CHAPTER 34: THE MYSTERIOUS HEALER.

The air in the hideout was heavy with tension.

Bella lay still, her face pale against the worn leather couch, wrapped in a gray blanket that kept her warm. The purple bruise at her temple was darker now, angry and swollen.

A bowl of water sat by her side, and the cloth Luca had used to mop her forehead was soaked through. Her breathing was still shallow.

Luca hadn’t moved from her side. He sat hunched over, one hand running through his dark, tangled hair, the other clutching Bella’s tightly, as if willing his strength into her.

The three boys were fully dressed now.

Cassian paced the corner, his hands running through his hair in frustration. "We should have taken her to the infirmary," he muttered under his breath. "She needs real care. A healer. Not this... waiting. This is wasting time we don’t even have."

Killian sat on the floor with his back to the wall, his hands dangling between his knees. He hadn’t spoken for a while, his expression remained blank. The shame he felt was loud.

"I told you," Luca said firmly, never looking up at them. "We don’t need the infirmary."

"She’s fading, Luca. Look at her! I can barely feel her pulse."

"I said she doesn’t need the infirmary." Luca’s voice was sharp now. His eyes rose slowly to meet Cassian’s. "Rafe is here."

Cassian blinked. "And what does that have to do with Bella needing actual help?"

Rafe stepped forward quietly. "He means... I can help her."

Cassian let out a short laughter. "’He means... I can help her,’" he mockingly repeated.

Killian narrowed his eyes. "Rafe, what are you talking about?"

Rafe glanced at Luca, and they exchanged a look. Something passed between them, a silent understanding.

"I’m a healer," Rafe said softly. "A magical healer."

Cassian stopped pacing. With all traces of laughter disappearing, he became dead serious. "You’re joking."

"No."

Killian blinked. "Since when the hell were you a healer?"

Luca didn’t react. He just murmured, "I told you to stop fussing."

Cassian took a step forward, eyebrows raised. "Luca knew?"

"I’ve always known," Luca said, eyes still on Bella. "He’s helped me before."

Killian frowned. "You’re a healer. Why didn’t we know about this? You’re part of our pack, we’ve trained together for years. You never said anything to us. Or Cassian and I aren’t worthy of that information?"

Rafe gave a small shrug. "That’s not it and you know that"

"Know what?" Killian asked angrily. "How am I supposed to know why you’ve been a healer for all these years and said nothing? I had that injury months ago and I was writhing away in the school’s infirmary. Receiving that poor ass treatment.

My wound took months to heal, yet you came to see me everyday, and you could do something about it but chose not to?"

Feeling the tension growing in the room, Cassian spoke up, "Guys! Please not again. I think I’ve fought enough for a lifetime today, I can’t stand another.

"In my defence," Rafe explained, "I couldn’t do anything for you anymore since you were already taken to the infirmary. The nurses would have noticed the instant healing. I couldn’t risk them finding out about me. If only I’d known about your injury before you got to the infirmary.

I didn’t want to be seen as a tool. If the school finds out about my powers...

This healing power is sacred. It’s not something I would want to waste on casual fights or mere wounds.

But this..." He knelt beside Bella. "This is different. I can take the damage... move it out of her body. But it takes a toll."

Luca nodded. "Do it."

Rafe didn’t hesitate. He took Bella’s other hand, gently pressing two fingers against her wrist, just beneath the faint crescent mark. He closed his eyes. His breathing slowed.

For a long moment, nothing happened.

Then a soft, golden glow began to pulse from beneath his palm, it was faint at first, then steadily growing, spilling like warm sunlight onto Bella’s skin.

Killian watched him, his jaw dropping open in disbelief. He stepped back. "Holy sh—"

Cassian stared. "What kind of magic is that?"

"Shh," Rafe said, eyes closed. "Let me concentrate."

Bella’s skin started to warm slightly, the pale sheen fading slowly. Rafe’s lips moved in a whisper, but no one could hear the words.

Cassian leaned forward, his eyes growing wide like saucers. "I thought only ancient wolves from the Silver bloodlines had healing gifts like this?"

"Other bloodlines do," Luca said. "It’s just rare. And Rafe doesn’t advertise his."

Rafe didn’t respond. He was fully focused now, his entire body tense with effort. The glow pulsed faster, and then slowly, it began to dim again.

He furrowed his brow, sweat forming across his forehead. His hand trembled, then slowly, the light brightened again. Bella’s body jerked once. Her lips parted slightly, a soft whimper leaving her throat.

Soft color returned to her lips.

Rafe finally opened his eyes and let out a slow breath. "She’ll wake up soon. But she’ll be weak for a while. The blow wasn’t fatal, but her body’s drained from the mark’s energy pulsing for long."

He stood up slowly and wiped his palms on his jeans.

Luca squeezed her hand gently. "She’s okay?"

"She will be," Rafe replied. "Give her a few minutes. Don’t rush her. Her system is still rebooting from... all of this."

"I didn’t know we had a literal healer in our group," Cassian muttered. "We’ve been dragging ourselves to the school nurse like idiots."

He sat down heavily in the nearest chair. "Unbelievable. So it took Bella’s near death experience for us to find out you had healing powers?"

Rafe raised a brow. "What do you want me to do, walk around with glowing hands and healing every wounded thing that comes my way?"

Killian exhaled and leaned his head back against the wall. "I thought I’d seen everything."

There was a quiet moment.

Then Bella stirred.

Luca jolted. "Bella?"

Her fingers twitched in his hand. Her brows pulled together slightly but her eyelids were still closed.

Luca leaned closer, both hands cupping her face. "Come on... come on, Bella..."

A soft moan escaped her lips, before her eyelids fluttered open.

Barely.

Just slits of sharp green.

She blinked slowly, trying to recognise where she was.

"...Luca?" Her voice was a rasp, hoarse and cracked.

"I’m here," he said, nodding. "I’m right here."

Killian let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Cassian slumped back into a chair, rubbing a hand over his face.

She blinked at the ceiling for a few seconds.

Luca smiled softly at her. "Hey. You’re okay now, You’re safe."

Bella swallowed, her gaze darting weakly between the four boys. Her eyebrows drew together, confused.

Her voice was dry and barely audible. "What... what happened?"

Cassian stood. "You fainted. After the uhhh... after the fight."

"I saw..." she stopped, her throat dry. "You were..."

"Wolves," she finished after a pause.

The room went still.

No one answered her.

She looked at them again, slower this time. Her vision clearer now. She saw Cassian’s bruised face, Killian’s bitten shoulder, Rafe’s trembling hands.

And Luca.

"I wasn’t dreaming," she said. "I saw you."

No one denied it.

Luca sighed and brushed a damp strand of hair from her face. "We were going to tell you. I didn’t want you to find out like this."

Her fingers curled slightly on his arm. "You fought like animals. Wolves... you were wolves."

Rafe stepped closer. "Yes. You weren’t hallucinating. That was real."

She turned her head slightly, eyes landing on Killian. His face was pale. "You hit me," she whispered.

"I didn’t know you were there, it’s my fault," Killian said quickly, his voice etched with guilt. "Bella, I didn’t see you. I would never—"

"I know," she said softly.

He paused.

"I don’t care about that right now."

She looked at Rafe.

"You... healed me."

He nodded. "Yeah."

"That’s not just werewolf magic."

"No," Rafe said. "It’s a little different... older."

She turned her head back toward Luca. "You’re a... werewolf."

"Bella, I know I didn’t tell you," he said. "I didn’t want you to be afraid of me."

"I’m not afraid of you." Her voice cracked. "I just don’t know what’s real anymore." A tear slipped down her cheeks.

He touched her cheek gently. "Please don’t cry. I promise you, this is real."

She turned her head to the wall as her eyes began to drift shut again.

Luca leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Rest now. We’ll talk when you’re stronger."

She didn’t respond.

She was already asleep.

Cassian stood up. "We should let her rest. One of us stays here to watch her. The rest.. clean up the garden."

Luca didn’t move. "I’m not leaving her."

"No one’s asking you to."

Killian looked over at Rafe. "Thank you. For... healing her."

Rafe gave a tired smile. "Yeah. Just don’t ask me to do it every time you fight."

Cassian pulled open the hideout door. "Come on. Let’s go."

Rafe and Killian followed him out, casting one last glance at Bella before they slipped into the corridor.

Luca stayed.

He sat beside her, their fingers still loosely intertwined, his eyes not leaving her face.

"Even if you hate me after this," he whispered, "I’ll still choose you."

Then he leaned back in the chair and watched her, as the first light of dawn crept through the slats in the windows.

He hated himself a little more with each breath she took.