Chapter 91 BREAKING POINT
Celestia’s Pov
As soon as we got back to our guest quarters I fell apart. All the emotions I had been holding back during the ceremony and the confrontation with Raphael came pouring out and I could not stop them.
I collapsed onto the bed, letting my body give in completely, and sobs tore out of me—deep, guttural, horrible sobs that shook every inch of me. My chest heaved uncontrollably, tears streaming down my face, my fingers clutching at the sheets like they could anchor me to something solid. Lucian slid onto the edge of the bed beside me, careful and steady. Without a word, he wrapped me in his arms, holding me tight, letting me lean into him, letting me cry without restraint. The warmth of him around me was grounding, a fragile lifeline, and for the first time in days, I could let go entirely.
"It is okay. Let it out," Lucian said quietly.
"I found him. I found Asher," I said between sobs. "He recognized me. He called me Mama."
"I know. Crane told me," Lucian said.
"He was trying to find me. He escaped from his room and was trying to find me because he knew I was here. And when I found him he was so small and sick looking. He was holding my handkerchief and crying," I said.
The image of Asher sitting on those stairs clutching my handkerchief was burned into my mind. My baby had been trying to reach me. He had used all his strength to escape his room and search for me.
“He is so pale, Lucian. So thin,” I said, my voice trembling despite my attempt to stay composed. “They are not taking care of him properly. Every time I see him, I can feel how weak he is, how fragile. He needs better medical treatment, someone who actually monitors him, who understands what he needs. He needs to be somewhere safe, where people truly care about him—not just following orders, but protecting him, tending to him as if he mattered, because right now… right now, he doesn’t have that. I can’t just stand by and watch.”
"Then we will get him that treatment. We will take him to the best doctors in the kingdom," Lucian said.
"But when? How much longer do we have to wait? I cannot stand the thought of him being in that room for even one more day," I said.
I pulled back from Lucian's embrace and looked at him. My face was wet with tears and I probably looked like a mess but I did not care.
"Please. We need to accelerate our plans. We need to get him out of there now," I said.
"Celestia I know how hard this is for you but we cannot just take him. We need to do this the right way or we will lose him forever," Lucian said.
"I know. I know we need to be strategic. But it is killing me to leave him there," I said.
“I understand,” Lucian said, his voice calm but heavy with warning. “But you have to think about what is truly best for Asher in the long run. If we take him now without legal custody, Raphael could accuse us of kidnapping. He could twist it, use it as leverage to keep Asher away from you permanently. Is that what you want? To risk losing him forever because we acted in haste? Every move has consequences, and if we misstep, it won’t just be temporary—it could destroy your chance of being with him at all.”
"No. Of course not," I said.
"Then we stick to the plan. We get Dr Lake's confession. We file for custody. We do this legally so there is no way for Raphael to fight back," Lucian said.
I knew he was right but it did not make it any easier. Every part of me wanted to run back to that medical wing right now and take Asher away. I wanted to grab him and never let go.
"How close are your investigators to getting Dr Lake's confession?" I asked.
Lucian pulled out his phone and checked his messages.
"They are making progress. Dr Lake is scared but she is cooperating. She knows Eclipse is dangerous and she wants protection. My investigators are offering her immunity in exchange for her full testimony," Lucian said.
"How long until they have everything?" I asked.
“Another day or two at most,” Lucian said firmly, as if anchoring himself to the timeline. “Dr. Lake has a lot of information to share—critical information.” His jaw tightened. “She was involved in the conspiracy from the very beginning. She saw it unfold, participated in parts of it, and now she’s ready to talk. She knows exactly what Eclipse and Medea did, how they planned it, how they covered their tracks.” His gaze met mine, steady and resolute. “Once we have her testimony, everything changes. We just need a little more time.”
"And once we have her testimony we can file for custody immediately?" I asked.
"Yes. We take the testimony to the Lycan Council along with all the other evidence we have gathered. We prove you were framed. We prove Asher is your son and he was taken from you illegally. Then we file for emergency custody," Lucian said.
"And you think the Council will rule in our favor?" I asked.
"I know they will. The evidence is overwhelming. Even the Council members who oppose you cannot deny facts. And once we have custody we take Asher to our own doctors and get him the treatment he needs," Lucian said.
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust that everything would work out. But I had been disappointed so many times before.
"What if something goes wrong? What if Raphael fights us and wins? What if the Council decides he has more right to Asher than I do?" I asked.
Lucian took both of my hands in his and looked directly into my eyes.
"That is not going to happen. I promise you, Celestia. I am not going to let anyone take Asher away from you again. We are going to get him back and he is going to be safe and healthy and loved. You have my word," Lucian said.
"You cannot promise that. You do not know what will happen," I said.
"I am the Lycan King. I have power and resources that Raphael cannot match. If the Council tries to rule against us I will use every bit of influence I have to change their minds. I will not let you lose your son again," Lucian said.
The certainty in his voice made me want to believe him, to cling to his words like a lifeline. He sounded so confident, so unwavering, as if the outcome were already decided and all that remained was patience. There was strength in him, solid and reassuring, the kind that made you feel protected simply by standing close. In that moment, it felt like nothing could stop him from keeping his promise—not fear, not politics, not the chaos unraveling around us. I let myself lean into that confidence, even knowing how fragile hope could be.
"Why are you doing all this for me?" I asked quietly.
"Because you are my mate. And because what happened to you five years ago was wrong. You deserve to have your son back. And Asher deserves to be with his real mother," Lucian said.
“But you barely know me,” I said, my voice trembling slightly, heavy with disbelief. “We only met a few months ago. Why would you risk so much—for me? For someone you barely know? Everything you’re doing… it could cost you everything. Your position, your safety, even your freedom. And yet you’re willing to stake it all on a person who, until recently, was practically a stranger to you. Why?” I searched his face, desperate for an answer that made sense, for a reason that could justify such devotion.
Lucian was quiet for a moment and I could see him thinking about how to answer.
"When I first met you I saw someone who had been broken by the people who were supposed to protect her. You had been framed and exiled and separated from your child. You had every reason to give up. But you did not give up. You kept fighting. You kept believing that someday you would get justice," Lucian said.
"I did not have a choice. Giving up meant never seeing Asher again," I said.
"Most people would have given up anyway. Most people would have accepted their fate and moved on. But not you. You are a fighter, Celestia.”
His words made me start crying again but these were different tears. Not tears of grief but tears of gratitude. Nobody had ever fought for me the way Lucian was fighting for me now.