Page 18 of The Alpha's Shattered Bonds

As I ate another piece of chocolate, I couldn’t help but reminisce about how much the taste made me think of Tyler. It was during those early months of staying with him, after my parents had died that he had coaxed me back into the world, in part, with chocolate.

He had known it was my favorite—and the baking sessions he’d instigated had almost always been something chocolaty. This simple act of giving me chocolate now felt heavier, charged with memories of the comfort he’d gifted me in the past.

He cleared his throat. I chanced a glance at him, relieved to see he was now staring out at the snowy rooftops and trees, too.“It is—thanks to you, Seraphina.”

My stomach fluttered at the way he said my full name. There was a softness and sensuality in it that made my cheeks flush. I pretended to be cold, burrowing my face into the neckline of my fluffy coat.

But it wasn’t only thanks to me. Tyler had risked his own health so that others would trust me. He’d convinced the packmates that I was worthy of their trust.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself to speak the words that had been weighing on my heart. “Thank you for risking your healthto sway the pack. They wouldn’t have trusted me without you.” I took another nibble, battling the swell of emotions threatening to engulf me whole.

Thankfully, there were packmates coming toward the infirmary. Ollie, a middle-aged packmate with a scruffy beard, surprised me as he greeted both of us, “Tyler, Seraphina. Is it true?” he hurried on. “That you’ve found a cure for the illness?”

I quickly fielded his question, not wanting him to get his hopes up prematurely. “It’s early days yet,” I cautioned, “But those with mild cases of the illness are responding well. We’re tentatively hopeful that after a few days of treatment, we might see the same thing in the more serious cases.” Ollie’s mate, Neave, was one of those serious cases being fed through intravenous drip, so I didn’t want to make promises I couldn’t keep.

But Ollie smiled and held out his hand, grasping mine. “Thank you, Seraphina. Thank you so much.” The tears misting his gaze had my heart squeezing. Something about the big-barreled man showing his emotion so easily made my own throat constrict.

Ollie went on inside, no doubt eager to see his mate.

With that thought, I finished my chocolate bar and said to Tyler. “I’m going to get back to it.”

“Of course,” he said and then added. “Though I’ll be enforcing mandatory chocolate breaks throughout the afternoon.”

An incorrigible smile lifted my lips as I went back inside.

I didn’t get to ride the sugar rush and the feeling of being more welcome for long, though. As I started on my next batch of potion brewing, Logan joined me at my table. Goosebumpsprickled over my skin, and the hair at the nape of my neck stood on end.

Logan towered over me. I knew his physique was one developed through relentless training in the ring rather than out in our beautiful lands, doing something more meaningful—like hunting for gems or herbs. His wide face bore an angular jawline and deep-set eyes that were perpetually narrowed in scrutiny, giving him the look of someone always on the hunt.

His voice was low as he uttered, “Your little good Samaritan act may have fooled lots of them, but I don’t trust you.”

His voice dripped with scorn, and I continued to chop the herbs evenly, forcing down the impatience bubbling up. I wouldn’t let him rattle me. It would be too much to expect my biggest bully to suddenly extend an olive branch.

I shrugged, trying to wear indifference as a shield, but I couldn’t help commenting, “I notice your suspicion hasn’t stopped you from refusing treatment for your cousin.” His scowl only deepened.

“I’m going to expose your plot,” he warned before skulking back to David’s bedside.

A grim kind of satisfaction tugged at my lips. He was such a hypocrite. I reminded myself that once my parents were exonerated, Logan would feel the weight of guilt for the ill-treatment he had shown me, as would so many in the pack.

Yet, as I watched Kelly begin to set up a feeding tube for David to administer the tea, a chill crept down my spine, inked with an ominous sense of foreboding. I felt the weight of Logan’s words settle over me, thick and claustrophobic.

The true origin of this illness prickled against my skin. I could almost taste the dark magic emanating from the sick. It was a greasy, unsettling presence that twisted my gut, and it was a power I recognized all too well. Flashbacks of the Black Moons invading the Shadow Moon Pack surged through my mind, vivid memories of Marissa and that sinister witch wielding dark sorcery—memories that felt all too familiar and dangerously close.

A deep unease bloomed within me. Who among us had betrayed the pack? The traitor could be lurking in plain sight, hidden among us, sowing the seeds of illness right now. My gaze swept across the infirmary, lingering on the faces of the pack members who had come to visit their ailing friends. I looked over at Laura and Linda, who were administering a tube to Neave. Each heartbeat echoed in my ears, a pulse of rising anxiety, as the realization dawned. It could be anyone.

Chapter Eight

Tyler

The infirmary hummed with subdued energy, low lamplight casting warm pools of light over the occupied beds as deepening shadows settled into the corners of the room. The air was thick with the earthy scents of medicinal herbs—the bitter notes of kulvitch mingling with the more whimsical undertones of palliks.

I had spent countless hours with Seraphina, standing by her side as she prepared batch after batch of healing tea. Her focus remained unwavering, even as fatigue tugged at her spirit. The only reprieve came when I managed to coax her out of the infirmary for brief breaks and the occasional snack of chocolate.

At last, she sighed. “I think I better go back to the house for some rest.”

Relief washed over me, flooding my chest with warmth. I had been acutely aware of the immense energy she poured into each potion, her magic intertwining with the herbs’ vitality. Thankfully, she recognized her limits before I had to drag her away from her work.

In a moment, Kelly took note of Seraphina’s orders, conferring quietly about which patients needed treatment throughout the night. Both Linda and Laura had retired earlier to rest before returning for the night shift. While I felt gratitude toward my packmates, my predominant emotion was protectiveness forSeraphina. My wolf prowled restlessly, eager to whisk her home and care for her.

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