Chapter 5
A heavy silence fell over the hospital room, as if time itself had stopped.
Lucas, who’d been in the middle of ripping into his friends, froze at Derek’s words echoing through
the sterile air-
“Holy shit, man. Tell me you haven’t actually fallen for her.”
Fall for Aria? What the fuck?
He rejected the thought with almost violent immediacy, as if the speed of his denial could erase the
strange emotion crawling through his chest.
He had always been destined for Leila–what was Aria in comparison? Such she–wolf like Aria definitely didn’t deserved to be his Luna.
And nothing but collateral damage in his revenge scheme. A means to an end.
But the logic didn’t track. If she meant nothing, why had he lost his goddamn mind when he saw those men on top of her?
Even when drunk wolves hit on Leila at pack gatherings, he’d never gone nuclear like that.
It must only because of the fucking dame mating bond, right?
His mental wrestling match cast the room into uncomfortable silence.
His friends exchanged knowing glances, visibly relieved by his reaction.
Tyler clapped him on the shoulder, his tone lightening: “Jesus, you had us worried for a second. I thought you’d gone and caught feelings or something. Getting played by your own revenge game would be such a fucking waste. Leila would lose her shit if she thought you’d fallen for that she–wolf.”
Lucas didn’t respond verbally, just tamped down whatever the hell was happening in his chest and stated coldly: “I will never have feelings for her and let Aria Collins be my Luna. Not in this lifetime.”
His friends finally relaxed, laughing as they headed for the door. “She’s probably gonna wake up soon anyway. We’ll bounce.”
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Chapter 5
Once they’d cleared out, Lucas slowly approached the bed, staring down at the unconscious Aria.
Her face was ghost–white, her brows slightly furrowed as if even in unconsciousness she couldn’t
escape the nightmare,
His fingers moved of their own accord toward her cheek, but the moment they made contact, he
yanked back as if her skin had shocked him.
He turned abruptly and stalked to the window, lighting a cigarette and taking a desperate drag, hoping the nicotine might quiet whatever the hell was happening in his head.
When Aria finally opened her eyes, Lucas was alone with her.
He sat beside her bed, holding a cup of water. Seeing her awake, he leaned forward: “How’re you feeling? Still hurting?”
Aria didn’t answer, just turned her head away, refusing to meet his eyes.
For the next few days, Lucas barely left the hospital, taking care of her with an attentiveness that surprised even himself,
Occasionally, he’d step out to take calls, and she noticed how his face softened when he returned, a gentleness in his expression that she’d once mistakenly thought was for her.
Aria knew now–those calls were to Leila,
Looking back with clear eyes, she realized this pattern had existed throughout their entire relationship. The mysterious calls he’d always step away to take, claiming “pack business” or “family stuff.”
She’d never questioned it, blinded by her devotion. Now she understood that Leila had been on the other end all along.
A different doctor came in to change her bandages,
Aria looked up and noticed a young, attractive resident she hadn’t seen before.
“You’re not my usual doctor, are you?” she asked quietly.
The young doctor–whose badge read “Ethan Hawthorne, MD“-smiled warmly: “That’s my mentor, Dr. Wilson. He’s doing rounds, so I’m handling your dressings today.”
Chapter 5
Aria nodded without further comment.
As Dr. Hawthorne changed her bandages, his movements were gentle, but she couldn’t help noticing the slight flush on his face every time their eyes met.
As he was finishing, he hesitated, then asked: “Would it be completely inappropriate if I… asked for your Snapchat?”
Aria blinked in surprise, but before she could respond, Lucas shoved through the door.
His eyes locked onto the doctor with predatory focus, his voice dropping to a dangerous register: “How dare you touch my mate!”
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Chapter 6
Chapter 6
