Escaping the Alpha, Claimed in the End novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Pack’s Future Can Wait.

Chapter 14: The Pack’s Future Can Wait.

Ryder’s POV

Fifteen minutes.

That’s how long I’d been trying to convince her to come out. I’d tried everything–talking through the door, promising it was safe, even saying I wouldn’t leave her side. Nothing worked.

“Amelia… please,” I said one last time, but the silence on the other side told me I wasn’t getting anywhere.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. This wasn’t going to happen without help.

When Kara walked by, I stepped toward her. “Can you… try to get her out? She might listen to you.”

She nodded softly. “I’ll take care of her. You should go rest, Alpha. You haven’t eaten or changed clothes since yesterday.”

“I’m fine-” I started, but she cut me off with a gentle but firm look.

“She’s fine,” Kara said. “She’s exhausted. Let her sleep. You need to take care of yourself too.”

I hesitated. I didn’t like the idea of leaving Amelia, but I also knew I wasn’t helping much standing here. “… Alright,” I finally said. “But if she wakes up, let me know right away.”

“I will,” the nurse promised.

I turned to head back toward my room, but halfway down the hall, Kara called after me.

“She’s asleep now,” she said. “She’s safe.”

That was the only reason I managed to walk away.

***

After a quick shower and change of clothes, I went looking for Lucas. I needed answers.

“Any updates on Amelia?” I asked when I found him outside, speaking with one of our pack soldiers.

Lucas glanced around, making sure no one was close enough to overhear, before lowering his voice.

“She’s… been through hell, Ryder. Worse than we thought.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

/

“I spoke to the servants at Silverlight, and to the doctors and nurses,” he said. “They’ve been hurting her for years–physical and mental abuse, over and over. It’s left scars, inside and out.”

My hands curled into fists. “Who?”

“The entire family,” Lucas said, his tone heavy. “But she suffered the most under Jasper. There was only one doctor she trusted enough to treat her, and even then, he had to do it in secret. With the little he could get his hands on, there was only so much he could do.”

Lucas’s jaw tightened. “The doctor told me the reason she’s still not healing is because Jasper whipped her with something soaked in wolfsbane.”

My chest tightened. Wolfsbane burns through a wolf’s system, making healing almost impossible. Using it on her… that was torture.

“She survived all that,” Lucas went on, “but the emotional damage… that’s not something we can see on the outside. It’s

immeasurable.”

I didn’t say anything. My jaw ached from how hard I was clenching it.

“Alpha,” Lucas continued, “I’ll support you and Amelia in any way I can. But you need to think ahead. If she’s too sick or weak to become Luna… there are only nine months until the coronation ceremony. You need to be ready for that possibility. The elders will ask questions.”

I shook my head. “Right now, I don’t care about the coronation. I just want her out of this nightmare. The Pack’s future can wait.”

Lucas gave me a long look but nodded. “Alright.”

I left before he could say anything else. My mind was already made up.

When I reached Amelia’s hospital room, the nurse, Kara met me at the door.

“She’s still asleep,” she whispered. “If you’re going to stay, try lying beside her. Touch her through the Mate connection. It might help calm her down.”

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Chapter 14: The Pack’s Future Can Wait.

I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, but I stepped inside anyway. She was curled up under the blanket, her face pale against the pillow. She looked too small, too fragile.

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