From Rejected Mate to Luna (Julia White) novel Chapter 189

Chapter 189

The medical center was quieter than it had been in days. Still busy, but the frantic edge had dulled to a manageable hum of activity. I was reviewing charts

at the nurses‘ station when a familiar scent caught my attention.

I spun around, disbelief washing over me. “Sophia?”

My sister stood in the doorway, a hesitant smile on her face. Her hair was pulled back in a practical ponytail, and she wore jeans and a simple t–shirt–a far

cry from her usual carefully curated outfits.

“Surprise,” she said, gesturing to the duffel bag slung over her shoulder. “They closed campus because of the outbreak.”

I stared at her, confused. “But… you’re Jason’s mate now. You belong to Spring Valley.”

Sophia’s eyes softened. “Things at Spring Valley are running smoothly–they don’t really need extra help. And this is still my birth pack.” She straightened her shoulders. “Besides, I’ve been taking some basic medical courses. I thought maybe I could help.*

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. This was not the self–absorbed younger sister I’d grown up with. The transformation wasn’t just in her words but in her entire demeanor–a new maturity that I barely recognized.

“We need all the help we can get,” I finally managed, trying to keep my voice professional despite the emotion threatening to overflow.

Within an hour, Sophia was taking temperatures and recording data, moving with surprising efficiency between patients. Occasionally she’d glance my way, seeking approval or clarification.

“Is 101.3 high enough to start the willow bark protocol?” she asked during a brief lull.

I hid my surprise at her knowledge of our treatment tiers. “Yes, but dilute it by twenty percent for patients under 140 pounds.”

She nodded seriously, making a note on her clipboard. “Got it.”

As the day progressed, I caught myself watching her. When had my little sister, once so consumed with social status and appearances, become this focused young woman who could discuss symptomatic progression with actual understanding?

“You’re staring,” she said later, catching me observing her work.

“Sorry,” I replied. “It’s just… you’ve changed.”

A flash of vulnerability crossed her face. “Is that good or bad?”

“Good,” I said without hesitation. “Really good, Soph.”

The nickname brought a genuine smile to her face.

That evening, for the first time since the outbreak began, the White family gathered for dinner. Mom had prepared a simple meal, but the normalcy of sitting together at the kitchen table felt like a luxury after weeks of grabbed sandwiches and cold coffee.

Dad cleared his throat. “We’re proud of you, Jules. The whole pack is talking about how you stepped up.”

2:26 pm PPP

Chapter 189

Warmth bloomed in my chest, and I found myself suddenly struggling not to cry. After years of feeling like an outsider in my own family, their approval

shouldn’t matter so much–but it did.

Sophia jumped in, expertly changing the subject before emotions could overwhelm me. “I learned something interesting in my emergency medicine class,”

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