Chapter 66: A Wolf’s Rest and Rising Storm
Chapter 66: A Wolf’s Rest and Rising Storm
(Celeste’s POV)
The steady glide of Nina’s hands across my wrists as she applied the moon–blessed healing salve momentarily eased the relentless stinging. Her silver–gray wolf’s protective aura, even after everything she’d endured today, provided an unexpected balm to my frayed nerves.
Her voice broke the silence, gentle but resolute. “Let me take care of this, my Lady. At least let
me do this much.”
I opened my eyes, meeting the determined expression on her pale face. Guilt twisted in my
chest, a sharp ache that rivaled the burns lining my wrists and back.
This was the same wolf who had braved Lucas’s assault at the Sacred Moon Temple and then
faced mercenaries for my sake. Yet here she was, caring more for me when she should be
resting.
“You should be in bed,” I replied firmly, though my voice softened as the words left my lips.
“You’re risking reopening your wounds any further.”
Her gray eyes flicked downward, staring at my bandaged hands. “I failed to protect you,” she
murmured, her voice trembling with suppressed pain. “At the Sacred Moon Temple… at the
tavern. This is the least I can do.”
Her hands paused momentarily before resuming their careful movements. She dabbed more
salve onto the raw burns where the ancient wolfsbane ropes had seared my skin. Her touch
was as gentle as she could manage, though the salve’s sharp sting still drew a flinch from me.
“You didn’t fail,” I countered quietly. This time, my words carried no sharp edges. “You’ve done
more for me than anyone in this pack ever has.”
Her wolf whined softly at my words. She kept her gaze low, focusing entirely on her task. “It’s
still not enough,” she said softly.
“Nina.” My tone grew firmer, pulling her gaze up to meet mine. “It’s more than enough. You
need to rest now. This is an order.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she hesitated, her resolve visibly battling against exhaustion and pain. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the healers hovering nearby, their quiet work slowed as they listened. Whether their reluctance stemmed from their fear of
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Chapter 66: A Wolf’s Rest and Ri…
Marcus’s wrath or genuine concern, I couldn’t tell. Either way, their presence felt strange-
unnerving even.
“I’ll rest after this,” Nina promised weakly. Her hands shook slightly as she tied the final
wrapping around my wrist.
“You’re lying,” I said flatly, catching the tremor in her fingers as she withdrew her hands from
mine.
Before she could reply, the pack healer nearest us approached, holding fresh bandages. “Allow us to assist you, Captain,” they said, their tone filled with hesitation.
Nina shook her head weakly. “I can-”
“Captain,” I interjected, my voice calm but unyielding. “You’re done here. They’ll take over now.”
Relief flickered in her eyes for the briefest of moments, but she didn’t rebuke me. The healers
moved in quickly, their hands careful and measured as they began tending to my injuries in
her stead.
As Nina staggered slightly, two healers guided her toward a makeshift seat. She resisted at
first but finally allowed herself to be settled down, her gaze never straying far from me.
Even as they tended to her, her voice reached me. “I’ll stand by you again, my Lady,” she said
softly, her words laced with determination.
Tears pricked the edges of my vision, though I fought to suppress them. Her loyalty was
unwavering, something I hadn’t truly experienced in years.
“Rest,” I said gently, my eyes locking onto hers for a moment before exhaustion dragged at
every fiber of my being. “That’s an order.”
The nightmare came swiftly, suffocating me.
I was back in the cold, merciless halls of Moon Shadow Prison. The silver chains bit into my
flesh, their cuts deep and unyielding.
Lucas’s golden eyes glared down at me, the edges of his mouth twisting in cruel satisfaction. He clutched the chains wrapped around my wrists, tugging harshly as if enjoying my pain.
Beside him stood Scarlett. Her emerald eyes shimmered with tears–not of sorrow, but of smug delight. Her soft sobs reverberated in the cramped, dark hall, a cruel parody of
innocence.
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Chapter 66: A Wolf’s Rest and Ri…
“No one will protect you now,” Lucas growled.
I struggled against the chains, screaming soundlessly as the silver links tightened. The burns
seared me as Scarlett’s smile widened.
Pain exploded through me as reality snapped back into focus.
—
I jolted awake with a gasp, my heart hammering against my ribs. The suffocating weight of the dream lingered, its vivid edges clawing at my rapidly fraying nerves.
“My Lady!” Nina’s voice called sharply, drawing me from the haze.
I blinked rapidly as she rushed into the room, her silver–gray wolf emitting waves of panic.
Her hands grasped the bedframe as she steadied her breath. “It’s Eleanor,” she rasped.
Ice filled my veins. “What’s happened?” I demanded, already shifting to stand despite the pain radiating from my back and wrists.
“She’s collapsed,” Nina replied quickly, urgency sharp in her voice. “Scarlett visited her this
morning, and shortly after, her wolf began failing rapidly.”
Scarlett’s name sent a surge of suspicion rolling through me.
“Help me up,” I ordered. When Nina hesitated, I added more force. “Now.”
Her hesitation vanished as she moved to support me. Together, we pushed through my pain
and moved toward the door, my mind racing with possibilities.
“What exactly happened during Scarlett’s visit?” I asked, my tone sharper.
Nina gritted her teeth. “No one else was allowed in the room. Servants only heard raised
voices. She left shortly after… smug.”
The pieces began falling into place as my wolf snarled internally. Scarlett had always been calculating, but if she had truly done something to worsen Eleanor’s health…
When we finally reached Eleanor’s room, Alpha James and Luna Victoria were already inside. Scarlett hovered in the background, wearing an expression of carefully calculated concern.
Her emerald eyes widened as she spotted me. Her wolf recoiled in feigned submission, but I didn’t miss the flicker of annoyance beneath her carefully managed facade.
The pack healer emerged then, their face etched with concern. I grabbed their arm before they could pass.
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“What’s her condition?” I demanded, my voice hard.
“Her wolf’s energy is dangerously depleted,” the healer said carefully. “She’s stable for now,
but…” Their gaze flicked to Scarlett–just long enough to confirm my suspicions. “She cannot
endure further emotional strain.”
Scarlett let out a soft, whispered whimper. “I didn’t mean to distress her,” she murmured, her
voice quivering perfectly. “I only wanted to see her well–being…”
My wolf laughed bitterly inside me, mocking the sincerity wavering in Scarlett’s voice.
Alpha James stepped closer then, placing a firm hand on Scarlett’s shoulder. From his posture
alone I understood it as a warning–a silent demand to back down.
I ignored it entirely, turning my focus back to the healer. “What caused the energy depletion?
Be specific.”
Their hesitation felt like a wall slamming into me.
“We’re… unsure of the exact cause,” they admitted weakly, eyes darting nervously between Alpha James and me. “Though, she was severely distressed when we arrived.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Victoria approaching. Her emerald eyes shimmered pathetically, brimming with hollow maternal concern.
“Celeste,” she began softly, her tone pleading, “you need to rest. Your wrists-”
Her pity was the final spark that ignited four long years of buried rage.
Scarlett’s sniffle–a perfectly timed sound of meekness–pushed me over the edge.
With a growl, my wolf surged forward, all control slipping from my grasp.
Scarlett’s emerald eyes widened, panic flashing across her face as I lunged toward her.
Victoria screamed my name, her hands flailing as she tried to pull me back.
Chaos erupted instantly as the room descended into shouting, motion, and raw fury.
And for once, I didn’t care about the consequences. My wolf had been silenced long enough.
Scarlett would feel every ounce of my rage.
