Chapter 139 Pay for a Visit (2)
Her entire frame quakes, overcome by the terror of being left alone.
I stand there, utterly conflicted, but a peculiar sensation stirs within me. This rare, maternal tenderness is painfully recognizable–it echoes the way my mother, Emeris, used to comfort me during my childhood fears.
My wolf instinctively reacts to the love and protectiveness that pours from this distraught woman.
“It’s alright,” I murmur to the caregiver, even as I puzzle over my own feelings.
At that moment, Dr. Nyven Leyric comes running toward us, anxiety etched across his usually calm face.
“Mom!” he calls, relief flooding his voice when he sees her.
He looks genuinely startled to find Daelor and me together in the lobby.
“What brings you both here today?” he asks, pausing to catch his breath.
Daelor indicates Mrs. Leyric, who remains latched onto my arm as if it were her last hope.
“We came across your mother. She appears quite upset,” he explains.
The brightness in Dr. Leyric’s expression fades instantly, replaced by profound sorrow as he takes in her state.
“She must have confused Aelira with my little sister,” he says, letting out a weary sigh. “It’s common for her to do this during her episodes”
Understanding dawns on me as I recall Mrs. Leyric’s desperate cries of “daughter.”
A surge of unexpected emotion tightens my chest at his explanation.
Suddenly, I remember Daelor mentioning that Dr. Leyric’s younger sister had been abducted and vanished at just three years old. Despite exhaustive searches across numerous regions, she was never recovered.
The agony any mother would feel is almost beyond comprehension–especially a she–wolf grieving a stolen pup.
“If it would be helpful, I can stay with her during the check–up,” I offer without thinking, my protective instincts rising to the
surface.
Dr. Leyric refuses with a sour smile, yet his gaze holds a profound thankfulness for my compassion.
“Your offer is truly generous, but I can’t let you shoulder this responsibility.”
Before I can repeat that it would be no inconvenience at all, Mrs. Leyric’s grip on me slackens entirely and slips away.
Her wolf’s intense turmoil finally overwhelms her human side, causing her to faint in my embrace.
Dr. Leyric swiftly gathers his unconscious mother, supporting her with the skilled tenderness developed from years of caring for her illness.
“She tends to react like this during her most serious episodes,” he tells me with a gentle sorrow that sounds almost clinical. “Luckily, these spells never last long.”
Worry colors my tone as I ask, “Will she recover? Is there anything else that might help?”
Dr. Leyric gives a tired but calming shake of his head.
“She’ll recover after some rest. The medication controls her most severe symptoms.”
I stand motionless in the hospital lobby, watching as Dr. Leyric gently carries his mother toward the psychiatric ward.
For a long while, I remain staring at their retreating forms, unable to dispel the odd thoughts swirling through my head.
A strange sense of loss settles deeply within me, as though something precious has vanished.
Inside, my wolf lets out a low whine, filled with an emotion I can’t quite name or understand.
