Chapter 39
Mira
I had a low-key morning, slowly recovering from the whirlwind of last night. A long shower and some light yoga on the bedroom floor helped, and I took a half tablet of charcoal just to be safe.
In my mind all I wanted to do was confront Lila, as I was convinced she was behind the dosing of the drink. She clearly had intended it for Dominic, and I wondered what her plan had been if he was the one stumbling and slurring at the dinner table.
If seduction was on her mind, she picked a really intense way to go about it. I couldn’t imagine Dominic would be happy to find out she had drugged him in order to take advantage of him, but I suppose Lila didn’t think that far into the future.
She was more interested in immediate results, and I hope that this carelessness might reveal her true nature to the public once and for all.
Deciding to at least gain more evidence before proclaiming blame upon her, I went over to the hospital in the afternoon.
If she was there, I could cozy up to her and see how she reacted if I brought up a mysterious substance slipped in my drink.
If she wasn’t, I could do some snooping and see if anyone else knew what she had been up to last night.
The hospital was busy when I arrived that afternoon. No emergencies, just the happy hustle of a buzzing beehive. Staff members greeted me with quick hellos as I passed through the hallways, all armed with clipboards and conferring on charts.
It felt nice to see the fruit of my labors, knowing that even with a hectic day, the nurses were organized and information was being recorded efficiently.
Lila was nowhere to be found.
She had been on the schedule for some volunteer hours, but no one had seen her yet today. Not a huge demerit on her account, and the teaching nurse I spoke to said there were always a few no-shows after big Pack events. No one took her absence as a sign of negligence.
“She’d been working late the night before, too,” I was told, “so maybe Lila just needed an extra day away from this place.”
I didn’t recall anything that required an intern to be here late this week.
“How late was she here, poor thing? Do you know what she was working on?” I played up the concern in my voice, keeping my questions focused on Lila’s wellbeing more than her activities or motives.
“I think doing her own research project, she’s been more interested in the pharmacy lately,” the nurse added. “I would guess after the episode with her brother, she’s trying to learn from her mistakes.”
“How admirable!” I said with enthusiasm. “So, she was in the lab all that night?”
“Far as I know,” she told me, “but you can always just the entry log to be sure.”
I made my way to the lab, trying not to draw attention to myself in case anyone wondered where I was going.
The logbook at the door show Lila was in the lab until 1:36am the night before the banquet, and it seems no one else was in there with her after eleven.
At least she followed protocol, regardless of whatever she was working on.
Nothing seemed out of place, but I did a full inspection of the lab either way. I don’t know what I was looking for, especially since a full thirty-six hours had passed since Lila had been in here.
Everything was clean or in its proper place, but something felt odd about the bookshelf in the corner.
Most were medical textbooks or booklets that came from pharmaceutical suppliers, but over the years other books had taken up space on the shelves. There were books on plant medicine, some of which I had brought in for my own use and to share with others.
One book seemed slightly askew, and I carefully removed it from among the others.
It was an old book, one that I found more fascinating that actually useful as it went into some now debunked theories on health and wellness.
A page corner was turned down, and I immediately cursed the reader for folding a page instead of using a bookmark.
But it was on that page that got my attention.
Mallow root.
Rumored throughout history to clear the heart and mind, and make a patient malleable to the whims of the supplier.
In other words, a perfect ingredient in a love potion or spell.
Did Lila really think that would work?
A memory of last night flashed in my eyes, of my hands on Dominic’s face, his arms, his chest. I would have done anything he wanted me to do, fully at the mercy of his desires.
I slammed the book shut, deciding not to replace it on the shelf but bring it home for more close reading.
Rushing back upstairs, I made my way toward to the front entrance of the building. As I approached the desk, I saw a group of nurses and heard chatter and laughter echoing down the hall.
As I approached, I realized the center of the attendant as a young man in his early twenties, and he seemed to be holding court over the nursing staff.
Always cautious of overly-charming men, I made my way to the group.
“Oh, Mira!” Cinda said, beaming. “I supposed you haven’t met yet, but this is Lucian.”
“Hello,” I said, extending my hand towards him.
The young man took my hand and turned it, placing a gentle kiss on the back of my knuckles. I tried not to frown.
“Mira, finally,” he said, keeping his eyes on me. “I’ve heard so much about you, and it is such a pleasure to meet you.”
“Well, that’s nice,” I said, a bit confused at his display.
“I am Lucian, Irene’s son,” he clarified. “Dominic’s prodigal step-brother has returned.”
“So nice to meet you,” I said with a cheery smile. “I suppose pretty soon we’ll be family.”
“Yes, so I hear!” he said, tilting his head slightly as if studying me closely. “I hope the rest of the family has been welcoming to you— everyone knows how stressful it can be for a new Luna to ascend the throne.”
“Everyone has been wonderful,” I lied, “and so supportive of me in this journey.”
“Please,” Lucian said, stepping aside, “may I walk you home?”
I refused to link my arm in his, but accepted his escorting me on the walk back to the Pack house. I gathered that Dominic did not have the highest opinion of his step-brother, but didn’t want to write him off immediately.
It was better to give him the benefit of the doubt, and maybe he could help me in the future to stand up to his sister and mother.
“You must be happy to be home,” I said to him after a few moments of silence.
“Totally, and so glad to be done with university,” he let out a sigh of relief. “I really pushed myself in the end there, couldn’t face the idea of another semester or longer.”
“Congratulations,” I said sincerely, impressed by his focus on his education. “Your mother must be so proud.”
“Sure, she is,” he began, “though I think if she’d had her way I would’ve stayed home, closer to her, and done all my studies with independent tutors instead of a larger class.”
I must’ve made a face at this, because he went on.
“My mother likes to be in control, to keep everything and everyone, within her sight.”
“Maternal instinct, perhaps?” I suggested.
“Perhaps.”
We walked on further without saying anything.
“So, Dominic, huh?” Lucian offered. “How’s that going?”
“Fine, I guess, I mean…good,” I stumbled a bit.
“You guess?” Lucian was smiling. “I don’t mean to put you on the spot, I’m just curious to see how he is as a…partner, ever since—“
He trailed off, and seemed to walk a little faster.
“Ever since what?” I was taking the bait, but needed to know.
“Well, let’s just say we all worried he might never choose a Mate, too bent out of shape but that past.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t mean to gossip or anything,” Lucian was quick to add, “and everyone says he seems really happy with you. And has such faith in you as Luna, even after last night.”
“Last night?” My mind was flip-flopping, not sure what he was talking about now.
“Well, I heard about the banquet,” Lucian said sheepishly. “Dominic was saying that you had a little too much to drink or something, and you were kinda making a fool of yourself. He seemed slightly embarrassed, for both of you.”
The words hit me like punch in the stomach.
“He told you that?”
“I doubt anyone else really even noticed, honestly,” he said, stopping as we came towards the front door of the Pack house. “Everyone at those events is so wrapped up in themselves, I’m sure you just seemed to be having a good time.”
“Right, thanks,” I said dejectedly.
“Hey, Mira,” Lucian said, taking my hand in his, “really don’t worry about it. I’m sorry I brought it up at all, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No, I’m fine,” I kept my eyes down. “thank you for telling me.”
“Of course,” Lucian said, “I’m here for you, if you need anything at all. We’re family.”
He raised my hand to meet his lips, and this time our eyes connected. Something passed between us, something intimate.
I was caught off guard, curious, and I didn’t hear the front door open.
Someone cleared their throat, gaining out attention.
We both turned to see Dominic, stone-faced, staining in the doorway.
