Forbidden Pack Doctor

Old Wounds Reopen

I spent most of the morning going through old medical files and family records in a quiet corner of the compound. My eyes burned from lack of sleep but I kept pushing forward trying to understand everything about the Shadow Gift and how it affected Liam’s recovery. He was stable but still very weak. Every small improvement in his breathing gave me a little more hope.

“You really should rest,” one of the nurses told me gently. “You have barely slept since the surgery. Your body needs a break too.”

“I cannot rest until I know how to protect him properly,” I replied. “There is still so much we do not understand.”

Lucas found me later that afternoon in the small garden area behind the main building. He looked tired but his eyes were full of determination as he approached.

“Soren can we talk?” he asked. “Just for a few minutes. Please. It is important.”

I nodded reluctantly and sat down on the wooden bench. “Make it quick Lucas. I still have a lot of work to do for Liam’s recovery.”

He sat beside me leaving a respectful distance. “I have been thinking about everything that has happened. About us. About that terrible night on our anniversary. I was wrong. So incredibly wrong. I chose grief and duty over you and I have regretted it every single day since then.”

I looked away toward the trees. “Do not do this Lucas. Not now when everything is already so complicated.”

He continued anyway his voice thick with emotion. “I remember exactly how you looked in that red dress waiting for me at the restaurant. I remember the pain in your eyes when I finally came home hours late. I destroyed something beautiful because I was too weak and selfish to be the mate you deserved. But I have changed Soren. Losing you and almost losing our son showed me what really matters in life.”

His voice cracked. “Give me one more chance. Not just for Liam but for us. We could be a real family again. I would spend every single day making it right if you would let me.”

The old wounds ripped open fresh and painful inside my chest. Tears burned in my eyes as memories flooded back. “You left me alone that night Lucas. I sat in that restaurant for hours feeling completely invisible while people gave me pitying looks. Then I went home and packed my bags while you slept on the couch like nothing had happened. I left with nothing but my clothes and a broken heart because staying would have destroyed me completely.”

“I know,” he whispered. “I see that pain in your eyes every time I look at you. Let me heal it Soren. Let me prove I can be the man you deserve now.”

Before I could respond Asher appeared at the edge of the garden. He had clearly heard at least part of the conversation. His face was tight with jealousy and hurt.

“Soren,” he said. “We need to talk. Alone.”

I stood up quickly. “Lucas we are done here for now.”

Asher led me inside to our private quarters. The moment the door closed behind us his jealousy spilled out completely.

“I heard him out there,” he said pacing the room. “He is still trying to win you back. After everything he put you through he thinks he can just say sorry and take you away from me.”

I sat on the edge of the bed watching him. “Asher I told him no. You know where my heart is. It is with you.”

He stopped pacing and looked at me. “Do I? Every time he talks about your shared history and your son together it feels like I am losing you. He has a blood connection to you that I can never have. It makes me feel like an outsider in my own relationship.”

I stood up and took his hands. “You are not an outsider. You are my family now Asher. You gave me a home when I had nothing left. You loved me when I was completely broken. That matters more than any blood tie ever could.”

He pulled me into a tight hug. “I am trying so hard to trust you completely. But this whole family connection complicates everything. I hate how he looks at you. I hate how he talks about your past like it still belongs to him.”

We were interrupted by a knock on the door. The old pack elder entered carrying more old documents and scrolls.

“There is more you both need to know about the bloodline,” he said sitting down slowly. “The Shadow Gift is not just an old power. It is also a dangerous curse that has destroyed families for generations. The Vipers believe that controlling it will let them dominate every pack in this region. They will not stop until they either control Liam or destroy him completely.”

The news hit us hard. “So this is why they are coming after us so aggressively,” I said. “It is not just about territory.”

“Yes,” the elder replied. “And the situation is getting worse by the hour. Reports are coming in that three rival packs have now officially declared open war on the Iron Fangs. They see us as weak and distracted right now.”

Asher cursed under his breath. “We need to start preparing for battle immediately. Soren I want you to stay here safe with Liam where I know you will be protected.”

I shook my head firmly. “I cannot just hide while others fight. My medical skills will be needed on the field. People are going to get hurt badly out there.”

The argument continued for several long minutes. Asher wanted to protect me at all costs. I refused to stay behind when my abilities could save lives. Lucas eventually joined the discussion adding his own strong opinions about battle strategy and defense.

In the end I made my choice clear. “I will stay close to the medical tent during the fight. But I will not sit this out completely. I am part of this pack too.”

Later that evening the quiet wedding plans we had started discussing were officially put on hold. The danger was closing in too fast from every direction. Rival packs were mobilizing their forces. The traitor was still hiding among us. And the Shadow Gift hanging over Liam made every decision more dangerous than before.

I stood on the balcony looking out at the compound lights. Asher joined me wrapping his strong arms around me from behind.

“We will get through this,” he said quietly against my hair. “Together no matter what comes.”

“I know,” I replied. But deep down I wondered how much more pressure our relationship and our pack could take before everything finally broke apart.

The war was coming faster than any of us wanted. And it would test every single bond we had left.