Chapter 191: Unforgivable Choices
Chapter 191: Unforgivable Choices
(Olivia’s POV)
“Liv, it’s true, I didn’t lie to you. As soon as I learned there was another compatible donor, I immediately redirected Emma’s treatment.‘ Ethan’s voice was soft, almost pleading as he stood before me in the sterile corridor of the Silvercrest Pack Medical Den.
Blood still seeped from the wounds I’d inflicted with the Silver–Edged Hunting Knife, staining his shirt. The silver would slow his healing, making the pain linger–good.
“I never truly intended to use James as a donor unless absolutely necessary, he continued, his amber eyes seeking mine. ‘Emma’s situation was critical, and my wolf saw no other
option at first.”
I stared at him, my face expressionless while my wolf snarled beneath my skin.
Tve been searching for alternative donors since the beginning.‘ Ethan explained, wincing slightly as he shifted his weight. “What I said to you and James in the medical den–those harsh words–they were just tactics to ensure his cooperation. I knew he would do anything to
protect you.”
His voice dropped lower, more intimate. “You have to understand, Liv. I was desperate, but I
wasn’t cruel without reason.”
I let the silence stretch between us, watching him squirm under my cold gaze. My wolf’s fury
built with each heartbeat.
“So what, am I supposed to be grateful you didn’t use James’s kidney in the end?” I finally asked, my voice sharp enough to cut glass. “Thank you for your mercy, Alpha?*
Ethan flinched at my tone, his wolf visibly recoiling.
“Don’t you dare try to justify what you did,” I continued, each word precise and venomous. “The only reason things played out this way was sheer luck–a last–minute donor appeared. If no donor had been found, you would have sacrificed James without hesitation.”
I stepped closer, my emerald eyes boring into his. “Once again, you abandoned Lily and James’s feelings for Victoria and Emma, just like you abandoned Lily herself.”
Ethan’s face paled with each accusation, the physical pain from his wounds nothing compared to the anguish in his eyes.
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“Don’t try to escape the condemnation of your own wolf’s conscience,” I spat, “if you even have
one.”
His wolf whined audibly within him, a sound of pure misery that gave me a flash of bitter
satisfaction.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Victoria in her Raven–Trimmed Wheelchair, eavesdropping
on our conversation. Her expression shifted from shock to panic as she processed Ethan’s
words.
The realization that James hadn’t been used as a donor clearly disturbed her. Her elaborate
scheme to torment me had failed spectacularly.
For a moment, raw frustration flashed across her face before she quickly composed herself. A
forced smile replaced her scowl as she wheeled herself closer to us.
“I’m just relieved everything worked out for the best,” Victoria said sweetly, her wolf carefully
controlling its scent to mask her disappointment. “Emma’s health is all that matters, and I’m
grateful we found a solution that didn’t require James’s sacrifice.”
Her performance was flawless–the concerned mother, the caring friend. But I knew better.
“Are you disappointed it wasn’t me, Victoria?”
James’s cold voice cut through the tension like a blade. He stood in the doorway, his hazel
eyes flashing with barely contained rage.
Before Victoria could respond, James kicked her wheelchair with werewolf strength, sending it
skidding across the polished floor. His russet–brown wolf surged beneath his skin, its energy
palpable in the narrow corridor.
“James!” I rushed to his side, my hands immediately checking him for any signs of medical
intervention. “Are you really okay? They didn’t take anything from you?”
My fingers traced his arms, looking for needle marks or bandages, my wolf’s protective
instincts in overdrive.
“I’m fine, Liv,” he assured me, gently catching my trembling hands in his. “They never got me
into surgery. I was waiting in pre–op when they found the other donor.”
The familiar comfort of his presence calmed my frantic wolf. I took a deep breath, allowing
the icy resolve to replace my emotional turmoil.
“Let’s go,” I said, taking his hand firmly in mine. “I don’t want to spend another second around
these three wolves.”
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I didn’t look back at Ethan, Victoria, or the operating room where Emma lay recovering. My wolf retreated deep within me, protecting itself from further pain.
(Ethan’s POV)
I watched Olivia walk away with James, her slender figure growing smaller with each step. The physical pain from the Silver–Edged Hunting Knife wounds was nothing compared to the
hollow ache in my chest.
My wolf howled mournfully within me, sensing our mate bond stretching dangerously thin. Despite everything that had happened, despite my attempts to explain, Olivia hadn’t spared me so much as a backward glance.
Her indifference cut deeper than her hatred ever could.
“Ethan, are you listening to me?” Victoria’s voice broke through my thoughts. She had righted her wheelchair and moved back to my side. “I can’t believe how harshly she treated you after everything you’ve done for Emma.”
I remained silent, unable to focus on her words. All I could think about was Olivia’s retreating figure and the growing distance between us–not just physical, but emotional.
The doors at the end of the corridor swung open as Emma was wheeled out of surgery. Dr. Simon Harper approached with a satisfied expression.
“The operation was a complete success, Alpha King,” he reported. “Emma’s body is accepting the new kidney without complications. She’ll need to rest, but her prognosis is excellent.”
I should have felt relief, even joy. Instead, I felt nothing but a profound sense of loss as I sensed Olivia drifting further away, our mate bond growing weaker by the moment.
(Olivia’s POV)
I set the Crystal–Infused Thermal Food Container on James’s bedside table, carefully
arranging his favorite dishes from the Moonstone Dining Hall.
“You didn’t have to do this,” James said, though his eyes lit up at the sight of venison stew and
moonberry bread.
“Of course I did,” I replied, my wolf pleased to provide nourishment for pack. Even without an official pack, James was family to me. “You need to keep your strength up.”
James ate heartily, his wolf gratefully accepting the care. For a few precious moments, we existed in a bubble of peace, away from the drama and pain of the Stone pack politics.
The tranquility was shattered by the sharp ring of James’s Wolf–Linked Cellphone. He glanced
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at the screen before answering.
“Daniel? What is it?” James listened intently, his expression growing more serious with each
passing second.
“There’s been a breakthrough in the hit–and–run case,” Daniel’s voice came through the phone.
“The driver confessed.”
My heart raced as suspicions I’d been harboring surfaced. “Was it Victoria?” I asked. “Did she
orchestrate the attack?”
