Chapter 240

Ava

“Well, that was a good show, wasn’t it?”

Leonard’s grin stretched from ear to ear, mirroring the smile on Ophelia’s own face. Chris strode over to the nearby wine barrel serving as a table and picked up two glasses, filling them and handing one to me.

As we clinked our glasses together, I thought back to the night that it had all began…

…

My heart plummeted as I stepped into the room and saw the tears streaming down Ophelia’s face, the way that her knuckles were white as she gripped Leonard’s hand.

But they weren’t tears of sadness. They were tears of joy.

“What’s going on?” I asked, gripping the edge of the bed frame.

Dr. Foster turned to us with a small smile on her face. “I have good news. Leonard’s condition, while serious… is treatable.”

I felt my knees go weak. Chris grabbed my arm to steady me as the doctor continued.

“I’ve already administered a small dose of a rare medication that should help with some of his symptoms. In fact, Leonard, how are you feeling now?”

Leonard took a deep breath, and for the first time in weeks, he didn’t immediately start coughing. His breath was a little wet and raspy, but he could breathe. And that was the important part.

“The pain…” He drew in another breath. “It’s much less now. I can breathe easier.”

Ophelia let out a joyful sob, squeezing Leonard’s hand even tighter.

Dr. Foster nodded. “That’s excellent. Now, I must warn you, this won’t be a quick fix. It will take months of experimental treatment before we can fully eradicate the fungus from his lungs, even with Leonard’s enhanced healing abilities as a werewolf. But with proper care and medication, Leonard is no longer on death’s doorstep.”

I practically collapsed with relief, sinking onto the edge of the bed. “This is... incredible. I can’t believe it. Someone pinch me.”

Chris, however, remained standing, his face serious. “Doctor, how quickly can we start the full treatment?”

“I can begin preparing the medications immediately. However, given the rarity of some of the components, it may take a week or two to gather everything we need.”

Chris nodded, then turned to the rest of us. “This is wonderful news, but we need to keep it absolutely secret. In fact…” he paused, sucking in a deep breath through his teeth. “Leonard needs to fake his death.”

The room fell silent. I stared at Chris owlishly, sure I had misheard him. Ophelia’s mouth hung open in shock. But Leonard... Leonard just nodded solemnly.

“What?” I finally managed to sputter. “Fake his death? Why on earth would we do that?”

Chris ran a hand through his hair, that all-too-familiar habit of his. “Leonard and I have already discussed this as a possibility,” he explained.

“When Chris announced on live television that I was dying of a mysterious, untreatable illness, it put us in a vulnerable position,” Leonard added. “Olivia, and possibly Winston too, and I suppose Elise, now believe that Moonstone is weakened.”

“But they don’t know that Leonard can be treated,” I said slowly, beginning to understand.

“Exactly,” Chris nodded. “We need to keep up the appearance that we’re weakened. Lead them into a false sense of security.”

Leonard grinned sheepishly. “And what better way to do that than to burn my casket on a pyre?”

With my mouth still hanging open, I turned to Ophelia. Her face had gone pale, but she still clutched Leonard’s hand with white knuckles. “Ophelia, my love?” Leonard asked softly. “What do you make of this?”

Ophelia opened and closed her mouth a few times, clearly struggling with what to say. Finally, she murmured, “If you believe it’s for the best, then I’m for it.”

Dr. Foster, who had been listening silently, spoke up suddenly. I jumped, almost having forgotten that she was standing there. “I understand the need for secrecy, but how exactly do you plan to fake a death?” she asked. “As a medical professional, I have some concerns.”

Chris turned to her. “We’ll actually need your help with that, Doctor. We will need you to sign a death certificate and provide a believable cause of death related to Leonard’s condition.”

The doctor frowned. “That’s highly unethical in the human world…”

“We’re not in the human world,” Chris said. “And we’re talking about the survival of our entire pack here. Possibly the survival of all five packs. We wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.”

“If you decide to help us, you won’t face punishment in the human world,” Leonard added. “Rules are a little… different over here.”

Dr. Foster sighed, rubbing her temples. “I… Okay. I’ll help you.”

Chris’s eyebrows shot up. “You will? Just like that?”

The doctor shrugged, a tiny smile playing on her face. “My mother was half-werewolf; and she always spoke so highly of her home pack, Moonrise. If there’s anything I can do to help you, to help the packs and protect as many people as I can, then I’ll do it. And besides, that’s what a doctor should care about, right? The greater good?”

As one, Chris and I let out a sigh of relief. Chris strode over to her, clasping her hand and shaking it firmly. “Thank you, Doctor. That means a lot.”

Dr. Foster smiled faintly and nodded. “It’s the least I can do.”

As the doctor packed up her supplies, clearly deep in thought, I turned to Chris, lowering my voice. “This is a huge risk, you know. If anyone were to find out…”

“I know,” Chris cut me off gently, squeezing my arm. “But I believe it’s a risk we need to take. If you don’t think we should do it, though…”

“We trust your input, Luna,” Leonard added, Ophelia nodding alongside him.

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling the weight of everyone’s eyes on me. My input… It felt strange, to have so many people care so deeply about my opinion—to, ultimately, have the fate of the pack in my hands.

It was a major risk, that was for sure; but Chris was right. It was a risk we needed to take.

After a long moment, I finally nodded. “I’ll support it. You’re right, this could give us the advantage we need.”

Chris’s shoulders visibly relaxed, relief washing over his face. “Thank you, Ava. I know this won’t be easy, but I believe it’s our best chance.”

Leonard squeezed Ophelia’s hand and gave her a reassuring smile. “It’ll be okay, love. It’s just for a little while.”

Ophelia nodded, wiping away a tear. “I know. I just... I just got you back. The thought of you being gone, even if it’s not real…”

Chris cleared his throat. “If we’re doing this, we need to move quickly. Dr. Foster, can you give us a timeline for when the treatment will be ready?”

The doctor nodded, still looking uncomfortable with the whole situation, but hopeful nonetheless. “I can have the first round of medication ready in about a week. But remember, this will be a long-term treatment. Leonard will need regular doses and check-ups for several months.”

“Understood,” Chris said. “We’ll figure out a way to do that discreetly.”

He turned to us then, placing his hands on his hips. His eyes met all of ours in turn, and in that moment, I knew that we were charging headfirst into uncharted territory—but the fate of our people lay in the balance, and for them, I would have walked through fire.

“Now,” Chris said, clapping his hands together. “When should we set the date for the funeral?”