Chapter 172 Aldric’s Wound 2

Chapter 172: Chapter 172 Aldric’s Wound 2

Talia’s POV

I stared at him, and I could feel the tears burning in my eyes. He had been the rock of this pack for so long, always steady, and always strong. But now, he was letting go.

"Are you sure, Grandfather?" I asked.

He nodded, and his smile widened just a little. "I am sure. I have seen this pack survive the worst, and I have seen it rise. And I have also seen you rise, Talia. You are the Luna this pack needs, and you do not need me anymore."

I squeezed his hand, and I could not stop the tears from falling. "You will always be needed, Grandfather. You are family."

His eyes softened. "Then let me rest. Let me watch from the sidelines and see the future you will build."

I nodded, and I leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I will make you proud," I whispered.

"I know you will," he said. "You already have.”

I nodded with a smile across my face, and I turned to go to Kaelen’s side. Kaelen was still fighting for his life, and I could not rest until I knew he was safe.

The healers worked frantically, trying to save Kaelen while also treating Aldric. I watched them move back and forth.

They moved like a well-oiled machine, each one knowing exactly what to do. Elena was at the center of it all, giving orders, checking wounds, and making sure everyone was doing their job.

Their hands were steady, and their voices calm all through. Some of them were carrying bandages and medicines, while others were checking the wounds of the warriors who had been carried in after Aldric.

I grabbed a towel and began to clean Kaelen’s wounds, wiping the blood from his chest, while the healers kept working.

The towel turned red in my hands, and I kept dipping it in water and wringing it out, over and over again. The blood kept coming, and I kept cleaning, because I could not stop.

I did not know if I was helping, but I could not just stand there and watch. I had to do something, and I had to be close to him.

I watched the healers work on Kaelen, on the injured warriors that were being carried in, and I watched them work on Aldric. They moved from one bed to the next, with their faces pale with exhaustion, but they did not stop. They kept fighting, and they kept trying to save who they could.

I saw a warrior I recognized, with his leg wrapped in bandages, and his face pale, but his eyes were open. I saw a young wolf I had seen training in the courtyard, with his arm in a sling.

Some of them were not moving at all.

Hours passed, but the healers were still working without stopping, and I stayed by Kaelen’s side, cleaning his wounds, holding his hand, and praying to the Moon Goddess.

I prayed with everything I had.

I begged her to save him, to bring him back to me, and to not let the silver take him away. I did not know if she was listening, but I prayed anyway.

Kaelen was still alive, but he had not moved, and he had not shown any signs of waking up. His chest rose and fell with each breath, but it was shallow, and his face was pale.

I could see the silver still burning in his wounds, and the dark lines spreading like poison through his veins. It had taken so much from him, and I could see that he was still fighting.

Elena checked on him again, and I saw her face grow serious. She looked at me, and her voice was gentle.

"The silver has done a lot of damage," she said. "But his wolf is fighting it. He needs time, and he needs rest. Although, I cannot promise when he will wake up."

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest.

I wanted to scream, to beg her to do more, and to promise me that he would be okay. But I knew she was doing everything she could.

But I just nodded, and I could feel my eyes burning with tears. "I understand." I replied.

She squeezed my shoulder and walked away.

I took Kaelen’s hand in mine and held it tightly. I could feel the warmth of his skin, and the faint pulse of his heartbeat.

His chest rose and fell with each shallow breath, and I could see the slight movement of his eyelids, like he was dreaming. I wanted to believe that he could hear me, and that he knew I was there.

So I leaned closer to him.

"Please come back to me," I whispered. "Please do not leave me."

I closed my eyes and prayed to the Moon Goddess. I begged her to save my mate, to bring him back to me, and to not take him away from me.

In the middle of my prayer, I felt his fingers move, just a little. It was just a twitch, that could have gone unnoticed.

At first, I thought I had imagined it. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, or that I was so desperate for a sign that I was seeing things that were not there.

My eyes flew open, and I looked at his hand, then I looked at his face. He was still unconscious, still pale, and still fighting. But his hand had moved, which meant tant, he was still in there, and he was still fighting.

I could feel the hope rising in my chest, warm and bright. Kaelen was not gone, he was still here, and he was still with me.

Tears filled my eyes, and I held his hand tighter.

"Kaelen," I whispered. "I am here. I am not going anywhere."

I kissed his forehead, and I felt his skin warm against my lips. I leaned my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and I let the tears fall.

I stayed by his side, holding his hand, and waiting for him to wake up.