Ryan’s Pov
I didn’t know what to say.
The girl stood before me, her presence unfamiliar, her words impossible. My mind refused to process them. Save Aurora? How? She was gone. Dead. No heartbeat. No warmth left in her body. This wasn’t some old legend where mystical healers roamed our lands. We had no healers. Not anymore. Not in this century.
We just had a moon goddess, but she isn’t a healer.
I tightened my grip on Aurora’s lifeless hand, my jaw clenching. “Who are you?” My voice came out sharper than I intended for the second time, filled with frustration and desperation. “And how the hell did you get into my home? I know everyone here, even if I don’t know their names. I’ve never seen you before.”
The girl hesitated, shifting on her feet. She looked young, barely more than a child, but there was something in her eyes, something old, something knowing.
“Caleb brought me here,” she finally said, her voice small but steady.
Caleb?
I made a mental note to deal with that later, but right now, there was no time to waste. If she could save Aurora, then I would give her that chance. No matter how ridiculous it sounded, no matter how much doubt clawed at me, I couldn’t ignore even the smallest sliver of hope.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
She hesitated again, then said, “Selene.”
“Listen to me, Selene,” I said, stepping closer, my voice dropping lower. “Whatever you’re going to do, I will be here to watch. I’m not leaving Aurora alone with a stranger.”
Selene swallowed hard but nodded. “It might be… uncomfortable, but if that’s what you want, I won’t argue.”
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Aurora’s skin was turning colder with every passing second. I pulled her closer to my chest, trying to give her my warmth, but it was useless. She was slipping further away, and I was powerless.
“Where do we start?” I finally asked, my voice raw.
“I need a few things,” Selene said. “I’ll write them down. Someone needs to get them. Fast.”
I took the list she scribbled onto a torn piece of parchment.
Just as she finished writing them down. Jamie came into the room. He didn’t look like he had a scratch before.
Jamie snatched the piece of parchment from her before I could say anything. “I’ll go,” he said, already rushing out of the room.
“Are you sure you’re okay now?” I asked, clearly worried about him.
“I’m fine Alpha,” He said as he left the room in a hurry.
Minutes passed. I didn’t move from Aurora’s side. Selene stood near the corner, silent, watching. The room was thick with tension, with desperation. I could hear the maids whispering outside the door, the guards shifting uneasily. They all knew. They all felt it.
I pressed my lips to Aurora’s forehead, whispering words only she could hear. “Come back to me, little one.”
Doubt gnawed at my insides. This was madness. But I would take any chance, any insane, desperate chance to bring her back. I had to.
Jamie returned after what felt like an eternity, arms full of plants, herbs, and things I couldn’t even name. Selene didn’t waste time. She took the items, grinding them together, her hands moving with practiced ease. She worked in silence, mixing, crushing, pouring the thick substance into a bowl. The scent was strong, earthy, metallic, almost unnatural.
Then she stilled.
I didn’t like the hesitation in her eyes.
“What?” I demanded.
She exhaled slowly. “There’s one more ingredient.”
My patience was razor-thin. “Then say it.”
Her eyes lifted to mine, unblinking. “Your blood.”
I stared at her, the weight of those words crashing into me. My blood.
It was a very weird ingredient to use. But it was for Aurora.
I didn’t even hesitate.
“Then take it.”
I brought my hand forward, ready for her to take my blood, but Selene shook her head.
“You have to cut yourself,” she said, her voice calm but firm.
Without hesitation, I used my claws to cut myself. The sting barely registered. Pain meant nothing compared to the sight of Aurora lying motionless in front of me.
Selene took my hand, allowing my blood to drip into the bowl of crushed herbs. She stirred it together, creating a thick, dark paste that looked nothing like medicine.
“I have to pull up her clothes to get a proper view of the wound on her stomach,” she said carefully, watching me for any sign of resistance.
She was scared. She was afraid of me. The scent was all over her, but it didn’t matter right now.
“Go ahead.” My voice was rough, but I moved without hesitation, gently lifting Aurora’s gown.
Selene removed the plasters covering her wounds, exposing the deep gash in her stomach and the angry cut on her throat. My jaw clenched at the sight. I should have protected her better. This should have never happened.
She squeezed some of the mixture onto her fingers and pressed it against Aurora’s wounds. The moment it touched her skin, a strange scent filled the room, earthy, metallic, and something else I couldn’t name.
I watched, my hands tightening into fists, as Selene carefully spread the mixture across her injuries. Nothing changed. There was no sudden spark of magic, no sign that this was working. Just Aurora, lying there, lifeless.
Then Selene hesitated. She turned to me, her expression uncertain. “I need you to help me open her mouth.”
I frowned but obeyed. Gently, I pried Aurora’s lips apart, my fingers trembling slightly as I did. She was so cold.
Selene squeezed the herbs, extracting a thick, dark liquid, and let it drip into her mouth. “Let go now,” she whispered.
I pulled my hands back and stared at her. My patience was running thin.
Selene placed the bowl down and lowered her gaze to the floor.
“What are you doing?” My voice was sharp, demanding.
She didn’t look up.
“What’s next?” I asked again, frustration creeping into my tone.
She finally spoke, barely above a whisper. “We wait. We wait to see if it worked.”
Wait? That was it? No chants, no rituals? Just herbs and blood? It made no sense, but I had no choice but to trust it.
So I waited, staring at Aurora, willing her to come back to me.