Chapter 23

Lucian’s POV

I went into the house with the full intention of getting a piece of cake for Aria. I could tell from her tone that she was annoyed with me and that I’d done little to rectify the situation. I’d thought the topic of her having a child might help resolve things, but it’d only seemed to push her away from me even further.

A piece of cake wouldn’t solve everything, but as a gesture, it couldn’t hurt. She could hopefully see that I was at least making an attempt. That had to be worth something.

While I wasn’t thrilled to leave her out there alone, in that dress, at least she had my suit coat draped over her shoulders. With that, she should be covered with enough of my scent to keep other alphas away.

Except perhaps Jasper, who seemed too curious for his own good.

Aria was still my wife. Until that changed, Jasper should know well enough to stay away. Perhaps I would have to have a conversation with him about propriety towards his Luna.

As I stood in line for the cake, I seethed. Every moment away from Aria felt like a missed opportunity. I should have been using this time to convince her to come back to the home that we had shared – the home that was now worse off without her.

Before I could reach the front of the line, my Beta Ben appeared and rushed to my side. “There you are, Alpha. I’ve finally reached our contact at the hospital. He confirmed that Dr. A is still in her office, where she’s been all evening. She can’t be Aria.”

“No, she can’t,” I repeated. That had to be the truth. Aria and Dr. A couldn’t be in two places at the same time if they were the same person. Yet this reality check had me reeling. I had been so sure. There were so many similarities between the two.

Even Max felt confused, pacing with agitation inside of my mind.

“You are certain?” I asked.

“Our contact is taking a photograph,” Ben said. “But it will take time to get it over here.”

I had no reason to doubt Ben or our contact at the hospital. Both were sources that I trusted. Yet… “I need that photograph,” I said.

“I’ll have him rush it,” Ben said and scurried away.

Finally, I reached the front of the line. As Aria’s piece of cake was finally being cut and placed on a plate, one of the nearby phones rang.

My mom, exasperated, yelled, “Someone get that.”

Ben, who had been on his way to the phone anyway, dutifully picked it up.

Aria’s piece of cake in hand, I started to turn back toward the doors to the pool.

“Alpha!” Ben called before I could take more than two steps. I looked back at him, over my shoulder. “It’s for you. It’s Sheila.”

Immediately my heart sunk. I had more important matters than dealing with Sheila tonight. This might have been my last chance to woo Aria again and convince her to give up the divorce. I’d done a poor job of it so far. I needed more time, more chances. I was sure I could convince her if I just –

“She’s threatening to kill herself,” Ben said, frowning.

A few people nearby turned to look.

Likely, this was all a ruse by Sheila. She hadn’t wanted me to come out tonight, didn’t want me to reconcile with Aria. But a suicide threat wasn’t something I could simply ignore, especially if it turned out to be true.

I already had so much guilt over Sheila. If I failed her in this as well…

I gave Aria’s cake to someone else in line, and then told Ben, “I’ll take it in the office. Don’t hang up until you hear me pick up.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Ben said.

Sighing, I walked out of the living room and into the hallway. At the end of the hallway, near the back of the house, I entered my father’s study. A wide desk was near a set of windows. Bookcases lined the far wall. I moved to the desk and lifted the phone that was on top of it.

“Sheila,” I said. I heard the telltale click of Ben hanging up his phone.

“Lucian, I need you,” Sheila sobbed. “You have to come home right now… I… I don’t know what I’ll do if I’m left alone.”

“You aren’t alone in the house,” I reminded her. “Any of my maids can sit with you. Or you could call one of your friends.”

“This isn’t the time for friends!” she suddenly shouted. “I need you!”

I was her friend, but I decided not to point that out, not wanting to make everything worse.

“I can’t return right now,” I said, keeping my voice calm and gentle. “I have obligations here. But it’s going to be okay. I’m only going to be gone for a few more hours, then I’ll be back.”

“A few hours is an eternity,” Sheila said. “I need you back right now.”

“Sheila, please…”

“I’m barren, Lucian. Don’t you understand what that means for a she-wolf? I’m humiliated. I have nothing to live for.”

“That’s not true. And Dr. A is working on a cure…”

“She’ll never find it. She thinks I’m a whore who’s not worthy to be a mother.”

“That’s not true either.”

“So you are taking her side?” Sheila gasped.

“I’m not taking anyone’s side. I just think we need to take a few deep breaths and refocus, alright? You are in my house right now. I’m taking care of everything. You don’t have to worry about a thing. I’m going to fix this, alright, Sheila? I need you to stay with me…”

Aria’s POV

Even after sitting for a few minutes in a pool chair, I wasn’t feeling well. I could still feel the eyes of the alphas around me. Jasper might have been able to keep them at bay for the moment, but they still resented me. They still glared at me when he wasn’t looking.

“I’m just going to take a little walk,” I said to Jasper.

“I’ll come with you…”

“I want to be alone.”

He didn’t want to let me go at first, but I was adamant. Eventually, he relented.

“If you need anything, I will be right here until you get back.”

I appreciated his concern and his looking out, even if I wasn’t entirely sure it was genuine. I had fun with Jasper, but I knew he cared about very few things and even less people. I hadn’t convinced myself that I was on that list.

Still, to even say those words was a nice enough gesture. “Thanks,” I told him.

Beside the pool area was a large garden. Julia was well-known for her green-thumb and took pride in working with the gardeners to cultivate a massive collection of trees, bushes, and flowers. Walking through the gardens was like stepping into another world.

Immediately, I was able to put some distance between myself and those negative thoughts that invaded my thoughts curtesy of those rude Alphas.

A light was on in the nearby window. Wasn’t that Harold’s study? One of the windows was slightly ajar.

From the room, I heard a voice. Lucian, in a very gentle, tender tone.

“Sheila, I need you to stay with me…”

I had thought my heart was done breaking, yet still it found room for more pain.

Lucian had assured me that he had no romantic entanglement with Sheila.

He was a liar.