Chapter 42

Aria’s POV

Ignoring Cathy’s remarks, we returned home, where I read until I fell asleep. The next day, I felt as if I needed to come at the issue of Caleb’s health from a new perspective. Instead of arguing over the life-extending medicine, perhaps I could treat his illness with more conventional methods.

Standing in Caleb’s hospital room, disguised as Dr. A, I tried to talk to his family about my plans for Caleb’s care.

“You’ve said that he has limited time left,” Montgomery shot back. “Why would you waste that time on methods that may or may not work, when the obvious solution is within reach and readily available? If this is a matter of compensation, I can assure you Dr. A that the sky is the limit for our father.”

“Not everything is about money,” Matt countered.

“Quiet, Matthew. You’ve never understood,” Montgomery argued.

“How do we know, Dr. A,” said one of the in-laws, “that you aren’t just trying to sabotage one of this packs’ greatest heroes?”

“Martha, please,” said another in-law.

“I’m serious. We’ve all heard what Sheila is saying. The Alpha King might not agree, but I think she makes some good points. Especially as we’re here being confronted with this.”

The whole family looked at me, except Matt, who continued to glare at his siblings.

“The life-extending medicine was only ever intended as a last resort,” I said patiently. “We have not yet met that threshold.”

“You are wasting time,” Martha continued.

“I am exhausting every possible option,” I replied. “If there is a way we can help Caleb be healthy enough to wake up, then we could ask him for his choice himself.”

“You are talking nonsense,” Montgomery said.

“At least let me try. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

“He could lose his life!” Marth said.

“Not yet,” I said. “There is time to pursue this.”

“We are done wasting time,” Montgomery said, raising his voice. “You will administer the life-extending medicine to our father, or I will go to the public and tell everyone that you are exactly as Sheila described! A vicious imposter who only wants acclaim.”

“Montgomery –” Matt started.

“You will do no such thing,” Lucian said, louder, suddenly standing in the doorway.

How long had he been there? I’d been so enraptured with this discussion that I hadn’t noticed his arrival.

Montgomery paled. “Alpha King…” He dipped his head. “I did not mean to speak against you, sir, but this healer’s methods seem excessive. Our father’s life is at stake. Every moment counts.”

“I am merely asking for permission to try other methods,” I said. “Instead of focusing on the life-extending medicine, I wish to try to improve his condition.”

“That doesn’t seem unreasonable,” Lucian said. “Surely we can let the good healer do her work. She does after all know more than us about these matters. Unless one of you has attained the title of doctor or healer?”

He looked over the room. No one answered. Martha looked away.

“Dr. A is the most revered healer of the pack,” Lucian continued. “She deserves the benefit of the doubt. And, if she can successfully help him with more traditional means, then the debate over the medicine would be unnecessary.”

“How do we know she isn’t just wasting time?” Martha said. “Sheila says Dr. A doesn’t care about our pack. She doesn’t care about Caleb.”

“That’s not true,” I said, speaking up for myself now. “Caleb’s health and comfort are my primary concern, more so than anything else, including your opinions and whatever Sheila has to say.”

I was so furious that they were standing in the way of my helping Caleb. They didn’t seem to care at all about actually improving his quality of life; they only wanted to extend it.

Such selfishness was difficult to tolerate, and I was quickly losing my patience.

Lucian entered the room and moved to stand at my side. We were a singular force against the rest of the room – except for Matt, but even he was glaring at Lucian in that moment.

“Caleb is a hero, and his care is paramount. I assure you that Dr. A knows and respects this,” Lucian said, voice ever-calm yet still assertive. This was his Alpha King voice, indicating that he was done being trifled with. His rule was still law. “We must allow Dr. A to attempt other methods, if she believes that is what is best for her patient.”

“I do,” I said firmly.

Matt glared at Lucian a moment longer, before sighing, and stepping forward to join Lucian’s side.

“Matthew?” Montgomery gasped.

“Since my arrival, I have witnessed the kind of selfishness in our family that Dad would have hated,” Matt said. “If you could stop thinking of yourselves and consider him and what he would want…”

Montgomery glowered. Many of the other family members looked away.

“For Dad’s sake, we have to let the Dr. A try something else,” Matt said.

As Matt was clearly angry with Lucian still, I knew standing at his side was difficult. But Matt was a good man, and he would do what was best for his father, even if that meant agreeing with someone he disliked.

Montgomery stared me down for a long moment. I held his gaze, no letting him intimidate me.

Then, finally, he sighed. “Fine. But this is on your heads if this doesn’t work.”

“I can accept responsibility,” Lucian said.

I didn’t say anything, but internally, I argued. Lucian could say what he wanted, but if everything failed, I was the one who would have to face retribution for this.

Even so, it was a risk I was willing to take. Trying other medical methods was the right thing to do, and the only way I would be able to sleep at night.

I couldn’t just give him the life-extending medicine only to condemn him to more years of pain. If he was to receive the life-extending treatment, his quality of life had to be improved first.

With that decision made, the tension of the moment seemed to pass somewhat. Caleb’s family returned their attention to him, Matt included. He seemed eager to remove himself from Lucian’s side. He barely looked at me, disguised as I was as Dr. A.

Lucian and I took a step backwards, giving them room.

“Dr. A,” Lucian said, turning to me. “There’s something I wish to speak to you about.”

“Of course, we can start our meetings again,” I said. “If you speak with Piper, she will add them to my schedule.” With that, I turned and walked out of the room.

Being near Lucian and talking with him still hurt me. I might have been disguised as Dr. A, but beneath the façade, my heart was still raw from our last encounter and his continued dismissal of my feelings. If only he would give me the divorce I wanted, then maybe looking and talking with him wouldn’t be so heartbreaking.

By refusing the divorce, he was dragging everything out, not allowing me to recover and heal from the hurt of our relationship. I felt as if I was constantly being raked over hot coals.

Lucian followed me into the hallway. “Dr. A! Wait!”

I continued walking, but with his long stride, he quickly caught up.

“You misunderstand me,” he said. “My desire to speak to you isn’t about our project.”

I glanced at him sideways. “It’s not?”

He paused a moment, then pushed on. “No. It’s about a more… personal matter.”