Chapter 148

Aria’s POV

Cathy came in right away, bringing the kids in tow. Piper kept them busy in the hallway while Lucian helped me administer the cure. It was an injection into her IV line. The cure would affect her, so I wanted to make sure she was connected to fluids in case she became weak.

Cathy didn’t even hesitate as she sat down on the hospital bed and presented her arm for the IV.

“Don’t you want to know what this is?” I asked her.

“As long as it’s a cure, I don’t care what else it is,” Cathy said. “You know I trust you, Aria.” He ducked her head at Lucian. “Him, I’m not as sure about.”

Lucian cleared his throat and focused on setting the vials for injection. He was clearly pretending not to have heard Cathy, though wasn’t doing a particularly good job at it.

“I can vouch for him,” I said softly.

That surprised them both. Cathy’s eyes went a little wide. Lucian clattered the tray he was working with.

“He’s been helping me the past week as my assistant,” I said. “He’s very diligent.”

I’d already told Cathy that Lucian had been my assistant, but she hadn’t believed me then. Now, she still seemed unsure. Yet, when Lucian didn’t dispute it – and she looked right at him as if expecting him to do so – she seemed totally perplexed.

“Huh,” she said.

“I know how to listen,” Lucian said. Lighter, he added, “Now. It took me far too long to learn.”

Cathy stared at him as if she was seeing him for the first time.

I set Cathy’s IV, then walked over to Lucian to finish readying the injection.

“I’m proud of you,” Lucian told me as I walked away. I couldn’t stop the heat from rising in my cheeks.

Cathy watched it all, her incredulous gaze on me as I lifted the injection and released the cure into her IV line.

“You might feel some weakness at first as your body adjusts,” I told her. “But hopefully, the cure will eat away the illness and allow your healing factor to help repair the rest.”

“Okay,” Cathy said. We both watched the IV line as the medicine dripped down. After a moment, Cathy’s gaze slipped back to me. “Do you think we could be alone for this part?”

“Sure,” I said, thinking she didn’t want Lucian to see her in a weakened state. Turning to him, I asked, “You don’t mind waiting in the hallway, do you?”

“No. Of course,” he said. “Please alert us if you need us.”

“I will,” I said.

Lucian moved then, stepping out into the hallway. He closed the door behind him.

The moment he was gone, Cathy turned her wide eyes right back to me.

“He really is your assistant!”

“I told you he was.”

“Yeah, but I figured that meant he was going to lend you some researchers or something. Or his Beta. I didn’t think he’d actually be here taking orders from you.”

I looked at the closed door, imagining Lucian behind it. “I didn’t believe it at first either. But he continues to surprise me.”

“Then there’s the matter of your lipstick on the corner of his mouth,” Cathy said, starting to grin.

My sudden blush burned hot. “What?!” I didn’t even notice it. Gods, how many others had seen and pieced it together? Piper, certainly. But who else? Did the whole of the hotel know?

“I only noticed because I was looking for it,” Cathy said. “Given that yours is smudged.”

Gods, what an embarrassment. I immediately moved toward the sink and grabbed a paper towel. In the reflection of the towel dispenser, I tried to wipe away any excess lipstick.

“So you and Lucian have crossed that boundary huh?” she asked.

“It was just a kiss,” I said. “He was trying to distract me.”

“You might be able to fool yourself with that line,” Cathy said. “But you don’t fool me. It’s not just a kiss. I can see it in the way you two talk to each other, and the way you both glance at each other when you think the other isn’t looking.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t lie.”

My blush continued to burn but still I said, “Even if I do have some idea what you mean, and even if I might even agree in a way, this… thing between Lucian and I doesn’t matter in the long run.”

“What are you talking about?” Cathy said. “You love him.”

“My presence here was only ever temporary. When you are feeling better, I’m going to be leaving, and that’s all there is to it. There’s still work in Moonglow that needs doing.”

“But Aria… If he’s your true love…”

“Even if he is,” I said. “I can’t just give up my dreams… Not again.”

Confident that my makeup was in place once more, I turned to Cathy, just in time to see her eyelids start to droop. Alarmed, I tossed the paper towel and hurried to her side.

“Are you alright? Tell me what’s wrong? What are your symptoms?” I asked.

“You have no idea… how good… I feel,” Cathy said, her words sluggish, like she was drifting off to sleep. “All the pain is gone…”

“It is?”

“I’m tired,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve been this comfortable in months.”

I checked Cathy’s IV, and her vitals, which were strong.

She remained awake, blinking at me. “Gods, I feel incredible.”

“It’s working, then,” I said. “You should get some rest and allow your wolf the time it needs to repair the damage done.”

“You are a masterwork, I mean that,” Cathy said. Reaching out, she took my hand. Tears welled in her eyes. “I was so scared, Aria. You have no idea what this means to me.”

“It means the same to me,” I told her. “You are my best friend, Cathy. So long as it is within my power, I will always find a way to fight for you.”

She smiled. “I wish there was something I could do.”

“Recover,” I told her. “That’s all you need to do.”

“I’ll do my best,” she said and laughed. It was worn-out and ended in a yawn.

“Rest,” I said. “I’ll be back to check on you.”

As her eyes started to close, she grinned as she said, “Thank your assistant for me too.”

Rolling my eyes playfully, I headed out the door.

In the hallway, I found Lucian sitting with the kids in the hallway.

“Do we really have to say goodbye?” Jean asked, frowning deeply.

Lucian’s back was to me. Though he probably could sense me approaching, he didn’t make any motion to address me.

“You grew up in Moonglow,” Lucian said. “Surely you must like it there.”

“I do, but…”

“We’ll miss you,” Luke said. “And Aunt Cathy and Uncle Jasper. Can you come live with us?”

Just when I thought my blushing was done, it was renewed once more.

I tried to imagine Lucian the Alpha adjusting to our quiet life near the beach, helping to take care of the kids while I went off to work at the clinic.

I couldn’t make it fit. It was so much not like him that it was almost laughable.

“I can come visit,” Lucian said. “Whenever you want.”

Jean and Luke pouted at once.

For them, that wasn’t good enough. Truly, though, it would have to be.

Lucian wouldn’t make the move, not even if he knew these kids were his. In fact, if he did know, he would probably make us stay.

For that reason, I had to bite my tongue and play pretend.

Lucian could come visit. He could be in the kids and my life as much or as little as he wanted.

I couldn’t expect anything more.