Chapter 39

[ 1,293 words ]

Ivy’s Point of View

The silence that followed my words was deafening.

I wanted only Stone to be inside, while the rest guard the doors. But I realized that there is much work to be done. So, the rest of the guards came in to assist me.

Ash stared at me with wide eyes. Stone’s grip on Dominic tightened protectively. Even Nell, who had seen much in her years of service, looked pale with shock.

“Someone tried to murder the heir,” Ash said slowly. “Deliberately. Using a physician as the weapon.”

“Yes.”

“And they’ve been doing it for six months.”

“Yes.”

“Right under the Alpha’s nose.”

“Yes.”

The guards exchanged dark looks. I could see the anger building behind their eyes. The outrage. The protective fury that warriors felt when one of their own was threatened.

No one questioned my treatment methods after that.

The medicinal bath continued. Dominic’s body absorbed the herbs through his skin, strengthening his weakened systems from the outside while I worked from within.

I placed my hands on his temples. Closed my eyes. Sent my awareness deeper into the damaged tissue of his brain.

The clots were stubborn. Resistant. They clung to his neural pathways like parasites, feeding on the stagnant blood that had pooled there for months.

I pushed harder. Channeled more energy. Wrapped the largest clot in golden light and began to draw it out.

“Young Madam!”

Shadow’s voice cut through my concentration. I didn’t stop working.

“What is it?”

“His eyelid! I saw it move!”

Everyone’s gaze snapped to Dominic’s face. They stared intently, barely breathing, waiting for another sign.

Nothing happened.

His face remained slack. His eyes stayed closed. His expression didn’t change.

“I swear I saw it,” Shadow insisted. “Just a twitch. A tiny movement.”

“You might have imagined it,” Stone said doubtfully.

“I didn’t imagine it!”

“Quiet.” I kept my hands steady on Dominic’s temples. “Both of you. Let me work.”

They fell silent immediately.

I refocused on the clot. Pulled harder. The dark mass resisted for a moment longer, then began to move.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, it traveled through the damaged pathways. Following the channels I had created with my energy. Moving toward the surface.

I shifted my hands to the back of his skull. Pressed down firmly.

Black blood seeped from his scalp.

Nell gasped. The guards made sounds of alarm.

“Don’t panic.” I kept my voice calm even as more dark fluid emerged. “This is supposed to happen.”

“But… but that’s blood…”

“Old blood. Clotted blood that’s been trapped in his brain for months.” I continued guiding the extraction, letting the contaminated fluid drain away. “This is what’s been keeping him unconscious. These clots have blocked his brain’s ability to function properly.”

The black blood dripped down his neck, staining the medicinal water. It was thick. Sluggish. More like tar than liquid.

“Every week, the physician pushed these deeper,” I explained as I worked. “Made them worse instead of better. That’s why Dominic never improved. That’s why he kept getting closer to death.”

“But now you’re removing them,” Ash said slowly.

“One at a time. It’s delicate work. Too fast and I could damage his brain permanently.” I pressed down again, and another small clot emerged. “But if I can clear all of these out over the next few months…”

“He’ll wake up,” Shadow breathed.

“There’s a very good chance, yes.”

The atmosphere in the room shifted. The fear and uncertainty that had lingered since we began was replaced by something else.

Hope.

I could see it on their faces. In their eyes. The realization that their Young Master might actually survive. Might actually recover. Might actually return to them.

“The goddess has blessed us,” Stone murmured. “To have you as our future Luna…”

“It’s not the goddess.” I extracted another small clot. “It’s training. Study. Practice. And a great deal of luck.”

“Even so.” Ash dropped to one knee beside the tub. “We are honored to serve you, Young Madam. More honored than we ever knew.”

The others followed suit. Even Nell bowed her head.

I was touched by their devotion. But this wasn’t the time for ceremony.

“Get up. All of you.” I withdrew my hands from Dominic’s head. “The treatment is finished for tonight. We need to move quickly now.”

They rose immediately.

“Lift him out. Dry him thoroughly but gently. Don’t rub too hard on his scalp.” I stepped back to give them room. “Dress him in clean clothes and put him back in bed.”

Ash and Stone worked efficiently. They handled Dominic’s unconscious body with surprising tenderness, patting him dry with soft cloths, careful to avoid the places where the black blood had emerged.

“His color looks better,” Nell observed. “Less gray.”

She was right. There was a faint flush to Dominic’s cheeks that hadn’t been there before. His breathing seemed slightly deeper. Slightly stronger.

Small changes. Incremental improvements. But progress nonetheless.

“Now clean everything,” I ordered. “The tub. The floor. Every cloth and towel. I don’t want a single trace of this treatment left behind.”

“What about the water?” Stone gestured at the murky liquid in the tub. “It’s full of blood.”

“Dump it in the garden behind the residence. Tell anyone who asks that we were disposing of old medicine.” I rubbed my temples, fighting exhaustion. “Make sure no one sees the color.”

They set to work immediately. Within an hour, the bathing chamber was spotless. Every trace of the treatment had been erased.

I collapsed into a chair, utterly drained.

“You need rest, Young Madam,” Nell said worriedly.

“I know.” I forced myself to stand. “Help me to bed.”

I slept beside Dominic that night, my hand resting on his chest. Feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm.

*One treatment down,* I thought drowsily. *Many more to go.*

The next morning came too quickly.

I dragged myself out of bed, still exhausted from the previous night’s work. But I had commitments to keep. Appearances to maintain.

Luna Helena was expecting me for breakfast.

I dressed carefully. Applied powder to hide the dark circles under my eyes. Arranged my hair to look presentable.

Then I made my way to Luna Helena’s residence.

She greeted me warmly, as always. We settled into our usual seats at the breakfast table. Servants brought out the morning meal.

I took my first bite.

And froze.

There it was again. That familiar bitterness hidden beneath the other flavors. The subtle medicinal undertone that most people would never notice.

Silvervine root.

The same fertility-destroying herb I had tasted before.

I kept my expression neutral. Continued eating. But my mind was racing.

“Luna Helena,” I said casually. “I’ve been curious about something.”

“What is it, dear?”

“Who prepares our meals? The breakfast, specifically.”

Luna Helena set down her tea cup. “Everything comes from the main kitchen. There’s a dedicated team that prepares food exclusively for the Alpha family members.”

“A dedicated team?”

“Yes. They handle all meals for Alaric, myself, Dominic’s residence, and Bastian’s residence.” She tilted her head curiously. “Why do you ask? Is something wrong with the food?”

I hesitated.

The poison was definitely present. And if the kitchen served everyone in the Alpha family…

Who is the target?

It couldn’t be Alpha Alaric. He was already past the age where fertility mattered. Luna Helena was the same.

“Ivy?” Luna Helena’s voice pulled me back. “Is something wrong?”

I forced a smile onto my face.

“No, nothing. I was just curious about how the household operates.” I took another bite of my food. “Everything is delicious.”

Luna Helena seemed satisfied with the answer. She returned to her meal, chatting about upcoming pack events and social obligations.

But I wasn’t listening.

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