Chapter 92

Lucian’s POV

With no real rhyme or reason, the sight before me annoyed the hell out of me. Maybe it was because Dr. A reminded me of Aria, or perhaps it was simply that this man was being pushy when he needed to back the hell off. Whatever the reason, my anger was rising at the same rate my patience was lowering.

I’d thought with Dr. A’s rise in reputation in the pack that she might accumulate her share of suitors, yet I never expected to see those bold men infiltrate the hospital and bother her at work.

The man bothering her now was the chief accountant at the local firm. Perhaps he thought his own love of numbers would be shared by Dr. A, but the doctor clearly had no interest in seeing anything he had to show her.

“But, uh… Alpha King. I was just trying to –” The man attempted to argue with me, as if I was the one being unreasonable.

With a bit of alpha command in my voice, I told him, “You should go now, and leave Dr. A alone. Her answer is no.”

The man, sensing the threat behind my words, swallowed hard. “Yes, Alpha,” he said, then turned on his heel and scurried away, taking the manila folder tucked under his arm, likely holding his entire financial portfolio, with him.

“I told him no many times,” Dr. A said when he had gone.

“I know you did,” I replied. “I could see him not listening to you. That was why I intervened.”

Dr. A frowned at me. “Thanks,” she said with a forced sort of politeness. Then she started walking.

“Are you going to see my father?” I asked. “We could walk together.”

She paused a moment. Then, she nodded.

She waited until I came to be beside her, and together we started walking toward my dad’s room.

“I guess your reputation precedes you now,” I said, trying to make conversation. “You have become the pack’s most eligible bachelorette.”

I recalled seeing the protestor hoping Dr. A might become the pack’s Luna. I’d never bring it up with her, and I had far too much of my own entanglements to detangle, but that she was being considered by the public as a good option spoke of the pack’s growing affection for her.

“I understand it can be difficult for someone without firsthand knowledge of these men to be able to discern which of them might be worth your time. If you’d like, I could help. I’d be happy to pick out a few of the more suitable males for your consideration.”

“No,” Dr. A said very quickly and very fiercely. The word was so forceful that I was stunned for a moment, before I realized the likely cause.

If she had seen the news, she would have known that I was the one to introduce Sheila to her abusive mate. That man had ruined Sheila’s life so thoroughly, taking away her ability to have children as well as making her more fragile mentally.

Dr. A likely was saying no to protect herself from my bad judgement of character, and for this, I couldn’t blame her. Perhaps it had been distasteful for me to even suggest it.

Undoubtedly she saw me as untrustworthy.

Guilt eating me alive, I stayed quiet for the rest of the walk to Dad’s room.

There, Mom was already sitting at his bedside. When she saw us, she stood and came to the door. I gave her a quick hug, as Dr. A moved toward Dad, to inspect him.

Mom and I stayed back as Dr. A completed her work, thoroughly examining him. “You’ve been my his side all morning?” she asked aloud, the question likely directed at Mom.

“Yes,” Mom said.

“Have you noticed any changes in him? Twitches or moans. Anything like that.”

“No,” Mom replied. “He’s been mostly still…” She considered a moment. “Oh! Though earlier, as I was speaking to him, I could have sworn I felt him clutch my hand.”

Dr. A hummed in consideration.

“Is that good?” Mom asked.

“Yes,” Dr. A said. After her inspection, she returned across the room to us.

I must have made her uncomfortable before because she gave me a wide berth now, as if standing too close to me might cause her physical discomfort.

Guilt continued to swell within me. Sometimes I wondered if it would finally just swallow me whole.

Mom glanced curiously between Dr. A and me, before her gaze settled on Dr. A’s face. She looked closely, as if she was trying to see her behind her mask.

“He is on the road to recovery,” Dr. A told us. “But his body does need time to heal. He should wake up soon, but we must not rush him.”

“I understand,” Mom said.

Dr. A looked at us both and nodded. Then, she left the room.

When she was gone, Mom said, “That Dr. A seems so familiar.” Glancing at me, she added, “Don’t you think, Lucian?”

“No,” I replied, even as my thoughts once more returned to Aria.

Sheila’s POV

Sheila glared at the man making himself far too comfortable in her and Lucian’s living room. He walked toward the couch and sat down, stretching himself out, his feet up on the coffee table.

Sheila wanted to throw something at him, or force him to leave the premises, but he had already threatened to possess something she wouldn’t want leaked to the public.

“Nice place you have here,” the reporter said.

“Well?” she snapped. “Let’s see what you have. I don’t like to play games.”

That was a lie. She lived for playing games, but only the ones that she could control, where she was in charge. Being caught in someone else’s web was no fun at all.

The reporter reached into his pocket and procured a photo. He smirked at it for a moment before handing it to Sheila. Sheila ripped it from her hands and inspected it.

Immediately, her stomach twisted.

In the photo, Dr. A was far too familiar with Lucian. They were looking at each other fondly, and Dr. A had her hand gently on Lucian’s forearm.

“I want $20,000,” the reporter said.

“Absolutely not,” Sheila said on instinct. “That is far too much money.”

The reporter shrugged, like it didn’t matter to him. “I suppose you don’t care if the pack knows just how close Lucian and Dr. A really are. Her popularity is quickly surpassing yours, you know. Even with the latest revelations that give you oh so much sympathy, most people still hope Dr. A becomes the next Luna. I’m sure they will eat this photo right up.”

A growl escaped Sheila’s throat. To hide it, she immediately coughed.

The reporter knew though, and laughed. “I didn’t think you’d like that. $20,000 and this photo goes away.”

“I want the negatives,” Sheila said.

“You will get the negatives when I get my check.”

Her growl starting again, a flash of rage overtook her.

Gods, she hated to lose.

In her fury, she screamed as she tore the photo into tiny little pieces. They fluttered down like snowflakes onto the ground, where she stomped on them for good measure.

“$20,000,” the reporter said, enunciating slowly.

Sheila hated Dr. A with all of her being.

She didn’t care what she had to do. She would not let that bitch take Sheila’s rightful spot as the pack’s next Luna.