Chapter 219
Chapter 220
ALEXANDER
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I let Faye freshen up, pretending I was heading straight to the office. That was the plan I said out
loud… because I didn’t want her trying to convince me there was no need to worry. The plan in my
head was different.
I didn’t believe for one second that she felt as “fine” as she claimed this morning.
So instead of going to the office, I made a turn–toward Dr. Adams‘ quarters.
When I reached the door, I knocked once.
She opened almost immediately.
“Alpha, you’re back,” she said, surprise flashing across her face before softening into something formal and respectful. “It’s an honor to have you here in my quarters, but–you could have sent for
I smiled, or tried to. “It’s not a big deal, Mrs. Adams,” I told her. “I’m already up and moving.”
Her eyes warmed with a mixture of gratitude and worry. “Still, you hardly visit the medical quarters unless something is wrong. Please, come in.”
I stepped inside. The place smelled clean. Everything was neatly arranged–she’d always been organized, the sort of doctor who labeled things with dates and lined them up by color.
She motioned toward a chair. “Please, have a seat.”
I lowered myself into it, exhaling slowly. My shoulders felt too tense for this early in the day, but concern had a way of knotting itself under my skin.
“What brings you here, Alpha?” she asked gently.
I rubbed a hand along my jaw, gathering my thoughts before speaking. “I want your honest report on what’s wrong with my Luna,” I said. “No softening… no holding back to avoid alarming me.”
Her expression grew serious immediately.
“I need to know how I can help keep her stable,” I continued. “I don’t want her anywhere close to passing out again. And since she’s pregnant, I don’t want to try anything at random. If there’s a safe way to boost her energy, I need to know. From you.”
Dr. Adams folded her hands in front of her and took a seat opposite me. “Alpha,” she began, “as I told the Luna and the Beta, medically–she is fine.”
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Chapter 220
I held her gaze, searching for any sign of uncertainty. There wasn’t any.
“Then what’s with the weakness? She almost passed out, is that normal?” I asked.
“It’s likely because of the bath,” she said.
I blinked. “The… bath?”
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She nodded. “The ritual bath. It’s supposed to be done early, you know. If it’s delayed like this, it can drain the mother in unusual ways. Sudden exhaustion, faintness, energy depletion. Sometimes the symptoms come and go, sometimes they strike without warning.”
A sharp breath left my lungs.
Of course… of course she was right. We hadn’t talked about the bath. I hadn’t thought of it at all.
How could we have?
Chaos had surrounded us for months–before the baby was conceived, during the pregnancy, even up until the moment I finally got Marcus out of the way a few days ago. We had been reacting, fighting, strategizing… surviving. Rituals, traditions, even logical precautions had slipped through
the cracks.
But that didn’t excuse anything.
Not when it concerned Faye and our child.
I stared at my hands for a moment, jaw tight. I didn’t voice the excuses swirling in my mind- because frankly, they weren’t good enough.
“Alright,” I said quietly. “You’re right.”
Dr. Adams nodded. “Once the bath is done, it should stabilize her. The symptoms should disappear
entirely within days.”
“And until then?” I asked.
“Rest,” she replied. “Gentle routines. Reduced stress. She’ll be fine once the ritual is completed. That is genuinely all she needs right now.”
I absorbed her words silently.
Fine.
I nodded. “Thank you.”
She rose to her feet. “Of course, Alpha. If there’s anything else you need, please, send for me.”
I stood as well. “I will.”
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With that, I stepped out of her quarters, the door closing softly behind me.
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The moment I stepped out of Dr. Adams‘ quarters, I exhaled slowly and reached for my phone. I just needed a minute to process everything–just one minute–but the universe didn’t care about my timing today.
My phone buzzed before I even unlocked it.
Helen.
I stared at the screen for a moment, debating whether to breathe first or brace myself. I wondered why she was calling… I answered.
“Ale–xander.” Her voice stretched my name like a scolding wrapped in silk. “Tell me what I heard is
not true.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Good morning to you too, Mother.”
She ignored the greeting entirely. “I cannot believe you neglected something so important.”
Here we go.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Oh, don’t you dare pretend you didn’t hear me.” Her tone sharpened. “The bath, Alexander. The bath. Your Luna is carrying your child, and you–you have not even completed the first step in ensuring the child’s comfort and stability.”
I took a slow breath. Arguing with Helen was the last thing I needed today.
“We’ve been dealing with-”
“I thought you knew better,” she cut in.
I stared at the sky like it might give me strength.
“Mother-”
“No. No, I’m still speaking, Alex.”
Of course she was.
“You have responsibilities. Traditions older than you, older than me, older than your entire lineage standing behind your name. Yet you are moving around like some… some modern city boy who thinks rituals are optional guidelines!”
I closed my eyes. “Mother, I-‘
She wasn’t done.
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