Alethea
Asher lies on the hospital bed, his body writhing in pain as the doctors work desperately to stop the bleeding.
Blood gushes from the deep wounds on his chest and side, staining the sheets beneath him. My hands tremble as I watch, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Why isn’t he healing? Why is there so much blood?” I ask, my voice shaking.
My mind struggles to process what I’m seeing-this isn’t normal. Werewolves are supposed to heal quickly, yet Asher looks weaker with every passing second.
One of the doctors, his name tag reading **Josh Parker**, glances at me with a grim expression.
“The silver blade was laced with wolfsbane and another unidentified poison. His body is rejecting the healing process. If we don’t find a solution soon, Alpha Asher won’t make it.”
A sharp gasp escapes my lips, my hand flying to cover my mouth. Whoever did this didn’t just want to hurt Asher-they wanted to kill him completely.
Panic grips me as I rush forward and grab Asher’s hand. The moment our skin touches, faint sparks shoot up my arm, a painful reminder of our bond.
But even that connection feels distant, weaker than before.
“Asher,” I whisper, my voice breaking. His skin is cold, and his face is drained of color. His wolf isn’t healing him-he’s fading, slipping away right in front of me.
I spin toward Josh, desperation clawing at my chest. “There has to be an antidote! Wolfbane can be flushed from the system, right? What are we waiting for? We have to save him!”
Josh exhales heavily. “There is an antidote, but with the combination of poisons in his body, we need to identify the exact mixture used. If we give him the wrong treatment, it could kill him faster.”
My heart clenches. There’s no time. Asher is dying. And if we don’t act now, we might lose him forever.
“There is an herb I’ve been experimenting with,” Josh says hesitantly. “I haven’t completed my research yet, so I can’t guarantee anything. But based on what I’ve seen so far, it should at least stop the bleeding. While we work on flushing the wolfbane from his system, this might give him a fighting chance.”
A breath of relief rushes out of me; my chest loosens just slightly. There’s hope. Even if it’s not certain, it’s something.
“How sure are you?” I ask quickly. “What’s the success rate?”
Josh exhales his face tight with worry. “It’s… about eighty percent.”
Eighty percent. That’s more than enough. It’s better than doing nothing while Asher slips away.
“Then go. Get it now,” I urge, my voice shaking with urgency. Without another word, Josh rushes out of the room.
I turn back to Asher, his breathing shallow, his body trembling with every weak inhale. His skin is cold, too cold, and the bond between us feels distant and fragile.
My heart clenches painfully as I reach for his hand, pressing it against my chest as if my heartbeat could keep him tethered to life.
Tears blur my vision, but I don’t wipe them away. I lower my lips to his ear, my voice barely a whisper.
“You’re a fighter, Asher. You need to fight your way back to us. To me.” My voice cracks, but I push through the pain.
“You can’t let them win. Whoever did this, they want you gone-but you’re stronger than them.” I take a shuddering breath.
“Declan needs you… and I need you more than ever.”
A single tear slips from my cheek, landing against his skin. “Please,” I whisper, my fingers tightening around him. “Come back to me, my mate.”
“Step aside, please. We need to continue his treatment,” another doctor calls out to me.
I hesitate, my fingers still curled around Asher’s hand, not willing to let go. But I know they need space to work.
With a shaky breath, I lean down and place a lingering kiss on his damp face, whispering a silent promise that I won’t stop fighting for him.
As I step back, I notice Dr. Parker returned with the herbs he had mentioned earlier.
Whatever he plans to administer, I pray it works. But as I watch them move around Asher, a thought crashes into me like a wave.
Whoever did this is still in the pack.
The attack was too precise, too well-timed. Someone tipped the rogues off about today’s meeting, knowing all the alphas would be here.
If that person is still lurking, waiting for another chance, they might come back to finish what they started.
My chest tightens. I can’t stand here waiting for Asher to wake up while his attacker is still free.
Without another moment of hesitation, I rush out of the room and head straight for the arena.
The moment I step outside, the air is thick with the scent of blood, sweat, and the metallic tang of fear.
Wounded wolves lie scattered across the grounds, some being treated by nurses and omegas, others barely conscious. The battle was brutal.
Then I spot Liam.
He stands near a group of warriors, his clothes stained with blood, with an unreadable expression. He looks exhausted, but the moment our eyes meet, I see something else-pain. Guilt.
I stop in front of him, searching his face, staring deep into his eyes. For a moment, he looks confused, even taking a small step back.
There’s a power within me, one I haven’t fully tapped into yet. Selena promised to help me harness my abilities, but she’s been too preoccupied to train me. Still, what little I’ve discovered-I’ll use it to my advantage now.
For once, I’m grateful that Asher listened to Selena and didn’t bring Declan here. If my son were caught in this attack, I don’t know what I would do.
“You okay?” Liam’s voice snaps me out of my daze.
I blink, refocusing on him, but something shifts. A strange warmth spreads through my chest, and suddenly, I see something-bright light, calm water, and flowers blooming in Liam’s gaze.
I inhale sharply. “Wow,” I whisper without thinking.
Liam frowns slightly. “What?”
I shake my head, trying to brush off the moment, but deep inside, I know what I just witnessed. There’s a light in Liam, a purity that sets him apart.
Asher is lucky to have him.
No wonder Liam is hurting. He fought with everything he had, and still, he wasn’t able to protect his alpha.
I can only imagine how that must feel. Liam steps closer, his hands gripping my shoulders gently as he shakes me slightly.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice filled with concern.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” I reply quickly, though my heart is still racing.
I know we can’t talk here, not in the open. I need to pull Liam aside, somewhere away from curious ears.
With a glance around to ensure no one is nearby, I motion for him to follow me. We step away from the chaos, just far enough to speak privately, but not too far from Asher’s room.
“Liam, I need you to gather your most trusted warriors,” I whisper urgently.
“Station them outside Asher’s door. Whoever attacked him might still be lurking in the pack, waiting to finish what they started.”
Liam gives a small nod. “I already did that, Ally. Thanks for caring so much for our alpha.”
I almost roll my eyes at his words, but I hold back and offer him a small, nervous smile instead.
“Who do you think is responsible for this?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Liam’s expression darkens. “My best bet is Xavier. I don’t trust him after last time.”
Hearing that name sends a chill through me. My stomach twists as memories resurface.
Liam turns to me sharply, his blue eyes wide with shock. “Wait… You know Xavier?”
I hesitate but then slowly nod. “Yes, I know him,” I say softly.
Liam stares at me, waiting for me to explain. I can see the expectation in his eyes, the need for answers. And deep down, I know I can trust him.
Taking a deep breath, I confess, “That night-when Asher led me out of the pack when I was here as Zoe-I overheard Xavier and Maya talking about taking over the pack.”
My words come out in a rush. “I wanted to warn Asher, but before I could, he ordered me to be thrown into the dungeon.”
I wait for Liam’s reaction, expecting shock, maybe even disbelief. But instead, he looks… knowing. As if this isn’t news to him.
“You knew,” I breathe out, watching him carefully.
Liam nods grimly, his jaw tightening.
Before either of us can say anything more, the door to Asher’s room suddenly bursts open.
A doctor rushes out in a panic, his face pale with urgency.
My heart leaps into my throat.
I don’t hesitate-I match his speed, rushing toward him. Every beat of my heart pounds with fear.
Something is wrong.
Something is very, very wrong with Asher.