Ronan’s POV
My feet thudded on the smooth floor of the infirmary. The sound of my rush filled the clean room. Adams’s sudden mental call pulled me from my thoughts, a rush of concern flooding me. He rarely called for me like this.
When I rushed through the double doors, a healer pointed to a small private room. I did not wait for another invite. My heart raced in my chest, each beat feeling like a drum of fear. Was something wrong with the Luna Queen?
The room was small and not very bright, filled with the smell of disinfectant and plants. Adams sat on a stool, sitting up straight, his sharp face showing worry. He looked up when I came closer, his amber eyes looking right at me.
“Ronan,” he said, his voice deep. “I am glad you made it.”
“Your Highness,” I said, my voice shaky with fear. “What’s the matter? Is Lilith okay?”
He frowned a little but then relaxed. “Lilith is okay, Ronan. At least physically. It’s… something different.” He paused with a hint of something in his eyes that I couldn’t understand.
“When I tried to reach you through the mind link it was… hard. Like someone else was already in your thoughts.”
My face got hot, and I felt warm in my ears. I didn’t think he would bring that up. At that moment, I felt close to Adeline, her warmth soothing my constant worry. But I could not tell him that. Not yet.
“I… I got distracted,” I said, trying to act casual.
Adams looked at me steadily. “I get it, Beta,” he said calmly. “But what I’m going to say is important.”
He leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “Captain Kael is back. Alone. And seriously wounded.”
I gasped. Kael, the leader of our special King’s guard, the man who had been loyal to Adams long before I understood our pack’s issues. It was unimaginable that he could be hurt, especially by himself.
“What?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. “Where is he?”
“He’s knocked out in the clinic,” Adams said, sounding worried. “The doctors are helping him, but it’s… not looking good.”
“What does this mean, Adams?” I asked, my hands digging into my skin.
Adams’s face tightened, his features becoming more defined. “The message is straightforward, Ronan. Thornvale Village is lost. To Augustus.”
The words struck me hard. Thornvale is a key place where Kael was with some of our soldiers. It was supposed to stand against Augustus’s rising revolt, a sign of Adams’s power and watchfulness. But it had fallen.
“No,” I said softly, hoping it wasn’t true. “It can’t be happening.”
Before Adams could answer, a healer with dark brown fur hurried into the room. He lowered his head to Adams.
“Your Highness,” he said, his voice shaky. “I’m sorry to say Captain Kael is…” He hesitated, looking down. “His injuries are very severe. They won’t get better. We’ve done all we can.”
My world turned upside down. I felt a cold fear sink deep into my bones. Kael, a unique fighter who had faced many dangers and always survived, was dying.
I looked at Adams, hoping to find answers in his eyes, anything to calm my rising panic. “What if we let Lilith give it a shot?” I said quickly. “Her ability, the Moon Goddess’s blessing… she might be able to heal him.”
Adams looked at me with a little doubt in his eyes. “Ronan, that’s dangerous. After what happened with Bartholomew…”
I understood what he was saying. Lilith’s power was strong, connecting her straight to the Moon Goddess. It was a gift but also a heavyweight.
When Lilith tried to heal Bartholomew, Adams’s brother, who was badly hurt, it was… disturbing. The healing was rough and Lilith was worn out almost to the point of passing out.
“But, Your Highness, we have no other option,” I insisted, my voice urgent. “She is our only chance.”
Adams stopped talking and looked at the floor. I could tell he was struggling by the way his jaw tightened and how he shifted his posture. He knew, just like I did, that we were holding onto quick fixes and the last bit of hope.
After what seemed like forever, Adams finally looked up, his eyes filled with serious resolve. “You are right, Ronan. We don’t have any other option. Send a guard to the palace. Tell them to bring Lilith here right away.”
The wait felt endless, like a long, painful time. My paws moved back and forth and my mind raced with what might happen and what I feared. The idea of anything other than Kael living was too hard to handle.
The infirmary doors opened slowly, and Lilith walked in, her blue eyes locking onto mine from across the room. Her bright hair looked dull today, and she had a tired look around her eyes.
“Ronan,” she said, her voice gentle yet firm, a slight smile hinting at her lips.
“My Queen,” I said, my voice filled with feeling. This was our last chance.
Lilith looked at Adams and spoke to him politely. “Your Highness, is it time?”
Adams just nodded, his face showing strong resolve. Without saying anything else, he turned and went to the treatment room with Lilith and me close behind.
The air in the room was heavy with an almost tangible tension. Concern etched on their faces, the healers surrounded Kael’s bed. He lay there, his silver fur marred by deep crimson, struggling to breathe with shallow, labored gasps.
Adams spoke out loud, “Everyone out. Right now!”
The healers were surprised and quickly followed orders, whispering as they left. Adams faced Lilith, speaking softly but firmly. “Lilith, are you prepared?”
Lilith’s strong smile was both calming and unsettling. She gave a nod, her eyes shining with a deep strength that was both lovely and frightening.
Then I saw Lilith’s eyes shut softly, and she placed her hand on Kael’s chest. A strange energy flowed through the air, a quiet power that filled the room.
Then Lilith shook her body, trembling wildly. Her skin turned pale and her breathing grew fast and shallow.
Adams, looking worried, walked toward her and reached out his hand.
“Your Highness,” I spoke softly, looking at Lilith. “Please. Don’t bother her.”
Adams paused, stopping in place, with worry on his face. “Ronan, she’s…”
“See!” I said quietly.
Kael’s wounds, once deep and painful, were slowly healing. The red marks on his fur were disappearing, giving way to a shiny silver. It was an amazing sight, a sign of Lilith’s strength.
But Lilith’s body kept shaking, pushing her to her physical limits. The view was amazing and frightening at the same time.
The process went on for what seemed like forever. Finally, after a long minute, Kael’s wounds were completely healed. He moved slightly, his eyes slowly opening. Lilith, tired and weak, staggered back, her legs giving way. Adams caught her just before she hit the ground.
I hurried to Kael and spoke with worry and relief. “Captain Kael! What went wrong?”
His eyes, which were usually full of loyalty and strength, were wide with fear, and his face looked pale. He spoke in a tiny voice. “He is coming…”