Celia was affected as she was never before. His words made her heart tremble and his warm touch sent shivers through her entire being. She was shaken to the core.

He still had his forehead touching hers, but he did not say more for fear of being rejected.

"Your highness, I cannot..." She tried to say. She was still trying to resist his advances. She was scared to love someone else, she had loved before even though not in the same way, and it had only left her bitterly disappointed. Her family had left her scarred. He was different from her family, that she knew, but mentally, in her subconscious, she was reticent of trying.

"Knock! Knock!"

Someone interrupted and so Celia did not finish what she was about to say.

In a way it was fortunate for Salas, at least that what his raging heart told him. Perhaps he had pushed her too much and he would only be rejected, she was about to say she could not...

"Please just think about it. I do not need an answer now. I will wait longer, so please consider it properly!" Salas pleaded, then finally removed his forehead and walked to an appropriate distance away.

"Come in!" He said louder.

"Your highness, there are problems! There are rogues attacking our borders!" His beta Micah informed.

He could tell that his highness had left the ballroom with Celia, and he knew from their smell that both of them were inside his office, but it had been decades since the last time rogues attacked. To have such courage, something was amiss. So he was forced to inform him, he could not make decisions on his own.

"Rogues?" Salas asked frowning, things were getting out of hand. The previous investigations had not produced any leads so far. First hunters and now rogues were attacking.

There was certainly a connection between the two.

"I understand." He replied to Micah, and then looked towards Celia. The latter was agitated because of their conversation, but she was now also thinking of the rogues.

"I will go now. We will discuss more tomorrow. Even if you wish to go back to the Academy, with rogues attacking, I cannot let you leave. It is not safe. Please at least obey me on this!" Salas said gently.

Celia nodded, he had said to obey him, but she could tell it was a request not an order. So of course she would not be stubborn about it.

"Let's go!" Salas ordered Micah, after glancing one more time at Celia.

"Are you sure of this doctor?" Gabriel asked agitated, trying to keep his wolf from getting out of control.

"Yes, I am certain!" Quickly replied the young doctor, who was also trying to keep calm.

After treating Celia last time, his aptitude and knowledge impressed Salas, so he was now a chief doctor and thus the one in charge of the current patient.

"The concentration and the chemical analysis we did, confirmed it without doubt. It is the same wolfsbane!" The doctor continued explaining.

Gabriel was baffled, how would rogues possess weapons that hunters owned? And not only that, the wolfsbane in them was the same one that the hunters used on Celia, it had the same toxicity.

He slowly massaged his temples and sighed. Anyway it was not the most pressing matter, the current issue was vital. Anything else, they could figure out afterwards.

"How is he? Has the regeneration kicked in yet?" Gabriel asked worried, if it was the same wolfsbane than it meant his life was in jeopardy.

"No, the wolfsbane prevents the regeneration from happening. It attacks his system too fiercely for it to start on its own!" The doctor said truly worried.

"Then do what you did in Celia's case, treat it how you did in the alpha's case!" Gabriel immediately reasoned, remembering her recovery.

"I cannot help him like I did for the miss!" The doctor explained a bit, but could not say more even if he wanted too.

"Why?" Gabriel inquired frowning. If it worked for Celia, why wouldn't it also work for his highness?

"I cannot say it!" The doctor firmly refused.

"What do you mean you can't say it? Do you realize who you have to treat? No one is more important than his highness. He is our pillar, our highest ranked werewolf!" Gabriel said, not understanding his reasons.

The last time when Celia was hurt, it was Salas who helped her. Although he did not understand exactly how, but he knew for certain that he had found her in the forest and he also participated in her treatment, because for several days after he felt sluggish and out of breath. This was after he talked to him in the hospital, so it was clear that he helped. Why wasn't it possible for him to be treated as well now, unless ...

"Is it a higher ranked werewolf's command?" Gabriel asked, realizing something. His highness must have done something to help Celia which was related to her rank. He asked him, at that time, her rank and it did seem to have something to do with the treatment.

His highness kept Celia's rank a secret, but for the doctors to keep the secret also, a higher ranked werewolf's command was necessary. One could not know if they kept the patient doctor confidentiality, what if there were traitors amongst them.

The doctor only nodded, but did not verbally reply.

Having the confirmation, Gabriel turned around and rushed towards the door of the doctor's office.

"Where are you going?" The doctor asked concerned. He was still unable to help the king without mentioning the treatment, so he was at an impasse.

"I am going to go find someone to override that command!" Gabriel replied and did not stay to talk further. Every minute depended on that person, there was no time to waste.

The doctor was bewildered, who could override the king's command? It couldn't be the alpha, right? But she indeed received help from his highness last time, so she was most likely the same rank. If it was her, than perhaps he could say the treatment he had to do and also ask for her help.

***

It was late at night, or better said early in the morning, when Celia was woken up by the persistent knocking on the door.

Well not woken up per se, as she had quite some trouble falling asleep in the first place. Better said she was in the middle of trying to sleep, but was plagued by nightmares the moment she finally managed to shut her eyes. She had felt like something truly terrible was happening.

So the noise in front of her door, was in a way a confirmation of her fears.

At this hour, for someone to look for her, it was surely not good. She swiftly got out of bed and opened the door without delay. This was the royal palace, so she opened the door without worry, this was the most secure place. No stranger could enter uninvited.

"Yes?" She quickly said, as she opened the door.

"Celia, I need your help for something, right at this moment. Your presence is vital, can you come with me?" Gabriel asked her succinctly. He felt he did not even have time to stay and explain what they needed to do. He would talk later, once they would be in the presence of the doctor.

She could see the worry in his eyes. Could something have happened because of the rogues?

"Of course!" She immediately answered. She did not question him, he was an important person in the kingdom. If he came for her it was something urgent.

Out of worry, she did not change even the pajamas she was wearing, only took an overcoat. Even her fluffy indoor slippers she did not change for regular shoes. Gabriel also did not comment on her choice of clothing, it was clear that no second could be wasted.

Celia's heart started to beat faster, from the moment she saw the hospital in front of her eyes. It kept getting louder and louder, up until she arrived at the doctor's office. In a corner of her heart, she feared the worst.

"Celia, I need doctor Young to treat his highness, as he was severely injured in the rogues' attack tonight. But the doctor can't help his highness unless a higher ranked werewolf rescinds the order his highness has placed on him." Gabriel explained quickly.

Celia looked at Gabriel then to the young doctor he was pointing to. Her eyes were filled with worry, hearing of his highness.

"How-w? He is the strongest of all of us!" Celia replied worried.

"I know he is, but the rogues had weapons used by hunters. This has never happened before, so we were not properly prepared.

The problem is his highness was hit with wolfsbane bullets, just like you were several weeks ago. He helped you then in some way, but he has placed an order on the doctors, so they cannot help him how they helped you then.

The only way for us to know, what they did back then, is for doctor Young to be given permission!" Gabriel said, he was also under a higher ranking werewolf's order, so could not expressly say for her to rescind the order, he could only insinuate it.

"" Celia said not asking for more explanations, using her alpha voice. She was deeply concerned to know the severity of his highness's injuries, but it was more important to act fast rather than find other details, for the time being.

Having gained her consent, the doctor started to explain her previous treatment.

His highness had risked his life to save hers, the treatment the doctors did implied a transfusion between two werewolves of the same rank. The shared blood halved the burden on one body suffering from wolfsbane and thus allowing its own regeneration to start.

It was not in any way a risk free solution, on the contrary, it could have killed him. The wolfsbane in her system was capable of killing several normal werewolves.

As Gabriel explained, his highness was quite lethargic for several days because of the treatment. It was such a dangerous way that the doctors had previously tried to discourage his highness from doing it himself. But he did, regardless of his own life.

He demonstrated his love through actions, without trying to gain anything from her. If not for the current situation, she doubted she would have ever found out. He had prohibited anyone from speaking of it after all. He never even mentioned to her the fact that she lied about the existence of her two wolves, or the fact that her rank in the documents was a false one. He had maintained the lie for her.

He was also so worried about her that, even though he was suffering from the wolfsbane in his body, he still visited her every day and stayed with her for several hours, each day.

Touching his white pale face that did not react to her touch, her heart felt heavy. Big teardrops were flowing from her eyes, seeing his condition. The strongest of werewolves was so frail in her eyes right now, that she could barely control her trembling.

Waiting in his room for the doctors to start their treatment, as she gave her consent to them to perform the same procedure, she was remembering the brief conversation she had with Gabriel, after the doctor went to gather the other doctors.

" "Celia, do you know? Even the previous queen did not hold the same rank as his highness's father. But, unexpectedly, you do. You have the same rank as our king. That particular fact and the fact that his highness fell in love with you at first sight, what do you think it means?" Gabriel asked her seriously.

"Ehhh, why are you asking me this and why now?" Celia asked surprised. She did not understand why Gabriel talked about this with her, especially now when his highness was injured. She was also embarrassed that he knew of his highness's feelings towards her.

"You are a smart person, but quite naïve and foolish, in regards to his highness ... or perhaps you are trying to be. Do you not think you could be his highness's mate?" Gabriel asked, still maintaining his serious face.

"But teacher, I already have a mate!" Celia replied confused.

"You have one? Who?" Gabriel asked surprised.

"It does not matter who, as I have already rejected him, but the fact remains I can't have another one. A werewolf has only one mate for life!"

"Yes that's true, a normal werewolf indeed has only one, but you are not a normal werewolf, are you?" Gabriel rhetorically asked her, looking straight into her eyes.

"And let me ask another question. Did both of your wolves suffer when you rejected your mate?"

The question left her thinking, only Crescent at that time reacted to her mate, but Waning did not. She had thought that Waning was probably also suffering, but Waning never mentioned it expressly.

"I can see that you realized something, am I right? In fact only your fourth ranked wolf suffered, the first ranked one did not, as your first mate was not hers. What if indeed his highness is also your mate?"

"But Waning has never mentioned it, she would have wanted her mate."

"Celia, since the moment his highness laid eyes on you, he fell in love with you and even his wolf Sky, likes you a lot. His highness mentioned to me before, that they both feel you are their mate, but only your human side. I know that Waning does not come out a lot.

If she never came out when you were with his highness, it is likely that she does not know, or perhaps it could be she has another reason. Now is not the time to ask her, but I am begging you to do so afterwards.

Do you know, Salas is the most skilled warrior, he is the strongest of us all! Even if the wolfsbane was toxic, normally he should have been able to evade the bullets, but he seemed out of focus and disturbed by something since he arrived at the borders. I initially thought it was because of the rogues, that he was upset because of them, but the more I reflect on it, the more I think it is because of you."

Celia knew that before he left, Salas was indeed upset, she was about to reject him."

"Miss Celia we are ready, please lie down on the bed!" The doctors said, interrupting her reminiscence.

Like before she had also gathered the doctors, under Gabriel's advice, and ordered them to not inform anyone of the treatment or the severity of his highness's wounds. No one could know the king was injured, so now in the room only doctors were helping out.

She nodded and listened to their instructions.

Shortly after they connected the intravenous drip to her hand, his blood quickly entered her body, paralyzing it because of the sharp pain. It hurt so much she was about to cry from the agony, but she railed in her instincts and stopped herself from screaming.

Her face was becoming paler and she even felt she was about to faint.

"Should we stop it, Celia? Can you handle it?" Gabriel asked worried, his priority was the king, but Salas's priority was most likely Celia.

If there were irreversible repercussions, Salas would not forgive those who participated in his treatment. Right now he was a peaceful man, albeit a stoic and solemn one, but he knew just how ruthless he was when angry.

"It is alright, I can handle it!" Celia said, through gritted teeth, but she knew it was only the beginning. The more blood passed through her body from him, the likely she was to pass out, or even die.

"" Celia said with difficulty, using her alpha voice. She had to make sure the doctors would continue, even if she passed out.

"Yes!" The doctors replied in unison, showing their neck in submission. They felt from her almost the same pressure they felt from the king.

"Celia, you should not have done that!" Gabriel exclaimed worried, now he could not stop it anymore, if something went wrong.

Celia smiled a little, but she did not say anything. She did not have the strength anymore to speak coherently, she only managed to turn her head towards Salas's bed and look at his pale, bloodless face.

Only hours earlier she had seen that now white face adorned with tinges of red blushes because of her...

Only hours earlier she had seen that same face professing his love towards her...

Only hours earlier she had seen that now silent face shed tears for her...

Only hours earlier she had seen that now expressionless face frightened of her rejection...

Only hours earlier she was about to reject that same face, denying the happiness and future they could have together...

Time was so fleeting, as werewolves they had hundreds of years ahead of them, but she was now certain, looking at his face, that she was facing the possibility of living it without him and she would not be able to. It was better if he was the one alive, rather than her.

"Celia! Celi..." She heard Gabriel shouting, before closing her eyes and passing out.

Desperate and sorrowful cries were heard in complete darkness. In the middle of nowhere, in the darkest of places, the only light that could be distinguished was the silvery white fur of a majestic wolf. She howled in pain with her muzzle turned towards the sky.

She seemed so lonely and powerless, even though there was nothing but strength and royalty emanating from her large body.

It took some time, for Celia to recognize Waning. She was a calm and collected wolf, she was always the mature one out of the three personalities. She was always so beautiful and strong, but now in her large eyes small tear droplets could be found.

"Waning!" Celia called.

It made the wolf stop her cries and look towards her.

"Waning, what happened?" Celia asked worried, she was still confused of why she was in the wolves' place, she did not remember why she was there, but she wanted to comfort Waning first.

"Celia, Sky ... he ..." Waning said using the mind link.

"What about Sky?" Celia asked, with her eyebrows furrowed, she felt that name familiar.

"Sky, my mate, he is suffering ..."

Most of you guys realized this already (about Celia's mate), as I saw in some of the comments ... 🤫, I don't think I hid it that well not that I tried too... it would have been too surprising afterwards, right? 😅 , but anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter 😳 ... and don't forget to vote ✨🌠🌟😁