Moon Goddess Intervened After Alpha Father Used Mom as Blood BagChapter 3

"Ahh—"

For the first time all night, Mom couldn't hold it in. The cry tore out of her, raw and broken.

My father flinched. He started to raise his hands toward her —

Then Serena threw herself into his chest, eyes shimmering, bottom lip trembling.

"Damien — it hurts—"

One look at her face, and whatever fragment of conscience had stirred in him was gone.

"Elara! She stepped back to give you room and you shoved her? After everything she's done to accommodate you?"

"Transfer the pain. Do it now."

He never even glanced at my mother. He didn't see her face going the color of ash. He just held Serena and murmured into her hair while the nurses scrambled to carry out his order.

Within minutes, Mom's breathing had gone shallow and ragged. My eyes flooded red. I fixed my gaze on Serena, still nestled in my father's arms, and watched the corner of her mouth pull up in a small, triumphant smirk.

I was already moving when Mom grabbed my wrist and held on.

Her lips barely parted. Four words, barely a breath.

"One more. Just one."

I stopped. My whole body went still.

One more transfer. That was all that stood between us and one hundred.

Serena caught the pause. She shifted deliberately in my father's arms and pressed a hand to her abdomen, right over the incision, rubbing it in slow circles.

My father tensed immediately. He opened his mouth —

Mom lifted her eyes. The ruin of her face held no expression at all. Her voice came out like iron.

"Damien Ashford. After this one, there is no going back."

Serena's eyes filled on cue, her chin wobbling.

"Elara, even if you don't want to take on my pain, you don't have to keep threatening Damien with things like that."

She turned to him, voice breaking. "Damien, let's just stop here. I can't keep watching you be torn apart like this."

She made to walk away.

My father's brow creased. He looked at Mom with open disappointment, then immediately reached out to pull Serena back against him, his voice a sharp crack aimed at Mom.

"Elara, enough. If you don't want to be luna of Ashford Pack, fine — I'll release you from it. But even if I dissolve the bond, you're not leaving this pack. You will continue to take on Serena's pain. That is what you owe."

He paused, and his eyes hardened further.

"I was going to authorize pain medication for you. I'm rescinding that."

"Let's see how long you can hold out."

He had them lock us in the room next door. No food. No water. No medication of any kind.

I pressed cloth against Mom's wounds, watching them multiply — wounds that had no source, opening on her skin from nowhere, blooming red.

"Mom, let me stop the bleeding—"

"Silly girl. Don't cry. It doesn't hurt. Not compared to the other ninety-eight times. This is nothing."

She could barely lift her arm. But she tried again and again until her hand found my face, and she touched my cheek — so softly.

"Lyra… when it's done… I'm taking you away from here."