CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY


    Talia’s POV


    Nn had been watching my face the entire time as I spoke to Solon.


    “It’s serious,” he said tly. It wasn’t a question. He knew me enough to know.


    “My father only has three months left,” I said.


    Nn cupped my face and said, “Talia, I’m so sorry.”


    “It is a progressive illness. Leslie has not found a cure yet,” I continued.


    “We’re going today,” Nn dered.


    “Right now? You’re with me?”


    “Yes. Right now. I will call the pack meeting, you will speak to them, and then we will leave. Can you do that?”


    “Yes.”


    Nn kissed my forehead. His eyes shed and I heard his order through the pack link. The pack gathered quickly in the courtyard. By the time I stepped out to face them the word had already spread that something was wrong. No one spoke. All eyes


    were on us.


    “The Alpha King is ill,” I announced and there were murmurs of rm amongst the pack. “It is serious. I need to go to him, and I do not know how long I will be away.”


    A warrior near the front spoke up. “My condolences, Luna.”


    Another asked, “Is there anything we can do, Luna?”


    “Continue protecting this pack,” I replied. “That is what I need from you.”


    “Chief Warrior Walden will oversee Bloodmoon while we are gone. You answer to him the same way you answer to me,” Nolon


    announced.


    “Yes, Alpha,” the pack responded.


    “Dismissed,” Nolon said and the pack began to disperse.


    Walden walked up to us and bowed slightly. “You can trust that I will make sure Bloodmoon is protected, Alpha and Luna. With the wallpleted and the border secured, I do not anticipate any emergencies,” Walden assured us. “You have my word that Bloodmoon will be in order when you return.”


    “Be vignte, Walden,” Nn cautioned. “Anything that arises, no matter how small, you contact us immediately.”


    “Understood, Alpha,” Walden acknowledged.


    As we were walking back to the pack house, De and Marco approached us. Before they could speak, Nolon instructed, “One hour. We are leaving in one hour.”


    “We will make the preparations,” De confirmed.


    We were at the border gate in under an hour. It was still morning when we left.


    The road to Silverfang was long and it was giving me too much time to think. I kept running the numbers. Three months. Twelve weeks. Ny days. It wasn’t enough time no matter how I looked at it.


    ‘Stop,’ my wolf growled.


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    ‘I can’t help it.’


    ‘Yes, you can. He is still alive. It is not over yet,’ my wolf scolded.


    ‘I know, I know. You don’t have to yell at me.’


    “Then, act like a Luna instead of a whimpering pup. Our father is strong!’ my wolf huffed.


    I pulled my thoughts back and focused on the road in front of us. Nn reached over at some point and took my hand. I held it until we reached the border.


    We reached the border by early evening. The guards recognized me and stepped forward smiling.


    “Luna Talia,” one of them called out. “We did not know you wereing. We would have prepared.”


    For a moment, I looked at them in confusion beforeposing myself. Solon had not told them yet. I kept my expression easy and my voice even. “I wanted it to be a surprise,” I replied. “It has been too long.”


    “Of course, Luna. We will send word ahead to prepare your room,” the guard said as he waved us through. Now that we were in Silverfang’s territory, I was bing even more antsy. Marco and De stayed behind to bring our belongings to our rooms. Nn wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him as we walked to the hospital.


    “He is still alive,” Nn murmured, low enough for only me to hear. “Three months is a lot. A lot of time for Leslie to find a cure. Do not think about the end. Think about the time you do have.”


    I nodded. Of all the people who would understand what I was going through right now would be Nn. He didn’t have time with


    his father.


    Solon and Leslie were waiting at the hospital entrance. Solon walked over and hugged me as soon as he saw me. He held on longer than he usually did. I could feel the tension in his body and held him tighter.


    “How are you?” I asked when he released me.


    “Better now that you’re here,” Solon replied with a weak smile.


    I swallowed hard and finally asked, “How is father?”


    “Resting,” Solon reported. “It has been a difficult few days, but he is stable this afternoon.”


    “He knows you areing,” Leslie added. “He has been asking about you since Solon told him this morning.”


    “More like yelling at me for telling you,” Solon muttered.


    She led us through the corridors to the VIP ward. Solon pushed open the door to my father’s room and stepped back to let me through first.


    I stopped in the doorway.


    My father was lying in the bed with tubes running from his arms and a monitor tracking his pulse beside him. His arms rested on top of the nket and the ck marks ran along the inside of both forearms in thin dark lines that had spread toward his wrists and up toward his elbows. He looked smaller than I had ever seen him.


    “Breathe. It’s okay,” Nolon said, rubbing my back.


    I walked over and sat in the chair beside his bed. I took his hand in both of mine. His eyes opened immediately at my touch and looked up at me with a smile.


    “Talia? You are here.” He looked at me the way he always had, checking me over, making sure I was alright.


    I could not stop my tears. I did not try to hold them back. He reached up with his other hand to cup my face, and I leaned into his touch.


    27


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