Free Web NovelChapter 176: Chapter 176 Collapse
Author’s POV
Henry had barely entered the office with the medication when he found Alpha Astra gasping for breath.
"Alpha, are you alright? What’s with all the coughing?" Panic laced his voice as he rushed to her side.
"I... cough cough... I’m... fine," Alpha Astra managed, each word clearly causing her pain.
Henry hovered anxiously beside her desk. "Alpha, you look absolutely terrible. I should take you to the hospital—you’re pale as a ghost."
Alpha Astra attempted to wave him off, her hand trembling with the effort. But before she could voice her refusal, her eyes rolled back, and she slumped in her chair, lips slightly parted, consciousness vanishing in an instant.
"Alpha! What the hell is happening?" Henry cried out, true fear gripping him. "Please wake up, Alpha!"
He rushed forward, checking her vital signs with trembling fingers. The realization hit him like ice water—she was completely unresponsive, her usually commanding presence now frighteningly still.
"Help! Miss Frost!" he shouted toward the door, hoping Sylvia might still be nearby. "Please get in here now! Alpha has collapsed!"
Only silence answered his calls. After several moments of shouting with no response, Henry realized something was seriously wrong. Surely if Sylvia had heard his cries, she would have burst through the door immediately.
After ensuring Alpha Astra wouldn’t fall from her chair, he grabbed the phone and called the other board members. Within minutes, the executive floor was in complete chaos as several distinguished wolves rushed into the office, their faces shifting from shock to concern to calculation as they assessed the situation.
"What the hell happened here?" demanded one of the senior directors.
"How could she collapse out of nowhere?" questioned another, eyes narrowing at Henry as if he were somehow responsible.
Though frustrated by their implied accusations, Henry maintained his composure. "We need to stop pointing fingers and get Alpha to the hospital immediately. Her condition is serious—we can’t afford to waste time."
The executives exchanged glances, the business implications immediately apparent to all of them. If word got out that Alpha Astra Frost was seriously ill, Frostline Enterprises’ stock would crash through the floor. The company had barely stabilized after the recent crisis; this could completely destroy everything Sylvia had accomplished.
"Henry’s right," one of them finally said. "The Alpha’s health comes first, and we need total secrecy."
For these wolves, anything that threatened profits was a matter of life and death. A company’s trajectory depended on strong leadership, and investors needed to believe that leadership was rock solid. freewebnøvel.coɱ
They transported Alpha Astra to a private hospital partially owned by Frostline Enterprises, with strict instructions to the hospital director about confidentiality.
"You have my word," the director promised, knowing exactly who signs his paychecks, "we understand how delicate this situation is. My facility has reached its current status because I know which side my bread is buttered on."
The board members nodded in satisfaction. With their main concern handled, they felt comfortable leaving—after issuing one final warning: "Take care of Alpha and call us the second anything changes."
"You can count on us completely," the director assured them.
As the board members departed, they left Henry behind to maintain their presence at the hospital. No instructions were necessary; Henry had already sworn to watch over Alpha Astra like a hawk.
Once alone in the hallway, doubt began to gnaw at him. Where was Miss Frost? Why hadn’t she shown up at the hospital yet? Did she even know what had happened to her mother?
Henry took a deep breath, trying to push aside his worries. He needed to focus on what mattered most: caring for Alpha Astra. That was his number one priority now, not speculating about Miss Frost’s whereabouts.
Meanwhile, across town, Selene received the news of her mother’s hospitalization with a gasp of seemingly genuine concern. "Is my mother alright?" she asked, her voice trembling with what appeared to be worry.
"Don’t worry yourself, Ms. Frost," one of the board members assured her. "Alpha is receiving top-notch care, and Henry is with her now."
Despite these reassurances, Selene insisted on knowing which hospital Alpha Astra had been taken to.
When Selene arrived at the hospital room, she found only Henry maintaining vigil at Alpha Astra’s bedside. She glanced around the sterile space, noting the conspicuous absence of her sister.
"Is it just you here?" she asked, her tone laced with calculated surprise.
Henry startled at her voice, jumping up from his chair. "Yes, Ms. Frost. Just me."
"Where’s Sylvia? She hasn’t come?" Selene asked, genuine curiosity in her voice now.
The question seemed logical enough—their mother had collapsed at the company, and Sylvia had always put on a show of being the perfect daughter. Her absence was certainly noteworthy, especially since Alpha Astra had fallen ill immediately after their meeting.
Henry shook his head uncomfortably. "I’m sorry, Ms. Frost. I have no idea where your sister went."
"She’s not at the company?" Selene pressed, mind already working through the implications of this information.
"I couldn’t say," Henry replied cautiously. "She left Alpha in my hands and took off. I don’t know if she’s still at Frostline or not. I’m just staff—I don’t keep track of the higher-ups’ schedules." freeweɓnovel.cøm
Selene nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place in her mind. "I get it."
"But..." she added after a pause, causing Henry’s heart to race nervously.
"Yes, Ms. Frost?" he prompted when she didn’t continue.
Selene offered a gentle smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Nothing. I’ll handle things from here."
"I’ll track her down myself if necessary," she added, the offer sounding helpful but carrying undertones that Henry couldn’t quite decipher.
"Thank you, Ms. Frost. That would be great," Henry replied respectfully, missing the calculating look that briefly crossed Selene’s features.
Selene smiled again, this time more convincingly. On the surface, their interaction appeared cordial and proper—just as any exchange between a company executive and staff member should be.
But beneath Selene’s concerned exterior, her mind was already spinning with possibilities.
As she took a seat beside Alpha Astra’s bed, her gentle touch on Alpha Astra’s hand belied the shrewd calculations taking place behind her sympathetic expression. If Sylvia couldn’t be bothered to visit their mother in her time of need, perhaps the pack would begin to question her dedication to family—and by extension, her fitness to lead.
Her moment had finally arrived.
