Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 185

Bryan's POV

I dragged myself out of the council chamber, my head pounding from the endless back-and-forth of pack matters. For hours, I’d sat through arguments, demands, complaints, and proposed solutions that seemed to go nowhere. My patience was wearing thin, and all I wanted was silence. But as soon as I stepped into the corridor, I caught the hurried footsteps of someone approaching.

“Alpha Bryan!”

It was Henry, my beta, rushing toward me with his usual breathless urgency. My jaw clenched—Henry never ran unless something was dire.

“What now?” I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. “We just finished three hours of meetings, Henry. If you’re about to pile more on my plate—”

He cut me off, eyes wide and frantic. “It’s the border, Alpha. The sickness that’s been spreading in the neighboring packs… it’s here. Our soldiers stationed at the northern edge—they’re dropping fast. Some are delirious, others can’t even move. It’s spreading too quickly.”

I froze, his words settling like lead in my gut.

The plague. I’d heard whispers from allied packs these past weeks, but I’d dismissed it as exaggerated fear-mongering. Wolves were resilient—we healed fast, we endured. But Henry wasn’t the type to exaggerate. If he was panicked, it meant the situation was grave.

I straightened, my voice sharp. “Call the healers. All of them. Now.”

He swallowed hard, shaking his head. “We already did. None of them have the knowledge to treat this. Herbs, salves, incantations—nothing is working. Our wolves are getting worse. Some… some are dying.”

The corridor seemed to spin for a second. I steadied myself with a deep breath. “There must be someone who knows how to fight it. Someone in the region, anyone.”

Henry hesitated, then said the words that made my blood boil. “There is one. Only one healer has the ability to fight this sickness.”

“Then get her!” I snapped, my tone leaving no room for debate.

His eyes darted to the ground, guilt written all over his face. “Alpha… it’s Lisa.”

The name hit me like a slap. For a moment, I thought I’d misheard him. But the shame on his face told me I hadn’t.

Lisa.

The omega girl. The one we sold.

My chest tightened, anger surging immediately—not at the plague, not at the soldiers’ suffering, but at the sound of her name being brought up in my house again.

“Don’t play games with me, Henry,” I growled, my voice dropping to a dangerous low. “Of all the healers in all the territories, you dare stand here and say her?”

He met my eyes reluctantly. “I wouldn’t if it weren’t true. She’s the only one. The other packs that suffered losses—they tried everything. Lisa’s the only healer who has successfully treated those infected. She’s not just capable—she’s necessary.”

My fists curled so tightly that my claws threatened to break skin. That cursed girl. I thought we were done with her the day we rid ourselves of her. A mistake in our ranks, a weakness dressed as an omega. She had no place here. And now, after all these years, her name returned like a ghost.

“She’s no longer of this pack,” I snapped. “She’s not ours to summon. We sold her, remember?”

Before Henry could answer, a soft voice chimed in behind me.

“Sold who?”

I turned sharply. Irene stood there, my Luna, her graceful form framed in the doorway. Her brows furrowed as she looked between Henry and me.

“This isn’t the time,” I said, forcing my voice steady.

Her eyes narrowed. “Answer me, Bryan. Who did you sell?”

Damn Henry—he looked cornered, but Irene was sharp enough to smell hesitation. She stepped forward, arms crossed, waiting.

Henry cleared his throat. “It was Lisa, Luna. The omega. The one we… traded to Alpha Enzo years ago.”

The air thickened instantly. Irene’s lips parted in shock, then twisted into disbelief. “Wait… Lisa? You mean the same Lisa who worked in our kitchens? The one you said was nothing more than a burden?”

I felt the sting of her words, but I kept my expression hard. “Yes. That one.”

Her voice rose, incredulous. “The same one you assured me wouldn’t matter if she left? The girl you claimed had no use to us? And now you’re telling me she’s the only healer who can stop this plague from killing our wolves?”

Henry lowered his gaze, confirming silently.

Irene’s eyes snapped back to me, blazing with fury. “Bryan, is this true?”

My teeth clenched. “Yes, it’s true,” I bit out. “But don’t twist this. Back then, she was nothing. An omega with a weak presence, no strength, no standing. What was I supposed to see in her?”

Her voice trembled with restrained anger. “You were supposed to see her worth as a wolf under your care! Instead, you bartered her away like she was nothing more than currency for your games.”

Her words cut deep, sharper than I expected. But I forced myself to keep control. “Irene, don’t—”

“Don’t what?” she snapped, stepping closer. “Don’t remind you of the choices you made? Of the way you treated her? You sold her like she wasn’t one of us, Bryan. And now? Now you want her back because suddenly she’s useful to you?”

The corridor felt suffocating, my wolf pushing against my skin, agitated by the accusation in her tone.

“She belongs to Enzo now,” I growled, the name bitter on my tongue. “And that’s where she’ll stay. I’ll not crawl to him—or to her.”

Henry’s voice broke through the tension, hesitant but firm. “With all respect, Alpha… if we don’t reach out, more soldiers will die. It’s already spreading faster than we imagined. This isn’t about pride—it’s about survival. And if Lisa is the only one who can stop it…”

“Silence,” I snapped, the command in my voice laced with Alpha dominance. He flinched but stood his ground.

Irene didn’t flinch at all. She lifted her chin, fire in her eyes. “Your pride will be the death of this pack, Bryan. You’d rather watch your wolves suffer than admit you were wrong about that girl?”

I opened my mouth, but the words stuck in my throat. Rage swirled with something I refused to name—shame, regret, guilt. No. I wouldn’t allow it.

“I said enough,” I barked. “We’ll find another way. I won’t have that girl dragged back into my territory. Not now. Not ever.”

But even as the words left my lips, I saw the doubt flash across Henry’s face, the disappointment cloud Irene’s eyes. And deep in my chest, my wolf shifted uneasily, as if even he knew that denial would not hold for long.