Moonlight Betrayal-Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Kaeleen’s POV

How was it that I hadn’t even noticed Serena’s absence amidst the festivities? Had I been too caught up in my own worries about Astrid? Turns out she was right and I really was not a good brother after all.

Alex turned to me, his expression a mix of concern and apology. "You didn’t know?" he asked, his voice laced with sympathy.

I shook my head, a knot forming in my stomach. "Know what?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Alex hesitated for a moment, as if unsure how to break the news. "Serena and Hunter went to the hospital today," he said, his voice low. "They just got the test results back regarding Hunter’s condition."

The words hit me like a physical blow. I remembered Hunter’s recent behavior, the occasional spacing out, the frequent complaints of headaches. At first, Serena had dismissed them as mere migraines, a common ailment for Hunter, for which he already had medication. But lately, the episodes had become more frequent, more intense, and Serena had begun to suspect something more serious was amiss.

She had finally convinced Hunter to go to the hospital, and after a series of tests, they had discovered a tumor in his brain. But they were still awaiting the results to determine whether the tumor was cancerous or not. That was the test they had received today.

A wave of guilt washed over me. I should have been more attentive, more aware of what was going on in my sister’s life. I had been so consumed with my own problems that I had completely neglected her.

But even at that, I found it hard to understand why Serena hadn’t contacted me about this. I knew she was fiercely independent, a trait she had inherited from our mother, and she tended to keep things to herself, even when she was hurting. She was hardly open about her struggles, a habit our mother had tried to break her of, but to no avail. Serena would rather keep her worries to herself than share them with anyone at all. It was maddening that she did things like that but expected me to depend on her.

I had been overjoyed when she met Hunter, a man who possessed the rare ability to break through her emotional barriers. Hunter was calm, understanding, and possessed a calming presence that made her feel safe enough to share her deepest fears and insecurities. I liked Hunter for my sister’s sake, and I had been fervently hoping that the test results would reveal something benign, something treatable, something that wasn’t malignant.

But the fact that Serena wasn’t here, at the welcome party for Astrid, spoke volumes. She wouldn’t miss an event like this, especially given her natural curiosity and her genuine desire to get to know Astrid. Her absence could only mean one thing: something was terribly wrong.

"Do you know the result of the test?" I asked Alex, my voice trembling slightly.

Alex shook his head, his expression grim. "No," he said. "I only heard from Rebecca that they were going to get the test results today, but I don’t know what they said."

A sense of unease settled over me. Serena wouldn’t miss this party unless something was seriously wrong. She had always been eager to welcome new members into the pack, and I knew she was particularly interested in meeting Astrid, given her history and the circumstances surrounding her arrival.

I pulled out my phone, my fingers trembling as I typed out a quick message to Serena.

Me: Hey, everything okay? Just wondering why you’re not here. Everyone’s asking about you.

I waited anxiously for her reply, my heart pounding in my chest. A few seconds later, my phone buzzed.

Serena: Hey, sorry I couldn’t make it. Hunter just needs rest, that’s why I wasn’t able to come. I’ll come soon enough. Tell Astrid I said sorry.

Me: You got the test results right? What did it say?

Serena: Nothing serious. But we’ll talk later alright? Hunter just needs rest, don’t stress yourself over nothing.

Her reply did little to ease my worries. Something felt off about her message, a subtle undercurrent of forced cheerfulness that didn’t quite ring true. I suspected that the test results weren’t what they had hoped for, and she was trying to downplay the situation. She said not to stress myself? Was she trying to reassure me or herself? There was something obviously wrong about what was going on.

But this was Serena, and I knew that if I pushed her too hard, she would clam up and shut me out completely. She needed space, time to process her emotions, and I had to respect that.

Besides, I had other priorities at the moment. I needed to focus on Astrid, to ensure that she felt welcomed and supported. I couldn’t let my worries about Serena overshadow her needs.

I sighed, shoving my phone back into my pocket. "She says Hunter just needs rest," I said to Alex, my voice laced with doubt. "She’ll come soon enough."

Alex nodded, his expresion was the same I had on my face when I read the message.

"She’s lying isn’t she?" He asked me.

"Yeah, I think so. And I suspect she doesn’t want to tell me or Rebecca because we have things to deal with." I said to him.

He frowned. "Becca isn’t going to like this."

I sighed. "We’ll just give her some space. I know Serena and if we push things too much, she’d say nothing at all."

"And that’s the worse part. The one person who can get her to open up may actually be dealing with a life threatening condition right now." Alex said to me.

"I’m hoping perhaps we are reading too much into this and that’s not the case." I said hopefully.

Alex turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "You believe that?"

I sighed. That was the thing. I didn’t believe that my suspicions were wrong.