Nick of time

Arabella's POV

"Surgery Bella? Are you sure? This is not…"Ash was standing up already, but I stopped him with my hand.

I nodded sharply. "If we wait any longer, he won't make it. I swear. The magic is being absorbed into the blood pooling inside him rather than healing him. We need to operate immediately."

The old healer scoffed, shaking his head. "Never in my life have I been told something like this. What is this behavior ,Alpha Asher?” Then he turned to face me, almost poking my ribs with his finger. “ How many times do I need to tell you…we don’t use human methods here, girl. Our ways…"

"Your ways are failing!" I snapped, cutting him off. "He is dying in front of us. If you truly care about his life, you will step aside and let me do what needs to be done.”

Silence filled the room.

Ash’s jaw tensed as he turned back to his father, his eyes clouded with turmoil. Finally, he exhaled sharply and looked at me. “You understand what you are asking me to do, right? If anything goes wrong… anything… I will not only lose my father… I will… ”

Yeah! I knew what he meant. He would lose me as well ,as in, they would execute me and there would be nothing he would be able to do since I would technically be committing murder of the old Alpha.

I signed. I was a doctor. I had taken an oath. I could not let someone die in front of me when I knew I could help.

I nodded at him, my eyes as reassuring as possible.

He nodded back. There was a strange determination in his eyes that flooded me with relief. "What do you need?"

I let out a breath of determination as well. "A sterile workspace, scalpels, sutures, clamps…anything you have that resembles a surgical kit. And I need someone with a steady hand to assist me."

Ash turned to the omegas. "You heard her. Move. Now!”

The room burst into motion, everyone scrambling to fulfill the requests.

The healer watched, his lips pressed into a tight line, but he said nothing further. He knew he was out of options as well.

Minutes later, the supplies were gathered.

The Alpha's bed was stripped, and a workspace was hastily set up. I took a deep breath and looked at my hand. They were steady despite the weight of the moment.

Ash stood beside me. His eyes were full of a mix of fear and trust, which was maddeningly strange.

I met his gaze. "I need you to hold him down. This is going to be rough. Are you ready? "

Ash nodded, positioning himself at his father’s side.

He held him in a steady grip. The old healer hovered nearby, his skepticism still evident, but to my immense relief,he did not interfere. I focused on my patient.

I took a deep breath, steadied my hands all over again, focused…like an eagle…as I made the first incision.Going in blind was no joke even though I could feel the location through energy.

The moment the blade touched flesh, the door slammed open with a deafening crash.

I almost leaped up, startled.

Ash's mother stormed in, her eyes wild with rage but it immediately turned to terror and utter shock.

The sight of her husband lying on the bed, his chest cut open and blood pooling around him…I could not blame her. But then she let out an ear piercing scream.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" she shrieked, rushing forward. "YOU ARE KILLING HIM!GET AWAY FROM MY HUSBAND! ”

My pulse spiked with panic. This was the most critical moment of the surgery…the slightest mistake…any disturbance could mean disaster.

“Ash, please!” I begged, not with my voice but with my eyes not very sure whether he understood.

But Ash reacted instantly. “Hold her back!” he commanded with a growl.

His men sprang into action, grabbing the Luna before she could reach the makeshift operating table.

She looked at her son…puzzled, hurt and shocked all at the same time. She thrashed against their grip, sobbing and screaming, her eyes locked onto her husband’s unmoving form.

Before I could return my full focus to my patient, there was another heavy thud and the door swung open once more.

Beta Caleb charged into the room. His face mirrored the same horror and rage as the Luna’s. He froze, staring back and forth between the Luna and the old Alpha!

“ Ash! What the hell is happening here?” Caleb bellowed, his body tensed as if ready to rip me away from the Alpha, make a pulp and throw me out.

Ash’s temper snapped. “Stand down, Caleb!” he barked, his voice like a whip. “She is saving him. Do not interfere right now!I will explain once this is done. STAY WHERE YOU ARE! ”

Caleb hesitated, torn between his loyalty and the chaos before him.

But Ash’s glare left no room for argument.I blocked out the shouting, my hands working with precision and speed because technically my life also depended on it.

“Alpha Asher, let Mother go. How dare you let omegas hold her down! ”

“It was necessary! ” I could hear another growl.

“Necessary my foot! Is this how you treat your mother on her birthday, spoilt brat? Quit testing my patience, Asher! I won't stand and see our mother being humiliated… ”

“ That's enough, Caleb! Don't forget you are only a Beta in my pack. Don't cross your limits… ”

I could feelCaleb fumed and knew his gaze was right on me. What was his problem with me, I had no idea?

I chose to ignore their family drama and instead focused on my work. I drained the excess blood, sutured the wounds, and ensured everything was in place before sealing the final stitch at lightning speed. My fastest so far for sure.

My breath came in sharp gasps as I pressed my bloodied hands together and exhaled. “Okay, alright! It is done.” It felt like I had run a marathon and was finally standing at the finishing line.

I stepped back, my heart still pounding. “The Old Alpha is now out of danger!” I announced, clapping my hands together and offering a small, relieved smile.

A stunned silence fell over the chaotic room. The screaming stopped. The tension that had nearly suffocated us all seemed to dissipate slightly.

But I could not see relief in anybody’s eye. They were all skeptical.

“You can ask the healer to examine him now, if you don't believe me. He should come around in a few minutes… ” ( humans took longer to heal but an Alpha would heal much faster… that was my calculation. )

Ash finally looked at me, his eyes filled with something I could not quite name.

His grip on his father loosened as he let out a slow, shaky breath.

The Luna sobbed into her hands, falling to the ground as the omegas let go. Caleb remained frozen in place, his chest heaving as he processed what had just happened.

The Old Alpha was alive.

I had done it.I did finally prove myself… wolf or no wolf.