340 The Half-Werewolf’s Mother Was Embittered
Sean led the Alpha, the Luna, and Healer Patricia away from the rich neighborhood that was reserved for tourists only.
As there were two sides to every coin, Amaranthus Haven was unable to get rid of the poorer residents completely.
These people lived in narrow alleys where old, dilapidated buildings stood side-by-side. Sean lived in one of these buildings with his mother.
Ronan wrinkled his nose in disgust while he followed the others up a narrow staircase, heading to the third floor.
The staircase creaked dangerously under their weight. He would not at all be surprised when it suddenly crashed.
Once they arrived in front of a white, moldy door, Sean opened the door and let his guests inside.
“Mom!” he shouted while rushing into one of the rooms.
The other three followed him. They soon found themselves in the biggest room of the house, which, according to Ronan, was not even half of his toilet back in the Infinite Eclipse Pack House.
A wooden bed stood in the corner by the window. On top of it was an elder lady with a book in her hands.
.....
“Sean, where did you go?” she furrowed her brows. “Didn’t I tell you to come home directly from the market?”
The woman’s eyes widened in alertness when she saw tall shadows following her son into her bedroom.
“Who???” she snapped.
A few things happened quickly in succession. The elder woman leaped from the bed and pulled Sean toward herself.
Lucien stepped before Healer Patricia with outstretched arms, and Ronan pushed the both of them behind him. Both the Alpha and Sean’s mother assumed a fighting stance and exchanged sharp glares at each other.
The bedroom was quite small so there was not much space between them. They could hear the elder woman’s labored breathing. Despite her indisposed condition, she was still determined to protect her young.
“Leave now if you do not wish to get hurt,” she hissed at Ronan.
“Mom, it’s fine,” Sean said hastily. “They are here to help. I asked them to come.”
The elder woman slowly turned her head and gave her son a cold stare.
“Sean, are you stupid???” she shouted in anger. “How many times did I warn you against... Cough...! Cough...!!!”
The woman bent herself due to a violent coughing fit.
“Mom!”
Sean dragged his mother into his arms and then to the bed.
“I don’t need help,” the elder woman flashed the uninvited guests vicious glares. “Leave me be. At least let me die in peace... Cough...! Cough...!!!”
“Ma’am, your son risked his life to come and get help. At least don’t let his efforts go in vain,” Lucien explained.
The elder woman scoffed.
“Pfffft. All that the werewolf folks had ever given me was nothing but sorrow. What kind of help can you give me now?”
Seeing that the patient had more or less agreed to be treated, Healer Patricia approached the bed and took a look at the weak, feeble woman who still managed to give her distrustful gazes.
“Madam, how long have you been sick?”
“What does it matter? Just tell me when I will die.”
“Mom!” Sean cried in anguish. “Please don’t say that!”
“... Two years.”
“What are your symptoms?”
“Just incessant coughing and extreme exhaustion.”
“Can you inhale for me?”
The elder woman did what Healer Patricia asked her to do. When she took a deep breath, a wheezing, broken sound escaped from her throat.
After a while, the healer turned to look at Lucien and said, “Severe malnutrition and common lung problems. Unfortunately, I do not have the proper equipment to diagnose her condition. It is best to take her to St. Clarence for treatment.”
“I don’t have the money to go to St. Clarence,” the woman retorted. “Besides, why would a posh hospital full of full-blood werewolves agree to treat me?”
Unfortunately, she was right.
Rogue werewolves were not even allowed treatment in St. Clarence, let alone the half-werewolves and the werewolf parent who betrayed the community.
“Thanks for gracing my humble abode with your presence,” the elder woman continued sarcastically. “As you see, my stupid son exaggerated. I am not dying anytime soon, so why don’t you all just go???”
In her place, Sean looked extremely apologetic.
“I am sorry,” he said when he led the three werewolves out of their tiny apartment. “Mom’s temper has been quite bad ever since my father died. Thank you for checking up on her. I will take her to a normal hospital. And...”
Sean looked up at Ronan, Lucien, and Healer Patricia with a beseeching gaze.
“Please, please, don’t tell any other werewolf about me and Mom.”
Lucien shook his head.
“Of course not.”
He grabbed a roll of money from his pocket and pressed it into Sean’s hands.
“Take this money and take your mother to the doctor. Also...”
Lucien took out a pen and wrote his phone number on the young man’s palm.
“This is my phone number. If anything happens and you need help, do not hesitate to call me.”
Sean’s mouth dropped open in amazement.
“Thank you,” he sobbed. “Thank you...”
He could not stop bowing at the three werewolves as they made their way out.
Once Healer Patricia excused herself to go back to her well-deserved vacation, Lucien heaved a long, deep sigh.
Ronan pulled him into a hug and rubbed his head affectionately.
“What is it? You helped him. You should be proud of yourself. I am.”
Lucien put his arms around Ronan and hummed.
“I fed a pup once. Tomorrow, it will go hungry again. It is no help, Ronan Silverback, it is a one-time charity.”
Ronan lifted Lucien’s chin and gazed into his bright pair of eyes.
“You can’t help every stray pup in this world.”
“That’s true. I just wish I could.”
He was but one person. It would take more than one voice to change the perception of the werewolf community toward their exiled brothers and sisters.
By the time Ronan and Lucien returned to Amaranthus Dream Resort, lunchtime was over a long time ago.
They were welcomed by an infuriated Annalynne instead.