Chapter 5— Fractures

Lucian

The crash from the door snapped every head in the room toward it. My wolf rose instantly.

Cassius was already growling low in his throat. Darius’ shoulders stiffened beside me, his aura leaking into the room like a storm waiting to break.

The door creaked open wider. Two figures stood there. Lysa and Eirene, Darius’ girlfriend.

Although we knew that Darius only kept her around and their relationship wasn't really that of a girlfriend and boyfriend, we had a mate now and I didn't want her anywhere near our mate.

For a moment no one spoke.

Lysa’s eyes were wide, her hand covering her mouth as she stared at the scene before her. Lianne lying pale and motionless on the bed, three Alphas surrounding her, the doctor hovering nervously at the side.

Eirene stood beside her, perfectly dressed despite the late hour, her golden hair falling over one shoulder.

Her eyes, however, weren’t on Lianne. They were on Darius. An almost imperceptible tightening of her lips betrayed the storm brewing behind her composed expression.

“What happened?” Lysa whispered.

Her voice trembled just enough to sound believable. I knew she didn't give a f*ck about Lianne.

Cassius immediately stepped forward, blocking their view of the bed. “Leave.”

Eirene scoffed softly, rolling her eyes. “That’s not how you greet someone who came because they heard someone might be dying.”

My eyes narrowed. How did they know?

Darius shot her a sharp look.

“She’s not dying.”

Eirene lifted a brow, her nose scrunched. “Oh? Because from the whispers downstairs, it sounded much worse than that.”

My jaw tightened. Of course word would spread fast. This house was full of wolves tonight. And wolves loved gossip almost as much as hunting.

“You would speak in a respectful tone, or I'll rip your head off your neck” Cassius growled.

Lysa stepped into the room before anyone could stop her. Her gaze finally settled on Lianne.

The moment she saw her sister’s condition, something flickered across her face. Not Shock or fear. Something else.

She rushed forward. “Lianne!”

Cassius blocked her path instantly. His growl deepened. “Don’t touch her.”

Lysa froze. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. “She’s my sister.”

The words hung in the air. I watched her carefully.

Lysa had always been expressive, at least since two years ago. Every emotion she showed was big, dramatic, overwhelming.

But tonight… Something felt off. Her gaze flicked briefly to the closet. Then to the chair where Darius had piled the clothes he had just removed from Lianne’s wardrobe.

Her eyes darkened for the briefest second before she masked it again.

Interesting.

“Please,” she said softly, her voice trembling again. “Just let me see her.”

Cassius hesitated. Darius exhaled slowly and stepped aside. “Fine.”

Lysa rushed to the bed immediately.She grabbed Lianne’s hand. “Lianne… can you hear me?”

No response.

Alaric cleared his throat awkwardly. “She is currently unconscious.”

Lysa looked up sharply.“What happened to her?”

Silence filled the room.None of us answered.

Eirene broke the tension with a quiet laugh.

“Well,” she said casually, crossing her arms, “I heard something interesting downstairs.”

Darius’ eyes narrowed. “Speak carefully.”

“Oh, I always do.” Her gaze shifted to Lianne. “Apparently she rejected three Alphas tonight.”

The room went cold. Cassius’ claws slid halfway out of his fingers. “That’s enough.”

Eirene tilted her head slightly. “But that’s not the interesting part.”

My wolf stirred uneasily.

Something about her tone felt wrong.

“The interesting part” she continued slowly, “is that the three Alphas refused the rejection.” Her gaze flicked between the three of us.

And that was when Cassius decided that he's had enough, he grabbed her by the throat and threw her out of the room, slamming the door shut.

It all happened in a second, she didn't even get the chance to protest.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Lysa’s grip on Lianne’s hand tightened. “You’re her mates?” Her voice sounded almost breathless.

No one answered. The truth was already written all over the room.

Eirene entered the room again. Letting out a cold laugh. “Well… that’s awkward.”

She dared to come back in right after Cassius threw her out? She's got balls, I had to admit.

Darius stepped forward, towering over her. “What exactly are you implying?”

She met his gaze calmly. “I’m implying that your little mate just rejected you in front of the entire pack.”

The air thickened with Alpha aura. The windows rattled slightly. The doctor shrank back.

But Eirene didn’t flinch. She was either too brave or too stupid.

“Enough,” I said quietly. Both of them looked at me.

Eirene smiled faintly. “Ah. The calm one.”

I ignored the jab and turned to the doctor. “Explain her condition again.”

He nodded quickly, grateful for the shift in focus.

“As I mentioned earlier, rejecting three Alphas placed immense strain on her body. But that alone doesn’t explain this level of collapse.”

Lysa looked up sharply.“What do you mean?”

The doctor hesitated. Then said slowly, “It appears that the rejection triggered a severe psychological response.”

My chest tightened. Cassius frowned.

“What kind of response?”

“A trauma response.”

The word landed heavily.

Lysa’s eyes widened. “Trauma?”

Alarir nodded. “Yes. Sometimes when a wolf experiences extreme stress connected to a past traumatic event, the mind can… shut down.”

Silence swallowed the room.

Darius’ jaw clenched. “What kind of trauma?”

The doctor shook his head. “That I cannot say.”

“But something clearly triggered it tonight.”

Lysa slowly released Lianne’s hand. Her expression was strange now. Not sad or shocked.

Just… thoughtful.

“That night,” she murmured softly.

Everyone turned toward her.

“What night?” Cassius asked sharply.

She looked at us one by one.

“The night everything changed.”

My heart started beating faster. Darius’ eyes darkened.

“What are you talking about?” He asked

Lysa hesitated. For the first time since entering the room, she looked nervous.

“You really don’t remember?” she asked quietly.

The question sent a chill down my spine.

Cassius stepped closer to her. “Remember what?”

Lysa swallowed. “The night Lianne disappeared during her sixteenth birthday.”

My wolf growled low. Of course we remembered.

We had searched the entire territory for her.

“What about it?” Darius asked.

Lysa’s gaze shifted slowly toward the window. Toward the endless white forest beyond the pack house. Snow still covered the ground outside.

Just like that night.

“She didn’t just disappear,” Lysa whispered.

My chest tightened, my gaze fixed on her.

Lysa looked back at us. Her voice dropped even lower. “I followed her.”

The room went completely silent. Cassius stared at her.

“You’re lying.”

She shook her head. “No.”

Darius’ voice was ice. “Then explain.”

Lysa hesitated again. As if weighing something in her mind. Then she said the words that made my stomach drop.

“That night… Lianne wasn’t alone in the forest.”

Every muscle in my body went rigid. “What are you saying?” I demanded grabbing her collar and lifting her off the ground.

Lysa choked, her gaze slowly moved toward my brothers for help. They didn't move, I know they wanted to strangle her if she didn't speak faster.

“Maybe,” she whispered, “You should ask yourselves that question.”

The room fell deathly quiet. Because for the first time…

A terrible possibility began to form in my mind. I slowly sat on the chair nearby holding my head in my hands, I said to my brothers.

“Guys, we messed up.”