Chapter 11: Healing Pack

Adelie

Lifting my head, I saw Alpha’s wolf being hauled away by two men.

He was injured, and I could feel it—a sharp pain in my right shoulder. It was my fault.

People were watching me, their eyes tracking my every move.

I wanted to rush to Alpha’s side, but he had seen my power. He would want me gone, especially after so many pack members were injured.

I had always believed my mother was shielding me from those who sought me.

But in reality, she was protecting the world from me. I had the power to obliterate everything.

“Get everyone to the pack hospital,” a man barked at the others, supporting an elderly man on his shoulder.

I knew I had to help. I could help. I could try to mend as much as I could before I was banished from this pack.

The guards who were unscathed rounded up the attackers, presumably to lock them up.

I spotted an elderly man with a grey beard and hair—the pack doctor. I sprinted towards him. “I want to help. Please let me help,” I begged.

He turned to me. “You don’t need my permission. Alpha is injured and his second in command, Beta, is out of town. You’re in charge, Luna.”

“But... I can’t be in charge. I caused this... It was my fault,” I sobbed. “They came for me, not for the pack.”

The doctor glanced around. “We’ll sort this out later.”

“Can I help?” I asked again.

“You...don’t...” He stuttered, clearly frustrated. “Of course.”

He began to walk towards the hospital, and I trailed behind him.

The hospital was filled with beds, now occupied by people crying out in pain, and those who were healthy enough were aiding the others.

A teenage boy rushed up to the doctor. “Doctor, follow me,” he said urgently. The doctor didn’t hesitate and quickly followed him.

“Three people were hit with silver bullets,” the boy explained. “Alpha, little Jack, and Beta’s sister, Riley.”

He opened a white door, revealing three people lying on beds covered in white sheets.

One was a young woman, awake and screaming in agony, a small child with his eyes closed, and Alpha. I could feel his pain.

“There are only two silver antidotes,” the boy announced.

“WHAT?” the doctor yelled, but quickly moved to Jack and Riley. “Give the antidote to Alpha and Jack,” he ordered without even assessing Alpha's condition.

Riley was still screaming. I wanted to help Alpha, but I had to think logically. “No!” I protested. “That’s not right.”

“Luna? Are you suggesting we give it to Riley instead?” The boy asked.

“Yes,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Give her Alpha’s antidote.” As I said that, they both shot me a nasty look.

“We have sworn to protect Alpha,” the doctor retorted angrily.

“And you swore to protect the rest of the pack,” I countered confidently. “Alpha is the strongest in the whole pack. Not giving the antidote to Riley will kill her. Alpha will suffer terribly, but he will survive.”

The thought of Alpha in pain made my heart ache. The doctor hesitated.

“I am saying this as your Luna. It's an order,” I said in a tone I didn’t know I possessed. It was my Luna voice.

He gave one antidote to the young boy and kept one for himself. They both injected the antidotes and immediately began to remove the bullets.

I walked over to Alpha and picked up a pair of tweezers, mimicking the doctor’s actions. I placed one hand on his chest, and I thought I felt him flinch under my touch, but I kept my hand there.

I had to do this quickly. I took a deep breath and inserted the tweezers into his wound. Once I located the bullet, I pulled it out. It was small, but even a smaller silver bullet could kill a werewolf.

Blood gushed out of his wound.

“Luna! What are y...” the doctor began, trying to pull me away, but I stood my ground and placed my hand over his wound.

The pain in my shoulder was so intense it brought tears to my eyes. I hadn’t realized he was suffering this much.

A faint glow seeped out from beneath my hand, and when I lifted it, all that remained was a scar that looked a few days old.

“Luna, help these two,” the young boy instructed, as the doctor stood by, his expression one of shock.

Despite the dizziness that threatened to topple me, I moved towards them, gripping the sides of their beds for support. I healed them both.

When they woke, they wouldn’t be in much pain. But the Alpha would be. He would need several more healing sessions before he was fully recovered.

I moved on to the others who were injured. There were dozens of them, all watching me with a mix of awe and envy. I’d never experienced this level of pain before. Every inch of me ached.

I tried to stay strong, but I couldn’t stop the tears that welled up in my eyes. My movements were stiff and robotic.

“Thank you, Luna,” Fala murmured after I’d healed her bitten leg. I didn’t respond, didn’t even manage a smile. I just couldn’t.

I barely had enough energy to heal, let alone talk. Speaking felt like a monumental effort, a waste of precious energy.

Hours later, everyone had been treated. Most had gone home, exhausted, while some remained in the hospital.

I was in a room with the Alpha, who had been moved to a private room. I sat beside his bed, watching over him. Little Jack and Riley had already woken up, but they were still under the doctor’s watchful eye.

Outside, night had fallen. I caught my reflection in the window. My eyes were red, green veins stood out on my temples, and my green dress was stained with dirt and blood.

I needed to wait for the Alpha to wake up. Only then would I allow myself to retreat to the forest to replenish my energy. I wasn’t even sure I could make it there. My feet felt numb.

I looked at the Alpha. He looked peaceful in sleep. His brown curls were damp with sweat, but even then, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.

Suddenly, his chest began to heave. A loud growl echoed from his bed, alerting the doctor who rushed into the room.

Another growl, and a guard entered. It was Nathan, who had managed to escape the fight unscathed.

The Alpha’s eyes fluttered open, and he clenched his jaw against the pain. “Why does it hurt so much?” he rasped, his teeth gritted.

“Silver. We didn’t administer the antidote,” the doctor explained.

The Alpha’s eyebrows furrowed, and his expression darkened. “Why?” he demanded, glaring at the doctor.

The doctor stuttered, but I cut him off. “I told him not to,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The Alpha turned to look at me.

“There wasn’t enough for all three of you who were injured by silver,” I explained, struggling to keep my head up. “They would have died without it. I’m sorry you’re in so much pain. It’s my fault.”

The Alpha didn’t respond, just kept his gaze fixed on me. “Why are you…” he began, but the doctor interrupted.

“Luna, now that the Alpha is awake, what can we do for you?” he asked.

“If you’ll allow me to go to the forest, Alpha,” I said weakly.

“Forest?” he echoed.

Was there any point in hiding it anymore? The Alpha had seen what I could do. Now, all that was left was for him to decide whether I could stay in the pack. If not, Alpha Archibald had offered me a place with him.

“I’m a forest nymph,” I confessed, and the Alpha’s eyes widened. “Everything you know about me is a lie.” Speaking was becoming increasingly difficult.

“Nathan,” the Alpha called. “Take her to the forest, then bring her back to my house.”

Nathan nodded and approached me. “Luna, can you walk?” he asked. I shook my head.

Nathan scooped me up, cradling me like a bride, and carried me into the forest. Exhausted, I let my head rest against his chest.

We reached a spot dense with trees, and he gently set me down. I knelt, pressing my hands into the cool earth. Drawing in deep breaths, I could feel the energy from the tree roots seeping into me.

I absorbed as much energy as I could, but the pain was still unbearable. It would be for some time. This energy didn’t erase the pain, it just gave me the strength to endure it.

I pushed myself to my feet and made my way to a patch of wolfsbane. Nathan trailed behind me, watching as I carefully picked a few of the purple flowers. To regular wolves, these could cause serious burns, even death if injected.

Nathan walked me back to the house. “Thanks, Nathan,” I called out to him. Ever since I’d picked the wolfsbane, he’d kept his distance.

I stepped into the dimly lit house. Alpha was sitting on the couch by the fireplace. “Come here,” he commanded.

“Alpha, may I make some tea first?” His gaze shifted from me to the wolfsbane in my hands.

“With that?” he asked, skeptical.

I glanced down at the wolfsbane. “It won’t hurt. It’ll help, I promise.”

Alpha nodded, his gaze returning to the flickering flames in the fireplace.

I braced myself for a long talk with Alpha, and a barrage of questions. I wouldn’t blame him if he asked me to leave the pack. I was a danger to them all.