Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother

Lilith’s POV

My heart raced when the phone rang.

The screen displayed "Brett," filling me with both hope and fear.

"Tomorrow noon, bring Clara’s hair sample to Aurora BioSciences’ entrance."

His tone wasn’t as cold as usual, sparking a glimmer of hope within me.

"Don’t give it to anyone else. I’ll collect it personally."

I couldn’t suppress the surge of emotion rising in my chest,I even forgot to respond.If Clara could be acknowledged and protected by Brett, then even if the Moon Goddess’s prophecy proved true and my final year was coming to an end, I could leave this world in peace.

"Thank you, Alpha Brett!" I expressed my genuine gratitude.

But as he was about to hang up, I quickly added, "Alpha Brett, wait."

I bit my lip, gathering courage to voice my concern. "Alpha Brett, I’m worried about doing the lineage test in Ravendale City. Could we perhaps do it in another city?"

When I was twenty-one, someone had convinced my father Silas to do a lineage test, which showed I wasn’t his biological daughter. They even fabricated stories about my mother meeting her first love. Though I never met my mother who died in childbirth, I always believed she would never betray my father.

Despite my father running the tests across multiple facilities, the results had always come back the same.Back then, I had no choice but to accept it.

But now, seeing the results between Clara and Brett, suspicion surged through me.

Someone was tampering with the truth,just like before.The methods felt identical.

Even Thea let out a low, uneasy growl inside me, echoing my doubt.

Something must be wrong with Ravendale City’s lineage testing facilities.

"I don’t need you to tell me how to handle this." His icy response made me freeze.

I bit my lip, suppressing the urge to argue. He didn’t understand.I’d already lost too much,my father’s trust, pack protection, his love, and soon, my life. I couldn’t risk Clara losing her only chance.

But I couldn’t anger him. Clara’s future depended on this; I had to endure.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean..." I said softly.

The line went dead. Now, Brett and I were no longer mates and supports for each other, just strangers forced to contact for Clara’s sake.

Brett’s POV

I had considered this issue.

My confidentiality measures were impeccable,no one except Lilith and me knew about the lineage test.

If under these circumstances the lineage test results were still compromised, there must be a traitor in my inner circle, which would implicate many past events. But the possibility seemed extremely remote.

I preferred to trust in my own thoroughness.

"I don’t need you to tell me how to handle this," I replied coldly.

After hanging up, Jacob growled within me, and an inexplicable sense of unease and regret washed over me. With Lilith so gravely ill, I shouldn’t have been so harsh. Even if I hated her for deceiving me, for betraying our mate bond...

Just then, Vanessa returned.

The French restaurant I’d booked was quite far, but Vanessa loved their desserts.

"I need to get back to the lab soon. Let’s just eat somewhere nearby," Vanessa said, not wanting to waste time.

"Alright!" I respected Vanessa’s wishes.

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at a restaurant.

Vanessa let me order while she studied a werewolf medical text.

While waiting for our food, two men sat down at the adjacent table.

One of them, a man with silver-Brett hair, was reviewing the menu with his hands. His face seemed familiar.

With my Alpha memory, I immediately recalled.He was Lilith’s attending physician, Dr. Elias Thorn.

After my chance encounter with Lilith at the hospital this morning, I’d memorized her attending physician’s name from the test results and researched Dr. Thorn’s background.

I’d planned to meet him after dinner to discuss the situation. What an unexpected encounter at this restaurant.

I stood up and walked over, greeting him politely. "Dr. Thorn, hello. I’m Brett Lancaster from Aurora BioSciences.I called your office this afternoon."

Dr. Thorn immediately stood up and extended his hand. "Alpha Brett, it’s an honor. I’ve heard Aurora BioSciences’ specialized werewolf genetic defect medication is nearly ready for clinical trials. Truly admirable work. If successful, it could save countless lives within our kind. What prompted your call today?"

I got straight to the point. "Dr. Thorn, have you been treating a werewolf genetic defect patient named Lilith Hartwell?"

Dr. Thorn furrowed his brow in thought.

I added, "Thin build, no scent, accompanied by a five-year-old daughter named Clara. A single mother."

"Ah, the single mother you mentioned!" Dr. Thorn’s face lit with recognition. "I may not remember her exact name, but your description of the single mother and little girl instantly brought her to mind. It’s heartbreaking,the child is only five, and her mother has terminal illness in its late stages."

I remained silent, feeling Jacob restless within me. This was her karma! The rightful punishment for betraying a mate bond! Yet why did that thought cause me such pain? My wolf howled in anguish.

I didn’t truly want Lilith to face such a fate.

"Could there be a mistake in the tests?" I asked.

Dr. Thorn shook his head. "No mistake possible. She’s had two examinations with me. Just two weeks ago, her condition wasn’t nearly this severe. Now it’s advanced to late stages. An extremely rapid deterioration."

"..." I remained silent for a long while.

Finally, I spoke heavily. "Thank you, doctor."

As I stood to return to my table, Dr. Thorn added one last comment. "Mr. Lancaster, if only your company’s werewolf medication could be developed sooner."

"Our team is already accelerating the research," I responded quietly.

Back at our table, Vanessa remained absorbed in her medical text.

She hadn’t even noticed my conversation with the neighboring table, only glancing up when I sat down. "Brett, where did you go? Did you leave just now?"

I knew she was completely focused on her medical research, not even hearing my earlier conversation.

The doctor’s words had left my thoughts in turmoil, causing a slight delay in my response to Vanessa. "Mm."

She merely hummed in acknowledgment before returning to her studies.

I stood up again, walking to a private spot to make a phone call. "Please immediately contact the most authoritative international experts on werewolf genetic defects. It’s urgent. Thank you."

Returning to the table, I watched Vanessa still engrossed in her medical book.

When the server brought our food, I didn’t insist she put down her book to eat as I usually would. I just sat there, lost in thought.

My mind was filled with images of Lilith’s pale face and pleading eyes.

Vanessa finally looked up, noticing my dark expression.

"Brett, what’s wrong? Something bothering you?"

"Let’s eat."

That meal, I didn’t touch a single bite.