Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 198

Lisa's POV

I shut the door to my room behind me and let my back rest against it for a moment, breathing slowly, as if the wood itself could hold me up. The weight of what I had just agreed to pressed hard against my chest. I was going to leave with Bryan and Henry. I was going to walk into the very place that had once broken me. My mind was already screaming, but my body had its own betrayal to make.

I dragged myself toward the washroom, every step heavy, every breath sharp. My hands trembled as I pulled at my clothes and stepped into the shower. The water hit my skin, warm at first, then scalding, then numb. I braced my palms against the tiled wall and leaned forward, letting the spray soak me through, trying to wash away the taste of blood still lingering in my mouth.

But the ache inside me was too deep to be rinsed away.

The first heave came suddenly. My stomach twisted violently, and I barely managed to lean forward before blood spilled from my lips, splattering against the floor of the shower. I gripped the wall, my nails scratching over the tiles, my knees almost buckling as the wave came again. More blood. Thick, metallic, endless.

I gasped for air, water and tears mixing across my face, the copper taste choking me. My whole body trembled as though the life was being wrung out of me.

This was the cost.

Every time I saved a life, every time I pulled someone back from the jaws of death, I paid the price with my own. My gift wasn’t free. It drained me, piece by piece, pulling me closer to my own end each time I used it. And tonight, I had used too much. Far too much.

I pressed my forehead to the cool tile, trying to ground myself, to steady the spinning world. I couldn’t let anyone see. Not Enzo, not Ash, not Kael, not Atlas. If they knew, they’d lock me away. They’d never let me step foot in Bryan’s pack. And as much as it terrified me, I knew I had to go. I had to heal Baron. I had to save those lives.

After a long while, the retching stopped, though the ache in my chest still pulsed like fire. I let the water run over me until the crimson swirls faded down the drain. By the time I shut it off, my body was weak, trembling, but I forced myself to move.

I dried myself, dressed in fresh clothes, and stood in front of the mirror. My reflection stared back—too pale, shadows under my eyes, lips colorless. I pressed my fingers to my cheeks, then pinched lightly, forcing color back. I braided my hair, smoothing it down even though my hands shook.

I couldn’t let them see me like this.

When I stepped out of the washroom, the quiet of the room felt louder than the roar of the battlefield. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I wanted nothing more than to curl into bed and close my eyes. But I couldn’t. There were four small hearts waiting for me, four small faces I couldn’t leave without holding close.

I made my way down the hall to the children’s room.

The moment I pushed open the door, Elias looked up from the floor where he was building something with wooden blocks. Aria was curled on the bed with Lyra, whispering secrets that made them giggle. Kael, my little namesake, was drawing on scraps of parchment, his tongue peeking from between his teeth in concentration.

“Mommy,” Elias said, his eyes lighting up. The blocks scattered as he ran to me, his arms wrapping tight around my waist. The others followed quickly, all four pressing against me, warm and alive, grounding me when everything else felt like it was slipping away.

I bent to my knees, hugging them all tightly, breathing them in. Their scents, their warmth, their little hands clutching me—it all made the ache in my chest both worse and better at once.

“My loves,” I whispered, kissing the tops of their heads one by one. “I need you to be brave for me.”

Aria tilted her head up, her big eyes full of curiosity. “Where are you going, Mommy?”

My throat tightened, but I forced a soft smile. “I have to help someone who is very sick. It won’t be for long. But while I’m gone, I need you to listen. Behave. Be good for your daddies. Promise me.”

Lyra frowned, her little hand gripping my wrist. “But we don’t want you to go. Can’t someone else help?”

I swallowed hard, brushing her hair back gently. “No, sweetheart. This is something only I can do. But I promise I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

Kael set down his parchment, his small face serious in a way that mirrored his namesake’s too much. “We’ll protect each other. We’ll wait for you, Mommy.”

Tears stung my eyes as I hugged them tighter, pressing my face into their hair. “That’s my brave ones. I love you so much. More than anything in this world.”

They clung to me for a while longer, until I finally stood, brushing away the wetness at the corner of my eyes before they could notice.

I couldn’t linger. If I stayed too long, I’d never be able to walk out that door.

I kissed them each again, whispered my love, and then turned away, my heart heavy as their voices called after me.

From there, I made my way to the infirmary. The smell of herbs and blood greeted me the moment I stepped inside. Mira glanced up sharply from her table when she saw me. “You should be resting.”

“I don’t have that luxury,” I replied quietly, moving to the shelves. “I’m leaving with Bryan, but I can’t go without preparing something for the soldiers first. They’ll need more than just my healing.”

Mira hesitated, then nodded, her hands already reaching to help as I pulled jars and dried leaves from their places.

Together, we worked quickly. I crushed roots, ground herbs, mixed powders into liquids that turned bitter and strong. My hands moved automatically, though every motion sent a pulse of exhaustion through me. I ignored it. I had to.

“These will sustain them,” I murmured as I poured a thick mixture into small vials. “Not a cure. But they’ll strengthen the body enough to fight longer. It will buy time, at least until I return.”

Mira frowned, her sharp eyes narrowing as she studied me. “You’re paler than the dead, Lisa. Don’t think I don’t see it. You’re pushing yourself too far.”

I met her gaze, steady. “I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” she snapped quietly, but her hands didn’t stop working with mine.

When the medicines were finally bottled and labeled, I lined them neatly on the counter, exhaling slowly. My body was screaming at me to stop, to rest, to collapse into the nearest bed. But there was no time. Bryan was waiting.

I straightened, forcing my spine tall even though my legs trembled. I picked up the first crate of vials, ignoring the strain in my arms. Mira moved as if to take it from me, but I shook my head. “I’ve got it. Thank you, Mira.”

She pressed her lips into a thin line, then nodded. “Come back alive, Lisa. You’re worth more than they deserve.”

Her words nearly broke me, but I gave no reply as I turned and walked out.

The night air bit at my skin as I crossed the courtyard toward where Bryan and Henry waited with their horses. Enzo, Ash, Kael, and Atlas stood a few steps back, watching with unreadable expressions. Their gazes were daggers, their bodies tense. I didn’t look at them for too long—I couldn’t.

Bryan stepped forward as I approached, his posture rigid but his voice low. “Are you ready?”

I gave a small nod. “I’ve prepared medicines for the soldiers here. They should last until I return.”

Henry reached for the crate, taking it from me without a word, and placed it on one of the horses.

I drew in a breath, steadying myself. My chest still ached, the memory of the blood in the shower lingering like a cruel reminder of my limits. But I held my head high. None of them could know.

“Then let’s go,” Bryan said.

I turned once more, my eyes finding my children’s window in the distance. A faint light flickered there, and I imagined their little faces pressed to the glass, watching me. My throat tightened, but I forced a small smile and gave a soft wave before I mounted the horse.

I would come back. I had to.

For them.

For all of them.