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Alle Kapitel von No Seat for Me at the Winter Feast: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 9

9 Kapitel

Chapter 1

The other end of the line went quiet for two seconds.My mother seemed to finally set down some burden. Her voice immediately softened."I knew you'd understand.""Nora, don't blame me. Lily grew up by our side. She's not like you—she's long been used to getting through things alone."I looked down at the diagnosis on my lap.The corners of the paper had already been crumpled soft in my grip.The last line was written in the chief physician's own hand at Northshore Healing Institute.Silver blight has spread to the lungs and bone marrow. Wolf spirit failure. Irreversible."Mm," I said. "I don't blame you."My wolf curled deep in my consciousness and didn't respond.For the past three months, she had grown quieter and quieter. At first, when I couldn't sleep from the pain, she would still nudge me gently with her nose.Now I hadn't felt her in a long time.My mother probably wasn't used to me being so obedient, so she added:"After the solstice, I'll have your father send patrol guards

Chapter 2

The pine wood quickly blackened.The first year I came back, I took it to my mother and asked if I could hang it on the fireplace.She said the family name plaques were all custom-made to match. Mine was too rough and wouldn't look right hanging there.She told me to put it in the guest room for now, and they'd talk about it next year.Later, I found out Lily had two spare plaques in her bedroom.One from when she was a cub.The other was made specially by the craftsman because my father was afraid her old one might break.Brooks walked to the fireplace and recognized the name in the fire. His expression stiffened."Why did you burn that?"I didn't answer.He frowned."It's just a wooden plaque. Once Lily's better, we'll get you a new one next year. Isn't that enough?"I turned and went upstairs.Because there was no next year.The guest room at the far end of the second floor was where I had lived in the main house for three years.The family members' rooms were all on the south side,

Chapter 3

Ethan gripped the ring."You know I hate it most when you force me like this."He stood there, still waiting for me to back down first, the way I always had."I'm going to the lodge with her because she needs a healer. I've known her since we were children. Was I supposed to just watch her fall apart?""You can go with her."I said."I'm not stopping you."That only made him angrier."Then what are you doing right now?"Lily walked in crying."Stop fighting. It's all my fault."She reached for the jewelry box in Ethan's palm, then turned and grabbed my wrist, as if to push it back into my hands."Nora, I'll give it back. Don't cancel the ceremony, I'm begging you..."But her nails dug precisely into the bruised needle marks on the back of my hand.The sharp pain made me flinch instinctively.The next second, she let go of the box and threw herself backward."AH!"Lily fell onto the hallway carpet, her wrist hitting the edge of the low table.The moonstone necklace slid out of the box,

Chapter 4

When the main house door closed behind me, the blizzard had already sealed off the courtyard.My father ordered the patrol guards not to arrange a car for me.They opened the side door and watched me walk out alone.Brooks stood at the second-floor window.Through the glass, his gaze stayed on me.Maybe he was waiting for me to turn back.To be unable to walk, to cry, to finally admit I was wrong.My mother pushed open a crack in the window."Nora, don't stand outside putting on a show! You don't need to come to tonight's winter solstice charity banquet either. Don't let the other packs laugh at our family!"The window shut.In the warm yellow light, Ethan carried a hot drink toward Lily.My father pulled the blanket up around her shoulders.I turned and walked slowly into the snow.My nose was bleeding again.It dripped onto the snow, drop by drop, quickly covered by fresh snow.My wolf didn't come out.In the past, no matter how cold the weather, she would urge me to shift.She said,

Chapter 5

Ethan stared at the message, his finger frozen on the screen.Applause had just broken out in the banquet hall.Lily reached over and tugged at his sleeve."Ethan? Did Nora say something again?"He didn't answer. He dialed Northshore Healing Institute directly.When the call connected, his first sentence was still:"Is this a mistake? Nora came home today. She can walk. She can argue with people."On the other end, the chief physician was silent for a moment."Who told you a dying patient can't walk?"Ethan's hand slowly tightened."But she never told me about the silver blight.""When she came in for her first consultation, she listed you as her companion. The appointment was canceled twice."Ethan suddenly remembered.Three months ago, Nora had asked him if he could go with her to Northshore.That day was the first time Lily had shown discomfort with her pregnancy.He told Nora to go by herself, said she was twenty now and didn't need someone with her for everything.The second time,

Chapter 6

When Helen came in, she was still unbuttoning her coat."Where's the child? Get the fire going first. She's always been afraid of the cold—"She saw Nora on the bed and stopped.This daughter had never been this quiet.When she first came home, Nora always had so much to say.Which patrol route she'd learned today. What new thing the kitchen had made that she'd never eaten before. What story Grandma had told when she was lucid that afternoon.Helen usually cut her off halfway.Keep your voice down. Lily is resting.Now, there was no need to remind anyone.She walked to the bed and touched Nora's face.Then pulled her hand back."Why is she so cold?"No one answered.She looked at Ethan."Aren't you a healer? Why are you kneeling there?"Ethan didn't look up.Helen grabbed his shoulder."Heal her!"Martha picked up the diagnosis from the bedside and set it on the table."She ran out of treatments a long time ago.""This is today's comfort care record. This is the medication list she bro

Chapter 7

The next day, Ethan didn't go back to the hot spring lodge.He went to Northshore Healing Institute.Because Nora had left written authorization, the person handling her affairs could access the medical records related to her death.Martha sat with him in that office.The chief physician pushed the files across.First visit: Nora could still shift on her own.Second visit: She could no longer walk for long stretches.Third visit: She asked whether pain-suppressing medication would make her seem slow."Why did she ask that?" Ethan said.The physician turned to the consultation notes."She said if her reactions were too slow, her family would think she was ignoring them on purpose."Ethan lowered his head.That day, he had indeed scolded her.Lily called twice, and Nora didn't hear.He told her that even if she didn't like someone, she should still have basic manners.The file continued.Hospice care recommendations.Emergency contact authorization.And a returned appointment invitation.

Chapter 8

The manuscripts Grandma left were never handed over at the charity banquet.Three days after the solstice, the shelter director came to Frostridge in person.Richard wanted to arrange a new ceremony.He said the donation could be expanded, and the name could be changed to commemorate Nora.The director didn't take the prepared speech."Give me the originals first."The safe was opened.Beneath the manuscripts was a catalog Nora had organized.The year, contents, and paper damage of each volume were recorded clearly.At the bottom was a stack of restoration quotes.She had already contacted a restorer and paid the first deposit.It was just that on the night of the scheduled handover, no one had invited her to attend.Richard stood to the side.After the director finished reading the materials, he looked up and asked:"Why was Lily the one on stage for this donation?"No one answered.The next day, Richard sent correction letters to every pack that had attended that night.The donation

Chapter 9

On the day of the sea burial, the sea was calm.The Frostridge car parked outside the harbor and didn't drive in.Richard didn't ask the patrol guards to clear the road, and he didn't use his Alpha status to talk to the boat captain.The first wish Nora had clearly left behind, they finally didn't dare override.It was just too late.When the small boat left the shore, Helen stood at the end of the breakwater.She held a newly made name plaque.The wood was fine, the carving exquisite, exactly like the ones on the main house fireplace.She had spent the whole night braiding the hanging cord herself.Martha saw it but didn't take it onto the boat for her."She took her own things with her."Helen gripped the plaque and nodded.On the boat were only Martha, the shelter director, and the driver who had taken Nora to the coast.The driver brought a white flower.He said that before Nora got out of the car, she had asked whether the extra detour would cost more.He had been too busy helping

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