My Sister Stole My Mate And I Let Her (Seraphina) novel Chapter 517

Chapter 517: Chapter 517 AWAKENING HOPE

SERAPHINA’S POV

After the briefing concluded, the room didn’t immediately empty.

Clusters of Alphas lingered around the long table, continuing quieter conversations no longer meant for the entire alliance.

Strategies for reconstruction replaced battle plans. Discussions of supply lines replaced casualty reports.

A reminder that the world still functioned even after nearly breaking apart.

But I was done with bureaucracy for the day.

As soon as Kieran caught my eye, he understood exactly what I needed without my having to say a word.

"I’ll see you later," I murmured.

His gaze searched mine for a moment before he nodded.

"I’ll be in my office with Gavin and Alois," he said softly. "Come find me when you’re done."

He brushed his thumb across the back of my hand as he stood, a fleeting touch that steadied me more than words ever could.

Then he disappeared into the crowd.

Ethan appeared beside me almost immediately.

"Shall we?" he asked.

I nodded.

The medical wing stood a short distance away across the estate, connected by a winding stone pathway bordered by ancient oak trees whose leaves danced lazily in the afternoon breeze.

Birdsong floated overhead. Somewhere nearby, I could hear young wolves laughing.

It was a beautiful day, and I wondered when mundane, beautiful things would stop feeling strange and unsettling.

“Feels weird, doesn’t it?” Ethan said. “Not to have dark clouds looming.”

We both knew he wasn’t talking about the weather.

I sighed. “Tell me about it.”

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer.

“It’ll take some time,” he told me, “but you’ll get used to peace, I promise.”

I managed a small smile. “I’ll take your word for it.”

He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze, and we walked the rest of the way in companionable silence.

The building smelled exactly as hospitals always seemed to—clean linen, antiseptic, herbs, with the addition of medicinal wolfsbane tinctures used for pain management.

Healers and nurses moved quietly through polished corridors, their expressions gentle as they tended to the injured we’d brought back.

One of them smiled and tipped her head respectfully when she recognized us.

"Lady Seraphina. Alpha Ethan."

"How is Margaret Lockwood?" Ethan asked without preamble.

The nurse’s expression softened. "Stable."

That one word visibly eased something inside him.

She directed us toward the private recovery rooms, and Ethan’s speed increased as we followed the directions.

When we approached the door, however, he slowed, and I noticed his hands clenched at his side.

"You okay?" I asked gently.

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

“I failed her.” His voice cracked so quietly that someone standing two feet away probably wouldn’t have heard it.

“I was supposed to protect her in Father’s place and I...” He hung his head.

“It sounds like you’re taking credit for Catherine’s entire schemes.”

He turned to me, an eyebrow raised. “What?”

I gave him a soft smile. “Mother went to that island of her own free will. It’s awful that the friend she trusted turned out to be a monster. That’s not your fault.”

I reached over and squeezed his forearm.

“She’s safe now, Ethan. That’s all that matters.”

He swallowed hard, and before he could wallow further in guilt, I pushed the door open.

The room was bathed in soft afternoon sunlight spilling through the tall windows, washing the pale walls in warm gold.

Medical monitors hummed quietly beside the bed, their steady rhythm the only sound in the otherwise peaceful room.

Mother lay motionless beneath the crisp white blankets.

Unlike during the chaos and havoc of the underground chamber, I could finally take in how she looked.

Her normally elegant features seemed almost translucent against the white pillow beneath her head.

The woman who had always carried herself with such quiet dignity now looked as though a strong breeze might carry her away.

Ethan stopped short, and a strangled sound escaped him.

"Oh gods..."

I watched my older brother cross the room slowly, every step more hesitant than the last, until he finally reached her bedside.

His hand hovered above hers for several seconds before finally settling gently over her fingers. They looked impossibly small inside his.

"Mom—"

His voice broke as he lowered his head.

For a long moment, the only sound in the room was the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor and Ethan’s strangled sobs.

I closed my eyes as tears of my own slipped down my cheeks.

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