Seraphine knew she should explain the situation involving the wolfsbane, yet with Leon standing right there beside them she could not risk exposing something that might create even bigger complications, so she forced a small smile onto her face even though the pain twisting through her abdomen made that expression feel almost impossible.
"Leon, I’ll be fine," she insisted, her voice strained as another sharp wave of pain rolled through her body.
At that exact moment she felt a sudden dampness inside her underwear, and the sensation made her heart jump because a troubling possibility flashed through her mind.
Could it really be what she thought it was?
Leon still looked deeply concerned, and leaving her in this condition went against every instinct he had as a doctor.
"No," he said firmly while shaking his head. "If you refuse to go to the hospital, then at least allow me to bring you some medication so I can manage the pain properly, and you should tell me exactly what the pain feels like because I can draw a blood sample and run a few tests to figure out what’s going on."
The moment Leon mentioned drawing blood and running tests, both Corvine and Seraphine reacted in exactly the same way as their faces lost what little color remained, because the implications of that simple suggestion carried consequences neither of them were ready to face.
Neither Corvine nor Seraphine would allow a human to run a test on other of them, as the result would reveal her wolfy DNA.
"No, no, no, that’s not it," Seraphine cut in quickly, lifting a hand as if she could physically stop Leon from continuing whatever worried conclusion he had started forming, her voice coming out tight even though she tried to sound casual. "It’s just that time of the month."
The moment the explanation left her lips, the visible tension that had been sitting across Leon’s shoulders drained away as relief softened his face almost instantly, his expression turning understanding in a way that made it obvious he had feared something far worse.
"Oh," he said, exhaling while rubbing the back of his neck, the concern in his eyes turning into sympathetic amusement. "So you’re one of those women who never get an easy ride during that time."
Seraphine forced a small smile even though the twisting pain in her lower abdomen continued tightening in waves that made her stomach feel like it was being wrung out from the inside.
Leon continued speaking in a reassuring tone while looking at her carefully.
"Take two days off so you can recover properly," he told her, sounding firm in the way someone did when they had already decided the matter. "Don’t worry about anything here because the hospital will run just fine without you, and I’ll stop by to check on you later."
The kindness in his voice warmed her chest for a moment even though the pain curling through her body refused to loosen its grip.
"Thanks, Leon," she replied softly, doing her best to keep her voice steady despite how uncomfortable she felt. "But don’t worry too much about me because I’ll be fine once I get some rest."
Before Leon could continue the conversation or ask another question, Corvine stepped forward with a quiet intensity that made it clear he had already decided what needed to happen next.
Without saying a single word, he bent down and lifted Seraphine into his arms in a bridal carry, his movements smooth but firm in a way that left no room for protest.
Seraphine barely had the strength to argue as another wave of pain tightened around her waist like a crushing grip.
Leon remained standing where he was, watching Corvine carry her away.
As his eyes followed the tall man’s back, an uncomfortable thought slowly settled in his chest.
Seraphine had mentioned before that Corvine was family, yet she had never once said he was her brother or her cousin.
That detail had seemed unimportant at first, but now that Leon thought about it more carefully, something about the situation felt strange.
Corvine’s face carried a strong resemblance to his father, a similarity Leon had noticed immediately the first time they met, yet Seraphine herself did not resemble either of them.
Not Corvine, not even Desmond’s wife.
She curled onto her side, instinctively drawing her knees toward her stomach in a protective position as she tried to endure the sharp twisting pain pulsing through her body.
Her mind attempted to focus on the long list of responsibilities waiting for her attention.
There were contracts she still needed to revise for Voren and Gordon.
Those two men were preparing to invest more than one hundred billion, which meant their terms and conditions required careful attention because they were completely different from the other investors.
Normally Seraphine would have buried herself in that work without hesitation.
Right now, however, concentrating on anything beyond the relentless pain tearing through her abdomen felt almost impossible.
"Sera."
Nessa’s gentle voice broke through her thoughts.
Seraphine slowly opened her eyes and saw Nessa sitting beside her on the edge of the bed.
Corvine stood a short distance away, holding a steaming cup in his hands.
"I made you some herbal tea," Nessa said softly while placing a comforting hand on Seraphine’s arm, her expression filled with quiet concern. "But I need to be honest with you because it won’t actually ease the pain."
Something about the way Nessa said those words made Seraphine’s chest tighten with sudden unease.

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