Counterback of the Despised Luna by Diana West

Chapter 363 How Disappointing

+8 Pearls

The sterile air of the operating room hung heavy, as if had swallowed every breath. I stood over Richard, the witch’s stone clutched tightly in my hand, its weight pressing down on me. It felt as though the very fate of the Eclipse Pack rested on its smooth surface.

Dr. Williamson approached, his steps measured, offering a wordless help. I nodded, letting him place the stone carefully on Richard’s chest.

I took a slow, deliberate breath and drew a needle across my brow, the sharp sting a reminder of the gravity of the moment. The drop of blood was cold, its metallic scent biting the air. With a steady hand, I transferred it onto the stone, watching as it absorbed the blood like a living creature.

Dr. Williamson remained silent, his eyes fixed on my every move, his expression unreadable. That silence unsettled me, its weight more suffocating than any words could be.

This was it. The final treatment.

According to Hughie, after this, Richard’s blood would low freely again. The magic would stir within him, and he would rise.

The chant began low on my lips, a rhythm from the ancient words that filled the room with a somber -pulse.

As the incantation flowed, the blood on the witch’s stone began to shimmer, sinking into the stone’s surface.

It pulsed with a faint energy, and I felt it–deep, shifting, alive. The magic was awakening.

The heart monitor beeped in a steady, unchanging rhythm, a soft murmur in the still room.

His chest rose and fell, steady as always.

I circled his bed, continuing the chant. Each word woven deeper, stronger. The stone pulsed in time with the magic. When I reached the third round of the chant, a sharp, discordant beep echoed through the

room.

My heart skipped a beat. I turned, dread filling me as I saw the heart monitor. The steady lines had flattened into an unbroken, horizontal line.

broke the silence, quiet but shaking. “No… Richard has no

at my chest. “How is that possible?” I demanded,

already at the door,

knew. I knew it was too late.

frozen, staring at the lifeless body, my breath catching. The room felt

Pack, was gone. And it was my fault.

whispers flooding in as they

1/3

How Disappointing

* Pearls

How is my grandfather?” His

voice cracked, barely audible. The Alpha…

face went pale, disbelief flashing across his features. “What? The word was barely a whisper,

nervous hand across his forehead. I’m sorry. Mr. Holbrook. I don’t understand… Everything seemed fine. Then… his heart just stopped.

moved quickly, covering Richard’s body with a white sheet. They wheeled him out, leaving the room cold and quiet

Their eyes darted toward Caden, waiting, expectant, as if they could already taste the shift

the side, their gazes fixed on Caden.

and comforting. “Caden, you need to look after yourself. Richard wouldn’t want to see you like this. Rosaline tried. No one

grew thick with tension. No one dared to speak, not even to

the Alpha of the Eclipse Pack, the iron fist that had ruled the

spoke. His eyes–cold, unforgiving- locked onto me. His words cut through the stillness. “Rosaline,

sorry. It’s my fault. I didn’t think… I never meant for this

on you. If you hadn’t tried to save Grandpa, he might still be here. But now… now he’s dead because of you. You’re

Queenie spat, her face contorted with fury. “You humiliated us all ar the banquet, and Grandpa had a heart attack right after. Now

can’t count on her for anything. That quack doctor

eyes never wavered as he turned to me. The chill in his

it wasn’t like that! You have to believe me! My voice

ling as they