Chapter 111

Lucian’s POV

“Of course not,” I said at once, a bitterness rising up within me.

Trusting Sheila had been the worst decision of my life. Not only had I been complicit in ruining Travis’s life, but I’d also allowed Sheila to come between Aria and I, enough to help destroy our marriage. I couldn’t blame her entirely, I certainly had my own failings, but with her purposefully wedging herself between Aria and I, she didn’t help matters.

Piper seemed unsatisfied with my response. Did she even know Aria? I couldn’t be sure, but she was acting like a furious friend.

Dr. A, to my knowledge, was friends with Aria, though I could discern nothing from her blank expression, especially with most of her face hidden behind her mask.

“I hope,” I said, “despite this unpleasantness, that you have given more thought to my request for you to stay with Nightfall pack, Dr. A. Despite the failings of the Alpha King, I know the pack has much to offer you. You are such a remarkable person… I wish you would stay.”

As I spoke, Aria’s expression seemed to grow more and more dire, her lips curving down into a heavy frown.

“Why would you ask me this yet again?” she said. “Were my previous refusals insufficient?”

“I’m sorry,” I said, sighing lightly. “I simply hoped, in time, you might change your mind.”

“Is that all it is?” she asked. “Or does this have something to do with how the elders requested that you marry me?”

The blood drained from my face a little. For a moment, I had forgotten that the elders leaked that particular bit of information to the press. Of course Dr. A would have heard about it, and of course it would have made her furious, especially as Aria’s friend.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Piper added in, as angry as before. She was young, easy to fire up. “You only want to keep Dr. A around so that you can marry her, but you only want to marry her for the sake of her career.”

“I assure you both that this is not the case,” I said quickly, hoping to defend myself. They both had the very wrong idea about things. “I respect you, Dr. A, and your abilities, but I have no intention of marrying anyone. I told the elders that, but they have their own ideas about things. They want an heir, and they don’t care, frankly, how I feel about the matter.”

Subtly, Dr. A lifted her hand to cover her stomach. I didn’t say a word about it or glance at her too long. She had her own personal problems, with her pregnancy and with the potential deadbeat father.

“I’m sorry that their interference has made things more difficult for you,” I said. “But let me assure you, my desire for you to stay with the pack is only for the good of the pack. “

Thinking on it further, I sighed. Perhaps, as friends of Aria’s, it wouldn’t do me any harm to be more honest with them. Aria was already so far away from me. What did it matter who know how I felt about her now?

“Honestly, over these past few weeks, I’ve come to understand just how much Aria means to me,” I said.

Dr. A and Piper both stilled, watching me. Listening.

“My heart can’t let go of her,” I admitted. “I can see now how extraordinary she was, and I wish I had done more when she’d still been mine, to keep her.”

Aria’s POV

Behind my Dr. A mask, I stared at Lucian, unsure if what I was hearing and experiencing was reality.

For so very long, I had waited for him to acknowledge me as his wife, for him to recognize everything I did for him, and to appreciate me and my efforts.

It seemed as if he now did. Unfortunately, this revelation was coming far too late. Not only had we already mutually rejected each other, but we’d officially divorced too.

Even my wolf, who mourned the loss of the mate bond, was not so easily called back to it.

“He wants us only now that he has lost us,” she said wearily in my mind. “We cannot trust his words. They are meaningless when combined with his actions.”

I liked to think that in another lifetime, we were happy. Maybe one where Sheila never came between us, or perhaps where Lucian wasn’t so busy and could spend more time with me, seeing me for who I truly was far before I had to walk away.

In this lifetime, however, I didn’t know how much he could be trusted. Even if he was being earnest now, it was still far too late for me to trust him with my heart again. He’d placed Sheila ahead of me last time, but what would it be next time? Something else, I was sure. If I allowed it.

I already knew, from years of experience, that I would never be the top priority in Lucian’s life. And therefore, neither for my child. Perhaps, with this revelation of his, he would shower us with affection for a little while. But I was certain, after that time, things would return to normal.

The other issue was that I could not go back to being a housewife. For the sake of my marriage, I had put everything I was into that effort, that lifestyle. I’d made the most of it. But in the end, I’d been unable to make Lucian happy, and I was unhappy as well.

While playing homemaker, I’d given up on my dreams of helping people. Because of that, I’d turned to Lucian for my sole source of happiness. When he denied me his attention, I grew more and more distressed, making us both unhappy.

Over the past few years, being married to Lucian and watching our marriage fall apart, I realized that the best way to move forward in love, marriage, and my career was to always be true to myself.

I’d forgotten my way for so long, but I was back on track now. And nothing would tempt me away from my dreams again. Not even Lucian, who I knew I still loved. My heart burst with affection for him, especially to see him finally come to senses to condemn Sheila and her actions.

I knew what I had to do and what I had to say. My heart was calm, already secure with the decision I’d made.

Piper looked at me with worry, perhaps expecting me to change my mind. Hadn’t I already made clear to her that I would not? I had set myself on this new course, and there was nothing in my past that could change that now.

Not even this.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said to Lucian. Since he had no idea I was Aria, it was the most I could say without giving myself away.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Nightfall pack has been good to me,” I said. “While I’ve been here, I’ve been able to accomplish many things. But… it’s time for me to move on. I can’t stay here any longer, not even at the direct request of the king.”

Lucian’s face fell slightly, even though he had to be expecting that answer.

“In fact,” I told him. “I will be leaving the day after tomorrow.”