*NEW* Chapter XXXX

Lydia's POV

After seeing all the wolves from Lars' pack bowing down before Derek, it was clear where he stood in the werewolf world. He was their leader, their king. But his expression was unreadable, his disappointment evident—not just in them, but in everything. Almost the entire pack was present, and as I looked around, the sight of being surrounded by wolves felt surreal.

Only after he shifted back into his human form did I see how injured he was. According to Vanessa, werewolf wounds took longer to heal when inflicted by another wolf. Would it have been different if I had never left? Would he have been spared this pain?

He disappeared behind closed doors with the council, confronting them with the full weight of his fury. When he finally emerged, he threw the doors open with such force that the room fell into silence. He walked past everyone, his confidence radiating stronger than before, his expression hardened. And then, he walked past me—as if I wasn't even there.

Imagine that—he went to war for me, and now he won't even look at me. What is wrong with him?

I called his name, my voice firm, but he didn't stop. He only halted in front of Fabian, his gaze shifting behind him, confusion flickering across his face. A woman stood there, lingering behind Fabian as if seeking his protection.

"He can't see me?" I asked Vanessa, incredulous. How dare he?

Vanessa sighed, crossing her arms. "You may have forgotten that you ran away, but he didn't." She rolled her eyes at Derek's attitude, unimpressed.

I wanted to go after him, to say something—anything—but Vanessa pulled me back. "Hey, don't go begging."

"He's being childish," I snapped, frustrated.

Derek finally spoke, addressing Fabian without acknowledging anything else. "Who is that?"

Fabian's voice was steady. "Just help."

The woman, however, stepped forward, unfazed by Derek's scrutiny. "We are your future pack."

Derek's expression darkened for a moment, a smirk threatening to appear, but skepticism kept it at bay. "Is that so?"

Fabian quickly cleared his throat. "She's joking."

But Lea, as she introduced herself, was not joking. "You promised to think about it," she reminded him. "The Mountain Pack will have their territory back."

Derek's eyes turned cold. "The Mountain Pack was exterminated."

Lea lifted her chin defiantly. "I am Lea, daughter of the late Alpha. And I heard you are a righteous king."

Derek didn't answer. Instead, he turned back to Fabian, disregarding the entire conversation. "Take care of her," he commanded, his voice sharp. "Whatever happens from now on is your responsibility." His tone carried an unspoken warning—a reminder of Fabian's place and duty.

Then, just like that, he walked away.

Fabian turned to me. "You need to come with me."

It hit me then—the 'her' he needed to take care of was me.

Suddenly, I hated Derek all over again. He was so arrogant, so cold. Now, I was the one who didn't want to see him.

I paced in my room back and forth, unable to stand still... What was that? I could barely eat anything. Why was my heart so heavy? When Vanessa came in, I had to ask right away.

"Why is he being like this? Twenty-four hours and not a single word. Can't he try to listen to me even a little bit?"

Vanessa sighed, sat me down, and after looking around, she whispered, "I shouldn't be telling you this, but... he's badly injured. He almost collapsed yesterday once he got to his room. He lost a lot of blood. He's good at keeping up a facade, but—"

My stomach twisted. So that's why I felt like this the whole time. Damn this mate link. I wasn't sick, but deep in my soul, something ached. Vanessa assured me he would be fine.

"Doesn't he know that I healed him before? That it was irreversible? Why won't he let me do it again?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

Vanessa's face filled with pity. "If you saw him like that, you'd feel guilty. He doesn't want you to feel like it's all your fault."

Tears threatened to spill over. I thought leaving was the right choice, that I was fixing everything. But I had only made it worse.

"Take me to him," I begged.

Vanessa hesitated before nodding and standing up. She approached the wolves standing guard and told them that Derek had asked her to bring me to him. They refused adamantly. Vanessa scoffed. "How could you not heed my word? I am the Alpha's and King's sister."

Fabian arrived then, immediately assessing the situation. "What's going on?"

Vanessa lied. "Derek asked for Lydia."

Fabian's eyes narrowed. "No, he didn't."

"I was just with him," Vanessa countered smoothly. "He needs her."

Instead of arguing in front of others, Fabian pushed us both inside. He looked at me with a mix of sympathy and caution. "You can't see him, Lydia."

I stepped closer, meeting his gaze. "Fabian, please. Let me try to heal him—just like I did for you."

Fabian shot Vanessa a disappointed look. "You told her everything?"

Vanessa didn't answer, but Fabian sighed heavily. "Derek's not looking good," he admitted. "He's in no position to make decisions right now. A family member should do that, right?" He winked at Vanessa.

Vanessa straightened, clearing her throat. "As his next of kin, I want Lydia to try and heal him."

Fabian didn't hesitate. "Alright."

When we entered Derek's room, the sight knocked the breath out of me. An improvised hospital surrounded him. Machines beeped softly. His body was covered in bandages, his usually strong presence reduced to stillness.

Tears streamed down my face. This was my fault.

Fabian put a firm hand on my shoulder. "No one can know about his condition."

I nodded. I didn't care about anything else but him right now.

I walked to his bedside, touching his face gently. He was burning up. Without thinking, I climbed into bed beside him, pressing myself against his side, holding his hand tightly. I wouldn't leave him again.