The doctor wisely retreated, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the gnawing emptiness


    my chest.


    in


    (James''s POV)


    +15 Poirits >


    "I heard Ethan''s in the hospital," I said to Nathan ckwood as we walked


    through the Silvercrest Pack Medical Den corridors. "Alcohol poisoning, of all things. Stupid move for a werewolf."


    Nathan nodded grimly. "He''s been through a lottely. First his grandmother, then finding out about his daughter..."


    I raised an eyebrow. "What daughter? You mean Emma?"


    Nathan gave me an odd look but didn''t borate. "By the way, I heard Sophia''s back in town. Are you going to see her?"


    My jaw tightened at the mention of her name. Sophia ckwood, my supposed girlfriend, who''d disappeared without a word after ourst fight.


    "Why would I care?" I snapped, my amber-flecked eyes hardening. "She can do whatever she wants."


    "James, it''s been months. Maybe you should-"


    "Whoever regrets is a dog!" I dered loudly, drawing startled looks from passing medical staff.


    Nathan sighed. “You two are impossible."


    I patted my pockets, suddenly desperate for a cigarette. "I need a smoke. You go ahead."


    Without waiting for his response, I turned and headed for the exit, leaving Nathan to visit Ethan alone.


    (Ethan''s POV)


    The door to my room opened, and Nathan ckwood entered. One of my oldest friends, he''d been by my side through countless challenges. But today, something about his presence made my wolf bristle with unease.


    "Ethan," he greeted, his expression somber. "I''m sorry about your grandmother. And about Lily too. I heard what happened."


    My blood froze in my veins. Lily? How did he know about Lily?


    "What did you say?" I whispered, my voice dangerously quiet.


    Nathan approached my bed, oblivious to the storm brewing within me. "I said I''m sorry about-


    215


    < Chapter 115: Painful Revti


    +15 Points >


    I lunged forward with a speed that belied my weakened state, my hand closing around his throat as I pinned him against the wall.


    you


    "Nathan ckwood, you dare to say that?" I snarled, my fingers tightening. "Why didn''t tell me and made the decision yourself to give Lily''s kidney donor to Emma? Why?!"


    The monitoring equipment beside my bed beeped frantically as my heart rate and blood pressure spiked with my rage.


    Nathan''s eyes widened in shock, his hands wing at mine as he struggled to breathe. "What... are you... talking about?" he gasped.


    "My daughter!" I roared. "Lily! The kidney that was meant for her but went to Emma instead!"


    Understanding dawned in Nathan''s eyes, followed by horror. I loosened my grip just enough to


    let him speak.


    "Ethan," he wheezed, "I had no idea Lily was your daughter. Victoria came to me... said Emma needed the kidney urgently."


    My grip faltered. "What?"


    "She said you would never agree to sacrifice another child for your stepdaughter," Nathan continued, his voice strained against my grip. "She said she and Ethan only had this one daughter, and begged me, for Ethan''s sake, to give it to Emma, to save Ethan''s daughter."


    The words hit me like physical blows. I released Nathan and staggered back to my bed, my


    legs suddenly unable to support me.


    "You didn''t know?" I whispered, the full weight of my negligence crashing down on


    me.


    Nathan rubbed his throat, watching me warily. "How could I? You never mentioned having a


    child with anyone but Victoria. Everyone assumed Emma was your only daughter."


    I buried my face in my hands. My own secrecy, my own neglect of Lily, had contributed to her


    death. I had failed to acknowledge her publicly, failed to make her a recognized part of my life.


    "This is my fault," I murmured, my voice breaking. "I killed my own daughter."


    Suddenly, a terrible realization dawned on me. I looked up at Nathan, my eyes wide with


    horror.


    "Victoria,” I said, my voice barely audible. "Was she there? Did she know who Lily was when


    she asked you to redirect the kidney?"


    Nathan hesitated, and in that moment of silence, I knew. If Victoria had been aware of Lily''s


    +15 Points


    identity when she diverted the kidney to Emma, then everything Olivia had used her of was


    true. Victoria had deliberately caused Lily''s death.


    And I had defended her. I had chosen her over my own mate and child.