Escaping the Alpha, Claimed in the End novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25: His Doom

Amelia’s POV

My mouth went dry. I knew he was only guessing, but the room still seemed to tilt.

Relax, Lyra said, amused. You’re not going to explode.

I swallowed and looked down at the painting again. The woman under the moon. The glowing hands. The crescent mark. It all felt too close.

Samantha turned another page and pointed to a line of notes in simple handwriting. “These refer to moon–thread–violet light within silver eyes. It shows up rarely, and only in wolves tied to certain blessings.”

Mike leaned in beside her. “It mentions healing by touch,” he said. “And faster recovery after severe wounds.”

“That fits what we saw,” the gray–haired healer added. “Her body repairs itself without heavy medicine.”

Lucas stood with his arms crossed, eyes scanning the margin notes. “What about time markers?” he asked. “How often does this ‘moon–thread‘ appear?”

Samantha moved her finger farther down the page. “Here. ‘The moon–thread returns with the long count.‘ It lists years… four hundred and… eighty–six.”

Mike looked up, surprised. “So, roughly every 486 years?”

Samantha nodded. “If this record is honest.”

Lyra gave a low whistle in my head. Ancient. Classy. I approve.

I tried to smile, but my skin prickled. “Does that mean I’m… old?” I asked, half joking, half not.

Samantha shook her head. “Not your body. But your wolf may carry an older imprint.”

Lucas glanced at Ryder. “That would explain why some of the elders‘ stories mention a healer–mate who only appears ‘once in an age.‘ We all thought it was a myth.”

Ryder didn’t speak right away. His eyes were on me, steady and careful. “What about the bond?” he asked quietly. “Any notes on how it affects a mate pair?”

Samantha flipped back and forth through a few pages, then opened a shorter scroll. “There are mentions of ‘past ties returning,” she said. “It hints at bonds that begin before birth–and return when the long count resets.”

Mike rubbed his jaw. “Reincarnation,” he said, almost under his breath. “The wolves return… the bond returns with them.”

I felt the air rush out of my lungs. “Reincarnation?”

Samantha tapped the margin. “It doesn’t say it outright, but it suggests that the wolf spirits may have known each other before. That they find each other again when the cycle turns.”

Ryder’s gaze flicked to me for a second, then away, like he didn’t want to push. His voice stayed even. “Kieran’s been restless since she woke,” he admitted. “More protective than usual.”

Protective is cute, Lyra said. Tell him we approve.

I kept my face straight, but a small laugh almost slipped. “Lyra says she… approves,” I said softly.

Lucas exhaled like the room finally made sense. “So your wolf could be… what? Four hundred and eighty–six years old? Ballpark?”

“More like carrying memories that old,” Samantha said. “But yes. Around that number.”

I stared at my hands. They looked the same. Small. Human. My chest tightened anyway. “That’s a lot.”

Mike’s tone gentled. “It’s still early. We’re just looking at clues.”

Ryder’s hand came down lightly on the back of my chair again, steadying me. “We won’t jump to wild claims,” he said. “We’ll treat this like what it is–information to guide her care.”

Samantha closed the book. “There is something else,” she said carefully. “When these records talk about returns, they also talk about… weight. Responsibility. Some ‘trials‘ that come with the blessing. We don’t have details yet.”

“Then we find them,” Ryder said. His voice was firm now. “All of them.”

For a few minutes the room went quiet, just pages turning and the soft scrape of chairs. Kara set tea by my hand and squeezed my shoulder. “Drink,” she whispered Successfully unlocked!

I took a sip, but my stomach still felt tight. “What do we do with the equis? Lucas asked finally. “This is big. And rumors… spread.”

Chapter 25: His Doom

Ryder went still, thinking. His eyes moved from Samantha to Mike, then to me. “We keep the details limited,” he said. “But I’ll inform the elders that Amelia will start therapy with the pack. She needs support after what she went through. I want her stable before anything else.”

My head snapped up. “Therapy?”

Ryder’s gaze was gentle, not pitying. “You’ve carried too much alone,” he said. “This isn’t just about shifting. It’s about healing. I should’ve arranged it sooner.”

Heat stung behind my eyes. I nodded. “Okay.”

Lucas nodded, relieved. “I’ll call Elara,” he said. “She’s the best counselor we have.”

“Do it,” Ryder said. “And schedule a short update with the elders tonight. Keep it practical. And no one should mention the connection with the moon goddess.”

Samantha agreed. “We’ll keep research here,” she said, tapping the table. “No copies leave the room until we know what we‘ re holding.”

Mike added, “I’ll start the baseline checks after lunch.”

Kara smiled at me. “And I’ll steal you for food.”

That made me smile for real. “Great.”

We wrapped the books in cloth and slid them back into the glass case. Lucas left to make calls. Samantha and the healers took notes and slipped out. Mike promised he’d be back. Kara tugged me gently out into the hall.

“Breathe,” she said. “It’s a lot, I know. But you’re not alone.”

“I know,” I said, meaning it. “Thank you.”

She walked me to the kitchen, fed me soup, and made me eat bread until Lyra stopped complaining. By the time Mike finished his quick checks–blood pressure, pulse, a light touch test on my ribs–I felt weirdly… okay.

Ryder found me that afternoon and didn’t say much at first. He just took my hand and led me to the little garden off the west wing. Bees moved through the lavender. Sun warmed the path. He slipped his jacket around my shoulders like I might get cold.

“The elders are coming in an hour,” he said. “We’ll keep it short.”

“Okay.”

“You don’t have to speak, baby,” he added. “I’ll handle it. If someone needs a detail, I’ll ask you–but I’m not putting you on display.”

“Thank you,” I said. I meant it.

His thumb traced my knuckles. “Elara will meet you tomorrow. Therapy. Kara will be with you. If you don’t like her, we

switch. No questions.”

“Ryder… I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not taking chances with you,” he said, simple and final.

They arrived on time–formal faces, careful eyes. Miriam took a seat at the end. A few glanced at me and then away, like they weren’t sure what I was yet. Ryder stood with his palms on the table and went straight to it.

“Amelia is recovering,” he said. “Her wolf returned last night. We tried a shift. Her body wasn’t ready yet. The medical team has a plan. She starts therapy with Elara in the morning to process what Silverlight did to her.”

One elder cleared his throat. “Alpha, last night’s celebration–there were witnesses. People are talking.”

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