The Alpha's Silent Bride: Seventh Time's The Charm novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39: 039: Heat Call

~ RONAN ~

The number of times I’ve paced outside the medical wing has to be unhealthy.

Dr. Elias practically ordered me to stay put and wait until she wakes up, his voice carrying the exasperation of someone who’s watched me wear a groove into the floor for the past four hours. The wolfsbane smoke only affected her lungs, he’s assured me of this multiple times — it could have been exponentially worse. Her body just needs time.

It’s been hours already. The Blood Moon Ceremony has long since ended, the grand hall emptied of guests, the decorations left to be cleaned up by servants, and yet I’m still here, pacing like a caged animal, my mind replaying every moment from the time I noticed her missing until the moment I found her gasping for air in that shed.

I’ve already ordered Nikolai to track down and capture the second guard, the one who managed to escape. He’s out there somewhere, running, probably hoping to make it far enough away that I’ll decide he’s not worth the effort to hunt. He’s wrong.

I’m still furious with Nikolai, though I know that fury is displaced and misdirected. Protecting Roselle was his responsibility, his one fucking job, and yet somehow she slipped away unnoticed and ended up alone with two men who wanted nothing more than to hurt her.

His defense is that she told him not to follow her because she was heading to the ladies’ restroom. Under normal circumstances, that would be understandable — a woman needing privacy is a reasonable request. Nikolai couldn’t have predicted that she’d get lost, couldn’t have foreseen the chaos that would unfold.

But after what happened? I don’t give a damn how reasonable the excuse sounds.

I turn sharply, raking my hands through my hair in frustration, and I immediately freeze as I see my mother standing at the entrance to the hallway.

She’s changed out of her formal dress, trading it for a flowing robe that drapes elegantly around her frame. Her dark hair is pulled back, her expression stern and assessing as she takes in my current state — disheveled, agitated, clearly operating on the edge of my control.

"How is she?" she asks, her voice carrying the weight of a Luna who has ruled alongside Alphas and knows exactly how to command a room.

I exhale, trying to ground myself in the present moment rather than spiraling into what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

"Dr. Elias says she’s going to be fine," I reply, leaning heavily on the word ’fine’ because it’s the only thing keeping me from completely losing my mind. "The smoke damaged her lungs but nothing permanent. She just needs rest."

My mother nods, stepping closer, and there’s something in her expression that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. This isn’t a social visit. She’s here because something needs to be said, and from the set of her jaw, I can already tell I’m not going to like it.

"You challenged Alpha Quirin in front of the entire council," she says flatly, not bothering with pleasantries or preamble. "You attacked another Alpha, accused him of taking your bride without evidence, and made a spectacle that has every pack wondering if you’re losing your grip on sanity."

"He deserved it," I respond, my voice cold.

"That’s not the point." She steps even closer, her eyes boring into mine. "You took her to one of the most important events of the year, paraded her in front of every powerful Alpha in our territory. And then, the moment something went wrong, you nearly started a war with Quirin."

I clench my jaw, saying nothing because she’s not finished.

"Can’t you see what’s happening?" she continues, her voice taking on an urgent tone. "She makes your curse worsen. Every time you’re around her, every time you feel protective of her, your control slips further. The darkness is getting stronger."

"That’s not her fault," I say sharply.

"I’m not saying it is," my mother replies, her tone softening slightly. "But intentions don’t matter. Results do. And the result is that you killed one pack guards because of her. Two guards who were, however misdirected their anger was, still members of our pack."

The accusation lands like a physical blow because it’s true. I did it without hesitation, without mercy, without any of the careful consideration that should accompany the taking of a life.

"It makes me question what lengths you’ll go for her," my mother continues quietly. "How far are you willing to push, Ronan? Because from where I’m standing, you’re losing control. And that’s dangerous — not just for you, but for everyone around you."

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