"What’s going on here?" The familiar voice cut through the ward.
Kael strode into the infirmary, his sharp gaze sweeping over the chaotic scene. The unconscious warrior lay motionless on the bed, the young healer held her reddened cheek, and Sophia stood trembling in the middle of the room, tears already gathering in her eyes.
The moment she saw him, her expression crumbled.
"Kael..."
She rushed towards him, clutching his arm as tears spilled freely down her face.
"I only wanted to help." Her voice broke.
"I tried to save him, but... but they all turned against me."
She buried her face against his chest.
"They keep comparing me to Evelyn. No matter what I do, it’s never enough."
Kael’s expression softened immediately.
"It’s alright."
"No..."
Sophia shook her head frantically.
"It isn’t. I followed the formula I was taught years ago, but the medicine reacted differently."
She looked up at him through tear-filled eyes.
"Evelyn must have changed the antidote over the years. She took all of her research with her before leaving. I... I didn’t know what she’d altered."
Her shoulders trembled.
"If I had her research papers... if she hadn’t taken everything away... I could have saved him."
Kael lifted his head, his eyes settling on the gathered healers.
"Is that true?"
The chief healer lowered her gaze.
"It is true that Lady Evelyn’s research is no longer in Silver Creek."
Kael’s jaw tightened.
His gaze shifted to the young healer whose cheek still bore the mark of Sophia’s hand.
"Were you the one questioning Lady Sophia?"
The young healer hesitated before stepping forward.
"I didn’t question her, Alpha. I only—"
"So she’s lying?" Kael cut in sharply.
The healer lowered her head.
"N-No, Alpha."
"You are hereby demoted from your position as senior healer."
"Alpha..." the chief healer began, but she was cut off by a dismissive wave.
His cold gaze swept across every healer present.
"Lady Sophia acted in good faith to save one of our warriors. If any of you spent half as much time finding solutions as you do praising Evelyn, perhaps we wouldn’t be standing here."
Tristan took a step forward.
"Alpha, Lady Sophia made a mistake. She ignored the chief healer’s warning, administered the wrong mixture, and nearly killed a warrior. The responsibility lies with her."
Sophia immediately shook her head.
"No!
I only made that medicine because Evelyn took everything! She left us with nothing!"
"If she hadn’t taken her research... if she hadn’t destroyed the antidotes... this never would’ve happened."
Kael’s eyes hardened.
"Exactly."
He looked directly at Tristan.
"This is Evelyn’s fault."
"Alpha..."
"She abandoned her duties as Luna to throw a tantrum. The blame does not lie with Sophia. It lies with Evelyn."
He turned towards the chief healer.
"Stabilise the warrior by whatever means necessary."
Then he turned to Sophia, his voice noticeably gentler.
"Continue trying to recreate Evelyn’s antidotes."
Sophia nodded, wiping away her tears.
"I will. I’ll work day and night if I have to."
"And as for Evelyn..."
Kael’s jaw clenched.
"I’ll bring her back."
He kissed Sophia’s forehead and looked at the healers once more.
"Sophia is Luna, and you shall all obey her commands. I want no more complaints."
Sophia smirked as she watched all the healers bow.
Kael strode out of the infirmary without another glance behind him.
"Alpha."
Tristan’s voice came from behind.
Kael didn’t stop until he reached his study.
The moment the doors shut behind them, Tristan spoke again.
"You cannot seriously intend to leave Lady Sophia in charge of the infirmary."
Kael removed his gloves one finger at a time before tossing them onto the desk.
"And why not?"
Tristan stared at him.
"Because she nearly killed a warrior."
"She made one mistake."
"One mistake?" Tristan repeated quietly.
"That ’one mistake’ accelerated the venom through his bloodstream. Had the chief healer not intervened, Darius would already be dead."
Kael’s expression remained unmoved.
"Sophia only lacked Evelyn’s research."
"What?"
"You heard her. Evelyn took every record she ever wrote. Every formula. Every improvement. If Sophia had those papers, she wouldn’t have made that mistake."
"That’s your conclusion?" Tristan asked.
Kael looked at him.
"Sophia can heal. She simply needs Evelyn’s research."
"And the warriors who die while she learns?" Tristan asked.
"They won’t."
Kael’s answer came immediately.
"I’ll bring Evelyn back."
Tristan searched Kael’s face for several long seconds, as though hoping this was some cruel joke.
It wasn’t.
He nodded.
"I see."
He reached towards the silver crest pinned over his chest.
Kael frowned.
"Tristan?"
The Beta unclasped it. The wolf-head insignia that had rested over his heart for nearly fifteen years came free.
He looked down at it for a long moment before placing it carefully on Kael’s desk.
"What are you doing?" Kael asked.
"I’ve served you since we were boys."
Tristan’s voice was steady.
"I followed you into every battle. I stood beside you when you became Alpha. I defended your decisions even when others questioned them, even when guilt and shame ate at my soul."
"But this... I cannot stand behind."
Kael’s brows knitted together.
"You’re resigning... because of Evelyn?"
A bitter smile touched Tristan’s lips.
"No. I’m resigning because the Alpha I swore my life to no longer exists."
"The Alpha I knew would have accepted responsibility. He would have protected his warriors before his pride. He would have admitted a mistake before sacrificing innocent people to preserve someone else’s feelings."
"Today, a warrior nearly died. And instead of holding the person responsible accountable..."
"...you blamed the woman whose life you not only ruined, but forced me to help ruin as well."
Kael’s face darkened.
"Evelyn caused all of this."
"No."
Tristan met his gaze.
"You did. You chose Sophia. You drove Lady Evelyn away after using her as though she never mattered."
"And today... you chose to ignore the truth standing right in front of you."
He took one step back.
"I cannot pledge my loyalty to an Alpha who asks his people to die for his mistakes."
Kael’s voice became dangerously cold.
"If you walk out that door... don’t come back."
Tristan straightened and bowed one last time.
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the study.