Alpha King Chases Abandoned Luna novel Chapter 341

(Olivia's POV)

The parking lot outside Rosewood Haven fell into an eerie silence. Victoria's face had gone from triumphant to terrified in an instant, her eyes fixed on something—or someone—behind me.

I turned slowly, following her gaze, and my heart stopped.

There, sitting in a wheelchair just yards away, was my mother.

Evelyn Winters looked frail but alert, her eyes clear and focused for the first time in weeks. Dr. Harold Bennett stood behind her wheelchair, his expression unreadable as he watched the scene unfold.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. My wolf went completely still beneath my skin, afraid that any movement might shatter this moment, revealing it to be another cruel hallucination born from my desperate hope.

"Liv."

Just one word. Two soft syllables that crashed into my heart with the force of a tidal wave.

It was real. She was awake. My mother had come back to me.

Tears flooded my eyes as I rushed forward, dropping to my knees beside her wheelchair. My hands fluttered anxiously over her, checking for any sign of discomfort or pain.

"Mom! You shouldn't be out of bed!" I cried, my voice breaking. "We need to get you back to the Healing Chamber right away!"

My wolf whined with concern beneath my skin, protective instincts overwhelming everything else. After nearly losing her, I couldn't bear the thought of her health deteriorating again.

Evelyn's eyes, so like my own, were rimmed with red. She reached out with trembling hands to cup my face.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," she assured me, her voice stronger than I expected. "Dr. Bennett is with me. There's no need to worry."

She glanced over my shoulder at Victoria and Ethan, her expression hardening momentarily before softening as she looked back at me.

"I heard everything," she whispered. "I saw what she did to you."

My mother opened her arms, and I fell into her embrace, burying my face against her shoulder. Her familiar scent enveloped me, bringing comfort I'd been starved for.

"No matter how old you get," she murmured against my hair, "you'll always be my pup."

"Harold, please check on her," he requested, his voice calm but authoritative.

Dr. Bennett's lips thinned with barely concealed disdain as he moved toward Victoria. He bent to check her pulse, his movements efficient and professional despite his obvious dislike.

"Are you feeling nauseous because of your own behavior?" he asked dryly, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Victoria's face flushed with anger, but she maintained her act of weakness. Her wolf cowered beneath her skin as she realized she couldn't escape this confrontation.

Ethan finally reached us, stopping a respectful distance from my mother's wheelchair.

"Mrs. Winters," he said formally, inclining his head.

My mother's expression was a storm of emotions—anger, resentment, disappointment, and bitter regret. Her wolf's scent carried years of suppressed fury.

"Help me up," she said suddenly, looking between James and me. "I want to stand."