Semua Bab THE LUNA WHO CONQUERED DEATH: Bab 131 - Bab 140

Three weeks later, Luna is 15.5 months old, and Alice is 11.5 months old.We'd made it to one hundred days since declaring Coalition independence.Someone on Catherine's communications team suggested marking the milestone. I'd initially refused, thinking the celebration was premature when we'd just lost three packs.Luna changed my mind."Mama, people need something to celebrate. They've been living in crisis mode for months. One hundred days of independence that didn't end in war or collapse is worth acknowledging." She was on the floor with Alice, who was attempting to stack blocks and getting frustrated when they fell. "It doesn't have to be big. Just recognition that we survived something we weren't sure we would.""When did you become an expert on morale?""When I started teaching people who were scared and needed reasons to hope. The same principle applies to Coalition members." Luna caught the blocks before Alice could throw them in frustration. "Grabby, throwing doesn't help.

"Can I say something first?""Always.""I'm proud of you. Of us. Of what the Coalition represents." Luna's voice was thick with emotion. "Thank you for giving me something worth fighting for. Even when the fighting is hard.""Thank you for being brave enough to fight beside me." I pulled her toward the stairs. "Now come on. Katherine made your favorite cake and Gemma's been guarding a piece for you."The celebration continued into the evening. Stories were shared, connections strengthened, and hope kindled in small ways.Sarah went into labor at eight PM.One minute she was laughing with Diana, the next she was doubled over, water breaking across the Pack House floor."It's too early," she gasped. "I'm only four months along. The baby can't come now."Dr. Moira appeared instantly, professionally calm, masking concern. "Sarah, breathe. Let's get you to the medical. Marcus, call Dr. Reeves. We might need specialized help."The celebratory atmosphere was shattered. Wolves stepped back, g

Day 107 - Luna 16 months old, Alice 11.5 months old, Hope 1-week-oldHope I make it to one week.Dr. Reeves called it a miracle. Sarah called it torture. Marcus just looked grateful she was still breathing.I found Sarah in the NICU at three AM, staring through the incubator with hollow eyes."When did you last sleep?" I asked."Sleep means not watching her. What if she stops breathing, and I'm not here?" Sarah's voice was mechanical, exhausted beyond reason. "I have to watch. Have to be ready.""Sarah, you can't watch her every second. You'll collapse.""Then I collapsed. But at least I tried." She touched the incubator glass. "She's so small, Sera. Her entire hand fits around my finger. How is something this tiny supposed to survive?""By fighting. Like her mother." I pulled up a chair. "Sarah, Dr. Chen wants to see you. Says you're showing signs of severe trauma response.""Of course I am. My four-month-premature baby is dying slowly in front of me. That's traumatic.""She's not dy

Two months later - Luna is 18 months old, Alice is 14 months old, and Hope is 3 months old.Sarah tried to kill herself on a Tuesday morning.Marcus found her in the bathroom, pills scattered across the counter, her hands shaking as she held the bottle."I can't do this anymore," she whispered. "Can't watch Hope struggle. Can't watch Alice like Luna. Can't be this broken version of myself."Marcus called for help. Dr. Moira sedated Sarah. Dr. Chen arrived within an hour.I kept Luna and Alice away from the chaos, both of them playing in the garden, oblivious."Where's Mama?" Alice asked, stacking blocks with Luna's patient help."Your mama is resting. She's very tired." Luna's voice was steady but her hands trembled.She knew. Somehow, Luna always knew when things were wrong.An hour later, Dr. Chen found me. "Sarah needs intensive psychiatric care. Beyond what I can provide here. She needs hospitalization.""For how long?""Weeks. Maybe months. She's severely depressed, actively suic

One week after Hope's death - Luna 18.5 months old, Alice 14 months old.Sarah didn't speak for eleven days.Dr. Chen visited daily, sitting beside Sarah's hospital bed, talking in silence. Marcus went every evening, holding Sarah's limp hand, begging her to come back.She stared at nothing. Ate when forced. Breathed because her body remembered how. But Sarah Reed, the woman who'd survived poisoning, kidnapping and premature birth, was gone."Catatonic depression," Dr. Chen explained. "Her mind couldn't process Hope's death on top of everything else. So it just stopped processing altogether.""Will she recover?" I asked."Maybe. With time and treatment. But there's no guarantee. Some people never come back from this depth."Marcus heard this and looked like he'd been punched. "You're saying I might have lost both my daughters and my mate?""I'm saying recovery is possible but not certain. Sarah's trauma is severe and compounding. Each new crisis laid on unresolved previous trauma unti