Chapter 277 A Warning Beneath the Skin

Chapter 277: Chapter 277 A Warning Beneath the Skin

Mercy General Hospital

Alpha Sebastian had just finished speaking with his mother’s surgeon when raised voices carried down the corridor.

He recognized Isabella immediately.

When he stepped outside, Serena stood near the nurses’ station, pale and rigid, while his sister pointed angrily at her.

"The nerve of you, showing up here," Isabella snapped. "Haven’t you done enough damage?"

Serena took the accusation without answering. Her gaze moved past Isabella and landed on Alpha Sebastian.

"Sebastian."

He crossed the hall and caught his sister by the arm.

"Not here. Mom’s having surgery tomorrow. Go sit with her."

Isabella shot Serena one last poisonous look before turning toward the room.

The corridor fell quiet.

Alpha Sebastian faced Serena. "What do you want?"

"You can’t just abandon me." Her voice tightened. "You still have money. More than a hundred million dollars in assets, property, and investments. I can’t repay the judgment without help."

Alpha Sebastian’s jaw clenched.

"Please," she said. "Help me. For the baby’s sake."

The word struck him like a bucket of ice water.

His mind flashed back to the staircase. His hands shoving her away. Serena falling. Blood spreading across the floor. The doctor’s grim expression.

[She lost the baby. And the damage may be permanent.]

Alpha Sebastian’s face drained of color.

That was his sin. He knew it. The court had stripped him of his share of the estate, but it had not erased what he had done.

Serena stepped closer. "You can’t leave me with nothing."

For one terrible second, he almost nodded.

Then the hospital-room door opened.Alpha Roger stepped into the hallway.

Isabella had already told him that Serena was there.

He had sat through the entire hearing. He had seen the evidence with his own eyes. He knew exactly what Serena had done.

"Sebastian," he said. "Your mother wants you."

Alpha Sebastian hesitated.

Alpha Roger’s voice hardened. "Inside. Now."

Under Serena’s desperate stare, Alpha Sebastian turned toward the room.

Alpha Roger blocked Serena’s path.

"Are you here to bleed my son dry again?" he asked. "There’s nothing left to take. You drained him once already, and now you want the money that’s paying for my wife’s surgery?"

Serena straightened. "I came to see Margaret."

"We don’t need your visit." Alpha Roger’s tone was cold and flat. "My son gave you more than enough. You accepted it, spent it, and dragged this family through court."

"That money was for research."

"Save the performance." His eyes hardened. " I saw the hotel bills, the jewelry, the designer clothes, and the lies."

Serena’s face twisted.

Alpha Roger stepped closer, lowering his voice.

"Stay away from my son. He has nothing left for you, and you’ve already done enough damage."

Serena stood alone in the corridor. Her eyes burned with humiliation and anger. She pulled out her phone and sent Alpha Sebastian one last message.

[Please answer me. I need you.]

Inside the room, Alpha Sebastian reached for his phone.

Alpha Roger noticed.

Before Alpha Sebastian could unlock it, his father took it from his hand, opened the message, and deleted Serena’s contact.

"Dad—"

"Not tonight."

Alpha Sebastian stared at him, but Alpha Roger slipped the phone into his pocket.

No one spoke after that. Luna Margaret was awake, and tomorrow’s surgery already weighed heavily on the room.

Then she studied Alpha Sebastian’s face.

"Have you been under a lot of stress?"

"I’m fine."

"You’re not fine. Go look in the mirror."

He obeyed, more from habit than willingness.

Luna Margaret pointed toward the mirror. "There, at the corner of your mouth. What is that?"

Alpha Sebastian leaned closer.

A small, clean-edged sore had formed just inside the corner of his mouth. The skin around it was faintly raised, and the base looked raw and reddish. It didn’t resemble a split from dry skin or a typical cold sore.

He touched it with his fingertip.

Nothing.

No pain. No burning. Not even the slightest tenderness.

Alpha Sebastian frowned at his reflection, then rubbed a hand over his tired face. He had barely slept, had been chain-smoking, and had spent the day under enough stress to break a stronger man.

"Probably just stress," he muttered.

--

After checking on Alpha Sebastian’s health, Luna Margaret studied him for a moment.

"Have you been able to sort things out?" she asked carefully. "With Serena... and with Eira?"

The family had kept most of the recent mess from her. With surgery scheduled for the next morning, no one wanted to add more stress.

Alpha Sebastian nodded. "It’s handled. Serena won’t be getting anything else from me."

Luna Margaret watched him closely. "And Eira?"

His expression faltered.

"Eira and I can’t go back to the way we were."

"But you still want her."

He looked toward the dark window. "I’m not the one who ended it. She did."

"Because there’s another man?"

Alpha Sebastian’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t answer.

Instead, he turned back to his mother. "I hurt Eira. I hurt you and Dad too. I can’t undo any of it, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making things right."

Luna Margaret’s eyes softened.

Sometimes a parent didn’t need a long explanation. Hearing their child admit he was wrong was enough.

"It was that Winthrop girl," she muttered. "She played you for a fool, and you let her. Next time, keep your eyes open."

"I will."

Alpha Roger, who had been standing near the window, cleared his throat. "That’s enough for tonight. Your mother needs to rest. She has surgery in the morning."

Luna Margaret’s fingers tightened around the blanket. Fear flickered across her face before she covered it with a frown.

"This surgeon," she said. "He knows what he’s doing?"

"He trained under Sherlock Wood," Alpha Sebastian assured her.

"That’s not the same as having Dr. Wood operate."

Alpha Sebastian knew she had hoped Sherlock would perform the surgery personally. So had he.

But Sherlock’s schedule was booked solid, and Luna Margaret’s condition couldn’t wait months for an opening.

"Dr. Wood has a full schedule for the next year," he said gently. "And with a brain tumor, waiting only increases the risk. "

Luna Margaret nodded, though her hands remained clasped tightly in her lap.

"Then we don’t wait," she said. "Get it done."