me for a long moment.

Then he slowly took the note.

I waited till he left until the tears rolled down my cheeks.

…………….

That night, after feeding Eliana one last time and kissing her soft forehead, I asked Locke to deliver a letter to Sybil when she returned from her honeymoon.

“A letter?” Locke frowned. “Why not wait and….”

“Just do it,” I said quietly. “After she comes back.”

He hesitated but nodded.

I wanted Sybil to enjoy her honeymoon. No fear. No sorrow.

I wanted her to smile one last time before she learned the truth.

I left her a long message too, scheduled to send after her honeymoon. I told her I loved her. That she saved me. That she was the sister I never had.

Everyone seemed confused by my behavior.

But nobody stopped me.

Nobody knew.

………………

At midnight, the priestess returned.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” she whispered.

I nodded.

She helped me out of bed, careful of my healing stitches. I clung to her arm as we stepped quietly down the hallway. The guards saw us but they didn’t stop us.

If only they knew….

Christina slept in the chair between Cassian’s makeshift bed and Eliana’s crib, her hand resting on both of them. Tears stained her cheeks even in sleep.

My chest ached painfully.

“Goodbye my loves,” I whispered to them both.

The priestess guided me outside, across the pack grounds. The night was cold, the grass silver under the moon. At the center clearing, everything was ready:

A circle of candles.

Symbols carved into the earth.

A bowl for blood.

A stone altar.

The curse-breaking ritual.

My heart pounded so loudly it echoed in my ears.

The priestess turned to me with trembling hands.

“Wren,” she whispered shakily, “are you absolutely sure? I’m not even sure this would work, you know the curse is tricky.”

I lifted my chin.

“Yes,” I whispered. “I’m sure it would work. Don’t worry.”

Because it was a fox like me who made the curse in the first place. And they knew. They knew it would be almost impossible for a fox to lay down their life for a wolf. That was what made the curse so unbreakable.

“For the Alpha?” she asked softly.

“For Cassian,” I said. “And for our daughter, Eliana.”

The priestess closed her eyes.

“Then step into the circle, child.”

I took a breath.

Stepped forward.

Placed my foot inside the glowing markings…