I held my mother's ice-cold hand, unable to stop the tears streaming down my face.
In the reflection of the carriage mirror, Kael drove with an expressionless face.
Morwenna was already counting heads.
"Twenty wolves in the pack. Five thousand resource shares each..."
Ronan spoke up eagerly.
"Can I get my portion now? I've had my eye on a new communication crystal..."
"What's the rush! We'll claim the full blessing at the Council Hall tomorrow!"
I closed my eyes.
All I could hear was the sound of their scheming.
My mother was rushed into the healing chamber.
My father sat in the corridor, holding Liri close on the stone bench.
The others chattered and laughed among themselves.
Vesper announced loudly.
"I want ceremonial furs—I've been eyeing a set for ages."
Ronan added.
"After the crystal, I can upgrade my hunting gear too."
Morwenna smiled indulgently.
"Fine, all of it is fine!"
At that moment, a healer's assistant approached with parchment.
"Family of Selene Ashvale—we need ten thousand resource shares as a deposit."
I turned to Kael.
"Half of that Moonblessing belongs to me through our mating bond. Transfer ten thousand to me first."
Kael froze.
In Morwenna's calculations, I had never existed at all.
Morwenna overheard and her brow furrowed deeply.
"Your mother's sickness is her own pack's burden. Why should my son pay for it?"
I looked at her coldly.
"So you're denying it now? Earlier you claimed the Moonblessing was shared property of mated pairs! I should receive fifty thousand!"
Morwenna planted her hands on her hips and laughed.
"This was my son's tribute of devotion to me. I've already distributed it."
Of course.
This was exactly the face I'd expected to see.
"Is this what you think too?"
Kael kept his head down, saying nothing.
I fixed my gaze on him.
"Put yourself in my place. If it were your mother lying in that chamber, what would you do?"
He still wouldn't lift his head.
After a long silence, he forced out a single sentence.
"I'm sorry, but I already promised Mother... I can't take it back now."
"Then what about my mother? Just watch her die?"
Kael grimaced.
"Maybe you could ask your birth-pack for help..."
His voice grew smaller and smaller.
"Or use your own savings..."
"What savings do I have?"
I lost control.