Chapter 631: Hadn’t Fully Adjusted Yet
Hayley’s POV:
I could never ignore the sadness that weighed on Virginia’s heart. Whenever she was upset, Hera, my wolf, would become restless inside me, mirroring her emotions. Could it be because we shared a blood connection?
“What’s on your mind?” I asked, still not quite used to calling Virginia “Mom.” Maybe it was just that I hadn’t fully adjusted yet. I figured it might become easier over time.
When Virginia saw me enter, she immediately stood and took my hand in hers, a bright smile spreading across her face. “You’re back! You must be exhausted.”
“What did you do today? You and Benjamin didn’t get into another argument, did you?”
I let out a dry laugh. “You’re bombarding me with questions. Which one should I answer first?”
“I’m sorry,” Virginia said, her expression shifting. Then, as if recalling something, she asked, “Did you have dinner already?”
“I ate. Just a simple meal with Benjamin,” I answered honestly.
There was a short silence before I spoke again. “You seemed a bit down earlier. What’s going on?”
Virginia sighed heavily, her brows furrowing. “It’s your brother… Although he was saved that day, he still can’t feel anything in his lower body.”
“I don’t know if he’ll ever walk again…”
For a moment, I was stunned. Then it hit me. I actually had a brother. Since returning from Greenhill Hospital, I hadn’t seen Peter. It was something I’d forgotten, and I hadn’t thought much about him. But now that I remembered, I realized I still needed to perform another round of needle therapy for Alan—just to make sure there were no lingering complications. Some issues aren’t immediately apparent, and if left untreated, they could lead to severe consequences. But for now, Alan could wait.
I thought for a moment before saying, “Let’s have Peter brought over tomorrow. I’ll treat him.”
Virginia’s eyes widened with surprise. “Really?!” Then her face clouded with concern. “But last time, when you treated your father, you almost passed out. It’s only been a few days. Are you sure you’re up for it? Michelle, please don’t overdo it.”
“I’m fine. I’ve rested,” I replied with a gentle smile, giving her hand an assuring pat. “It’s settled then. Have him brought here tomorrow.”
“Okay!” Virginia nodded vigorously, looking relieved and thankful.
“Go ahead, get some rest. Don’t push yourself too hard. Even if we can’t treat him tomorrow, it’s not the end of the world. After all these years, those top-tier Beta doctors haven’t found a solution. Your brother will understand,” Virginia said kindly.
I bit my lip, but I didn’t respond.
Back in my room, I opened my laptop and used the program to call Claudio’s number.
“Alpha, I can’t believe you’re calling me personally. Are you that eager to save someone?” Claudio asked, sounding surprised. He always referred to me as “Alpha,” just like Thomas, even though he wasn’t part of the Shadow Pack.
“Did you have a fallout with the organization?” I asked, using a voice modulator, making the voice sound like a grown man’s.
“Impossible,” Claudio chuckled. “The organization is my lifeblood. I wouldn’t be alive without you all! You think I’d risk angering them for no reason?”
Just as I thought, Claudio didn’t know anything about this. The problem must lie within the SI Organization itself.
“Did you book a flight?” I quickly changed the subject.
“No. I’m sure you know too many people are looking for me here. I had to sneak back in under an alias,” Claudio explained.
“Got it. Be careful.”
After ending the call, I kept my gaze locked on the screen, watching the icons for the internal members of the organization who were online. It had happened multiple times already—I noticed that whenever I logged in, Dominic Reid, the liaison for core members, would log in within two minutes. That couldn’t be a coincidence! A strange sense of unease settled over me, and Hera’s restless feelings confirmed that this unease wasn’t unfounded. I waited a few more minutes and, almost instinctively, opened Dominic’s chat window and sent a test message.