Chapter 22

Aria’s POV

“Lucian,” Julia scolded. “You should be more considerate to Aria.”

“Sheila’s presence in my home has nothing to do with Aria,” Lucian replied.

My home, he’d said. Not, our home. That hurt more than it should have, especially now, after I’d left. He really mustn’t miss me at all.

And he was right, more than he knew. Sheila’s presence really did have nothing to do with me, because as far as I was concerned, Lucian and I were already divorced. He was the one holding everything up by refusing to sign the paperwork. I’d already checked out.

Just like now. I didn’t want to hear any more of this argument. Not Julia’s accusations, or Lucian’s defense.

“It was nice seeing you again,” I said to Julia and Harold. “If you’ll excuse me…” Before they could stop me, I turned and walked away.

I didn’t really have anywhere to go. No one here, other than maybe Jasper, who wasn’t anywhere to be seen, actually wanted to talk with me. So I simply moved to another corner and stood there alone, sipping my water.

I’d intended to finish my drink and then leave.

Lucian had insisted that I come tonight, and I had. If his plan had been to get his parents to convince me to take him back, then he would be disappointed.

Yet, before I could finish my drink, Lucian, leaving his parents, returned to my side. “Aria, we should talk.”

“I don’t have anything to say.”

“Then listen.” After a moment, haltingly, he added, “Please.”

I looked over at him, giving my attention without gifting him any more of my words.

“I’m not in a romantic entanglement with Sheila,” he said.

“Sure,” I said, not believing him.

“I’m being genuine.”

I looked away.

He watched me a moment, and then sighed. “I should have come to you and talked to you about what was going on with Sheila. I should have prepared you first before inviting Sheila into my home.”

My home. Again, he didn’t consider it ours. Also, with the way he was talking, the words he was using…

Prepared, not asked. He wished he had warned me first. He never had any intention of making sure I’d be okay with Sheila’s presence.

“What goes on in your home isn’t my concern anymore,” I said and sipped my drink.

The weight of his gaze pressed down into me, testing my resolve, but I held to my words. Eventually, he looked away. It took everything in me not to sigh in relief.

“They are cutting the cake inside,” he said. “I’ll get you a piece.”

I didn’t stop him, somewhat pleased to see him go. I needed a moment to breathe before I faced him again.

This was all too much. I was starting to feel somewhat dizzy.

Glancing up, I watched Lucian walk around the pool and then disappear into the house. The moment he was out of earshot, the alphas around me began to whisper.

“What is Lucian doing with her…? Weren’t they getting divorced?”

“Lucian should stop wasting his time. An orphaned Luna… three years without an heir. Do you think she’s barren?”

“Probably. Lucian should have never married her.”

“Where is Sheila tonight? That’s who he should have brought.”

Someone snickered. “I’ll give you fifty bucks if you ask Luna about Sheila…”

I braced myself. Maybe they thought I couldn’t hear them. Maybe they didn’t care if I did. Likely it was the latter.

Either way, a deal was struck between the two whispering men. An alpha, much shorter and slighter than Lucian approached me. He had a confident swagger that seemed unearned and a cocky smirk.

As Aria, I had seen this man a few times at other events, usually from a distance. I’d never been close enough to know of his distain of me. Though, as everyone generally disliked me, I could have guessed he did as well.

Alternatively, as Dr. A, I knew this man as a potential patient who I had rejected outright. A nobleman, he had attempted to push other patients out of his way in an effort to meet me in person. I hadn’t been impressed by his personality nor by his disease, which could have easily been cured by another doctor.

He hadn’t needed my specializations. He’d only wanted to be seen by me to say that he had.

“Luna,” he said as he approached. He was already giggling. It took some effort for him to try to form words. “How is Sheila –?”

“Should you be walking on that foot?” I asked, pointing down.

He stopped midsentence in surprise. “What?”

“From how you were limping just now… That’s gout, isn’t it? You should really have that looked at by a professional. If you ignore treatment for too long, it could get worse.”

He looked down. “How could you tell?”

“I’ve taken some medical classes. It looks painful.”

“It is… Wait.” He shook himself. “I’m not here to talk about this.”

“Then you should probably go away,” Jasper said, smoothly appearing at my side. “Our Luna gave you genuine advice. Perhaps you should take that and leave, rather than commit to whatever asinine plan you and your buddies concocted to embarrass her. I’m doubting she would be the one embarrassed here, Mr. Gout.”

“Jasper,” I said lightly. He didn’t need to go quite so far. After all, I was used to the mistreatment of the pack.

“Aria,” he said pointedly, as if telling me that I shouldn’t have to be used to it.

“Right,” the alpha said, backing up. He’d lost his nerve. Turning, he limped as he walked back to his friends. They’d turned their attention to mocking him, ignoring me once more.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I said.

“And you didn’t need to take that asshole’s abuse,” Jasper said. “Yet here we are.” Lifting his drink, he clinked his glass against mine.

I rolled my eyes at him, and he laughed.

Even though I teased him, his presence did lift my spirits somewhat. With Jasper, I didn’t have to try so hard to be anyone other than myself, and given the many tense conversations I already had at this party, that was an immense relief.

I feared that tenseness had already taken a toll on my pregnant body. I was feeling lightheaded and my stomach hurt. I probably needed to sit down for a while, preferably away from all of these people. But I didn’t know how to ask for that, even from Jasper, without making a scene or giving myself away.

I didn’t want anyone who didn’t already know to learn about my pregnancy. That included Jasper, Julia, Harold, Lucian, and everyone else at this party.

“You alright?” Jasper asked.

“I’m fine,” I unintentionally snapped.

“Whoa, okay,” Jasper said and laughed. He lifted his arm forward as if to keep me from falling. “I think you might be lying to me.”

“I don’t feel good,” I admitted.

“Yeah, that’s more in line with what I thought. Here.” He plucked the water from my hand and set it aside with his own on a nearby table. Then he returned to my side. “Maybe we should get you away from these people…”

“I just need to sit down for a moment…”

I thought I might pass out.

In my haze, I wondered where Lucian was. What was taking him so long to get dessert?