Semua Bab My Mate Chose My Best Friend, So His Uncle Claimed Me: Bab 81 - Bab 90

On my day off, I seized the chance to wander through the town. Yet before I could set out, I was required to accept the presence of two guards, who were personally assigned by Lucretius. And almost instantly, they appeared, stepping out of nowhere. Only then did I realize they were pack warriors from Lucretius's own pack, who worked as royal soldiers."I don't need guards. I can protect myself," I protested to them, sighing as I pinched the bridge of my nose.One of them inclined his head, his hand on his chest. "Pardon me, Luna. But this is an order from the General."And one of them stepped forward to bestow me a folded parchment. "In case, you complain, Luna. A letter from Alpha Lucretius."I stared at the folded parchment as if it had personally offended me. Of course he anticipated this. Of course, he did. With a quiet exhale, I took it from the guard and unfolded it. His handwriting was firm. Neat. Straight to the point.Euphyllia,Before you begin arguing, yes, I know you are

"How may I help you, mister?" I asked politely.He stood just inside the entrance of my tent, no longer the quiet man leaning against a wooden post. In the lamplight, the tension I once sensed around him seemed sharper now. "I wished to thank you properly, Lady Euphyllia.""For what?" I asked."For allowing us to stay. For treating us fairly.""That is nothing extraordinary," I replied gently. "It is simply what should be done."A dull ache stirred low in my abdomen. I ignored it at first. I had been feeling unwell all day. A little weak. A little tired. I assumed it was due to a lack of sleep.His eyes shifted briefly toward the teacup on the table before returning to me. "You are kinder than most leaders," he continued. "That is rare."The ache tightened slightly. Not enough to alarm me. Just uncomfortable. "You should rest," I told him. "If there is a concern, we can speak tomorrow.""There won't be a tomorrow for this conversation," he said quietly.Something in his tone made my

LucretiusI was still talking to her when I felt it."Euphyllia... stay with me," I whispered, pressing my forehead against hers.Her hand was in mine. It was still warm. I held it tightly, afraid that if I loosened my grip even a little, she would slip somewhere I could not follow.The doctors were moving around us. I could hear glass clinking, fabric tearing, hurried instructions being thrown back and forth. Someone forced the antidote between her lips. Someone pressed down on her wounds.None of it mattered.All I was waiting for was her.She had just told me she was sleepy.Fine.She could sleep later.But not now."Open your eyes," I murmured. "Look at me."She didn't.That was alright.She was tired.I tightened my grip on her hand and waited for her fingers to curl back around mine.They didn't.I leaned closer, listening for her breathing.There it was.A faint one.Relief rushed through me.I waited for the next breath.And waited.And waited.It didn't come.Something inside

"The remaining toxins have been flushed from her system." The pack doctor's voice cut through the haze in my mind. "It was fortunate the servants acted quickly. Inducing regurgitation immediately prevented the poison from fully absorbing into her bloodstream. Another hour, and we would be having a very different conversation."I kept mygaze on the canopy abouve my bed, the carved wood blurring slightly at the edges. "How long?" Enoch asked. His voice sounded steady, but I knew him well enough to hear what lay beneath it. "Three days," the doctor replied. "She fell into a coma shortly after the ingestion. Her body shut down to preserve itself. We monitored her pulse continuously."Three days.The words echoed dully in my mind."Her vitals are stable now," the doctor continued, fingers still wrapped around my wrist as he measured my pulse. "Weak, but steady. There is no sign of lasting damage. However—" He glanced at me pointedly. "She must rest. No strain. No emotional distress. No co

Whispers and murmurs began to echo across the hall as soon as he walked "It's General Lucretius...""I heard he's still unmarried even to this day.""Such loyalty to his late wife..."I felt it before I even saw him. That pull... It was familiar and unbearable.He was here. Walking toward us. Walking toward me.I did not move.I did not flinch.A hand tightened lightly on Enoch's sleeve, just enough for him to feel it. My chin lifted, shoulders steady, but my pulse was hammering in my ears. I caught the first glimpse of him just as the chandeliers above caught the edge of his dark uniform. Broad shoulders. Perfect posture. That jawline sharper than memory. That calm, cold, unreadable gaze... sweeping the room, walking across the hall like he owned its silence and finally... resting on me.Whispers faded around me. Laughter dimmed. My breath caught.Then I felt the pull I had known before, the strange ache of familiarity, but I stayed planted. Let him come. Let him approach destiny