Lycan's Affection
Punishment and Redemption

Eleanor felt her breath cease, her brows furrowed. "What...what did you say?"

Jeanna gave a small sigh. "His Highness needs something as poweful as his own blood. The only thing that powerful is his mate bond. The..."

"But the cure..."

"It is in a werewolf's blood. He is named Matthew."

Eleanor let out a small breath. "How did you know?"

"I am a priestess," Jenna said, her eyes holding Eleanor's teary gaze. "Although a very flawed one."

Silence descended in the room, and Eleanor slowly turned to Conaan's still body. "Is there no other way?"

"There probably is," Jenna said. "But my lady, did you expect that the moon goddess forgave you for running the first time?"

"What?"

"I believe His Highness was told. By Meredith. By the moon goddess. You sinned against everything by running, but that is exactly how your destinies were meant to intertwine. This... consider it the same test he went through waiting for you. Will you let him die a man who loves you? Or would you let him live a man who has forgotten you?"

Eleanor shook her head, a tear running down his cheeks. "Have I not paid enough?"

"No, obviously not by the moon goddess's standards. Everything that had happened, every single thing... Do you think they would have happened had you not gotten romantically involved with a forbidden? I know firsthand that it never yields anything good."

Eleanor bit down on her lips, her fingers shaky. Could she risk Conaan forgetting her? Definitely, bringing Alexander to them was her own fault. It would have been much, much simpler had...

"I will let you decide, my lady. But His Highness does not have that long anymore. His blood is slowly running cold."

Eleanor opened her eyes, then let out a shaky breath. The tears streamed down fast and hard, and she slowly nodded. "Do what it takes to save my husband."

Jeanna slowly blinked. All through those prophesies, she never believed Eleanor would yield. It was dangerous, and Jenna had purposely kept her own punishment away from Eleanor. Bit it was the only path she could take to redemption. To love.

"You have a soldier? I need the clear water where His Highness first saw you as his mate. Then, we can do it by tomorrow morning."

"Why can we not do it tonight?" Eleanor asked, desperation seeping into her tone.

Jenna gave a small smile. "I will need to prepare His Highness's body tonight. For now, no other medicines should be administered, and I will extract the cure from the wolf."

Eleanor immediately nodded and, with a wave of her hand, sent the healers away. Adrenaline thunped in her chest, but there was a conviction in Jenna's eyes that just made her sure of her decision. Conaan had said he would love her however she came. It was time to show him she could do exactly the same.

Shadow walked in, then bowed. "I will guard His Highness."

Eleanor nodded. "Thank you. I will lead you to the cure."

Jenna nodded, then let Eleanor walk in front of her. She followed, her hands clasped in front of her, her chest thumping lightly. Soon, they were in front of the chambers, and Eleanor slowly pushed the door open.

She stepped in, then smiled at Eric, who was sitting up, his hand wrapped in a cast.

"My lady."

She nodded, just as Jenna walked in, her head low. Eric's eyes darted to her, and it took a full minute for him to register it. His eyes slowly grew, his lips parting. His chest tightened around his heart, and he felt a single tear fill up his left eye.

"Jenna."

She looked up, then turned to him. Her lips parted, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She looked down at his hand, and her hand came to cover her mouth, a small, shaky breath leaving her lips.

Eleanor looked between them. "Do you both know each other?"

Jenna blinked rapidly, then turned away. "Just an acquaintance."

Eric swallowed, and he slowly turned away, tears filling his eyes. He had known how much he had liked her back then, but there was just something about missing someone. Something about not being able to see them, something about wondering if this would be the end of a love story that had made his heart ache.

Jenna blinked back the tears, then walked to Matthew's body. She put two fingers on the pulse points on his neck, then closed her eyes. She took in a deep breath as she felt his energy, then slowly removed her hand.

"The cure is still there and...his soul is close. He will wake soon."

Eleanor smiled, then nodded. "Thank you. But..his blood..."

"I will collect it in a clean jar."

Eleanor turned to the door, then gestured at a servant. "Bring a clean jar."

Jenna waited as silence fell between them, the tension thick. Eric was saying nothing, and Eleanor could sense the tense emotions between them. She did not think, however, that they needed her prying.

Thankfully, the jar arrived quickly, and jenna collected it. Slowly, she took one of the acupuncture needles, then gently pierced right below his pulse point.

"His aura is strongest here, and so is the cure," she explained, her eyes never leaving the straight tube jar as the blood slowly trickled down.

Eleanor watched attentively, till the blood slowly filled it up. She removed the jar, then cleaned off the blood.

"This would be enough."

Eleanor nodded. "What else now?"

Jenna swallowed, then slowly turned to Eric. "We can go now."

Eleanor followed obediently, then walked away, leaving Jenna to follow behind her.

Eleanor sat close to the bed as Jenna slowly cleaned Conaan's body with a towel soaked in the clear water. She watched his skin become. Even paler, his veins becoming increasingly visible behind them.

The sun was already setting, and Jenna gave a small sigh as she finally put the towel down. She then brought the spare cup, then slowly lifted Conaan's head.

She let him drink slowly before putting him back, a small breath escaping her.

"He is ready now."

Eleanor looked up, the tears from the realization of what she was about to do standing in her eyes. She swallowed, then closed her eyes.

"If we do it, when do you think he will wake up?"

Jenna thought about it. "Maybe a few hours. But not more than a day."

Eleanor sighed. "Maybe... maybe we should do it tonight? So I can wake up to him tomorrow morning."

Jenna's eyes squinted. "Is that what you want?"

Eleanor nodded, not quite trusting her voice. "Heal him for me."

Jenna bit down on her lips, her eyes showing the pity she felt for Eleanor. "Do you have anything you want to say to him?"

Eleanor broke into a wistful smile. "He already knows. And I trust...that he will not forget. He said he felt something more than the mate bond. Maybe he will get to brag to me now."

Jenna smiled. "Love... really is the most painful, is it not?"

"Maybe," Eleanor said, meeting Jenna's eyes. "But I love the pain."

Jenna watched her for a long time, then nodded. "I will get ready."