Chapter 8

The days blur together in a strange limbo.

I'm living in my penthouse with Vivian and Mira. Dominic comes by daily to "check on them", which really means spending hours with Vivian while I'm conveniently at the clinic or conveniently in my room.

The performance continues.

Sweet, understanding Elena who doesn't mind her husband doting on his dead brother's mate.

It's been days since the funeral. It’s been days since I tricked him into signing those papers. Five days until his birthday when everything changes.

I'm in the kitchen making Mira breakfast chocolate chip pancakes because the little girl asked so sweetly when Vivian comes downstairs.

She's wearing one of my robes. Silk, cream-colored, expensive.

I don't remember offering it to her.

"Elena." Her voice is careful. "Can we talk?"

I flip a pancake. "Of course."

"About what I told you. About knowing." She sits at the island, her fingers tracing the marble countertop. "I need you to understand that I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know." I plate the pancakes, arrange them into a smiley face for Mira. "You just didn't care enough to stop it."

"That's not fair."

"Auntie Elena!" Mira runs into the kitchen, her dark curls bouncing. She climbs onto the stool, eyes lighting up at the pancakes. "You're the best!"

I ruffle her hair. This child is innocent in all of this. "Eat up, sweetheart."

Vivian watches me with her daughter, "You're so good with her."

"She's easy to love." Unlike her mother, I don't add.

My phone buzzes as I watched sage name pop out

Court date confirmed. Morning of the 31st. Pack council will be present. This is going to be VERY public.

I smile.

"Good news?" Vivian asks.

"Just work stuff." I pour myself coffee. "Vivian, I need to run to the clinic today. Will you two be okay here?"

"Of course. Dom said he might stop by for lunch."

Of course he did.

The Cascade Wellness Clinic is my sanctuary.

Here, I'm Dr. Elena. Not Mrs. Ashford. Not the Alpha's unwanted Omega. Just me.

Jamie greets me with her usual bright energy. "Dr. Grey! Your ten o'clock is here. Mr. Patterson, the Alpha with chronic pain?"

I reviewed his file. "Send him in."

Mr. Patterson is an older Alpha, probably mid-fifties, with the kind of pain that Western medicine can't touch. His wolf is healthy, but something in his energy is blocked.

"Doc," he says as he settles onto my treatment table. "My regular doctor says it's all in my head."

"It's not." I press specific points along his spine, feeling for the blockage. "Your wolf is compensating for an old injury. Your body healed, but the energy meridian didn't. It's common in Alphas who push through pain instead of letting themselves heal properly."

I work on him for forty minutes acupuncture, herbal therapy, energy work. By the end, he's moving easier.

"How do you do that?" he asks, amazed.

"Years of study. And a good teacher." I write out his herbal prescription. "Three times daily. You'll feel better within a week."

After he leaves, I have a rare moment of quiet. I'm updating patient files when my phone rings.

Dominic.

I stare at it for three rings before answering. "Hello?"

"Elena." His voice is warm, relieved. "I've been trying to reach you."

"I'm at work."

"Right. Of course." A pause. "I wanted to talk about my birthday. It's in a few days, and I thought since you made mention of me opening my birthday present I would love to open it in front of you."

"I know when your birthday is, Dominic and I don’t think I’d love to be there while you unbox your gift."

"I thought we could have dinner. Just the two of us. I feel like we haven't really talked since..." He trails off.

Since he chose Vivian over me for the thousandth time?

"That sounds nice," I say, because that's what sweet Elena would say.

"Really?" He sounds surprised. "I thought you'd be angry."

"Why would I be angry?"

"Because of Vivian staying with us. Because…" He stops. "Elena, are you okay? You sound different."

"I'm fine. Just tired."

"You work too hard."

Says the man who's never once asked what I actually do at this clinic.

"I'll see you tonight," I say, ending the call before he can say more.

Jamie pokes her head in. "Everything okay, Dr. Elena?"

"Perfect." I stand, grabbing my medical bag. "I need to make a house call."

The address Sage gave me leads to a small apartment in Capitol Hill. The patient is a young Omega, maybe nineteen, who's been having trouble with her heat cycles since her mate rejected her.

"Dr. Elena?" She opens the door, and I can smell the distress on her immediately. Her wolf is in pain.

"Really?" I step inside. "Let's see what we can do."

I spent two hours with her. Acupuncture to rebalance her energy. Herbs to help her wolf heal. And most importantly I talk to her.

"You think I'm pathetic," she whispers. "That I'm weak for not getting over it."

"I think you're brave." I meet her eyes. "You offered your heart to someone, and they rejected it. That's not a weakness. That's courage."

"It doesn't feel like courage."

"It will. Eventually." I pack up my supplies. "You're going to heal. Your wolf is going to heal. And one day, you'll find someone who deserves what you have to offer."

She's crying when I leave, but they're good tears.

I think about her on the drive home. About how I understand more than she knows.

When I get back to the penthouse, Dominic's car is in the parking garage.

I take the elevator up, steeling myself for whatever scene awaits.

The door opens, and I hear laughter. Vivian's laugh, light and musical. Dominic's deeper chuckle.

They're in the kitchen. He's cooking something he has never done for me in years while she sits on the counter, swinging her legs like a teenager.

"Oh, Elena!" Vivian spots me first. "You're home. Dom made dinner."

"I can see that." I set down my bag.

Dominic turns, spatula in hand. "I hope you don't mind. Vivian mentioned she was craving pasta carbonara, and I thought…"

"It's fine." I head toward my room. "I'm not hungry anyway."

"Elena, wait." He catches my wrist. "Stay. Please. We never eat together anymore."

Because you're always with her.

But I don't say that. Instead, I nod. "Let me change first."