Chapter 21

Esther’s POV

The soft glow of the lanterns in Blue Lake Pack’s manor spilled out into the twilight, painting golden rectangles across the cobblestone paths.

I stood by the window of my small office, fingers pressed against the cool glass, and let myself breathe. Outside, the world seemed peaceful—wolves moving in their evening routines, healers finishing their shifts, nurses carrying baskets of herbs—but inside me there was always a storm.

Six years. Six long years since I had fled the Blood Moon Pack, since I had rolled down that mountain half-dead and been found by Kevin’s patrols. Six years since I had sworn to keep my children safe, no matter what it cost me.

Carl and Sofia. My twins. My heart.

I had built a quiet life here, hidden under Kevin’s protection. People had a certain amount of respect for me now, some even admired me.

They didn’t call me a murderer slave. They called me Doctor Esther. I was a healer and someone worth trusting. It was the life I’d once dreamed of.

Yet I could never truly rest. I would never forget the shadow that still lingered: Nicholas. He was somewhere out there, and every once in a while, my mind wandered to him.

Sharon, my wolf, was still dormant, but Kevin and I are still working on a way to escape her silence.

I turned back to the cot behind me, where Carl lay tangled in a blanket, his brow damp with sweat. His dark lashes rested heavily on his pale cheeks, and every so often his fingers twitched, as if clutching at something unseen. He whimpered in his sleep, his small body curling tight. My chest tightened painfully.

“Nightmares again,” I whispered, brushing the damp hair from his forehead. My hand lingered there, as though I could press away his torment.

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted copper. Carl was only six. Just a boy. My boy.

He wasn’t a monster. He wasn’t cursed. He was simply burdened. I would not let the world condemn him.

I pulled the blanket up over Carl’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to his temple. His breathing steadied slightly, though the furrow in his brow remained. I wanted to gather him up in my arms and never let go.

But I couldn’t shield him from everything, not even from himself.

“Mommy?”

The soft voice came from the doorway. Sofia stood there in her nightdress, her hazel eyes wide with sleepiness and worry. Her curls were softer and lighter than Carl’s, and they fell around her round cheeks. She clutched a ragged doll to her chest.

I opened my arms, and she padded across the room, climbing into my lap without hesitation. She always fit perfectly against me, as though she knew this was where she belonged.

“Is Carl sick again?” she whispered against my neck.

“No, my love. Just bad dreams,” I murmured, stroking her hair. “He’s strong. He’ll be fine.”

Her little hand touched my cheek. “You always say that.”

The words stabbed me. She was right. I always said it, even when I wasn’t sure. Especially when I wasn’t sure.

I pulled her tighter. “And I’ll keep saying it.”

Sofia sighed, the sound far too heavy for someone her age. She had learned to carry burdens too young. Both of them had.

When I finally settled her back into bed and returned to my office, I sat heavily at my desk and opened the leather-bound journal that held years of notes, sketches, and research. Every page was filled with ink stains and desperate hope for remedies.

This was my obsession: finding a way to awaken my dormant wolf. Not just for me, but for every wolf who carried a sleeping partner. But especially for my children. Always for them.

I needed Sharon with me. Her power would be enough to protect me and the children. Without her, we were reliant on Kevin and the Blue Lake Pack.

If anything were to ever happen, I was defenseless.

I chewed the end of my pen, staring at the words I’d written earlier: stabilizing serum incomplete.

No matter what I tried, my stabilizing serum didn’t have a big enough impact. With the version I had now, sometimes I could feel Sharon stirring, like she was tossing in her sleep.

It needed something, but I didn’t know what that was yet. I needed to find the missing piece of the puzzle, and soon.

My children’s future depended on me.

The door creaked open. Kevin stepped inside, his tall frame filling the room.

He didn’t need to speak. I felt his presence, steady and grounding. He had been my rock these past years, offering quiet support, never demanding more.

Kevin wore his workout clothes as he always hit the gym before bed. On his way back, he had a habit of checking on me. His dark hair was strewn across his forehead. His eyes were kind but burdened by the weight of leadership.

“You’re still awake,” he said softly, glancing from me to Carl. “You should rest.”

I shook my head. “Not while he struggles like this.”

Kevin came closer, his hand brushing Carl’s blanket. His expression softened, the hard Alpha exterior cracking as he looked at my son.

“He’s strong. Stronger than he knows.”

“Too strong,” I whispered. “I worry they’ll take him from me.” My voice broke, and I covered my mouth. The threat of his father coming for him always loomed like a dark cloud over my head.

We had successfully convinced him that I had died, and the children along with me. But he was still out there, and there was always a chance he’d figure out the truth.

Kevin crouched so he was level with me. “I won’t let that happen. Not in this pack. Not while I live.”

Tears burned my eyes. Kevin always said it with such conviction, as though he could bend the world by sheer will. And sometimes, I almost believed him. Almost.

But Nicholas’s blood ran through Carl. And if Nicholas ever discovered the truth…

I pushed the thought away, clutching my journal tighter. My children would never know the kind of suffering I had endured. I would burn the world before I let that happen.

When dawn crept over the horizon, I was still awake, staring at them both. Carl and Sofia. Innocent, precious, undeserving of the sins and curses of the bloodlines before them.

I pressed a hand to my belly, remembering the night I had almost lost them. Remembering Nicholas’s cold eyes and his harsh words. Remembering how close I had come to breaking.

“Never again,” I whispered into the morning light. “No matter what, I’ll keep you safe.”

Even if it meant lying. Even if it meant burying my own heart forever. Even if it meant facing Nicholas one day and pretending I felt nothing.

Because they were worth everything. My twins. My reason for breathing.

And one day, I swore I would find a way to wake Sharon, to bring her back. Because without her, I was half a wolf. But for them—for Carl and Sofia—I would find a way to be whole again.

I had to.