12

Lilith’s POV

Luna Rachel’s words—“Just reject her.”—echoed in my mind as I sat frozen in the room.

For a long moment no one spoke after the clatter of my fork. Then came a knock on the door.

All eyes shifted toward it, but silence reigned until the second knock.

“Who is that? Didn’t I tell you all to stay away from that door?” Rachel snapped.

“It’s me. Cole,” Beta Cole’s voice replied, making me stiffen where I sat on the bed.

“What information do you have for us?” Rachel’s tone dropped, sharper but lower now.

“The doctor. The surrogacy doctor is here.” His voice was hushed. Rowan and Rachel exchanged looks.

“Hello, Alpha and Luna. You’ll want to hear me before you continue this meeting. Open up,” a strange voice followed—the doctor, I assumed.

“How do you even…? Come in, the door is open,” Rachel barked, struggling to mask her anger.

Cole stepped in with a middle-aged man behind him. The casual clothes almost downplayed him, but the spectacles gave him away.

“Welcome, doc.” Rowan greeted him and shook his hand.

“Luna.” The doctor nodded, but Rachel ignored him. “Cole told me about the situation, and I thought I came at the right time.”

“Doc, welcome to the pack, but surrogacy has nothing to do with mates. We both know this,” Rachel said sharply.

“Luna, please be calm. There’s something I ignored last time because I didn’t want to stir waters.” His voice was soft, cautious.

“Go on, doc,” Rowan urged.

“This is a gift from the Moon Goddess. The process will be stronger if the surrogate is connected to one of you.”

Rachel let out a bitter laugh. “That’s a lie, doctor.”

“No, we both know it isn’t. Think about it—a surrogate with ties to the father is more likely to succeed than one without.”

Rowan exhaled heavily, relief flickering across his face.

“That’s why I brought him,” Cole added from the door.

“Shut up and let me think,” Rachel snapped, while Rowan glared at him.

Rachel sank onto the bed heavily, and Rowan hurried to her side.

“Babe, this is for our good. Don’t you see it? There’s nothing between me and Lilith. If I tried… you know the consequence. I’d be dead.”

His words pierced through me, a cruel reminder: I was nothing but a vessel.

I turned my face away as Rachel’s gaze fell on me, hiding the tears burning my eyes.

“What do you mean by that?” the doctor asked Rowan suddenly.

“What?”

“About dying if something happens with the surrogate.”

Only then did I realize he was the only one here who didn’t know.

Rowan hesitated, but I spoke before he could. “My mates. I lost all of them.” My voice was bitter, my chest hollow.

The doctor’s expression softened. “How many?”

“Seven. Rowan is the eighth.”

The silence thickened.

“I see… Well, I’ll introduce myself properly. I’m Doctor Harry, the surrogate doctor. I’d like to run some tests, if you don’t mind.”

“That’s why I’m here,” I muttered with a scoff. “Nice to meet you, Doctor Harry.” I shook the hand he offered.

“I hope you don’t mind that we’ll be seeing more of each other. This may be a long or short journey, so we might as well be friends, right?”

“I don’t mind.”

Now that he was closer, I noticed the few strands of white in his hair, the beard that made him look older yet attractive, and the confident smile that revealed gap teeth.

“So, we’re on good terms now,” he said lightly before letting go of my hand.

Rachel shot me a glance, then at Rowan. Her eyes were blank, unreadable—and that scared me.

“I promise I’ll stay away from him. I don’t even have a wolf, so I can’t scent him or smell him or anything,” I assured her, ignoring the flicker of pain on Rowan’s face.

“I think I’m good with that,” Rachel finally said, and everyone sighed with relief.

I only craved peace and space. I was exhausted, too tired to think clearly, too choked to breathe.

Doctor Harry seemed to notice. “I’ll run my first test tomorrow to see how fit she is, but for now, let her rest.”

One by one, they left, whispering goodnights. I nodded without replying.

At home, I’d been invisible. Here, every gaze was fixed on me—and I hated it.

Talia slipped in while the doctor still lingered, scanning my room for reasons I couldn’t guess.

“Princess, do you need anything?” she asked, her eyes drifting toward him.

He turned at her voice.

“I don’t need anything,” I said tiredly.

She hesitated, eyes still on the doctor. I knew that look.

“Talia.” My tone snapped her back. “I don’t need anything. Go.”

“Yes, Princess.” She hurried out, but not without one last glance at him.

Doctor Harry’s eyes followed her until the door closed.

So much had happened in just two hours.

“There are things we need to change in this room,” he murmured, more to himself than me.

Minutes passed before he finally stepped closer.

“Okay, that’s my cue to leave. Quick question though.” He leaned in, voice low.

“Since your mates can’t stay alive for you… have you tried those who aren’t?”

He winked, then walked out.

My breath caught.

How had I never thought of that?

A wolf who wasn’t my mate might survive me.