chapter 5

Scarlett’s POV

The Moonlight Werewolf Hospital stood tall in front of me.

Tall gates surrounded the building, with layers of security cameras, tracking movement along every corner.

Gamma warriors stood everywhere; on the ground, near the entrance, even on the rooftops

Their eyes were sharp.

Everywhere was heavily guarded.

No one could enter without permission. Even the air felt strict and controlled.

Usher was stopped at the gate.

I watched the head Gamma warrior step forward and request credentials without a flicker of deference, even as he clearly recognized the man in front of him.

Usher produced his identification without complaint and submitted to the verification process with the patience of someone who respected the protocol rather than resented it.

I can't believe that even Usher needed to be checked.

That meant one thing.

Whoever was inside was very important.

My heart tightened.

Without saying anything, I followed behind him.

My fingers curled slightly.

I didn’t know why…

But I felt nervous and scared. Something inside me was shaking.

Usher stopped in front of a door.

He turned to me.

“My lady…” His voice was softer now. “He’s inside.”

For a moment, I couldn’t move. My chest tightened.

Then slowly… I pushed the door open.

The room was simple.

White walls with a quiet machine beeping softly.

The man in the bed was tall, even lying down. He has broad-shouldered in the way that speaks of decades of physical power.

Alpha Arther.

Even though he looks weak and pale, he still exudes a powerful and intimidating aura that makes you tremble in his presence.

My throat tightened.

I took a small step forward.

Then another.

As if he felt it, his eyes slowly opened and then he looked at me.

Everything stopped the moment our eyes met.

His gaze softened instantly. Like he had been waiting.

“…You…” his voice was weak, but certain.

He stared at me deeply.

“Goddess, you have her eyes…”

My breath caught.

Tears slowly filled his eyes.

He lifted his trembling hand slightly, gesturing to me.

“Come here…”

His voice broke.

I walked to him.

Step by step.

My heart was beating so fast. I didn’t understand why.

I didn’t know this man.

But… Goddess, why did it hurt so much?

I reached the bed and then he pulled me into his arms.

Weak but tight and careful. Like I would disappear if he let go.

My body froze for a second.

Then slowly…

I relaxed.

I felt something warm spread through my chest. Something I had never felt before.

I felt… safe in his arm.

My eyes stung.

Why?

Why do I feel like this?

“I finally found you…” he whispered, his voice shaking.

His hand gently touched my hair.

“I finally… found my daughter…”

My heart broke as tears filled my eyes.

I didn’t even notice when they started falling.

After a while, he slowly let go of me.

His breathing was heavier now.

But his eyes… They were full, full of love and pain.

He reached to the side with shaking hands and picked up something.

A photo.

He handed it to me.

“Look…”

My fingers trembled slightly as I took it.

It's a picture of a man and woman with a small child.

The man was him, Alpha Arther. And the woman beside him looked exactly like me.

It's like I'm staring at the older version of myself.

My chest tightened painfully.

And the child in her arms… Was me.

Goddess, we look so happy in the picture.

My vision blurred.

"That's your mother, Lyla," Arthur said softly. "She was the most extraordinary woman I have ever known." He paused, and the pause was full of something he had clearly carried for a very long time.

“When you were three…” He paused, his eyes filling with tears. “Our pack was attacked by rogues. A serious attack. The worst we had ever faced."

My fingers tightened around the photo.

“It was a fierce battle…” he continued slowly. “I fought… I tried to protect everything…” His voice trembled. “But I couldn’t protect her…” A tear slipped down his face.

“I lost your mother that day.”

My heart clenched painfully.

“And you…” His breathing became uneven. “You disappeared without trace.”

The room felt heavy.

“I searched everywhere,” he whispered. “For years… I never stopped…”

His eyes looked at me again. Full of emotion and pain.

“And now…” His lips trembled. “The Moon Goddess has finally brought you back to me.”

Tears filled his eyes again.

My vision was blurred with tears as I leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

“I…” my voice broke. “I didn’t know…”

God, All my life… I thought I was alone. I didn’t know I had a family.

I didn’t know someone was searching for me.

Waiting for me.

My chest hurt so much I could barely breathe.

“I’m sorry…” I whispered, my tears falling on his clothes. “I’m so sorry…”

Arther’s hand slowly moved, gently patting my back.

“It’s not your fault…” he said weakly.

His voice was soft And then suddenly, he started coughing violently.

His whole body shook.

“Father!” The word slipped out of my mouth without thinking.

I quickly held him, supporting his body.

“Be careful!” I said, panic rising in my chest.

Usher stepped forward immediately, his face filled with worry.

“Alpha...”

Arther raised his hand slightly, stopping him.

But his breathing… It was getting worse.

“I… don’t have much time…” he said slowly.

My heart dropped.

“No!” I shook my head quickly. “No, don’t say that.”

He gave a weak smile.

“I regret…” he said, his voice trembling, “I couldn’t watch you grow…”

Tears filled his eyes again.

“I couldn’t protect you… couldn’t be there for you…”

My chest felt like it was being torn apart.

“Don’t say that…” I cried softly, holding him tighter. “You’re here now… I’m here…”

But he only looked at me quietly. Then he turned to Usher.

“Call… the lawyer…”

Usher didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, Alpha.”

It didn’t take long. Within minutes, a man in a dark jacket arrived with a leather folder and a composed expression.

Usher positioned himself as witness. The documents were drawn with quiet speed and laid across the bed.

Arthur signed his name with a hand that trembled but did not hesitate. Everything. Every property, every asset, every piece of the Moonlight Pack's holdings — left entirely to me.

"Manage it well," he said simply, after the last signature was done. "It is a great pack, Scarlett. It deserves a great Alpha."

I looked down at the papers in my lap and felt the weight of them, not as a burden, but as the most profound act of trust anyone had ever placed in me.

"I will," I whispered. "I promise you, I will."

I held him tightly.

Suddenly, The sound from the heart monitor changed.

My heart dropped.

“Father?” I called softly.

No answer.

His breathing was getting weaker and slower.

“No… no…” I shook my head, panic taking over. “No, please…”

“Doctor!” Usher called urgently.

But I didn’t look away.

I couldn’t.

“Stay with me…” I cried, holding him. “Please… don’t leave me…”

His eyes fluttered open slightly.

Weak and fading. But they found me.

Like he was holding on just to see me one last time.

His lips moved softly, barely above a Whisper.

“Go… to… Ash…” he whispered, his voice broken, almost gone. “My last wish… you must…”

He coughed weakly.

His grip on my hand tightened for a second, then weakened.

“Say it…” I begged, tears streaming down my face. “Please… say it…”

But he couldn’t.

His hand slowly slipped from mine and the machine....

Beeeeeeeeeeep!!

A long, sharp sound filled the room.

And everything stopped.

“No…” My voice broke. “No… no, no, no…”

I shook him gently. “Wake up… Please wake up…”

Nothing.

“Father!!!” My scream echoed in the room.

My whole body shook as I held him. Tears poured endlessly.

“Goddess… why…?” I cried helplessly. “Why did you take him away from me?”

I just found him and now he's gone.

The only family I had is gone.

My body trembled uncontrollably.

I buried my face in his chest, crying like everything inside me was breaking.

“...My lady…”

Usher’s voice came softly from the side.

I didn’t respond.

I couldn’t.

But he still spoke.

“Alpha Arther… had one last wish.”

My tears didn’t stop.

But I listened.

“He wished… that you would marry Ashwood’s Alpha Dominic.”

My body froze slightly.

Marry…?

Fresh tears spilled down my face, and beneath my own crying I became aware of something strange — a low, mournful whimper that I felt more than heard, resonating somewhere deep inside my chest like an echo from a place I didn't have access to yet.

I pressed my hand over my heart, confused and too exhausted to examine it.

Suddenly, the door opened and a werewolf warrior rushed in.

“Sir Usher!” he said urgently. “Alpha Dominic is calling.”

Usher nodded and stepped aside to answer.

I stayed where I was.

Still holding Arther.

Still crying.

After a moment, Usher came back.

“My lady…” he said gently. “Alpha Dominic wants to see you.”

I slowly lifted my head.

My eyes were red.

My voice was weak.

“…Who is he?”

Usher paused slightly.

“I don’t know much,” he said honestly. “He is the Alpha of Ashwood Pack.”

He looked serious.

“Right now… he is the richest and most powerful Alpha.”

I said nothing. But something in my chest felt heavy.

“And…” Usher added quietly, “he is known to be very ruthless.”

Silence filled the room again.