Rise Of A Shattered Luna (Natalie) by Kave Derry novel Chapter 204

Chapter 204 Don’t Lean On Me

Chapter 204 Don’t Lean On Me

Natalie’s POV

The name Johnson echoed in my mind like a discordant note in a symphony.

My mind was racing, trying to piece together a puzzle where the edges didn’t quite fit.

Dr. Johnson.

+10 Free Colns

He was Sharon’s attending physician, the man who had supposedly diagnosed her mook sickness and managed her fragile health.

But why would he have any connection to Phantom?

Why would a doctor from the South, a man I had never even met, have the power or the motive to call a wolf of the North and tell her not to save me?

I had never crossed paths with him.

I had never had a conflict with him.

To me, he was just a name on a medical report that Jensen used to justify my displacement.

Why would he target me?

I looked at Baron.

His brows were furrowed tight, he looked like a man who had just discovered a traitor in his own house.

“I understand,” Baron said into the phone, his voice low. “I’ll keep digging into this. From now on, don’t call me unless it’s absolutely necessary; I don’t want anyone on the other side growing suspicious. Our movements must stay in the shadows.*

“Yes, Alpha Baron,” Finn’s voice crackled once more before the line went dead.

Catching my questioning look, Baron finally let out a long breath, explaining his plans with Finn.

“Why would Phantom know Johnson?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “A doctor and an operative of the North… it doesn’t

Γ make sense unless there was a bridge between them.”

“That’s exactly what I want to find out,” Baron said, his jaw set in a hard line.

“Come on… I’ll take you to Johnson’s private residence. We had him under surveillance. Maybe we’ll get some answers straight from his mouth before he realizes we’re closing.”

He reached for his coat, his movements sharp despite the injuries he’d sustained just hours ago.

My heart tightened with worry.

“You should rest first, Baron,” I said, reaching out to stop him. “The doctor said your ribs are still knitting. This isn’t urgent enough

to risk a setback.”

“Jensen’s men will get to Johnson soon,” Baron countered, his expression darkening into something truly formidable. “Before that happens, I need to know what ties he had with Phantom. I need to know why one of my own people was compromised.”

Chapter 204 Don’t Lean On Me

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He looked at me then, and I saw the raw wound to his pride.

Phantom was one of his

He had always believed his shield was impenetrable, that he could protect me from anything the South threw our way.

Yet, because of a betrayal within his own ranks, I had been left defenseless while Sharon’s thug systematically tried to kill my sout

He couldn’t get past it.

Seeing the fire in

He wouldn’t

“Fine…

As we

Bar

knew there was no point in arguing further.

this question remained unanswered.

elented.

door, I instinctively stepped under his arm to steady him.

houlder.

e a man who was too weak to carry his own weight, his head lolling slightly toward mine.

Alpha; I knew his healing was already making him mobile.

I murmured, trying to keep my voice stern despite the fluttering in my chest, “you’re laying it on a little thick, don’t

atter,” he replied, his voice a playful rumble. “I’m in pain, Natalie. It hurts so bad I can barely walk. My mate is my only

g him play the part of a shameless scoundrel, I could only laugh helplessly.

m lean on me, my arm wrapped firmly around his waist as we navigated the hospital corridors.

moment we reached the car, the driver took one look at our intertwined forms and immediately raised the soundproof

tition.

was left speechless, my face heating up. “See? Even the driver misunderstood the situation.”

Baron’s grin turned sly, a flash of pure mischief in his golden eyes.

He looked like he was already planning to give the man a substantial raise.

This was the kind of subordinate who truly knew how to please his master.

“Let him misunderstand,” Baron

“We’re mated… we’ve got

I rolled my eyes, ch

Soon, we arriv

refusing to let go of my hand.

the view from here.”

Γ‘

by hand away.

ite side of the pack.

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PP

Chapter 204 Don’t Lean On Me

But as the car slowed to a halt, I was stunned by the scene at the gates.

Nearly all the men stationed there were Baron’s elite bodyguards.

Now, they lay scattered across the gravel and the lawn, groaning in pain, their uniforms torn and bloodied

They had been badly beaten.

A chill of dread swept over me.

This wasn’t just a scuffle; this was a professional takedown.

“Did someone take Johnson?” I asked, my voice tight.

“Yes, Luna.”

The squad leader, his face bruised and his arm in a makeshift sling, stepped forward as Baron climbed out of the car.

He didn’t look seriously injured, but his pride was clearly shattered.

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“Alpha, Luna… just a little while ago, a group of men showed up. They didn’t say a word; they just attacked. Judging by their skills and their coordination, they were all highly trained fighters. We resisted as best we could, but they moved like a unit. We couldn’t hold them off.”

His voice carried a heavy weight of guilt, his head bowed.

Baron’s face was thunderous.

I could feel his anger through the bond.

His men had already failed once five years ago when it came to protecting me; now, they had let the key to the entire conspiracy slip through their fingers.

“Did you get a look at who they were?” Baron’s voice was sharp.

The man shook his head.

“They moved fast, all of them wore masks so we couldn’t see a single face. But I did notice something… an emblem stitched on one man’s collar when he got close enough to strike me.”

“Draw it,” Baron commanded, his voice flat and cold,

The man hurried to find a notepad and started sketching with a trembling hand.

Sensing how tense the air had grown, I reached out and lightly patted Baron’s arm. “Don’t be angry, Baron. Not with them.”

He looked at me, his eyes softening only slightly, and let out a long, weary sigh.

“I’m not angry at them, Natalie,” he said, his voice dropping so only I could hear. “I just feel useless.”

“What’s the difference?” I asked softly. “Don’t wear yourself out over others. Whether it’s Johnson or someone else, people who hide in the dark always slip up eventually. They can’t stay hidden forever. What matters most is that we’re safe. I believe that no matter how long it takes, the truth will come out.”

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enter

Chapter 204 Don’t Lean On Me

My voice was calm, tinged with a quiet warmth I hoped would soothe the fary burning in him.

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I couldn’t stand to see him carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, especially when he was still healing from protecting our

son.

“I’m angry at myself,” he admitted, his gaze fixed on the broken gate. “Everyone in the North calls me a king but couldn’t even protect the woman I love most when she needed it five years ago. And now even with all my resources I’ve lost the witness who could give you the justice you deserve.”

His words made my heart ache.

It was a rare glimpse into the vulnerability he kept hidden beneath his mask,

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“One person’s strength is limited, even yours,” I said, stepping closer until I could feel the heat radiating from him. “Baron, you’ve already done more than enough. Many people go their whole lives without achieling a fraction of what you have. Don’t be so hard on yourself… I’ll never blame you for the actions of shadows. Johnson’s disappearance just means the people behind him are panicking. For us, that’s actually a sign that we’re winning, isn’t it?”

I looked into his eyes, offering him the steadiness he always gave me.

Johnson was gone, but the hunt was only just beginning.

As the squad leader finished the sketch, I looked over Baron’s shoulder.

The symbol was unfamiliar to me but I saw the way Baron’s pupils contracted when he saw it.

It clearly wasn’t a Southern pack symbol.

It was something older, something tied to the roots of the North.

I could feel the power radiating off the drawing.