The Luna Cure

ELEVEN

I had no clue how much time has gone by.

I sat in a chair on the other side of the room from Florence's bed, my head spinning and my mind racing. What had just happened? Sure, I saw everything, but I couldn't take it in. All I knew is that my wolf now howled and cried for Florence, instead of Cassidy. Or Batilda, as Rosemary had called her. I had no clue.

I could barely keep track of the doctors moving around. I had tried to get closer to Florence, but they had to drag me away from her so they could–operate? The doctors weren't performing surgery. Yet the word made me feel sick to my stomach. But I couldn't keep my eyes off of her.

She looked so... peaceful, and that frightened me more than my confused feelings right now. The doctors were frantic, rushing around, and I had no doubt things were bad. But Florence had to get through this.

I didn't know what I'd do if she didn't.

"Prince Dante! Prince Dante!" One of the nurses had to scream in my face to take me out of my trance.

I looked up at the nurse, and her brown eyes drew me back to Florence's.

"Your highness, we need to operate now. Her chances will be higher the quicker we operate. We need you to leave the room." She moved to guide me out of the room, but a deep growl came out of my throat.

"No. I'm not leaving." I stood my ground firmly, and the nurse shook her head.

"Your family is waiting outside, please go wait with them, your highness. We cannot operate if you are in the room. You are wasting time." She put her hand on my arm and I narrowed my eyes at the small woman.

"No! Operate while I am in here. I can't leave–" I almost said her name, but why? Who was she to me? Cassidy was my mate, how can my wolf be insisting it's really Florence?

She grabbed my arm, squeezing my bicep.

"You have to leave now, Prince Dante." She told me. "Miss Florence will have a better chance at surviving." She added lowly, and I took a glance at her.

Her breaths were shallow and the doctors continued to run around her, barely letting me see through them to her.

I got out of the chair and exited the room, praying to the goddess that these doctors could be trusted. They had helped me countless times before, from minor cuts to broken bones to stab wounds and gunshots. Yet I had never doubted them until now.

I closed the door behind me to find all of my closest family around me.

"Dante." My mother breathed out, wasting no time squeezing me into a tight hug.

She released me, a worried look on her lips. "How bad is it?" Her voice was low, but we were all werewolves. No one missed it.

I sighed, closing my eyes. "Very." I didn't want to think about how bad it was, but they needed to know.

She rubbed my shoulder. "She'll make it. She's strong."

I wanted to let her words soothe me, but they only made my doubts increase. What if she wasn't strong enough?

"Rosemary almost killed Batilda. We wanted her to, but she said if Batilda put any spells on Florence and Batilda died, those spells would stay forever." Sapphire said, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Batilda?"

Sapphire closed her eyes. "Cassidy is really Batilda. One of the most wanted witches in the world. She's been in hiding for twenty years, but she's done horrible things." She reached next to her chair and pulled out a folder. "Rosemary showed me this. It was in dad's office, kinda hidden. Here," She handed me thick folder.