My knuckles turned white as I clutched Violet's urn. The cold ceramic pressed against my chest, a poor substitute for the warm little body I'd held just days before. The antiseptic smell of the Silvercrest Pack Medical Den burned my nostrils as I marched toward Dr. Wesley Harris's office.
After Julian left to comfort Isabelle, I'd made my decision. I needed answers.
Dr. Harris flinched when I burst through his door without knocking. His eyes darted to the urn in my arms, then quickly away.
"Luna Aurelia, I wasn't expecting you." He shuffled papers on his desk nervously.
"Clearly." My voice sounded foreign to my own ears—hard and brittle. "I want the truth about my daughter's donor kidney."
He adjusted his glasses. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"Three days ago, you told me a compatible donor had been found for Violet. Then suddenly, the surgery was canceled." I stepped closer. "What happened to that kidney, Dr. Harris?"
Sweat beaded on his forehead. "Sometimes these things fall through. Compatibility issues arise at the last minute."
"Liar." The word shot from my lips like a bullet.
His eyes widened. "Luna Aurelia, please—"
"My daughter is dead!" I slammed my palm on his desk. "She died waiting for a kidney you promised her."
Dr. Harris stood abruptly. "I'm very sorry for your loss, but there's nothing more to discuss."
"The kidney went to someone else, didn't it? Someone more important than my daughter."
His silence was all the confirmation I needed.
"Who?" I demanded, leaning across his desk. "Tell me who received my daughter's kidney!"
"I'm bound by patient confidentiality," he stammered. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have appointments."
As he tried to squeeze past me, I grabbed his arm. "Was it Isabelle? Did Natalie somehow convince you to redirect my daughter's kidney to her child?"
The flash of panic in his eyes told me everything.
"Luna Aurelia!" A nurse appeared at the doorway. "Alpha King Julian is in the lobby with Ms. Beaumont and her daughter. They're asking for you."
My blood turned to ice.
***
Julian's POV
"Does it hurt anymore, princess?" I asked, carefully adjusting Isabelle's position on the examination table.
She shook her head bravely, her blonde curls bouncing. "Not as much as yesterday, Daddy."
My chest swelled with pride at her strength. Natalie beamed beside me, her hand resting possessively on my arm.
"She's recovering remarkably well," Natalie said. "The doctors say it's the fastest recovery they've ever seen for a transplant."
I nodded, relief washing over me. When Natalie had told me about Isabelle's kidney condition, I'd moved mountains to help. The poor child had suffered enough after losing her father.
The door opened, and Dr. Harris entered, looking flustered.
"Is everything alright, doctor?" I asked.
"Yes, Alpha King. Just a... difficult patient earlier." He forced a smile. "Let's check on our brave little patient, shall we?"
As he examined Isabelle, my thoughts drifted to Aurelia's bizarre behavior this morning. Claiming Violet was dead, showing me some urn... She must have finally snapped under the pressure of Violet's illness.
I would deal with her later. Right now, Isabelle needed me.
"All done!" Dr. Harris announced. "She's healing perfectly."
"Daddy, can we get ice cream now?" Isabelle asked, her blue eyes—so like her mother's—wide and hopeful.
"Of course, princess. Anything you want."
As we walked toward the lobby, Natalie squeezed my arm. "You're so good with her, Julian. She needs a father figure."
I smiled down at her. Natalie had always been my true mate in my heart, even if fate had tied me to Aurelia through that unexpected pregnancy five years ago.
"Julian," Natalie whispered urgently, "isn't that your mate?"
I looked up to see Aurelia standing in the lobby, clutching that ridiculous urn. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her chestnut hair disheveled. She looked wild, unhinged even.
Great. Just what we needed.
***
Aurelia's POV
The lobby fell silent as I approached Julian, Natalie, and Isabelle. My grief-numbed brain registered details with painful clarity: Isabelle's careful, measured steps. The slight bulge of bandages beneath her designer dress. The triumphant gleam in Natalie's eyes.
And Julian—my mate, Violet's father—his hand protectively on Isabelle's shoulder.
"Aurelia," Julian acknowledged me coldly. "We need to talk about your behavior this morning."
I ignored him, my eyes locked on Isabelle. "How are you feeling after your surgery, Isabelle?"
The little girl glanced up at her mother before answering. "Better. The doctors fixed me."
"They did, didn't they?" I stepped closer. "What a miracle that they found you a perfectly compatible kidney so quickly."
Natalie's smile tightened. "We were blessed. The Moon Goddess provides for the deserving."
The implication that my Violet wasn't deserving hit me like a physical blow.
"Strange timing," I said quietly. "My daughter was promised a compatible kidney last week. Then suddenly, it wasn't available. And now she's dead."
Julian's expression darkened. "Enough, Aurelia. Stop this nonsense."
"Nonsense?" My voice rose. "Our daughter is DEAD, Julian!"
Heads turned throughout the lobby. Nurses froze. A security guard took a hesitant step forward.
"Lower your voice," Julian hissed. "You're making a scene."
Natalie stepped between us, her perfect features arranged in mock sympathy. "Aurelia, dear, grief can make us imagine terrible things. Perhaps you should rest."
I clutched Violet's urn tighter. "Did you know they were supposed to be the same blood type? Violet and Isabelle? What a coincidence."
Natalie's smile didn't waver, but her eyes hardened. "Are you accusing me of something?"
"I'm asking why my daughter didn't receive her kidney."
"Because she was weak," Natalie whispered, leaning close so only I could hear. "Too weak to survive anyway. Why waste a perfectly good kidney on a dying child when my Isabelle could use it to thrive?"
The world went red.
My hand moved before I could think, cracking across Natalie's perfect face. Once. Twice. Three times in rapid succession.
Natalie screamed, stumbling backward. Blood trickled from her split lip.
"You evil bitch!" I screamed, lunging for her again.
Strong arms locked around me from behind. Julian's scent enveloped me as he yanked me away.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" he roared, his Alpha voice reverberating through the lobby.
I struggled against his grip, tears streaming down my face. "She killed our daughter! She took Violet's kidney for Isabelle!"
Julian shook me roughly. "Stop it! Violet isn't dead! This delusion has gone too far!"
Natalie cowered dramatically, pulling Isabelle against her. "Julian, she's dangerous! She's threatening my child now!"
I went limp in Julian's arms, the fight draining from me. "You still don't believe me, do you?" I whispered. "Even now."
Julian's grip tightened painfully. "Enough, Aurelia. I'm taking you home before you hurt someone else."
As he dragged me toward the exit, I clutched Violet's urn to my chest and made a silent vow. If Julian wouldn't help me get justice for our daughter, I would find it myself—no matter the cost.