42

Dominic’s POV
The weight of the situation pressed heavily on me as I looked at Lucian, who sat silently on the floor, cradling Seraphina’s head in his lap. His face was a mask of confusion and pain. “How could she do this?” he whispered, his voice barely audible, but his anguish was clear. I couldn’t bring myself to respond; my mind was a storm of thoughts and emotions, all centered on Katarina, who was caught in the perilous balance between life and death.
I felt utterly torn. My loyalty was divided between my responsibilities as an Alpha to my pack and my deep need to be by my mate’s side. Hunter, my wolf, was desperate to be with Katarina, his reason slipping away with every passing moment. But I couldn’t simply abandon my duty. The threat of war loomed over us like a dark cloud, and as Alpha, it was my responsibility to minimize the impending damage as much as possible.
A war was coming; I could sense it in every fiber of my being. My warriors were already stationed around the pack’s perimeters, vigilant and ready to sound the alarm the moment the hunters made their move. With a heavy heart, I pushed myself up from the floor and approached the second unconscious body. Betrayal surged through me like wildfire, and my vision was tinged with a red haze of anger.
Tori lay unconscious, a small vial of wolfsbane protruding from her neck. My fingers trembled with barely contained rage as I carefully removed the vial, my thoughts spiraling to Leona. How had she gotten so close to Katarina? How had she managed to deceive us all? “How could Leona have escaped?” Lucian muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief as he glanced up at me.
I took a deep breath, fighting the rising tide of fury threatening to consume me. “She must have had help,” I said, my voice strained with the effort to remain calm. “There’s no way she had the time to stab Katarina, poison Seraphina and Tori, and then escape on her own.” The very thought of someone else within my pack betraying us made my blood boil. I wanted nothing more than to hunt Leona down and make her pay for what she had done.
Lucian looked down at Seraphina, his brow furrowed in worry. “What should we do with them?” he asked, his voice heavy with concern. I glanced at the two unconscious girls, my mind racing. I needed Seraphina far away from the impending battle. “Let’s take them to one of the spare bedrooms in the house,” I decided. “When the werewolf hunters come, we’ll draw them to the northern side of town.”
Lucian nodded in agreement and gently lifted Seraphina into his arms. I followed suit, lifting Tori and leading Lucian to one of the spare bedrooms. After settling both girls onto the bed, I mind-linked the warriors in my pack. “If any of you encounter the werewolf hunters or rogues, lead them to the northern part of town,” I commanded, feeling their acknowledgment in my mind. “This is where the battle will commence. Those not fighting should head to the southern part of town. The pack house will be open for those who need it.”
Lucian shook his head, his gaze fixed on Seraphina’s peaceful face. “She’s going to want to fight with us, you know,” he said, a trace of sadness in his voice. I grimaced at the thought, knowing how fiercely Seraphina would want to join the battle. “Don’t let her out of your sight,” I instructed, my tone firm as I met Lucian’s gaze.
Lucian looked puzzled. “What do you mean? When the war starts-”
“When the war starts, you’ll be with Seraphina,” I cut him off. “Keeping her safe.”
Lucian’s expression softened, gratitude filling his eyes. “Thank you, Alpha,” he said, his voice thick with emotion as he brushed a stray lock of hair from Seraphina’s face.
I turned to leave the room, unable to stay away from Katarina any longer. “Keep her safe, Lucian,” I added, before heading toward the small hospital in the center of town. As soon as I stepped inside, a nurse appeared, her face lined with concern.
“Alpha,” she greeted me with a respectful nod. “You’re here for the Luna?”
“Yes,” I replied curtly, my words clipped with urgency. I needed to know how Katarina was faring. Hunter paced restlessly in my mind, his anxiety feeding my own and making it increasingly difficult to remain composed.
The nurse nodded and offered me a small smile, gesturing for me to follow her. I did so silently, my heart pounding in my chest. “The doctor is just inside,” she said, giving me one last reassuring smile before she turned and left.
The sight of Katarina lying on the hospital bed nearly shattered the fragile control I had over my emotions. If not for the steady beeping of the heart monitor, I might have lost my mind then and there. “How is she?” I asked, my voice taut with worry as I allowed my eyes to linger on her face.
Katarina was no longer as pale as she had been; her cheeks held a faint flush of color, and the peaceful expression she wore eased some of the turmoil within me. But I knew I wouldn’t be truly at peace until she opened her eyes and spoke to me.
“She’s extremely lucky,” the doctor replied, his gaze also fixed on Katarina. “If you had arrived ten minutes later, she would have died.”
Her heartbeat sounded strong and steady, a reassuring rhythm that I clung to. “Her heartbeat sounds stable,” I observed, nodding towards the monitor.
The doctor nodded in agreement. “She’s healing. We had to perform a blood transfusion to help her body rid itself of the silver’s poison. She responded very well to it. The mate bond is aiding in her recovery. It would be best if you stayed with her as much as possible.”
“I intend to,” I said firmly, locking eyes with the doctor for a brief moment. “Thank you for saving her. I owe you my deepest gratitude.”
The doctor shook his head, his expression grave. “You owe me nothing. Just make sure whoever did this to her pays.”
“I plan to,” I replied, my voice cold with resolve.
The doctor gave a curt nod and left the room, leaving me alone with my mate. I pulled a chair up to Katarina’s bedside and took her hand in mine. The warmth of her skin and the familiar spark of our bond brought me a sense of comfort I hadn’t felt since this nightmare began.
Just being near her changed everything. Hunter, too, seemed to calm as we held onto our mate’s hand. Though our fear for her safety remained, we were determined to ensure the war never reached the hospital. We were prepared, our warriors were trained, and the plan was set.
I stayed by Katarina’s side through the night, conducting pack business through the mind-link while refusing to leave her room. The stiff discomfort from sleeping in a chair was a small price to pay for the comfort of hearing her steady heartbeat. It was a promise that she would survive.
The next morning, the pack doctor returned to change the bandage on Katarina’s wound. I couldn’t help but wince at the sight of the stitches in her skin, angry and red. But already, I could see the signs of healing.
“Your presence has helped speed up her recovery,” the doctor remarked, jotting down notes on a clipboard. “I assume you’ll stay until she wakes?”
I nodded. “I will. Unless the werewolf hunters attack first.”
The doctor gave a satisfied nod and left the room. I allowed myself to drift in and out of sleep throughout the day, my thoughts never straying far from Katarina. Watching the faint blush come and go on her cheeks was a small comfort, a reminder of one of the many things I loved about her. She was always so easy to read, her emotions so transparent on her face.
It was late afternoon when I heard Seraphina’s voice in my mind, trembling with fear and anxiety. “Dominic, is Katarina alive?”
“She will survive,” I assured her, feeling her relief wash over me. But her guilt was palpable, almost suffocating.
“I’m coming to see her,” Seraphina declared, but I immediately shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me.
“No. You’ll stay where you are,” I commanded, my voice stern. “The werewolf hunters could attack at any moment, and I need you to be safe.”
“Dominic-” Seraphina began, but I cut her off.
“No, Seraphina,” I snapped. “Katarina will be safe, but I need you safe as well.”
It felt strange, speaking to my sister this way. Our relationship had always been complicated, shaped by the neglect of our parents and the harsh expectations placed on me. There had never been room for softness between us.
“I want to fight, Dominic,” Seraphina’s voice was thick with emotion, on the verge of tears.
“You will not fight,” I commanded firmly. “You will stay safe with Lucian and Tori. Just stay with Lucian for me, Seraphina.”
“Alright, fine,” she relented with a shaky sigh. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect her, Dominic. I really am. Leona wasn’t alone. She stabbed Katarina, and then he barged in and-”
Her voice was abruptly cut off by another voice in my mind. “Alpha, the werewolf hunters are here.”