Chapter 318
Chapter 318: If wishes...
Lyla
Lenny's body suddenly arched beneath my hands, a gasp escaping his lips as the poison fought back.
I pushed harder, humming words in a language I didn't consciously know – they seemed to come from somewhere deeper than
memory.
The blue light intensified, enveloping the entirety of Lenny's body. I could feel the strength of the poison weakening under the
assault of my pure energy. I could feel his Lycan responding; it seemed to be growing stronger.
Instinctively, I placed one hand over his heart and the other on his forehead, creating a circuit of energy. The blue light pulsed in
rhythm with his heartbeat, growing brighter with each pulse. Within that light, I could see the poison's final resistance—a dark
knot gathered near his heart, the source of the infection.
Focusing all my power on that knot, I pressed harder with both hands. The words flowing from my lips reached a crescendo, my
voice filling the small room with power. The blue light contracted, concentrating into a single, brilliant point that pierced the
darkness at its core.
There was a moment of resistance—a final, desperate struggle—and then the poison dissolved, the light from me swallowing its
dark energy. The blue glow spread throughout Lenny's body one last time as if it were doing the final cleansing.
As I felt the last of the poison vanish, I gradually reduced the flow of energy, letting the healing light fade slowly until only a faint
blue shimmer remained beneath his skin. His breathing had steadied, his face was no longer pale, and his colour had returned.
The wound that had refused to close began to knit together beneath the bandages.
I stepped back, surprised to find that I wasn't exhausted. Tired, yes, but nothing like the bone-deep fatigue that such healing
would have caused me before. I gently touched my stomach, wondering if the baby was somehow enhancing my powers,
making me stronger rather than more vulnerable.
Lenny's eyes fluttered open, and he scanned the room for a few seconds before they landed on me. He stared for the longest
time, until I was almost forced to call out his name, but just at the last minute, he spoke.
"Lyla?" he croaked, his voice rough from disuse.
"Welcome back," I said, smiling. "You had us worried."
He tried to sit up, wincing at the movement. "Ramsey—is he—"
"He's fine, thanks to you," I assured him, gently pressing him back against the pillows. "Rest now. You're healed, but your body
needs time to recover its strength."
He groaned, placing a hand weakly over his eyes. "I swear, I saw death. Whatever that bastard had in his knife was so painful. I
can't believe I shrieked like a woman."
A laugh bubbled to my throat, but I couldn't let it out because Lenny had a serious expression on his face.
I shook my head slightly. "The Ferals retreated on their own after I fainted. Cassidy stabbed me, too, but I survived just like you.
The war is far from over, I'm sure. Xander is yet to get into it. He's trying to use people, as always, as a front to cover up his
wants."
"Why would Cassidy stab you?"
"She's sure she's supposed to activate the power from the White Moon Throne with Ramsey, says I am stopping her from doing
so."
"I'm glad you're fine," he murmured, biting back a yawn. "Is it just me, or do you look different?" He narrowed his eyes, studying
me.
I smiled, hoping to hide the anxiety building in my chest. Could he tell I was pregnant already? Was I beginning to change?
"Near-death experiences change people."
He nodded, accepting this explanation, though I could tell he sensed there was more to it. His eyes were already growing heavy
again, his body demanding the sleep it needed to recover fully.
"Thank you," he murmured as he drifted off. "Send my love to Ramsey, I'll come see him as soon as I nap for a minute or two..."
He drifted off to sleep. I watched him for a few moments, making sure his breathing was strong and normal. His Lycan energy
seemed to be flowing normally now, according to the healer, and there was no trace of the poison in his body.
"Let him rest for now. If anything comes up, you can come find me."
"I know it's too much to ask," the healer murmured, bowing her head humbly, "but can I send you a mindlink. If there's any
trouble, before I will race to the pack house and try to locate you..."
"Oh!" I nodded, understanding what she meant. In reality, I've never used a mindlink. Once I had no wolf, and my father never
bothered to let me join the pack's network. It was worse now, without Nymeris, I didn't think it would be possible.
"You can reach out to me instead," Nanny said suddenly, touching the woman's left wrist for a few seconds to link their minds.
"She'll be with me always. Since she's still trying to recover, we should try to avoid any external disturbances."
"Of course," the healer nodded. "Thank you, Mother."
Nanny and I finally left the ward. When we were within earshot, she pulled me to the corner.
"Keep the news of your pregnancy a secret. Let it only be known by me, Ramsey and Terra. You can't mindlink someone else
outside the three of us, or they would be able to sense the baby. It's always easier for Lycans to know too. You must be careful."
"You don't have to worry about that," I chuckled. "I don't know how to use a mindlink. Never used it before."
"Oh!" Nanny chuckled awkwardly as we fell into silence.
We continued toward the building where the war room was located. When we reached the war room, I could hear Ramsey's
voice through the door, tense with authority.
"We need to reinforce the western wall first. That's where they hit hardest."
"The northern gate is more vulnerable," came Caius's voice. "If they breach there, they have a straight shot to the civilian
shelters."
spread before him, his face haggard with exhaustion and worry. When he saw me, his expression changed—relief, joy, and
concern all at once. His eyes filled up with tears.
"Lyla," he breathed, crossing the room in three long strides.
He gathered me in his arms, careful of my injury but holding me as if I might disappear. I breathed in his scent, feeling tears sting
my eyes at the simple comfort of being held by him again.
"You shouldn't be out of bed," he murmured into my hair.
"I needed to see you," I replied. "We need to talk."
Understanding my tone, Ramsey nodded to the others. "Take a break. Let's gather in an hour."
The room cleared quickly, the members of the war council filing out with respectful nods in my direction.
"I'll just hang around and wait for you," Nanny murmured, following the last person out.
When we were alone, Ramsey guided me to a chair, kneeling before me with my hands in his.
"We thought we'd lost you," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "When Cassidy stabbed you... I've never felt such rage. Such
helplessness."
"Did you catch her?" I asked.
Ramsey's jaw tightened. "No. She escaped with Nathan in the confusion. But we will find them, I promise you that."
I squeezed his hands. "There's something more important we need to discuss."
"More important than traitors and war?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes." I took a deep breath, suddenly nervous. How do you tell someone they're going to be a parent in the middle of an
apocalyptic battle?
"Ramsey, I'm pregnant."
His smile froze, his eyes widening as he processed my words. "Pregnant? How? I mean..." he chuckled, running his hands
through his hair. "Of course, I know how, but right now? You're certain?"
I nodded. "Terra confirmed it. She thinks it's about six weeks along. The baby is what saved me—it made Nymeris come back to
me. Because of her, I healed fast."
Ramsey's hand moved to my stomach, resting there with a gentleness that made my heart ache. "A child," he whispered. "Our
child."
The wonder in his voice brought fresh tears to my eyes. "I know the timing is terrible. With everything that's happening—"
"No," he interrupted. "The timing is perfect. This is why we're fighting. For the future. For hope." He looked up at me with
fierceness in his eyes. "I will end this war, Lyla. For our child."
"Lyla?" Ramsey snapped his hand in front of my face. "Are you alright? Should I call Miriam?"
"Yes," I nodded, shaking my head to dispel my thoughts.
"Are you sure?" he asked again. "You just zoned out. You were going to tell me something important. What is it?"
If I told him about the baby, Ramsey would never let me step an inch outside the walls of the pack. He would ship me to the end
of the world if he could. I wanted that, I wanted to run away from this chaos. I wanted to become a mother but...
This was my fight. Not anyone's, not Ramsey's... Mine.
I covered his hand with mine. "Lenny," I said with a bright smile that didn't reach my sad eyes. I hope he overlooks that. "He's
healed and awake. You don't need to worry again."