Ophelia had barely settled back into bed when Alpha and Luna Duskrend burst through the door, breathless from rushing over the moment they heard she’d awakened.
“Sweetheart, thank the moon goddess you’re finally awake,” Luna Duskrend gushed, dabbing at her eyes with theatrical precision. “You can never scare us like that again. Soren spent half his family’s formine on that wolf bone bracelet to bring you back. You owe him everything–you should be thanking him on your knees.“]]
The performance was flawless. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was genuinely surprised by Ophelia’s recovery
Ophelia ducked her head with practiced shyness, then glanced around the room with calculated innocence, “Soren… where’s Kaela? Why isn’t she here to see me awake? Doesn’t she want me to recover?”
The question, hit me like a physical blow. My hands clenched into fists as three years of frustration boiled over.
She’s probably throwing another tantrum somewhere,” I said through gritted teeth. “After everything you’ve been through, she still makes it about Herself. If she had even half your grace and kindness.”
Ophelia’s eyes filled with crocodile tears. “Don’t say that about her, Soren. It’s my fault for taking her place in the family for so long. She has every right to resent me.
Seeing her defend Karla after everything–the harassment, the threats, tonight’s vicious attack–made my blood boil How could someone be so pure, so forgiving?
“Enough.” I growled, shooting to my feet. “I’m dragging her ass down here to apologize. The second you wake up, she attacks you like some feral animal. It’s unacceptable.“]
I stormed toward Kaela’s room, rage clouding my vision. Behind me, I caught the satisfied smile that flickered across Ophelia’s face, but I was too furious to process what it meant
The door to Kaela’s room stood open. Inside, a nurse was packing up medical supplies and personal belongings
Ice shot through my veins. “Where is the parient?”
The marse looked up, startled by my tone. In all my years practicing medicine I’d never lost control like this. My reputation was built on cold professionalism, not emotional outbursts]
she passed away, Dr. Blackwein. We couldn’t reach any family members, so Professor Grimweald asked me to clear out her things.”
The words hit me like a freight train. My vision tunneled, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe
“That’s impossible,” I heard myself say, voice cracking. “Professor Grimweald performed her surgery. She was recovering perfectly. There’s no way she could be-
“What the hell as wrong with you?”
Professor Grimweald’s voice cur though my denial like a blade. He stood in the doorway, radiating disgust ||
“You’re screaming at a nurse matead of asking yourself why you abandoned a patient mid surgery. You saw her collapse outside this room and chose to run to someone else instead of helping her. Now she’s deal, and you want to play the grieving… what? Mate? You were going to sacrifice her life for someone else anyway”
In words shattered something inside me. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor as the full weight of what I’d done crashed over nie.
Kaela was dead. The woman I was supposed to bond with tomorrow, the woman who’d loved me with desperate devotion for three years, was gone.] And it was my fault
“Soren?” Ophelia’s voice came from behind me, soft and concerned. “I know this is hard, but tomorrow’s the alliance ceremony between our packs. Even without Karla, the bonding has to go forward. Both families‘ reputations depend on it.“[
She knelt beside me, her hand gentle on my shoulder, But there was something in her eyes–a flicker of satisfaction she couldn’t quite hide
I stared at her, my mind struggling to process everything. Tomorrow was supposed to be my mating ceremony with Kaela, Now she was suggesties cake Ophelia as my mate instead?]
She wouldn’t want the alliance to fail because of her, Ophelia continued, her voice breaking with fake emotion. “Kaela always put the pack first, didn’t she?
I couldn’t answer. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t do anything but sit there drowning in the realization that I’d destroyed the one person who’d truly loved me
Something was wrong with this picture, but my grief addled brain couldn’t piece it together.
“I need to see her.” I whispered, struggling to my feet. 1 need to see her body.”
Before anyone could stop me, I was running toward the morgue, Ophelia’s triumphant smile learning in my memory[
What had I done? What the fuck had done?
