Chapter 3
In a room filled with the pack’s most skilled healers, Dr. Henry Rice, renowned across multiple territories for his unparalleled expertise in werewolf physiology, felt his patience wearing thin. His piercing gaze swept over the gathered healers, all of whom had been summoned at the behest of Bryan Smith, the Beta of the Silver Moon Pack.
Still, considering the Beta’s persistence after a full day of pleading, Henry managed to suppress his irritation. His voice, though curt, carried the weight of his authority.
“Are you seriously still planning to treat those legs?”
Bryan glanced at Kamryn Rose, his eyes flickering with conflict. She sat quietly in the corner, her posture regal despite the pain etched into her features. The injury to her leg, sustained during the rogue attack, had left her unable to shift into her wolf form—a devastating blow for any werewolf.
Soon, Bryan turned back to Henry, his voice resolute. “Please, save Buddy first.”
Henry sprang to his feet, his white beard bristling with fury. His typically narrowed eyes widened in disbelief, the aura of an Alpha healer radiating through the room. “I treat wolves, not pets! I can’t believe you dragged me here to save a pup. Are you here on behalf of my enemies to humiliate me?”
The other healers exchanged uneasy glances, their respect for Henry evident in their lowered gazes. Despite the absurdity of the situation, they dared not leave, knowing the Silver Moon Pack’s Alpha, Evan Washington, would not take kindly to their disobedience. One of them, a healer with connections in the pack’s animal care division, managed to summon a specialist to tend to the pup.
Throughout the ordeal, Bryan stayed by Rosalie Bishop’s side outside the operating room, his attention entirely focused on her. He barely spared Kamryn a glance, his concern for Rosalie palpable. To outsiders, they might have appeared like a mated pair anxiously awaiting news about their pup.
Before leaving, Henry discreetly handed Kamryn a note, his expression softening for the briefest moment. She tucked it into the innermost pocket of her coat, her movements deliberate, and quietly left the pack’s healing center.
On the journey back to her apartment, Kamryn took out the note. The elegant script revealed that Henry believed she resembled his long-lost daughter and asked her to bring her mother to meet him if possible. Whether or not she was his granddaughter, he promised to help her heal her legs. At the bottom was an address.
She memorized it before tossing the note into a trash bin at the entrance of her apartment complex. The weight of the day settled heavily on her shoulders, but her resolve remained unshaken.
Later that evening, Bryan finally called. His voice, once warm and caring, now carried an impatient edge. “Why did you leave without waiting for us? Buddy didn’t make it. Rosalie is devastated and wants you to make her favorite honey cake. Hurry home and prepare it. After all, Rosalie has been like a sister to both of us. Surely, you don’t want to see her this upset.”
Kamryn fought the urge to lash out, her wolf stirring faintly in the back of her mind. She hung up abruptly, her fingers trembling with suppressed anger. He seemed to have completely forgotten.
After their mate bond was confirmed, she used to make him his favorite honey cake until he stopped her, saying the dessert was too labor-intensive and he couldn’t bear to see her struggle with it now that she needed a wheelchair.
Kamryn closed her eyes, recalling memories of what she once thought was family love and a deep bond, only to realize it was all a mirage. It was time for an ending.
She scheduled a procedure for three days later and was about to print the rejection papers when Bryan returned with Rosalie. His expression was dark as he headed straight to the kitchen. Not finding the dessert he expected, his face grew even darker as he bombarded Kamryn with questions.
“Didn’t I ask you to make the honey cake? Why didn’t you?”
Kamryn let out a derisive chuckle. “Weren’t you the one who said it was too much work and I shouldn’t tire myself with it anymore?”
Bryan hesitated, awkwardly rubbing his nose before sheepishly saying, “Then I’ll make it.”
He turned and looked at Rosalie with a gaze so tender it could melt steel. “Whatever you want, Rosalie, I’ll do it for you.”