The Hybrid's Healer

~Ciara Pov~

“You need to leave.”

I stared at my grandfather from across his study, exhaustion sitting heavily inside my chest, rain tapped softly against the massive windows behind him while silence filled the room between us.

It had been two days since the graduation party, two days since my life imploded and somehow the house already felt different like I no longer belonged there.

“I can’t just run away,” I said quietly.

Grandpa sighed and leaned back in his chair. “This isn’t running, sunshine. It’s survival.”

I looked away, downstairs, I could hear distant voices from the kitchen staff preparing dinner while my parents pretended nothing had happened, Vivian hadn’t even tried apologizing, not once, Instead, my mother spent the last forty-eight hours pampering her because “stress was bad for the baby.”

The memory made bitterness rise in my throat.

Grandpa watched me carefully before sliding a cream-colored envelope across the desk. Moonridge Haven.

I frowned slightly. “You really think I should go?”

“I know you should.”

His voice was firm, I picked up the envelope slowly.

“The facility contacted me months ago asking if I knew a pediatric specialist willing to relocate permanently.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re good at what you do.”

I smiled weakly.

“You’re biased.”

“I’m honest.”

That almost made me laugh.

Grandpa’s expression softened. “The children there need someone patient. Someone kind.”

I looked down at the envelope again.

“They mentioned trauma care specifically.”

“Yes.”

“That’s oddly specific for a pediatric rehabilitation center.”

Something unreadable crossed his face briefly.

“They deal with difficult cases.”

I narrowed my eyes slightly. “You’re being vague.”

“Maybe because I know you’d overthink yourself out of going.”

He wasn’t wrong.

I rubbed my tired face. “I just… I didn’t expect my life to fall apart this fast.”

Pain tightened in Grandpa’s eyes instantly.

“They failed you, Ciara.”

My throat burned.

“Your parents should’ve protected you.”

I swallowed hard before looking away.

“But they didn’t.”

“No,” he said quietly. “They didn’t.”

Silence settled heavily between us, then Grandpa stood and walked toward me.

“You’ve spent your entire life taking care of everyone else while nobody took care of you.”

His hand rested gently on my shoulder.

“Go somewhere new. Breathe. Heal.”

I blinked back tears.

“What if I don’t come back?”

Grandpa smiled sadly. “Then maybe that place became home.”

The private jet landed just after sunrise, I stepped out slowly, freezing as cold mountain air hit my face, my eyes widened immediately, this was not what I expected at all.

Massive black security gates surrounded the property hidden deep between endless mountains and dark forests. Tall fences stretched across the perimeter while armed guards patrolled elevated watchtowers, what kind of pediatric facility needed watchtowers?

The place looked less like a hospital and more like a military compound, unease curled inside my stomach, the pilot began unloading my luggage while I stared at the isolated property ahead.

Moonridge Haven stood in the center of the mountains like something pulled from another world, dark stone buildings, heavy security, fog rolling through the trees, the entire atmosphere felt strangely unsettling.

A woman dressed in black approached me calmly, she was tall, sharp-eyed and beautiful in an intimidating kind of way.

“Dr. Monroe?”

I nodded slowly. “Yes.”

She extended her hand. “Nyra Vale. Head physician here.”

Her grip was firm.

“Welcome to Moonridge Haven.”

I glanced around again. “This place is… intense.”

Something amused flickered in her dark eyes.

“You get used to it.”

That was not comforting.

Nyra gestured toward a black SUV waiting nearby. “Come on. It’s a long drive through the inner grounds.”

Inner grounds? How large was this place?

As the SUV drove deeper into the sanctuary, my confusion only grew, the property was enormous, Cabins hidden between trees, training fields, medical buildings, underground entrances guarded by armed men and everywhere people watched me, not openly hostile, just cautious and suspicious.

“Is everyone here always this serious?” I asked awkwardly.

Nyra smirked faintly while driving. “You arrived during a difficult time.”

“What happened?”

“You’ll learn eventually.”

Not creepy at all, I looked outside again, the deeper we traveled into Moonridge, the stranger everything felt, yet beneath the fear creeping into my chest, there was also curiosity.

Eventually the SUV stopped outside a large medical building, fhe moment I stepped inside, the atmosphere changed completely.

Children.

Tiny laughter echoed through the hallways while nurses moved quickly between rooms. Some children played quietly in a colorful recreation area while others slept inside medical units, my chest softened immediately, children always made everything easier.

“They’re beautiful,” I whispered.

Nyra’s expression unexpectedly gentled.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “They are.”

Several nurses greeted me warmly while introducing themselves. Unlike the tense guards outside, the medical staff seemed genuinely relieved to see me, one exhausted-looking nurse nearly hugged me.

“Thank God you’re here.”

I laughed awkwardly. “That bad?”

“You have no idea.”

Nyra led me toward the nursery wing, the moment the doors opened, my breath caught.

Babies, at least twelve newborns rested inside specialized incubators and cribs, some sleeping peacefully while some crying softly, my heart instantly melted.

“Oh my God…”

One tiny baby wrapped in dark blankets opened glowing silver eyes briefly before falling asleep again, I froze. Glowing?

I blinked hard, no, I imagined that, exhaustion probably, Nyra smoothly stepped in front of the incubator before I could question it.

“These are the children needing the most care.”

I walked closer slowly, most of the babies had unusual medical charts attached beside them.

“What happened to them?” I asked softly.

Nyra exchanged a quick glance with another nurse.

“Abuse,” she answered finally.

Pain twisted inside my chest immediately. Monsters, who hurts children?

One tiny infant suddenly started crying loudly in the corner, without thinking, I moved toward the crib and gently lifted the baby into my arms, Instantly the crying stopped, the entire room went strangely silent.

I frowned slightly. “What?”

Several nurses stared at me oddly, even Nyra looked shocked, before I could ask why, the nursery doors suddenly opened and the entire atmosphere shifted, every person in the room straightened instantly, I turned slowly and froze.

A man stepped inside wearing black combat clothing, heavy boots echoing against the floor.

No, not just a man, he looked like something dangerous pretending to be human.

Tall, easily over six foot four with a body built like violence itself. Broad shoulders strained beneath his dark shirt while black tattoos disappeared beneath the fabric covering his arms and throat, scars marked his exposed skin, not small scars, the kind left by torture.

His dark hair fell messily across a brutally handsome face sharp enough to make my breath catch painfully in my chest, but it was his eyes that destroyed me. Grey-green it was cold, predatory and Inhumanly intense, for one terrifying second, I couldn’t move, neither could he.

His gaze locked onto me like he’d never seen another person before, then his eyes dropped to the baby sleeping peacefully in my arms, something dark flickered across his face, shock. The room became suffocatingly silent.

“Gerald,” Nyra said carefully.

The man didn’t answer, he was still staring at me and suddenly every instinct inside me screamed danger.