The Silver Wolf (Diana and Talon) novel Chapter 85

Chapter Eighty Flve

Hours passed.

Slowly.

Painfully.

Endlessly.

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No one spoke.

Not at first.

Talon, Diana, Rowan, Selene, and Leah sat in the waiting area outside the surgical room, the air thick with tension and fear. Time seemed to stretch unnaturally, each second dragging into the next.

Alpha Asher had quietly excused himself earlier, retreating back to his assigned quarters. Whether it was guilt, discomfort, or simply knowing this was no longer his place-no one stopped him.

Enzo had returned to the main pack grounds, working alongside Gamma Galvin to investigate.

Every guard.

Every servant.

Every visiting pack.

No one was exempt.

They needed answers.

Even without Willow’s account.

Even without knowing who had done this.

Talon wanted movement.

Positions.

Timelines.

He wanted to know who had been where-

At the exact moment his sister was attacked.

But here-

In the hospital-

There was nothing to do but wait.

And the waiting was unbearable.

The only sound that filled the room was Selene’s quiet sobbing.

Broken

Uncontrolled.

Rowan sat beside her, holding her close, whispering reassurances that even he didn’t fully believe.

Because what comfort could a father give-

When his daughter lay between life and death?

Selene’s wolf cried openly through the bond.

A grieving, terrified howl that echoed faintly through those sensitive enough to feel it.

Damon stood against the far wall.

He had not moved.

Not once.

His head was slightly lowered.

His hands clenched into fists at his sides.

His entire body rigid.

Devastated.

Conall stood beside him, unusually silent.

Still

Thinking.

Diana’s words echoed in his mind.

What kind of Beta are you?

Conall had never questioned himself before.

Not like this.

He had always been certain.

Confident.

Loyal.

But now-

Now he wondered.

Had he failed?

Had he allowed his king to stray too far?

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Had he stood by-

While Damon ignored the one wolf meant for hirn?

And now-

Because of that failure-

Willow lay on the brink of death.

Conall clenched his jaw.

Because if she didn’t make it-

He didn’t know what would happen to Damon.

And that-

That scared him more than anything.

Talon sat beside Diana.

Silent.

Still.

But barely holding himself together.

Diana could feel it.

Through their bond.

Through the tension in his body.

Through the way his gaze flickered-

Just once-

Toward Damon-

Before snapping away again.

It would only take one moment.

One wrong word.

One glance too long-

And Talon would lose control.

Diana kept her hand wrapped around his.

Grounding him.

Anchoring him.

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For now-

She was the calm.

Even though inside-

She was anything but.

“Willow is strong,” Diana said softly.

Her voice broke through the silence.

Gentle.

Steady.

Selene looked at her.

Tears streaming down her face.

“She will make it.”

Diana reached out, taking Selene’s hand.

“You raised a strong daughter,” she continued.

“She will fight.”

Selene let out a broken sob.

Clinging to her words-

Because it was all she had.

More time passed.

Minutes.

Hours.

No one knew anymore.

Until-

The doors opened.

Everyone stood.

At once.

The healer stepped out.

Her expression neutral.

Too neutral.

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Chapter Eighty Five

Diana’s stomach dropped.

The healer’s eyes moved across the room-

Then settled on Talon.

“Alpha…”

Her voice was calm.

Measured.

“Your sister is out of surgery.”

A breath.

Held.

“But she is not out of the woods yet.”

Selene broke.

Her sob turning into a cry as she clutched Rowan.

“Her wolf is weak,” the healer continued.

“She is struggling to heal.”

Talon’s hands clenched into fists.

“The wolfsbane is still in her system,” the healer said.

“And it is spreading.”

Diana’s breath caught.

“If her body cannot fight it…”

The healer hesitated.

“She may not wake up.”

Selene wailed.

A sound so full of pain it made even the strongest wolves look away.

“Healer,” Talon said, his voice tight, controlled by sheer force.

“Is there anything we can do?”

The healer shook her head slightly.

“If I knew why her wolf was not responding…”

Her brows furrowed.

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might have an answer.

Silence

Then-

Diana spoke.

“What if_”

Her voice was quieter now.

But sharper.

“What if her wolf is weakening because of emotional trauma?”

Every head turned.

“What do you mean?” The healer asked.

Diana’s eyes shifted.

Slowly.

Toward Damon.

“If her mate…”

Her voice hardened.

…repeatedly claims another as his.”

Damon flinched.

“Even without physical betrayal…”

Diana continued.

“Could that cause her wolf to lose the will to fight?”

The healer went still.

Thinking.

Then nodded slowly.

“It is possible.”

Everyone froze.

“If the bond is unaccepted…”

The healer explained.

“And her mate openly claims another…”

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Chapter Eights Five

Her voice softened.”

“Her wolf may feel rejected.”

A pause.

“And may lose the will to live.”

The words hit.

Hard.

Damon closed his eyes briefly.

Pain flashing across his face.

“Then what do you recommend if that is the case?” Diana asked immediately.

The healer hesitated.

“The bond needs to form properly.”

A beat.

“If her mate claims her…”

Her eyes flicked toward Damon.

“It may give her wolf a reason to fight.”

Silence.

“But,” the healer added quickly, “it may not be enough,”

“The wolfsbane has already spread.”

“The blade remained too long.”

“There is a significant amount in her system.”

Diana’s mind raced.

Fast.

Focused.

Then-

Artemis spoke.

“Our blood.”

Diana stilled.

“Our blood processes wolfsbane differently,” Artemis continued.

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“Even when I was unconscious…*

A pause.

“Our body kept healing.

Diana inhaled slowly.

She knew what she had to say.