<h4>Chapter 349: Oscar’s Lie</h4>


    <strong>Evaline:</strong>


    Mallory’s hands came together in a p that was almost too loud for the hospital ward. She gasped softly, then covered her mouth with her palms. At this point, her eyes had be wide and glimmering.


    "Oh my Goddess," she whispered, her voice reverent. "He’s... he’s perfect."


    Beside her, Rowan leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the side of the cradle as though he couldn’t get close enough. His usually sharp, aloof expression was gone... softened into something warm, something utterly smitten.


    Kyros was standing on the other side, looking no less enthralled. His lips were parted in a grin that showed the dimples that always made girls swoon, though now his attention was fully captured by the tiny being inside the cradle.


    My son.


    Their collective awe was enough to tug a chuckle out of me. My chest tightened, filling with a warmth that spread through every corner of me. My friends were rarely at a loss for words, but seeing them like this - reduced to puddles of wonder over a small pup - they reminded me why I had chosen to keep them close, no matter the chaos of my life.


    It had been five days since I brought my son into this world. Five days of healing, of navigating the overwhelming flood of emotions, of learning what it meant to hold a tiny piece of myself in my arms. And today... today was the day of my discharge.


    Because it was finally Saturday, my friends had been able to leave the Academy ande visit me properly. I hadn’t realized until now how much I missed them. Seeing their faces here, seeing their awe and joy for me... it anchored me in a way little else could.


    The door opened before I could say anything, and Draven stepped inside. His dark hair was slightly mussed, his eyes sharp but glowing with an excitement that gave him away.


    "River and Kieran have taken care of the discharge procedure," he announced smoothly, hands tucked into his pockets. "It’s time to head home."


    "Already?" Mallory whined softly, her hand pressed against her heart. "But we just got here."


    Rowan gave her a subtle nudge with his elbow, clearly about to voice his ownint, and Kyros had already opened his mouth to add something when Draven lifted one hand, stopping them before the protest could build.


    "You are alling with us," he said firmly. "Home. With Eva and the pup."


    That shut them up.


    For a moment, the three of them just blinked at him, as though processing his words. And then, almostically in sync, their shoulders dropped and their expressions softened into relief.


    Not one of them argued. Not today.


    I smiled to myself. The truth was, I wanted them with me too. They had been beside me for so much of this journey - through pain, through confusion, through growth. It felt right for them to be there now, standing at the beginning of this new Chapter of my life.


    Ten minutester, I was sliding into the backseat of River’s car. My son’s cradle was secured beside me, his tiny breaths even as he slept peacefully. Oscar slid in on in the passenger seat, his presence solid andforting as always.


    Thanks to the herbs, elixirs, and the skill of the healers, my body felt like my own again. The injuries from my fall, the raw exhaustion of childbirth... all of it was gone. My belly was almost t once more, only the faintest softness was left behind, the kind that I knew would vanish within the next week. If not for the cradle beside me, one would never guess I had just delivered a child.


    That was the gift and curse of being a werewolf. Our bodies healed impossibly fast, bouncing back from what would leave a human bedridden for weeks, if not months. And even without my wolf, I was still able to heal quickly because of all the rare and special treatment I received. And I was grateful for it.


    None of that mattered though. Not when my mates had given me these days of peace.


    River had set aside his Alpha and CEO duties. Kieran had stepped away from his demanding responsibilities as Headmaster and a Professor. Oscar had taken leave from the Academy as an instructor. And Draven had paused his studies.


    All four of them had made me and the pup their first and only priority.


    And in those quiet days, I had learned something I would carry with me forever... just how deeply they loved not only me, but the child we now shared. Each of them, in their own ways, had stayed by my side every hour, every minute, proving again and again that the Moon Goddess had not been cruel when she gave me to them. She had been merciful.


    The car rolled smoothly out of the hospital gates. For a while, I was content to just watch the scenery shift, to feel the quiet hum of the road beneath us. My hand drifted toward the cradle, my fingertips brushing lightly against its edge as I peered down at my son.


    But then... something tugged at my awareness.


    The road.


    The turns.


    The direction of the car.


    My eyes narrowed slightly as I nced out the window. This wasn’t the path to the Thorne estate.


    We weren’t heading home.


    Leaning forward, I called softly, "Oscar?"


    He shifted in his seat, ncing back at me with his usual easy smile. "Yes, love?"


    "Where are we going?" I asked carefully.


    "To the Academy," he replied smoothly, not even hesitating. "We need to pick Jasper up before heading home."


    His calmness almost disarmed me. Almost.


    I sat back slowly, my gaze flickering to the road once more. If he hadn’t answered so confidently, I might have pressed further. But there was something about his tone - it was too steady, too practiced - and that made me pause.


    The thing was... I could have sworn I saw Jasper at the hospital earlier.


    My suspicion pricked at me, sharp and undeniable. Oscar was lying.


    But why?


    I didn’t call him out. Not yet.


    Instead, I folded my hands neatly in myp, calmned my expression, and decided to wait.


    Wait, and see what my mates were plotting this time.<fn7fff> Original content can be found at fι?dnοvel</fn7fff>