Chapter 73 Stomachache
Aelira’s POV
Get 10 >
Menu
“Susan Blevins is behind this,” Esther says, her voice trembling as she clutches my hand with force.
I stare at her, puzzled. “Susan? You mean Dorothy’s daughter–in–law?”
She gives a faint nod, her amber eyes filled with a deep sense of betrayal. “She admitted everything after the security footage showed her entering my room again and again.”
“But what would drive her to hurt you?” I ask, utterly confused. Dorothy had always praised her family without reservation.
“Money,” Esther answers bitterly. “She said she needed it to cover her son’s silver–blood treatment.”
“Silver–blood?” Daelor’s voice rumbles behind me, low and grave. “That’s a serious illness.”
Esther’s face tightens. “We already gave them ten thousand moon–silver last year to help with that. Apparently, it still wasn’t enough.”
Daelor and I share a glance, both silently questioning the story. Dorothy never hinted at any financial
issues, and the timing couldn’t be more suspicious–especially after what we discovered about
Cyrinne and Roderic.
“It all feels too convenient,” Daelor observes, his silver–gray gaze narrowing with suspicion.
“Confessing that easily? It doesn’t quite add up.
Beneath my skin, my wolf shifts uneasily. Something about this whole situation feels off.
Before Esther can say more, the hospital room door opens abruptly. Roderic Riven walks in briskly,
followed by Cyrinne Wynthor. Their overlapping scents confirm what I witnessed the night before.
My stomach churns at their false display of concern. My wolf tenses, instantly detecting the lie behind
their masks.
“Esther!” Roderic rushes to her bedside, his voice thick with forced emotion. “I came as soon as I heard
you were awake. How are you feeling?”
His exaggerated concern makes me want to roll my eyes. It takes effort not to laugh at his
performance.
Cyrinne hovers near the doorway, her emerald eyes meeting mine just for a second before darting
away. She’s careful to keep her distance from Roderic when others are watching.
“I’m still breathing, but not thanks to you,” Esther responds, her tone icy.
WY 12 42
36.5%
< Chapter 73 Stomachache
Get 10
Menu
Roderic brushes off her coldness, turning his attention to Daelor and me. “Can you believe what that housekeeper’s family has done? After everything we’ve done for them!”
His outrage is almost convincing. If I hadn’t overheard his steamy rendezvous with Cyrinne just hours ago, I might have bought it. The memory of their betrayal makes my skin crawl.
“It is rather surprising,” I respond, keeping my tone even while watching him carefully. I wonder how he
manages to look Esther in the eyes after such a deep betrayal.
“Dorothy must have known,” Roderic goes on, striding back and forth with dramatic flair. “I’ve already had her and her entire family escorted off the pack grounds by security.”
Esther’s grip on my hand tightens. “Dorothy has been loyal to our family for forty years, Roderic.”
“And her daughter–in–law tried to murder you!” he explodes, his amber eyes blazing with fury.
I want to scream at him, to reveal his affair with Cyrinne without hesitation. My wolf urges me to shield
Esther from the lies swirling around her. But I hold back, knowing the truth would only worsen her
already fragile state.
Daelor clears his throat, his Alpha presence filling the space and forcing Roderic to slow his tirade. I
feel a wave of gratitude toward him for stepping in.
“What are the odds that you and Cyrinne would arrive simultaneously?” Daelor remarks, his silver–gray
gaze sharp and unwelcoming. “Did you two cross paths at the hospital’s entrance?”
Cyrinne steps forward, her face calm and controlled. “Yes, we-”
“No,” Daelor interrupts, his tone cutting. “The entrance is to the east. Roderic, you came in from the
west wing, near the café.”
The unspoken accusation hangs thick in the air. Roderic’s jaw clenches, and his scent betrays a rising
mix of fear and fury. I hold my breath, anticipating his reply.
Before he can say a word, Esther’s focus locks onto Cyrinne. Her amber eyes narrow with dangerous
intent, a reminder that even weakened, she remains a powerful she–wolf.
“What are you doing here?” Esther demands icily. Her wolf instincts flare, protective and fierce despite
her frailty. “I told you you’re not welcome in my den.”
Cyrinne’s carefully crafted smile wavers. “I’m here to wish you well, naturally. As Alarion’s-”
“As what to Alarion, exactly?” Esther snaps, her voice dripping with venom, though her body is weak. “You mean nothing to my son.”
“Mother,” Alarion’s voice comes from the doorway, startling me–I hadn’t noticed him arrive. My
12:42
36.62%
<Chapter 73 Stomachache
heartbeat stutters before I force it to steady.
Get 10 = Menu
Cyrinne immediately closes the space between them, reaching for his hand as if seeking comfort. The gesture feels rehearsed, designed to convey intimacy to the room.
“I was just saying I came to offer my support, as the future-”
“There is no future,” Esther spits, her breath ragged. “You’re the reason for this attack. All your scheming, your constant interference. You’ve been clawing your way into this pack for years.
“That’s not true,” Cyrinne insists, her emerald eyes glistening with tears. She appears genuinely wounded, and for a fleeting moment, I almost believe her sincerity. “My feelings for Alarion are real. They’ve always been.”
“You’re only interested in our status and resources,” Esther replies, her voice stronger than expected. “That’s all you care about.”
I study Cyrinne’s expression, wondering if Esther senses the same truth I do–that Cyrinne has been involved with Alarion’s father while plotting to claim the Luna title.
Cyrinne’s face crumples with what seems like real pain. “How can you say that when I’m carrying your grandpup? Don’t you want your son’s child to grow up with a proper father?”
A thick silence descends. Even Roderic appears taken aback by Cyrinne’s blunt revelation. Instinctively, I place a protective hand over my own stomach, guarding my hidden truth.
Esther’s eyes widen as she turns to Alarion. “Is it true? Did you take this she–wolf as your mate while.
still bonded to Aelira?”
Alarion steps forward, visibly caught between guilt and defiance. “It’s true that Cyrinne is pregnant with my child. We’ve grown close since Aelira filed for severance.”
I bite down a bitter laugh. “Close” is a lie–our surveillance confirms what Cyrinne herself admitted:
Alarion never laid a hand on her.
Color drains from Esther’s face. She clutches her chest, her breathing growing shallow. The medical
monitors start to scream their alarms.
“Leave,” she gasps, her eyes fixed on Cyrinne with burning hatred. “All of you. Out!”
The machines begin to beep wildly. A nurse rushes in, quickly assessing the emergency.
“She’s having another episode,” the nurse announces, hitting the emergency button. “You all need to
leave now.”
As the medical team floods the room, Daelor gently leads me out into the hallway. His firm grip
12:42
36.74%
< Chapter 73 Stomachache
grounds me, a steady presence amid the storm.
Get 10>
Menu
Cyrinne and Roderic trail behind, while Alarion hesitates at the threshold, concern deeply etched into
his features. The hallway is thick with tension, heavy with silent blame.
Once we’re outside, Cyrinne spins around to face me, her green eyes glinting with hostility. The gentle,
nurturing façade she once wore has completely vanished.
“Feeling satisfied now?” she spits, stepping uncomfortably close. “Brought your new Alpha here just to parade your bond in front of your former mother–in–law? What exactly were you hoping to gain?”
I feel my restraint snap, brittle and quick. I seize Cyrinne’s arm and yank her toward me, the fury of my
wolf rising to the surface.
“Did you bring up your pregnancy just to provoke her?” I growl, my tone low and threatening. “Was that
your intention from the start?”
Cyrinne jerks, trying to break free from my grasp. “Let go! You’re hurting me!”
“Answer me,” I demand, my grip tightening. My wolf roars for the truth, desperate to unmask her
deception. “Is this just another one of your manipulations?”
“Aelira!” Alarion’s voice cuts through the rising chaos like a whip, firm and commanding, as he and Roderic close in. The hallway becomes stifling under the weight of Alpha pheromones.
During the scuffle, Cyrinne’s claws partially unsheathe, slashing my wrist. A sharp sting follows as
blood wells up, intensifying my fury.
Daelor reacts in an instant. His dominant Alpha aura bursts forth like a shockwave, forcing nearby
wolves to avert their eyes in submission. Even Alarion instinctively backs off a step, his wolf
acknowledging the superior presence.
Daelor’s hand clamps onto Cyrinne’s shoulder, yanking her away from me with barely contained wrath.
His silver eyes have darkened into a threatening storm.
“Lay a hand on her again,” he snarls, each word laced with menace, “and I won’t care that she’s a
pregnant she–wolf.”
Terror flashes across Cyrinne’s face, only to be swiftly replaced by an expression of pain. The shift is so sudden, my suspicions spike.
She howls dramatically, doubling over and clutching her abdomen. “You’re hurting me!” she cries out, her voice echoing through the corridor. “The baby! Something’s wrong with the baby!”
Alarion bolts forward, his features stricken with panic. “Daelor, stop! She’s carrying my child!”
At once, Daelor releases her, though his gaze remains icy. A cruel smirk tugs at his lips as he glances
between Cyrinne, Alarion, and Roderic.
“You sure about that, Riven?” he sneers. “Quick to claim what might not even be yours?”
