Avenging Luna
Chapter 101: Dying

Chapter 101: Dying

LEILA POV:

Okay, so the obvious recording trick wouldn’t work a second time. I needed a foolproof plan to outsmart Lily. I had to give it to her—she was a genius. To trap her, I had to think outside the box and offer her exactly what she always wanted: a dead me.

The idea was risky, but I was confident I could convince my doctor and nurse to play along. If I could have them declare me dead, it would lure Lily out of the shadows to gloat, and that would be her breaking moment.

I waited for my doctor to make his usual rounds, heart racing at the thought of what I was about to propose.

"Hello, Luna! How are you doing today?" he asked, his tone friendly.

"I’m on the verge of life and death," I replied, watching his expression shift to one of shock.

"No, I mean I want you to tell people that when they ask. I also want you to make me sick—or at least seem sick," I continued, disregarding how his eyes widened with each word.

"Are you insane? Do you have a fever?" he asked, feeling my forehead for any sign of warmth.

"I’m fine, Doc. I just want to fool people into thinking I’m dead," I insisted, the urgency in my voice rising.

"Are you trying to get me killed or something? Because if Drake finds out what you’re planning and I happen to entertain these crazy thoughts, then I’m dead—unlike you, I’ll be really dead," he said, rejecting my proposal outright.

Wow, this was going to be harder than I thought. Convincing him was going to take all the persuasive skills I had. But I was determined. Lily had to be outsmarted, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.

"No, he won’t—not once he realizes this could help us find the culprit who tried to poison me. I’m sure he won’t fault you for helping uncover who wanted his mate dead. Please, Dr. Harry," I pleaded, catching the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. I knew he wanted to help, but fear of Drake held him back; after all, Drake was his alpha.

"I really do want to help you, Luna, but..." He trailed off, glancing nervously at the door, ready to make a quick exit.

I acted fast, slipping out of bed and blocking his path. "Please, Doctor, if not for me, then do it for the sake of my child. Help me capture the person who tried to hurt him." My voice softened, desperation clear as I met his gaze.

Before Dr. Harry could respond, Drake stepped into the room. His icy gaze shifted from Harry to me, and a chill settled over the room.

"What is she pleading with you about, Doctor?" he asked, his tone cold and commanding.

"Alpha..." Harry stammered, visibly shaken. My heart raced, realizing he might give away everything. I had to think fast.

Doing what I had to, I stepped in and took a shaky breath. "I’m dying, Drake," I said, voice low and trembling. "I didn’t want anyone to know... not until it became more serious."

Drake’s eyes narrowed as he took in my words. "Dying?" he repeated, the tension thickening in the room.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to sound as weak as possible. "Yes, Drake. I didn’t want to worry you, not after everything that’s happened." I glanced at Dr. Harry, hoping he would catch on to the plan, even if he was on the verge of betraying me under Drake’s intense gaze.

Drake took a step closer, his expression a mix of anger and confusion. "Why would you keep this from me?" he demanded, his voice wavering slightly.

I hesitated, meeting his eyes, a sliver of pain rising in my chest. "Because I know how hard it is for you to trust me. And I didn’t want this to be just another reason for you to look at me with suspicion. I wanted to handle it myself."

Drake’s gaze softened for a moment, but only for a moment. "You know I could have helped you," he said, his voice tight. "I’m not heartless, Leila."

"Maybe not," I replied quietly, letting the words linger, "but you need to understand, it’s hard to let someone close who sees me as a constant threat. I couldn’t take another round of questions."

Dr. Harry cleared his throat, his hands visibly shaking. "Alpha, Luna’s... condition is serious. We’re monitoring her closely, but she insisted on keeping it private."

Drake finally pulled his gaze from me to look at the doctor. "Just how serious is this condition, Dr. Harry?"

I shot a pleading look at Harry, hoping he would keep up the charade just long enough. He nodded slightly, visibly gathering his nerves as he replied, "It’s... it’s touch-and-go, Alpha. We’re still not entirely sure how everything will turn out, and Luna thought it best not to alarm anyone unnecessarily."

Drake’s jaw clenched, and he turned back to me. "You think so little of me that you wouldn’t let me know something this important?"

I inhaled sharply, glancing down and choosing my words carefully. "You’d be right here if you were on my side, Drake, trying to figure out who did this. I was poisoned—I didn’t just take that wolfsbane willingly. But it feels like I’m alone in proving that."

For a moment, silence filled the room, and I saw a crack in Drake’s expression, a hint of doubt, maybe even guilt. Then he shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Harry. "Doctor, I want an update on her condition by tomorrow morning. Full details. No more hiding anything." He turned to leave, but paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Leila... I’ll be back."

The door clicked shut, and I finally exhaled, turning to Dr. Harry. He looked at me with a mixture of disbelief and reluctant respect. "Alright, Luna. I’ll help you with this... but you’d better be careful. This is a risk I’d only take for someone who’s genuinely fighting for the right thing."

I nodded, my heart pounding with a new determination. "Thank you, Dr. Harry. I know it’s a risk, but I can’t let her get away with this."

He gave a small nod. "Then let’s start with phase one."

DRAKE POV:

I could barely believe what I’d just heard. Leila—my mate—was dying, and she wanted to keep it from me. A storm of emotions surged within me; I wanted to hit something, to scream, to do anything to release the frustration and hurt clawing at my chest. But I had to hold myself together, at least until I got out of that room.

The moment I stepped outside, I shifted and bolted into the forest, running as fast as my body could carry me. The air stung my lungs, but it was nothing compared to the ache of knowing she was slipping away, slowly, and I was powerless to stop it. Were we so broken that she couldn’t trust me with this? That she would hide something like this from me?

The world around me blurred as I tore through the woods, my wolf racing faster than I’d ever pushed it before. The chill air bit against my skin, my paws pounding over rough terrain, but none of it could match the gnawing pain in my chest. Dying. The word echoed in my mind like a death sentence. How could Leila, my mate, be so close to the end and yet keep it hidden? Were we that far gone?

I felt the urge to howl, to let the world know of this betrayal, this heartbreak. She planned to die with things left unresolved between us. Every fight, every accusation, every moment of distrust—it all felt meaningless now. Just raw, jagged memories that had driven us apart when I should have been closer to her than ever.

When I could finally run no further, I stopped, panting, my claws digging into the ground as if that could keep my heart from breaking apart. I was the one who had always been by her side; she had to know that, didn’t she? Sure, we’d had our issues, but I never would’ve walked away, not when her life was on the line.

Taking a few steady breaths, I shifted back, falling to my knees on the cold earth. "Goddess, what have I done?" My voice was barely a whisper, lost in the vastness of the forest. My mind raced back through every fight, every cold exchange. Was I so focused on my anger, on my pride, that I couldn’t see her suffering? I couldn’t protect her when she needed me most.

But there was no time for guilt, not now. I had to be there for Leila, to prove that I was in this for her, for us, no matter how things had spiraled. I had to push past the hurt, to look beyond the anger, because she needed me. And even if she wasn’t sure of me now, even if she didn’t trust me as she once had, I’d show her that I was here—that I wouldn’t let her face this alone.

Our son needed her. I needed her.

After nearly losing her once, the thought of losing her again—and for good this time—cut deeper than I’d imagined possible. I felt the urge to go feral, to let the anger and pain consume me. But one thing kept me grounded: our son. He couldn’t lose his mother, and me going nuts. He needed me to stay strong, to stay sane, even if Leila and I were worlds apart right now. She needed me, too, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

Did she plan on leaving me while things were still unresolved? Was she willing to die with all this distance between us?

The thought of her slipping away without making things right shattered something in me. I had to find a way to reach her before it was too late—before she shut me out completely.

I rose slowly, grounding myself in that truth. Whatever had happened, whatever twisted misunderstanding we had, they meant nothing now. I’d do anything to keep her here, to make her believe in us again.