Luna Thalassa's Awakening

Chapter 8

_Matteo's POV_

My heart quickened as I noticed the sudden distress on Thalassa's face. I tightened my grip on her hand, worry coursing through me like a current. "Thalassa, what's happening? Are you okay?" I asked.

Her response was a pained expression, and she clutched her stomach as if trying to alleviate the discomfort. Concern etched lines on her forehead, and her legs seemed to waver beneath her. Without hesitation, I slid an arm around her waist, supporting her to prevent any chance of her collapsing.

Thalassa's distress escalated. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and her breathing became labored. The weight of worry intensified as she struggled to maintain her composure. It became evident that something was seriously wrong.

In an alarming turn of events, Thalassa's strength gave way, and she fell unconscious in my arms. Panic surged through me, eclipsing any other thought. Swiftly, I gathered her into my arms, cradling her limp form against my chest.

Without a second thought, I rushed towards the pack hospital. I burst through the doors, shouting for immediate assistance. The atmosphere in the hospital was a whirlwind of activity, healers attending to various patients. My eyes scanned the room until they landed on Doctor Kayden, a seasoned healer known for his expertise. He was tall with salt-and-pepper hair, his blue eyes focused and intense as he examined a patient.

Approaching him with urgency, I interrupted, "Doctor Kayden, I need your help. Something's wrong with my mate."

The doctor, immediately recognizing the gravity of the situation, turned to me. "Alpha Matteo, what happened?" he inquired, his voice calm yet filled with the readiness to take charge.

I explained the sudden onset of pain, Thalassa's weakened state, and her subsequent loss of consciousness. Doctor Kayden, his expression growing serious, motioned for me to follow him to an available examination room.

I placed Thalassa on the examination bed and he began a thorough assessment. His skilled hands moved with precision, checking her vitals and running diagnostic spells. The room was filled with an air of tension, and I watched anxiously as he worked to unravel the mystery behind Thalassa's sudden ailment.

After a tense moment, the doctor looked up from his examination. His expression was guarded, and I couldn't shake the gnawing worry that clung to me. "I need to run more tests to determine the cause," he explained, his voice firm. "I'll do everything in my power to figure out what's affecting her. Please, wait outside."

Reluctantly, I stepped out of the examination room, the door closing behind me. The corridor was eerily quiet, and I noticed Kale pacing back and forth along the corridor, anxiety etched on his face. Lucas, on the other hand, sat on a nearby bench, his expression mirroring the concern in the air.

As soon as Kale saw me, he quickened his pace and approached, his eyes wide with worry. "Alpha Matteo, is the Luna going to be okay?" he asked urgently.

I met his gaze, my own concern reflecting in my eyes. "We don't know yet, Kale. Doctor Kayden is running tests to find out what's wrong. We'll have to wait."

I hadn't expected to find my mate under such circumstances. She had told me she was a rogue, but this was evidently a lie. It seemed like she had run away from her pack, but the question lingered—why would she do such a thing? I needed to unravel the mystery surrounding Thalassa's past and understand the circumstances that led her to me.

I turned to Lucas, who was seated nearby, and approached him. "Lucas, I need you to find out which pack Thalassa comes from. Check if there's a missing person complaint from any of the nearby packs," I instructed.

Lucas, ever efficient, nodded in acknowledgment. "I'll get on it right away, Alpha."

As I waited outside the examination room, my thoughts were consumed by the sight of my mate in distress. She looked so young, and it seemed unlikely for someone her age to be facing a serious disease. Yet, the worry gnawed at me, refusing to let go.

She appeared small and fragile in the hospital bed, and an overwhelming desire to protect her at any cost surged within me. My parents had been pestering me lately to take a chosen mate, urging me to settle down. However, I had preferred to wait, scarred by the betrayal of my ex-girlfriend, Rachel, who had cheated on me with my own cousin. That incident had shattered my trust, and I believed I could never enter a romantic relationship again.

Thalassa, however, seemed different. Her aura was pure, and she exuded innocence. In the short time we had spent together, I felt a connection that went beyond the pain of my past. She had a sincerity that resonated with me, and I found myself drawn to her in a way I hadn't anticipated.

The thought of her enduring pain stirred a protective instinct within me. I wanted to be there for her, to shield her from whatever troubles haunted her. The vulnerability she displayed only intensified my determination to ensure her well-being.

As the minutes ticked by, my worry for Thalassa intensified. The pain of my past heartbreak lingered, but her presence had ignited a spark of hope. She seemed genuine, and the connection we shared felt like a beacon in the storm of doubt. I couldn't deny the growing affection I felt for her. My mysterious mate had begun to unravel the walls around my heart.

The minutes dragged on like hours as I anxiously awaited Doctor Kayden's assessment of my mate's condition. When the door finally swung open, I locked eyes with the doctor, searching for any sign, any hint of good or bad news.

His expression, once guarded, softened slightly. "Alpha Matteo, I've conducted thorough tests, and I couldn't find anything serious," he began. A flicker of relief surged within me, but it was short-lived.

He continued, "It appears that she fainted due to fatigue and stress. However, there's something peculiar. I couldn't sense her wolf at all. Are you certain she's a werewolf? It's possible she might be human."

His words struck me like a blow. The revelation that Thalassa might be wolfless, without a werewolf side, sent a ripple of confusion through me. "Human?" I echoed, my mind struggling to grasp the implications.

Doctor Kayden nodded, his expression serious. "Yes, Alpha. It is possible that she is a human. It's a rare occurrence, but there are cases of individuals without a wolf despite being born into werewolf packs."

Human? The word echoed in my mind like an unsettling refrain. I couldn't fathom the possibility. Thalassa, my mate, the one I thought to be a werewolf like me, might be human. The very idea seemed inconceivable.

"How could this be possible?" I muttered, the words escaping in a murmur of disbelief. The connection I felt with Thalassa, the pull that drew me to her, was inexplicable if she were truly human.

Doctor Kayden met my gaze with a solemn understanding. "Alpha, while it's uncommon, there have been cases where individuals born into werewolf packs lack the werewolf essence. It's a rare condition, but it does exist."

The weight of the revelation settled over me, casting a shadow on everything I thought I knew. Thalassa's origins, her mysterious past, and now the potential that she might not share the same nature as the rest of the pack—all of it wove into a complex tapestry of questions.

As I grappled with the truth, a storm of conflicting emotions raged within me. How could an alpha like me be mated to a human? The idea of a mate without a wolf felt like a betrayal to the traditions, the expectations placed upon a pack alpha. My parents, the elders, the entire pack—what would they think? How could I explain this?

A human mate was unheard of, an anomaly that would draw the scrutiny and judgment of the entire werewolf community. My parents had been pressuring me to take a chosen mate, but they expected a werewolf, someone who would strengthen our pack with her own lineage. The thought of facing them with the revelation that Thalassa might be human sent a wave of apprehension through me.

The alpha dynamics were intricate, and the image of an alpha with a mate lacking a wolf was unthinkable. It would be seen as a weakness, a flaw that could be exploited by rival packs. The idea of being ridiculed, of having my leadership questioned, fueled my internal turmoil.