Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 91

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**Healing Slowly But Surely**
*By R. Joseph*

The delicate fragrance of pink carnations filled the air, their soft petals a stark contrast to the tumult brewing within me.

“Alpha, I have some unexpected news regarding Lady Keisha,” Orion, my steadfast beta, announced, his tone measured yet urgent. The moment his words reached my ears, I felt my body tense as if a sudden chill had swept through the room.

“What did you just say?” I demanded, trying to mask the rising tide of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me.

“I received a report from the hospital two days ago—specifically from Lady Agatha. It states that Ms. Keisha has started responding positively to her treatment,” he explained, his face betraying nothing.

My heart sank, a heavy weight settling in my chest. “Did you verify this with the hospital? Are you sure she’s not just saying that to buy time, to prevent us from pulling the plug on her daughter’s treatment?” I questioned, my voice colder than I intended.

“Yes, we confirmed it. According to the doctors, if Ms. Keisha continues to respond at this rate, she could be fully recovered by next month,” Orion replied, his expression unreadable.

A surge of anger coursed through me. The audacity of that woman! I knew I should feel relief at the thought of finally completing the rejection process, but a darker part of me wrestled with conflicting emotions. I didn’t want her to recover; I feared her return. She wouldn’t simply vanish once she regained her health.

Keisha had always been a thorn in my side, a relentless pest who thrived on making my life a living hell. She had a knack for manipulation, always attempting to ensnare me into keeping her close, even when I yearned for freedom.

Five years ago, we had been inseparable. She had been the sweetest thing in my life, a beacon of light until the shadows began to creep in. I used the term “mutate” deliberately; it was as if something within her had shifted, twisted into something unrecognizable.

Her father had been a hybrid, a secretive blend of wolf and Lycan, and it wasn’t until five years ago that the effects of his lineage began to reveal themselves in her.

After that transformation, she claimed she was battling depression. In her quest for peace, she turned to alcohol, to reckless behavior, and ultimately left me for Gerald. Eight months ago, she returned—now with Gerald’s daughter in tow—attempting to weave her way back into my life, as if nothing had happened.

I might have welcomed her back with open arms if my heart hadn’t begun to lean towards Leilani during her absence.

Shaking my head to dispel these memories, I muttered, “Fine. Just let me know when she’s fully recovered.”

Orion let out a heavy sigh. He harbored a deep-seated disdain for her, perhaps even more than I did. “Will you take her back?” he asked, his tone casual but laced with concern.

The mere thought ignited a blaze of fury within me. I fixed him with a furious glare, my nostrils flaring. “No. Never.”

“I thought I should warn you against it,” he replied with a nonchalant shrug. “She’s not fit to be Luna material, and you know better than anyone how treacherous she can be.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone with my turbulent thoughts. My fists clenched tightly at my sides as I watched him go. Instead of directing my anger at him, I found myself seething at my own weakness.

I was furious with myself for allowing Keisha to walk all over me in the past. The embarrassment of knowing she had cheated, returning to me reeking of another man, was a bitter pill to swallow. Yet, I still took her back.

I loathed the fact that I had loved her so deeply that I lost myself in the process.

And I despised her for being the reason my wolf had become feral, the reason I could no longer shift under the full moon like everyone else, paralyzed by the fear of losing control.

Just then, my phone buzzed, and I glanced at the screen to see Leilani’s name flashing. A warmth spread through my chest at the thought of her, but I couldn’t bring myself to answer. I let it ring, the sound echoing in the silence, before I finally switched it off.

I couldn’t burden her with my chaos.

A sharp headache throbbed at the back of my skull, forcing me to set everything aside. I rested my head on the cool surface of my table, hoping to find some relief.

This was just another symptom of living with a feral wolf. I knew deep down that I couldn’t be with Leilani in this state.

Leilani.

The week dragged on in a haze. CUSP was launched, and my parents and Gavin bombarded me with calls. Kael and Zevran became constant irritants, and Jarek, my once-close friend, seemed to drift further away.

He was rarely in his office when I checked, and when I called, he hardly answered. The silence was deafening, and when he finally showed up on Friday afternoon, I noticed a new scar on his face, a jagged line running from one side of his nose to the other.