17

Alpha Rowan's POV

"You’re disturbing Miss Lilith, who has just given birth and clearly doesn’t need this noise. I’d appreciate you leaving," Doctor Harry said, shocking even me.

I froze for a moment, confusion stirring, but fought to keep it hidden as I glared at them.

The only reason I’d allowed them to speak was because Lilith wasn’t here. Without her wolf, she couldn’t hear from this distance. I had deliberately taken them away from Harry’s workspace.

"Your time here is up. Show them the way out of this pack, and never let their feet cross it again," I ordered my guards.

"Yes, Alpha."

I hadn’t welcomed them with open arms. I knew firsthand what they’d done to Lilith—I’d witnessed it. For a second, I thought they had changed, maybe come to ask forgiveness, which was why I let them in. Now, I regretted it.

At least now I knew better. It would guide my decision-making.

Mark—or whatever his name was—I remembered him vividly. That day, he dragged her out with hate in his eyes, like she was nothing more than an object. That hate hadn’t changed. He’d do it again.

His eyes burned with hostility, poorly masked with false politeness. His lips curled into something that tried to be a smile but ended as a smirk—just as my guards dragged them out.

The audacity.

The next time he crossed me, I’d burn him before he even thought of shifting.

"Calm down, Rowan. You can’t do that while your pack is watching," Luna Rachel whispered, tapping my shoulder.

I’d almost forgotten she was linked to my thoughts. I hadn’t zoned her out.

"I’m fine. I just don’t know why I let them in." I muttered, then turned to Doctor Harry.

"How is she?"

"Better, now that they’re gone," he said, and my heart sank.

"What? How did she know they were here? Did someone tell her?"

He shook his head, scoffing. "No. She heard everything." He said it so casually and started back toward the building, but I stopped him.

Impossible.

"That’s not possible. She doesn’t have a wolf. She shouldn’t hear from this distance," I argued.

He froze, turning sharply. "She doesn’t what? How come no one told me? She looked like she heard every word—she told me herself to send them away!"

"Why does it matter? That wasn’t—"

He cut me off, suddenly furious. "Why does it matter?"

Why was he angry?

"How do you expect a wolfless werewolf to carry a cub made from royalty? A heavy cub? Are you both kidding me? I told you I needed every piece of information about her, and you left out something this important?"

It hit me like a stone. The miscarriage.

"No wonder she lost the cub. How did she even carry it that long?" Rachel asked softly behind me, and my heart broke.

"I need to make sure her womb is still intact after that kind of pressure and power surge," Dr. Harry said, hurrying off. I grabbed his arm again.

"Wait. If she really doesn’t have a wolf, how the hell did she hear us? I brought them far away so she wouldn’t."

"If she heard every word—and she did—then you messed up, Alpha. She practically had a panic attack just from hearing their voices," he confirmed.

"Shit," I muttered through clenched teeth.

"Is she okay? Can we see her?" Rachel asked quickly.

Harry sighed. "I already answered that. Unless she changes her mind—and she won’t, because Talia’s with her. I need to check if her womb is still fit to conceive. That alone would be a miracle. Excuse me."

And just like that, he left us standing there, confused.

I hated not knowing. It twisted me up inside.

How had she heard us? Had her wolf awakened overnight because of the baby?

"Rowan, do you think we should consider what her brother said—about her being useless? What if she really can’t give us this cub?" Rachel asked, and I turned to glare.

"Did you really just say that? At least she—"

I stopped myself. Those words would cut her too deep.

"What were you going to say?" she pressed.

"Forget it," I muttered.

Thankfully, she didn’t push. I had been about to say that Lilith had carried a cub for five months, something Rachel had never done. The thought alone was cruel. I swallowed it.

"I think we should go home and wait," she said gently.

"No. I hate not knowing. And I already said I’ll spend the night here."

Before she could protest, I called her guards.

"Escort your Luna for an afternoon nap," I ordered, then walked back to the building.

Lilith would let me in—one way or another. At this point, she had no choice.

Inside, Harry had already gone into her room. I didn’t want to barge in and startle them, so I sat near the door, tapping my foot impatiently.

My guards lingered close, and suddenly their presence grated on me.

"Can you all just give me some space? Let the air touch me."

They bowed quickly, muttering apologies as they stepped back. They still didn’t sit.

I strained to hear inside, but Harry’s soundproof charm blocked his voice. Shame he hadn’t cast it both ways—then Lilith wouldn’t have overheard earlier. Still, something told me it wasn’t the charm’s fault.

The door creaked open, and I leapt up like a wolf awaiting news of his mate’s safe delivery.

"Is she okay?" I asked immediately.

Doctor Harry sighed, met my eyes with concern, and pushed the door wider.

"She wants to see you. Come in."