Chapter 10
1004 Words
“Melissa,” Matteo growled the moment he stepped into the infirmary, his voice echoing through the quiet halls.
A blonde woman stepped out from her office, lazily brushing her hair back, her eyes slightly tired. “You know you don’t have to shout my name every time you show up,” she muttered before her gaze dropped to the woman in his arms, and she froze. “Wait… what’s wrong with her?”
Matteo ignored the question at first, moving straight to the bed and placing Lyra down with surprising care, as though she were something fragile that might break under the slightest pressure. Only then did he look at Melissa. “Check her.”
Melissa blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Brother… you’re actually asking about someone’s condition?” she teased lightly, but the look on his face wiped the smile off hers instantly.
“Don’t waste my time,” he said coldly.
“Alright, alright,” she muttered, raising her hands slightly before stepping forward to examine Lyra properly.
Time passed slowly.
Matteo stood near the door, unmoving, his presence heavy, his gaze fixed on the bed the entire time. Melissa worked in silence, her expression gradually shifting from curiosity to concern. After what felt like hours, she finally stepped back, her brows furrowed as she turned to face him.
“She’s not unconscious in the normal sense,” Melissa said carefully. “She’s in a self-induced coma.”
Matteo’s eyes narrowed. “Self induced?”
“She’s shut herself down,” Melissa continued. “Severe psychological trauma. Her mind basically forced her body into a dormant state. It’s… not common, but it happens when someone loses the will to live completely.”
A brief silence followed.
“What happened to her?” she added more quietly. “In all my years as a doctor, I’ve never seen someone this… withdrawn.”
Matteo’s expression darkened, something dangerous flickering in his eyes.
“I don’t know,” he said, his voice low.
Melissa exhaled slowly. “The injuries from the fall are already healing, so her wolf is active, but mentally… she’s not here. She doesn’t want to wake up.”
Matteo stayed quiet for a while, unsure how to react. “Can she be brought out of it?” he asked.
“Maybe,” Melissa replied, though she didn’t sound entirely certain. “If there’s someone she has a strong emotional connection with… her family, loved one, or most importantly, her mate. Matteo’s jaw tightened.
“For now, she’ll be under observation,” Melissa continued. “We’ll monitor her condition, and we’ll also need to figure out who she is. But right now, this is psychological more than physical.”
Matteo didn’t respond.
He turned and walked out.
By the time he reached the training grounds, the tension in him had already built to something sharp and volatile.
The soldiers straightened immediately at his presence, unease spreading among them the moment they sensed his mood.
“You,” Matteo said, pointing at one of them. “Come here.”
The soldier hesitated before stepping forward as Matteo tossed a sword toward him. “Fight me.”
The soldier caught it, his grip unsteady.
Matteo’s eyes darkened. “Is that your stance?” he said coldly. “In a real battle, you’d be dead before you even raised that sword.”
The soldier forced himself to attack, swinging toward him with as much confidence as he could muster, but Matteo moved effortlessly, dodging and countering in one fluid motion that sent him crashing to the ground.
“Again.”
The soldier scrambled up and attacked once more, but the result was the same. Matteo struck faster this time, sweeping his legs out from under him before delivering a sharp kick that sent him back again, blood spilling from his nose.
A heavy silence fell over the training ground.
“So this is the strength of the Lycan army?” Matteo said, his voice calm but cutting. “Pathetic.”
“In a real war, you would all be dead already,” he continued. “What is the point of your training if I can take you down in a single move?”
The soldiers lowered their heads, too afraid to look up.
The air around Matteo felt heavier than usual, darker, more dangerous.
“I think that’s enough for today.”
The voice came from behind..
Dante stepped forward calmly, giving the soldiers a subtle nod. “Return to your quarters. Training resumes at dawn.”
The soldiers didn’t need to be told twice, they thanked the noon goddess for sending Dante. They quickly dispersed, not wanting to stay near Matteo.
When the field finally cleared, Dante glanced at Matteo, who had already moved away, sitting at the edge of the grounds as the sky dimmed into evening.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
“I found her,” Matteo said finally.
Dante frowned slightly. “Found who?”
“My mate.”
The words caught him off guard, but then his face lit up. “That’s… that’s great news,” he said. “When will you announce it? The kingdom will—”
Matteo let out a quiet, humorless laugh.
“I found her,” he repeated, his gaze distant. “But she doesn’t want to live.”
Dante’s expression fell immediately. “What?”
“She tried to end her life,” Matteo said simply.
Silence settled between them.
Dante exhaled slowly, processing it. “Is she… an omega? There's no need to be scared, we would still accept her no matter her status.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Matteo replied flatly. He stood up, brushing the dust from his clothes as if the conversation was already over. “The soldiers are sloppy,” he added instead. “Too many blind spots. Fix it.”
Dante watched him carefully, unable to understand his friend. Matteo didn’t return to his chambers.
Instead, he changed direction entirely toward the mausoleum..
- Writer
