Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 387: Chapter 387 - The shining silver crescent moon

Seraphine rushed into the ward and found the doctors already gathered there, waiting for her. The second Doctor Finn had mind linked them, they’d dropped everything and come running.

Four of them stood ready now, with more on the way. The spacious room held a couple of patients per space, the low hum of medical machines mixing with the sharp, clean sting of antiseptic in the air.

She quickly sanitized her hands, pulled on a pair of gloves, and moved straight to the first patient. Doctor Finn hurried along right behind her, his face lit up with clear excitement. "Doctor Ash, several doctors just finished their shifts and others were off duty, but they’ve all agreed to come in. Can we wait for them before we start?"

Seraphine had to fight back a heavy sigh. She got his enthusiasm but she didn’t have the luxury of time.

They only had two short days before heading back to the city for the wedding, and on top of that, she was aching to let out her wolf for a run.

Then there was the blazing heat of what Bloodfang and Marsha had made crystal clear they wanted. The memory sent a rush of warmth flooding her cheeks. That moment would have to wait. Right now, these warriors needed her.

"There are twenty injured warriors, right?" she asked.

Doctor Finn nodded. "At least that many."

"Then the doctors who are already here can learn and pass it on to the rest. Or another group can watch when I move to the next patient." She adjusted her gloves, her gaze sweeping across the room. "Honestly, I don’t like big crowds."

Doctor Finn frowned, clearly thrown by her answer. But something else was eating at him again. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "Why do you sound so much like Doctor Sera?"

The whole room went dead quiet. Several doctors traded uneasy glances. Doctor Finn continued. "And your eyes. Aside from Alpha Voren’s daughter and Luna Sera, I’ve never seen another she-wolf with that exact bright blue shade."

A few of the younger doctors leaned in closer, studying her now that he’d said it. The resemblance was impossible to ignore once you noticed.

Seraphine’s heart slammed against her ribs. Shit. She forced a calm smile beneath her mask, even as panic surged hot through her veins. "I already warned your Alpha. I’m only here for a few hours. I need to get back to my pack afterward."

One of the standby doctors blinked fast. "Which pack?" The question shot out way too eagerly, Seraphine recognized him instantly. One of those academy hotshots who used to fight tooth and nail for the top spot with her. Guess he still hadn’t kicked the habit.

A small smile curved her lips. "I could spend all day answering questions... or I could spend that time actually treating your patients."

Her voice carried natural authority that she couldn’t hide anymore. Years of leading people, shouldering heavy responsibility, and standing as Luna poured through every word.

Several doctors were filled with unease, the undeniable pressure rolling off her hitting them hard. Doctor Finn looked even more suspicious now, but Seraphine ignored all the stares and moved on to the first patient.

The warrior had been sleeping, but his eyes fluttered open as she got close. He blinked slowly, voice weak. "A new doctor?"

Seraphine gave him a gentle smile and adjusted his blanket. "I’m Suzette Ash, a doctor from a neighboring pack." She kept her tone warm. "Alpha Voren explained your condition to me. And judging by how much he paid me, you should feel pretty honored."

The warrior let out a real laugh, surprising everyone in the room. Even hurt like he was, his eyes brightened with genuine humor.

Their Alpha wasn’t exactly the type to wear his heart on his sleeve. He rarely praised, rarely smiled, rarely showed open concern. But every warrior knew how deeply he cared. His actions always said everything.

"I hope you can help me," the warrior said, his smile fading into raw worry. "My wife and daughter... they need me."

The vulnerability in his voice hit Seraphine straight in the chest, twisting something deep inside her. For a heartbreaking second, memories of Voren and Esperanza flooded her, the family she had almost lost forever. Her expression softened with fierce tenderness. "You’re going to be fine, I promise you that."

The certainty in her voice eased some of the terror in his eyes, and he visibly relaxed. Seraphine turned her full focus to his injured leg.

The second her fingers touched the damaged area, her brows pulled together in confusion. Something was very wrong here. She examined it carefully, then again, her confusion growing into real alarm. "This is strange..."

Doctor Finn stepped closer immediately. "What is it?"

She gently manipulated the limb, her frown deepening. "How did Bloodfang even do this?" She mumbled to herself.

The other doctors exchanged puzzled looks. The injury wasn’t normal at all. The broken bones seemed caught horribly between human and wolf forms, the foot looked like a werewolf’s skeletal paw, but the leg was still partly human. The whole thing looked twisted, unnatural, almost impossible.

Then it hit her like a lightning strike. "Oh..."

Bloodfang hadn’t just shattered the bones. He had wrecked them in both forms, human and wolf, at the exact same time. The injuries overlapped in a brutal way, trapping their bodies between states. That’s why they couldn’t heal properly, why their wolves stayed locked away.

Doctor Finn caught the glint in her eyes. "You figured something out."

Seraphine nodded slowly, but before she could explain, a hushed whisper reached her sharp ears. "Are we sure she can handle this?"

Another doctor sighed. "I was really hoping Alpha would bring Luna Sera. I heard she’s never lost a patient. She always finds a way, even develops her own cures if both science and werewolf tradition doesn’t have it which—"

The words cut off sharply. The speaker’s eyes went wide, the entire room froze, including Seraphine.

Her hand had started trembling. At first she thought it was just exhaustion, but then she saw it, a glowing mark. A brilliant crystal crescent moon had appeared on the back of her hand, pouring out intense silver light. The whole room gasped in shock.

"What the hell is that?" someone whispered.

The glow surged brighter, stronger. Seraphine’s eyes widened in pure horror. She wasn’t doing anything. Yet the mark kept shining, flooding silver light across her fingers. Then the impossible happened.

Beneath her hand, the shattered bones began moving on their own. Tiny cracks sealed shut. Fragments realigned with eerie precision. The broken structure slowly, impossibly rebuilt itself right in front of everyone.

A doctor stumbled back in disbelief. Another nearly dropped his clipboard. Doctor Finn stood completely frozen, his mouth falling open. "No... No way..."

Seraphine’s breathing sped up, raw panic crashing through her chest like a tidal wave. She couldn’t stop it, no matter how hard she fought. The power kept pouring out, the moon symbol blazing even brighter. Terror flooded her face. For the first time in years, she felt completely out of control, spiraling.

The room blurred around her. Instinctively, desperately, she reached for the only person she trusted with her whole soul, the only one who could ground her, the only one who always made her feel safe.

’V.’

Her voice tore through the mindlink, urgent and shaking with fear. ’There’s something happening.’

The light exploded even brighter. Doctors shielded their eyes. The patient stared down at his healing leg in stunned disbelief.

Seraphine’s heart hammered wildly in her throat. ’I need you.’

The connection had barely faded when the ward doors slammed open with a bang. A massive, powerful Alpha presence flooded the room, everyone stepped aside instantly.

Voren stormed in, his eyes locking straight onto Seraphine. Then they dropped to her glowing hand, the shining silver crescent moon, the impossible healing happening beneath it.

For the first time in a very long time, Alpha Voren looked genuinely, utterly shocked. He stopped dead in the doorway.

"What the fuck is that?"