Alpha's Regret: Marked By The Lycan King

Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Proving Ground

Estelle’s POV

The nearest healer scrambled over and shoved me aside roughly. His face was red with anger.

“Are you insane?” he shouted. “Who are you to act so recklessly? What are you even doing here?”

I noticed he didn’t seem to recognize me at all. His eyes held no hint of understanding about who I was supposed to be to their King.

Before I could respond, the injured man suddenly coughed violently. Blood sprayed from his mouth in a dark red arc. The healers around us gasped in horror, stepping back instinctively.

I remained perfectly calm. This was expected.

Heavy footsteps announced Clyde’s return. He burst through the tent flaps carrying the first batch of ingredients I had requested. His eyes immediately found the scene of chaos.

“What happened?” he demanded, rushing over.

The wounded warrior groaned deeply, his back arching in pain. Then, just as suddenly, he slumped back down. His breathing became more even and steady.

Everyone stared down at him in shock. Under the paste mixture I had applied, the black edges around his wound were already beginning to fade. His skin was knitting itself back together slowly but visibly. His lycan healing had finally kicked in.

The healers stood frozen, mouths hanging open in disbelief.

Clyde blinked rapidly. “How did you...”

Bridget pushed past the others, her eyes wide with amazement. She stared at the healing man as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“It’s working,” she whispered.

I stood up and brushed the dirt off my knees. The crisis was far from over.

“Give me those ingredients,” I ordered Clyde, walking back to the work station.

He handed them over without argument this time. His earlier hostility had completely disappeared.

“Go get more,” I instructed him. “The same list I gave you before.”

He nodded and ran back out of the tent.

Klein, Liam, and Bridget started to follow him when I called out sharply.

“Bridget, Liam. Stay here.”

They stopped immediately.

“I need you to help clean wounds for the other patients,” I continued. “Klein, you can help Clyde gather supplies.”

They didn’t question me. They simply rushed to do exactly what I had ordered.

Bridget grabbed clean cloths and water basins. Liam started cutting away damaged clothing from the wounded warriors. Klein disappeared through the tent flaps.

We worked with swift efficiency. I mixed batch after batch of the herbal treatment while the others prepared each patient. The healers, seeing the success of my methods, began following my lead instead of using their own procedures.

Most of the warriors made remarkable recoveries. Within hours, men who had been unconscious and dying were sitting up and asking for water. Those who had been writhing in agony were now able to walk around, albeit with slight limps.

By the time I could finally take a break, the sun was rising. Golden light filtered through the tent opening.

My back ached from hunching over patients all night. I rolled my shoulders and stretched my arms above my head.

I walked over to check on the first man I had treated. He had been the most severely injured, with that terrible, infected gash. Now he was able to sit up slightly against his pillow.

“Let me change your bandages,” I said, kneeling beside his cot.

He watched me work, his eyes grateful. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “I thought I was going to die.”

I applied the second dose of medical paste to his wound. The healing was progressing perfectly.

“You’re going to be fine,” I assured him.

“It didn’t feel like it for a second there,” the man said with an awkward laugh. “I honestly thought I had seen the Moon Goddess herself—”

He stopped short, staring at something over my shoulder. I turned back to see that Bridget had approached us, carrying fresh water. The man’s gaze shifted to her and lingered. She looked back at him with equal intensity.

Both their lips were slightly parted, and instantly, I knew what was happening. I did notice that Bridget was hovering around the area a little more than usual.

Quietly, I finished wrapping his bandages and stood up to give them privacy.

I yawned deeply and moved to the work station to prepare second doses for the other patients. My hands moved automatically, measuring and mixing ingredients.

After working through the entire night, my shoulders were already starting to ache. However, I had never felt more alive. All those years stuck in Moonveil, Asher had never appreciated my medical experience. Now, I could finally put it to good use and help those who needed it.

However, with the race against time over, my mind began to wander. A whole night had passed, and there hadn’t been a single word about Zayne at the battlefront. I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened and if he was going to return soon.

Just then, an announcement rang through the camp.

“The King has returned!” a warrior’s voice boomed from outside the camp.

My head snapped up instantly. My heart hammered against my ribs.

Zayne was back.