The Heartless Alpha's Beloved Luna Novel

---- Chapter 354 Bjorn had spent his entire childhood playing alone. | always thought he was just a natural loner who was not particularly interested in other kids. That he preferred playing video games inside rather than going out and playing with the other kids on our street, riding bikes around until the lights came on. But now | knew it wasn't that. It was never that. He just couldn't connect with human children, because he wasn't one, and no amount of patience or good intentions on either side was going to bridge that. His wolf always knew it, even when | was busy pretending otherwise.

"He's going to be okay," Sebastian said softly. I nodded once and didn't say anything. We stood there for a few more minutes watching Bjorn tear across the lawn with the other pups, and then Sebastian suggested we do a walk-through of the children's clinic while Bjorn was occupied. Colt showed up to keep an eye on the pups, which | was glad for, and Sebastian and | headed back inside. The clinic was a separate building on the east side of the grounds, connected to the main estate by a covered walkway.

It was well-run and well-stocked, clean and calm, with a small waiting area and several examination rooms off the main hall. ---- The pack doctor was in and gave us a quick tour. | told her about Bjorn's condition, and she promised to set aside a time slot at some point to give him a check-up. Her professionalism and preparedness were reassuring. There were four young wolves currently being treated, all under twelve, all with immunodeficiency issues. The doctor said there were others who weren't currently in the clinic, but were still being treated.

"For some reason, our pups have been developing these issues lately," she said, scratching her head. "We've tested our water, soil, air quality, everything. We can't get to the bottom of this rise in immunocompromised children." | glanced at Sebastian. "And you think Lycan Root could help with that?" He nodded. "I believe so. But it's your medication. You tell me." | paused, thinking, Lycan Root was a useful supplement in many ways, but this seemed like a very specific issue that | was not well-versed in. "I'm just an herbalist," | pointed out, looking at the doctor.

"I don't have a medical degree." The doctor smiled. "I value the opinions of herbalists just as much as people with medical degrees. But | understand your hesitation; it's why I was thinking we could test the supplement ---- ona small trial size of patients. See how their bodies react." | nodded, agreeing to that. Suddenly, all of my doubts about working with werewolves washed away. If my supplement helped any child, werewolf or human, then | could never regret that. We spent another half hour going through the clinic's inventory and the doctor's ideas.

By the end of it, we had the skeleton of a plan started. It was good work, the kind that had a clear and practical purpose, and focusing on it settled something in me that had been restless since we arrived. We were heading back through the covered walkway toward the main estate when we heard the sound of shouting coming from the direction of the front gate. Sebastian glanced at me, and we both headed that way. | froze when | found the source of it. "Just let me talk to her! | just want to talk! Let me in!" Gideon.

He was on the other side of the iron bars with two of Sebastian's guards pointing spears at him. He looked like he hadn't slept. He spotted Sebastian first, and then his eyes found me before | could slip away. They widened. My heart stopped. "Avery!" ---- | looked at him for a long moment. His jaw, the lines around his eyes, his hands gripping the metal bars of the gate so tightly his knuckles turned white. And most of all, the wild desperation in his eyes. Like he'd lost his most prized possession and would do anything to get it back. Anything. | said nothing. And | didn't hesitate.

Without a word, | turned on my heel and walked inside, completely ignoring Gideon's shouts. 1