CHAPTER 4

ROWAN

I caught her before she fell on the ground, I didn’t know what was wrong with her and concerned me greatly. I looked at her feet and there was dried blood. I inspected her, but she was not injured anywhere. Was she really vomiting blood?

My own blood ran cold in my veins, what was wrong with her. “Call the doctor, tell her to come to Aurora’s room, now!” I ordered, scooping her up and rushing out of the dungeon with her going to the packhouse.

I was taking the stairs two at a time rushing to get to her room quicker. Just as I laid her on the bed Dr Marting walked in.

“Check on her," I said, stepping aside, "She vomited blood, something is wrong.”

He said nothing, just started his work. He took her blood pressure, his face tightening as he read the results.

I looked at Aurora’s pale sleeping face.

I didn’t know what to do for that woman to stop what she has been doing. Years had passed since Vivian disappeared, since she killed her.

She had me marry her, she was my wife. Why couldn’t she just stay quietly by my side and not cause trouble?  

Was she that jealous and threatened by Vivian that even in her death she still couldn’t change? Aurora was not always like that. She was good when she came back, we got close, and we were friends.

She was after all, Vivian's sister. They might have not been biological sisters, but Vivian loved her like she was. I loved her too as her sister. But then she did something to Vivian which I still didn’t understand why she could do something like that.

Everyone knew she didn’t deserve to be my wife,but father forced me to marry her so she could heal me. I had imprisoned her after Vivian disappeared. When father forced me to marry her, I went to the dungeon, only for my wolf to go crazy claiming she was our mate.  I couldn’t believe how the Moon Goddess could be that cruel.

“Alpha!” I snapped out of it and glared at the doctor. “It’s too high,” he muttered. “Much too high.”

“What do you mean?”

Before he could continue, Aurora stirred. Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him, pulling the blanket up to her chest.

“What the hell are you doing?” she hissed.

“You fainted Aurora," I started, trying to explain. “Let him—”

“So what if I fainted?” she snapped, cutting me off. “Why do you care? Why are you pretending you do?”

Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit. I was only trying to help her. She could be arrogant, impossible even, but seeing her like this… fragile and angry… something in me twisted.

Dr. Marting hesitated, stepping back. “Alpha, maybe I should leave. She clearly doesn’t—”

“No,” I said sharply. “You’re not going anywhere.”

He blinked at me, confused.

“She’s sick, whether she wants to admit it or not. You’ll stay and monitor her until I say otherwise.”

Aurora turned her face away, muttering something under her breath. I ignored it. I could feel the defiance rolling off her, but I also saw how pale she’d gone. The tremor in her hands. She was trying too hard to hide how weak she really felt.

Dr. Marting gave a quiet nod and continued his examination, though Aurora kept glaring at both of us. When he asked her to sit up so he could listen to her breathing, she refused, but I stepped forward and helped her up anyway. She didn’t fight me this time. Not really.

After a few minutes, the doctor said softly, “She needs rest. And someone to watch her. I’ll prepare some medicine.”

“Do it,” I said. “And send someone with the results to me directly.”

When he left the room to gather supplies, I stood by her bed. She wouldn’t look at me.

“You should let people help you,” I said quietly.

“I don’t need anyone,” she murmured, voice low, eyes closed.

“Clearly, you do,” I said, and for once, she didn’t have a comeback. Only silence.

I stayed until her breathing evened out. Then I stepped into the hallway, where my mother was already waiting.

“Why are you still wasting your time with that woman?” she asked coldly.

“She is sick.” I answered simply.

My mom clicked her tongue. “She better recover quickly. We’re going to her family’s home soon.”

I sighed. The last place I wanted to go was that house. I hadn’t set foot there since Vivian disappeared.

 “I don’t think I will go.” I muttered.

My mother’s glare was sharp enough to cut glass. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not showing up alone.”

I gave up arguing. “Fine. I will go."We still needed the old beta family. They had connections that we needed. We needed to at least show them some respect.

When I went back to Aurora’s room, she was gone from the bed. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. I sat and waited.

When she finally came out, she looked like a ghost — pale, drained, barely standing.

“What are you doing in here?” she asked, frowning as if I was the intruder.

“I need you to rest for a bit,” I said quietly. “We’re expected at your family’s dinner tonight. I’ll come for you in two hours.”

"Pfft,"Aurora suddenly let out a cold laugh.

She didn’t answer. She just turned her back on me, climbed into bed, and pulled the blanket over her.

“Aurora,” I called again. Nothing.

“You’d better be ready when I come for you,” I said, though even I could hear the edge of frustration in my voice.

She stayed silent, pretending I wasn’t there. Maybe she really was sick. Or maybe she just didn’t care anymore. Either way, it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

When I left her room, my mother was in the kitchen waiting, arms crossed.

“Why do you keep going to her when she makes you miserable?”  I was in no moon to deal with her as well. “That witch better follow up or…”

“That’s enough, mother!” I didn’t want to hear her insult Aurora like that anymore. I thought of her pale face, and a wave of worry I had never felt before surged through me.