All Chapters of Bloodlines & Hearts: Chapter 61 - Chapter 63

They made it back to the Manor in silence. Luna Valeria helped him upstairs, carefully setting him on the bed. She laid out fresh change of clothes within reach and made sure he ate. Moving around the room with quiet efficiency, she adjusted the pillows, set up the IV the healer insisted on, and drew the curtains shut. She was calm and in control but Alpha Alexander could feel the stress rolling off her like heat from a fire.He shifted against the pillow with a low grunt, his body finally admitting how much the fight with Caelan had taken from him. Every breath felt like he was swallowing glass and his heart pounded painfully, but the worst pain wasn’t physical. It was in how Luna Valeria was acting. She wasn’t looking at him the way she used to. Infact she wasn’t looking at him .“The healers will watch your vitals all night,” she said, cold and businesslike as she arranged his meds on the bedside table. “Your pain medication is here, anti-inflammatories here. Don’t exceed the doses

The entire pack territory was alive with energy on the night of the Moon Fest. Gold lanterns swayed from trees branches, casting soft light across the clearing where the ancient ritual would unfold. The air carried the scent of pine, smoke and something wild—something that always comes with the full moon.Ethan stood in front of the mirror in his room. The ceremonial cloak was heavier than he’d imagined—black velvet with silver thread forming detailed patterns that told the history of their pack. The moon phases stitched along the edges shimmed under the full moonlight streaming through the window.“You look terrified,” Riley said from the doorway, smirking.“I am terrified,” Ethan admitted, fiddling with the clasp at his throat. “But it’s not just nerves.”Riley stepped closer. “What do you mean?”He looked at his reflection, voice low. “It’s like there’s a stone in my chest. My wolf keeps pacing. Something about tonight feels off.”Riley’s smile faded, concern creeping in. “You thin