Page 4 of Lycan Prince's Secret Baby

My chest felt like a shaken soda can, dangerously close to exploding. I forced myself to break eye contact, and the intensity that had pitched through me eased like a valve releasing pressure. The moment I looked away, my galloping heart steadied. I reminded myself that this woman belonged to those Iloathed,and my heart hardened at the thought. How could I even consider being drawn to her?

As my gaze swung to Elder Sam, his expression twisted with satisfaction. A flicker of anxiety shot through me. How long had I been staring at the Blood Moon?

“It’s clear we’ve found who’s been stealing the herbs and no doubt selling our resources outside the pack,” Sam said, his voice even. Triumph glinted in his muddy brown eyes as he regarded her.

To me, it felt as if my world had been turned on its head, but I realized with a flood of relief that neither Sam nor Emily had realized anything was amiss. Their regard was still fixed on the Blood Moon.

But Sam took my not speaking as confirmation that I agreed with him. I shook away the haze that had come over me, confusion mixed with raw emotion, and determined to do my duty: uncover the truth about her theft.

But the woman got there first. “I wasn’t stealing for myself!” Her voice rang out, fierce and defiant, painting the air with a tension that pulled at my insides.

Her determination burned brightly through the fog that had seized me. Tearing my focus away from my racing thoughts, I dared to look at her, my expression solemn.

“I did it to save my friend,” the Blood Moon continued, her stare as serious as mine. The weight of her statement hung heavily in the air. “She’s severely injured.” Anger flushed over her fair skin, heating her cheeks as she added, “Blood Moon wolves aren’t given treatment for their wounds, and we’re forced to recover on our own, working through our pain.” Her voice shook.

I frowned, my gaze swinging to Elder Sam. This was the kind of thing I wished I was familiar with. I’d only recently returned to the pack since finishing my studies, but I found it hard to believe that the Blood Moons would be denied treatment if they were gravely ill. Confusion whirled through me. Such treatment was akin to some of the worst inequalities I’d learned about while reading history at university.

The Blood Moon continued, “But Mary’s not healing. Her wound is infected. She slipped into a fever tonight.”

Despite her defiance, the vulnerability in her voice echoed through me like a painful reminder of all I had lost. My gaze brushed over the dirt on her hands and the mud and moisture staining her knees. Imagining how she must have hunted for the herb out in the dark, all to help her friend, sent a flicker of admiration through me. I followed the direction of her gaze: the herb lying on the table before Elder Sam. What had she lost in the war between our packs?

Quashing the thought down, I fortified myself against the soft tug of sympathy. This story was likely a ploy, a calculated effort to gain my goodwill. But I knew it was one we could easily disprove.

My assistant, Mark, had been silently observing from the edge of the room. He was tall and lean, with dark hair that fell just below his brow, exuding a casual charm despite the moment’s tension. His intense brown eyes held an ever-watchful quality. I could always count on him to be assessing and pragmatic. Clad in a fitted black shirt and dark trousers, he seemed a shadow in the room, blending in effortlessly while keeping an eye on every detail. My father had assigned him to assist me after I returnedto the pack and help me navigate the complexities of pack business I’d missed while away.

“Mark,” I instructed, “go to the Blood Moon quarters and check on the injured Blood Moon.” My voice was steady yet tempered with caution.

“It’s an excuse, Kyle,” Elder Sam interjected, anger tautening his features. “Leah got caught red-handed tonight, and now she’s trying to excuse it. Don’t be swayed, my boy.”

I gritted my jaw, irritation flaring. I didn’t appreciate his condescension. He might hold the title of Elder, but I was the Alpha heir. I could see that Mark had frozen at the edge of the room, his dark gaze on me, waiting for confirmation of my command.

Leah. I realized I hadn’t known the Blood Moon’s name until now. The sound of it echoed through my thoughts. But even as its soft sound distracted me, I observed her. She stood there, striking and fierce. Her tilted chin was defiant, and those stormy blue eyes were steadfast in their resolve to protect her friend. If she was lying, she was playing the part damn well.

Listening to my instincts, I repeated my instruction, looking steadily at Mark, “Go to Leah’s cabin and report back here on the condition of her friend.”

“Mary,” Leah interjected, her gaze swinging between me and Mark, disbelief dancing in her eyes.

In a moment, Mark dashed out the door, leaving me wrestling with conflicting emotions. Whatever the case, I needed to find out the truth for myself. As we waited for my assistant’s return,frosty silence blanketed Elder Sam, Emily, and me, making my teeth itch.

I broke it with another command, “Emily, would you go and tell Healer Maria that I’d like to see her?”

I felt the weight of my words echoing through Sam and Emily’s tense figures. But Emily could hardly refuse my order and soon strode out of the room.

We only had to wait five minutes for our pack’s healer to join us. Maria’s presence was like a welcome breeze. I’d always found her aura calming. She’d been a friend of my mother’s, and as her deep-set hazel eyes met mine, I felt reassured by her presence. Her hair was pulled back in a neat braid. Dressed in gray chinos and a white blouse, she looked as smart and neat as ever.

As I waited for Mark’s return, I asked the healer about the uses of the herb confiscated from Leah.

“It’s commonly used for treating infection and bringing down inflammation,” Maria answered easily.

With the herb’s uses corroborating Leah’s story, I wasn’t surprised when Mark returned a few moments later, and his wide face was serious. “Mary, the Blood Moon, is unconscious and burning up.”

I tried to ignore the tremor of Leah’s hands, but a surge of protectiveness fired through me. Only then did I realize that my gaze seemed to have a will of its own and had wandered to her.

I turned to our healer. “Maria, I’d like you to treat the Blood Moon,” I commanded. “And from now on, all injured Blood Moons are to receive treatment.” I addressed Maria primarily.Healing was her domain. Her eyebrows rose in surprise, but she nodded.

“Kyle!” Sam snapped, his eyes wide with disbelief. The sharp edge of his tone riled me. “You can’t be serious. We can’t set this kind of precedent.”

“Not treating the sick isn’t a cost-effective strategy for maintaining an efficient workforce,” I explained matter-of-factly, forcing restraint into my tone. I was determined to prove this wasn’t an emotionally motivated decision, but a rational one.

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