The Miracle (Part 1)

Sebastian’s POV

Three fucking months. Three months had passed, and Thea was still lying there, silent and still. With each passing day, I could feel everyone around me slowly giving up hope, resigning themselves to the possibility that she might never wake up from her coma. This helplessness was driving me insane. I, the Alpha of the Ashworth Pack, with power beyond most people’s imagination, couldn’t do a damn thing to help the woman I loved regain consciousness. The irony was fucking cruel.

One month after she was shot, the physicians removed her breathing tube because her lung function had recovered fairly well. They even moved her to a regular room. We were all hopeful then, thinking she’d open her eyes any day. But days turned into weeks, weeks into an agonizing wait. Now three months had passed, and we were still waiting.

“Do you need me to wait for you, Alpha?” Rayne asked as I prepared to exit the car.

I shook my head. “No, go back. I’ll contact you when I’m done.”

Pushing through the heavy glass doors of the hospital, I was greeted by the now-familiar scent of antiseptic. I’d been here almost every day for the past three months, and the staff only nodded in acknowledgment as I walked by. They all knew why I was here.

Lately, my body and mind had been teetering on the edge of collapse. At night, endless thoughts tormented me, making sleep impossible. I either stared at the ceiling until dawn or buried myself in work trying to forget the pain, though neither method was particularly effective.

Leo had moved back to my mansion. After school, he’d come straight to the hospital to visit his mother and his newborn sister. I could see how all of this was slowly draining the life out of the little guy, but I knew things would only improve once Thea and Phoenix left the hospital.

I’d visit Phoenix first, then go to Thea’s room. Over the past few months, the little girl had completely won my heart. Her resilience and strength in overcoming challenges reminded me of her mother.

“You’re here, Alpha Ashworth,” the nurse said when she saw me, immediately setting aside her work. “Let me get our little princess ready for you.”

Phoenix had been out of the incubator for a week now. The physicians said her vital signs were stable and she was completely out of danger. Since her development had caught up to that of full-term pups, she no longer needed to stay in the special care unit.

Moments later, the nurse carefully placed Phoenix in my arms.

“Hey, little princess,” I said softly, feeling the darkness inside me recede a bit. “How’s your day been?”

I cradled her against my chest, gently rocking her. She didn’t cry, just stared up at me with those bright black eyes. She looked exactly like Thea, but those eyes were clearly Kane’s. Without a doubt, she’d grow up to be a beauty that would capture the hearts of all werewolves.

When I gently stroked her cheek with my finger, her tiny hand suddenly grabbed it with surprising strength. I couldn’t help but smile. Besides Leo, she had become the person I most looked forward to seeing each day. Though she wasn’t my flesh and blood, in my heart, she was my daughter. That feeling couldn’t be changed or explained.

“Alpha, it’s time for her bath,” the nurse reminded me.

I glanced up at the wall clock, suddenly realizing nearly forty minutes had passed. Time always flew when I was with Phoenix, making me forget everything about the outside world.

I let the nurse take her. This was usually the hardest fucking part. Letting her go.

“I’ll come back to say goodbye to her after I see Thea,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

The nurse nodded and turned away with Phoenix. I stood there watching them go, feeling the heaviness return to my heart.

Just as I was about to leave, a female physician intercepted me.

“Alpha Ashworth, could I have a few minutes of your time? There’s something we need to discuss,” her tone was gentle but her gaze determined.

This physician appeared to be about my mother’s age, with an aura that naturally put people at ease.

“Of course, what is it?”

She took a deep breath. “It’s about Phoenix. As you know, she reached normal developmental levels a week ago, and she’s healthy with no more health risks. We need to discharge her…