Free Web NovelChapter 179: Chapter 179 The Call She Never Made
Sylvia’s POV
I sat on the weathered bench overlooking the gray Atlantic, the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore matching my tumultuous thoughts. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the sand as I tipped back my second beer, welcoming the bitter burn down my throat.
I stared at my phone’s blank screen for the hundredth time. Nothing.
The salt air filled my lungs as I exhaled deeply. What did I expect? That she would realize her mistake and call, begging me to return? That Selene’s manipulation would suddenly become crystal clear to her after all these years?
"Idiot," I muttered to myself, taking another long swig. freēwēbnovel.com
Three years I’d spent making myself smaller, suppressing my Alpha nature to fit into someone else’s expectations. Never again. The beer in my hand couldn’t wash away the bitter taste of that memory, but at least the alcohol took the edge off my pain.
Frost whined inside me, wanting to break free, to run along the shoreline until exhaustion claimed us both. My wolf had always been strong—too strong, according to Alpha Astra, who insisted I learn to control her "out-of-control dominance." Now I understood why. She’d always seen me as a threat, not a daughter.
Just as I was contemplating a third beer, my phone’s shrill ring startled me. My heart leapt traitorously before I checked the caller ID.
Noah. Not her.
"Hello, Noah," I answered, unable to fully mask the disappointment in my voice.
"Sylvia, where are you right now?" His voice carried a strange tension that immediately put me on alert.
"Just clearing my head. Why?" I sat up straighter, Frost’s senses heightening at the unease in his tone.
"You’re not at the hospital?" Confusion colored his words.
My mind instantly cleared, the alcohol’s fog dissipating. "Hospital? What hospital?"
There was a pause, and I could hear him murmuring something under his breath.
"I heard Alpha Astra was admitted earlier today," he finally said, his voice cautious. "I assumed you’d be there, given your position in the pack."
The words hit me like a physical blow. My mother was in the hospital, and no one had bothered to call me? Not Beta James, not Henry, not the pack council—nobody?
"Which hospital?" I demanded, already on my feet, my heart hammering against my ribcage. The anger that surged through me was quickly replaced by something much worse: fear.
"You didn’t know?" Noah’s voice softened with realization. "I’m sorry, Sylvia. I heard it through Eastern Pack connections—apparently she collapsed during a board meeting at Frostline Enterprises."
It’s because of me.
The guilt hit me like a freight train - my confrontation, my defiance had pushed her over the edge, and now my mother was fighting for her life. I knew her heart condition was getting worse, but all I’d done was remind Henry to bring her medication. I should have stayed by her side, should have been there when she needed me.
Maybe she was right. Maybe I’d never been the pack member she needed, or the daughter she wanted.
"I need to go," I said abruptly, already calculating the fastest route to the hospital.
"Of course," Noah replied. "Call me if you need anything, and I mean anything." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
I ended the call and stared at the ocean for one more moment, gathering my strength. No matter our differences, no matter how she’d favored Selene, Alpha Astra was still my mother. Still my Alpha.
Author’s POV
After hanging up, Noah stared at his phone thoughtfully. He wasn’t oblivious—even from those few sentences, he could tell something significant had happened between Sylvia and her mother. The rumors about their close relationship clearly didn’t match reality.
"I should go to her," he murmured, automatically reaching for his sister Melody’s hand, planning to use her as an excuse to visit Sylvia.
"Noah, what exactly do you think you’re doing?" His mother, Luna Smith, appeared in the doorway with a knowing look.
"Going out," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Luna shook her head at her son’s transparent intentions. "If you want to go, then go—but leave your sister out of it."
"But Mom, Melody is the perfect excuse to—"
"The Frostfang Pack’s business is complicated enough without you dragging your sister into it," Luna interrupted, taking Melody gently from him. "You’re both adults. If you want to support her, just go do it directly. Since when does a grown wolf need a pretense to show concern?"
Noah felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. His mother was right—he was acting like an adolescent instead of the confident wolf he should be.
"Thanks, Mom," he said, straightening his shoulders. "I’ll head over now."
Luna smiled approvingly. "That’s better. Remember, even the strongest wolves have vulnerable moments. Right now, that girl needs someone steady, not someone playing games. Don’t waste this opportunity."
Before leaving, Noah crouched down to his sister’s level, gently ruffling her hair. "I’ll be back soon, Melody. Don’t miss me too much, okay?"
Melody remained focused on her toy, lost in her own world, giving no indication she’d heard him. Noah’s expression flickered briefly with sadness before he forced a smile back onto his face.
"I’m off then," he called to his mother. "Thanks for watching her."
"She’s my daughter, you ridiculous boy," Luna laughed, but her eyes held the same shadow of concern that had crossed Noah’s face.
After Noah left, Luna watched her daughter carefully. How long had it been since the incident that had changed Melody forever? How long since Noah had truly laughed without that hint of sorrow behind his eyes?
Minutes passed before Melody finally looked up, her gaze fixed on the door where her brother had disappeared. There was something in that vacant stare—a flicker of awareness, perhaps—that made Luna’s heart squeeze with hope.
"Do you miss your brother already?" Luna asked gently, kneeling beside her daughter. "Don’t worry, he’s just gone to help a pretty lady who might need him. But he always thinks about you, my sweet girl."
Melody offered no response, her attention already drifting away. Luna wasn’t discouraged; these brief moments of connection, however fleeting, were precious.
