Mag-log inThree days after the Silvermoon toxin incident, Elena was finally declared stable and allowed to go home. When the pediatrician entered the room and said the words “Elena is ready to be discharged,” I almost cried from happiness.Elena sat on the bed with a big pillow behind her, her hair tied up in a small ponytail, looking much more cheerful. Her face was still a little pale, but her smile had returned to the Elena smile the smile that could make our whole world brighten instantly.“I can go home! Yes!” she said, raising both hands in the air.Liam immediately held her arm gently. “Slow down, Princess. You are not 100% recovered yet.”Elena pouted. “But I am already strong. I told you I am always strong.”I smiled while packing her things. “Yes, you are strong. But you still have to be careful for a while, okay?”“Okay,” she replied while hugging her bunny doll.On the way home from the hospital, Elena sat in the back seat with a small blanket. We assumed she would sleep because she
Night shifted into early morning. The lights in the room were dimmed, creating a calm atmosphere that felt like a gentle embrace. Elena slept peacefully, far more relaxed than before. Every time I looked at the stable monitor beside her bed, it felt like receiving the greatest gift in life.I sat on the small sofa near the bed, resting my head on Liam’s shoulder. I felt exhausted, not only physically, but emotionally as if I had been torn apart by a roller coaster.“If the other doctors saw us collapsing like this, our reputation would be ruined,” Liam murmured quietly with a soft laugh.I let out a faint laugh too. “Yeah, the two best surgeons in the hospital, but powerless when their little girl gets sick.”“But we can breathe again today.”I nodded. “And we can go home as a complete family. That is more than enough.”We fell silent for a few seconds. The quietness was comforting.Suddenly Liam let out a long sigh. “But about the ‘baby brother’ earlier…”I immediately turned to him
The pediatric ICU room felt warmer than it did a few hours ago. I was not sure whether the temperature actually changed or because my heart was slowly able to breathe again. Elena still had not opened her eyes, but her face was no longer as hot as before. Her heartbeat was stable. Her breathing was steady. Her body did not tremble anymore.Liam and I stood on either side of the bed without daring to move too far, as if afraid she would disappear if we let our guard down even for a second.“I still can’t believe she made it through that,” Liam said.I nodded, stroking Elena’s soft hair. “I almost could not handle watching it. For a moment I thought she would—”“Do not continue. What matters is that she is still here,” Liam said.I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. For the first time today, I felt like I could breathe without pain in my chest. My father was still on the chair near the window, fast asleep from exhaustion. He tried to stay awake, but his energy and emotions were comp
“I have prepared the serum,” Dad said.That sentence was supposed to give hope. But at the same time, fear swallowed me whole. I stared at Elena’s small body still lying weak on the bed. An IV tube was attached to her tiny hand. Her breathing was slow, as if every inhale was a huge effort for her.Liam stood beside me. His hand gripped the back of my hand tightly, as if he was afraid I would collapse at any moment.“Is this the only way?”Dad nodded. “Silvermoon attacks the nerves and blood of young lycan descendants. Elena is half human, which makes her body react twice as severely. If we don’t neutralize it now, the poison will spread to her heart.”I covered my mouth with my palm. Tears immediately streamed down my face. “Elena is only five years old, she is still too little…”Liam gently rubbed my shoulder. I could hear his heavy breathing. He was trying to be strong, but his voice trembled.“We will do anything for her,” Liam said.Dad had already opened the small case containing
The night moved slowly as if it did not want to end. Liam sat on the small sofa near the patient bed, but I knew there was no way he could fall asleep. From the way he stared at Elena without blinking, I knew he was just as scared as I was.I sat on the chair attached to the bed, still holding Elena’s tiny hand. From time to time, I kissed the back of her hand, hoping somehow the touch could become medicine.The clock showed 1:15 a.m. No one had spoken since my father left several hours ago.“Are you still awake?” I asked in a soft voice.“Yeah,” Liam replied without turning. “I don’t think I can sleep tonight.”I nodded. Neither could I.I took a long breath and said, “I kind of wished there was another doctor who could make this decision for us.”Liam gave a bitter smile. “I wished that too. But that would just be a coward’s wish.”“Am I a coward?” I whispered.“No. You’re a mother. You’re terrified because you love her. That’s not cowardly.”I rested my head on the bed near Elena’s
It was almost nine at night when the hospital room door was suddenly knocked three times. I thought a nurse was coming for routine checks, but the moment the door opened, my whole body froze.My father was standing there.It had been a long time since I last saw him wearing a lab coat, clean white, carrying that distinctive scent of a research facility. His eyes were sharp as usual, but there was clear restlessness hidden behind them.“Dad?” my voice barely came out.Liam stood from his chair, straightening his posture reflexively as if he realized something big was happening. My father walked in without saying much, closed the door, then looked at Elena who was still lying weakly with an IV line in her tiny hand.“How is she?” my father asked.“Her fever has gone down, but her body is still weak because of the silvermoon effect,” Liam answered, trying to remain professional.My father nodded slowly, then opened the small black bag he had brought with him. Inside it was a vial filled







