Chapter 210 Final Words
SOPHIA’S POV
Patricia told me Ashley had been taken to the ICU.
My fingers tightened around the blanket the moment Patricia spoke, and for a second, I thought I had heard her wrong.
“What did you say?” I asked.
Patricia hesitated, but she didn’t take her words back.
“Ashley has been moved to the ICU,” she said gently “Her fever spiked again. It got worse.”
Something inside me broke instantly.
“No...” I whispered, shaking my head. My heart started to pound painfully. “No, that’s not possible. She was getting better.”
Patricia stepped closer. Her expression was filled with concern.
“Sophia, you need to stay calm,” she said. “The doctors are handling it.”
“I need to see her,” I said immediately. My voice rose despite how weak I felt.
“You can’t,” Patricia replied quickly. “You’re still sick. You shouldn’t even be out of this bed.”
“I don’t care,” I snapped, pushing the blanket aside “That’s my daughter. I need to see her.”
My body protested the moment I tried to stand. Instantly, a wave of dizziness hit me so hard that I had to grab the edge of the bed to steady myself. My legs felt weak, like they couldn’t support me, but I forced myself to move anyway.
My wolf was weak inside me.
“You’re not strong enough,” Patricia said, reaching out to stop me.
“I am,” I insisted, even though I knew I wasn’t. “I have to be.”
Before she could stop me again, I took a step forward.
The ground felt unsteady beneath my feet, but I didn’t stop.
I walked out of the ward, ignoring the way my body screamed at me to slow down. Every step felt heavy but the thought of Ashley lying alone in the ICU pushed me forward.
My chest tightened with every breath, and I could feel a small burning sensation building inside me again, but I didn’t care.
I had already failed her once. I wouldn’t do it again.
The hospital corridors felt longer than usual. Nurses glanced at me. Some recognized that I shouldn’t even be walking in my condition, but no one stopped me. Maybe it was the look on my face. Maybe it was the desperation that made it clear I wouldn’t listen anyway.
Then I saw them - Damien and Tiffany.
They were standing near the pediatric ward, talking quietly, but the moment Damien saw me, his expression changed immediately. His wolf reacted before he did. His aura flared slightly.
“Sophia?” he said. “What are you doing here?”
I stopped a few steps away from him.
“I came to see Ashley,” I said.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Damien said immediately. His tone turned cold. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling you all day.”
I clenched my hands slightly. “That doesn’t matter right now.”
“It does matter,” he snapped. I could feel his Alpha aura pressing down harder now, making the air feel heavier. Even the nearby wolves lowered their gazes to the floor, unable to withstand the pressure.
Tiffany stood beside him.
“You ignored every call,” Damien continued, raising his voice. “Ashley was in danger, and you weren’t here.”
His words hit hard but I didn’t back down.
“And where were you?” I shot back “You left her too!”
“I had responsibilities,” he said.
“And I don’t?” I snapped. “I was sick, Damien. I collapsed!”
He froze for a moment.
“What?” he asked.
But I didn’t give him time to process it.
“You think I chose not to come?” I continued. I was breathing heavily now “You think I don’t care about my own daughter?”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond immediately.
“I have done everything for Ashley,” I said “Everything. And you still think I would abandon her?”
The burning in my chest suddenly intensified.
I coughed a few times. It felt like there was sandpaper in my throat.
I coughed again and the feeling was painful. Then something warm filled my throat.
My eyes widened slightly as I covered my mouth, but it was too late. There was blood as I coughed. It stained my fingers.
The world seemed to stop.
“Sophia!” Damien’s voice was filled with shock.
I started to feel dizzy. I coughed again and more blood came out.
“What is wrong with you?” he demanded, stepping closer.
I staggered slightly. I felt my body finally giving in to the weakness I had been ignoring.
Patricia rushed forward at that moment.
“She has influenza,” Patricia said “She’s been hospitalized for days now”
Damien froze completely.
“What?” he said.
“She collapsed,” Patricia continued. “She’s had high fever, severe weakness. She shouldn’t even be standing here right now.”
Damien’s expression changed. For the first time, guilt flashed across his face.
“You...” he started, looking at me, but no words came out.
I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t.
I wiped my mouth with trembling hands. I kept trying to steady myself, but my vision was already starting to blur again
“I need to see Ashley,” I said.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Damien said immediately.
“I am,” I insisted.
“You can’t even stand properly,” he said “Stop being stubborn.”
“I said I’m going,” I snapped, though my voice lacked strength now.
We stood there, facing each other.
Damien didn’t move to stop me, but he didn’t help me either.
And that hurt more than anything.
I turned away from him and started walking toward the elevator.
Each step felt like I was walking through water. I was slow and heavy. My breathing became harder. My chest tightened painfully with every inhale. My vision blurred at the edges, but I kept moving.
I had to.
The elevator doors were just ahead.
But before I could reach them, everything around me suddenly shifted. I felt myself falling. I braced myself to hit the floor but before I could, a strong arm wrapped around me.
I gasped softly as I was lifted into the air.
“Zade...” I whispered, recognizing him instantly.
His scent surrounded me and it calmed me in a way nothing else could.
“What are you doing?” he said.
I tried to respond, but my head felt too heavy.
“You’re in no condition to move,” he continued.
“I need to see Ashley,” I said weakly.
“And you will,” he replied. “But not like this.”
He didn’t even look at Damien, not once, as if he wasn’t worth the attention.
Tiffany’s eyes widened slightly at the sight. Her wolf stirred with surprise.
Damien stood there, watching us closely. But Zade ignored all of them completely.
“Put me down,” I whispered, though I didn’t have the strength to resist.
“No,” he said firmly.
His voice left no room for argument.
Without another word, he turned and started walking quickly down the corridor.
“Zade!” I called weakly.
“You’re going back to the emergency room,” he said. “That’s final.”
His steps were fast and urgent. His wolf was fully alert now, reacting to my condition.
Behind us, Damien didn’t follow.
He just stood there, watching us silently.
And for the first time.....he didn’t stop me from leaving.