Chapter 296
(Olivia’s POV)
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“The surgery was successful.” Those four words from Dr. Harrison Fletcher’s lips were the sweetest I’d ever heard.
My knees buckled as relief flooded through me. Tears streamed down my face, my wolf finally relaxing after hours of tense urs of tense vigilance. The crushing weight of potential loss lifted from my shoulders, leaving me light–headed.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice breaking with emotion. “Thank you so much.”
Dr. Fletcher’s exhausted face softened with a small smile. The dark circles under his eyes testified to the grueling hours he’d spent fighting for my mother’s life.
“Your mother is strong,” he said, his voice hoarse from the long surgery. “She fought hard in there.”
my mind
I nodded, unable to speak through the lump in my throat. My wolf whined with relief, the sound echoing through my though no one else could hear it.
“We’ll bring her out in about ten minutes,” Dr. Fletcher continued, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “Don’t worry, the
worst is behind us now.”
His wolf’s energy was depleted but satisfied with the successful operation. He gave me one more reassuring nod before turning back toward the Surgical Den to change out of his bloodstained scrubs.
I stood there, trembling with relief, my emerald eyes still wet with tears. The emotional whiplash of the past hours left me
disoriented.
In my dazed state, I sensed someone behind me. Assuming it was James, I turned and threw my arms around him in a
spontaneous embrace of joy.
The familiar scent hit me immediately not James’s russet–brown wolf, but the unmistakable Alpha musk of Ethan Stone. My wolf recognized him instantly, before my conscious mind could process it.
I gasped and pushed away, stumbling backward. “I’m sorry, I thought-
The words died in my throat as I took in Ethan’s appearance. His normally imposing figure looked uncharacteristically fragile.
His face was deathly pale, his amber eyes lacking their usual intensity.
–
His wolf’s energy, typically overwhelming in its Alpha power, seemed diminished. That’s when I realized he had given blood
for my mother. A lot of it, judging by his weakened state.
A conflicted pang of gratitude twisted in my chest. I couldn’t bring myself to thank him verbally, the resentment still too deep,
but my wolf acknowledged his sacrifice with reluctant respect.
Ethan noticed my realization and quickly looked away. “It was nothing,” he said, his voice lacking its usual commanding tone. “Just doing what I should as Alpha ”
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Before I could respond, the doors to the Surgical Den opened again. My attention immediately shifted as they wheeled my mother
out
Tears welled up in my eyes at the sight of her unconscious form. My wolf whimpered with concern beneath my skin.
g sensation I’d felt
I rushed to her side, taking her cold hand in mine. The steady pulse beneath my fingers was the most reassuring In hours.
“Mom,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “You’re going to be okay.”
The medical staff transferred her to a private ward, hooking her up to monitors that beeped steadily with her vital signs. hovered anxiously nearby, unwilling to let her out of my sight.
Ethan, after confirming my mother’s stable condition, retreated to a nearby room arranged by Dr. Fletcher. Though he left physically, I could sense his Alpha presence lingering, his wolf keeping vigil over both me and my mother.
Once my mother was settled, I turned to James, who had been a silent, supportive presence throughout the ordeal.
“You should go rest,” I told him, my voice soft with gratitude. “You’ve been here all night.”
James’s hazel eyes were tired but warm with concern. “I can stay the Howling Moon Grand Hotel nearby if you need me.”
I shook my head. “Use my place at Maple Grove. You’ll be more comfortable there.”
He hesitated, his wolf reluctant to leave me alone in my vulnerable state.
“I’ll be fine,” I insisted, managing a small smile. “My mother needs me here.”
Sarah Jenkins approached, her scrubs rustling softly. “I can take over for a while if you want to rest, Ms. Winters.”
I declined with a firm shake of my head. “I’m staying with her.”
My protective instincts were too strong to allow me to leave, my wolf refusing to abandon our remaining family member. I settled.
into the chair beside my mother’s bed, prepared for a long night.
Across the medical den, I knew Ethan was also keeping watch, his wolf periodically checking our scents to ensure we remained
stable. The thought brought a confusing mix of comfort and resentment.
The night passed slowly, the steady beeping of monitors and the soft footsteps of night staff the only sounds breaking the silence. I dozed fitfully, jerking awake at every change in my mother’s breathing.
Morning light eventually filtered through the blinds, casting soft stripes across the sterile floor. James returned, looking
refreshed and carrying coffee.
“Your turn,” he said firmly, his hazel eyes brooking no argument. “Get some rest in the recovery room next door. I’ll watch over
her.”
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