Chapter 93

Aria’s POV

Lucian’s intervention in that unwanted proposal seemed to spread around because the amount of suitors showing up for me blessedly declined throughout the day, even after Lucian had left.

I returned a few times throughout the day to check on Harold, and though there was never much change, I could sense that he would likely awaken soon.

The latest time, when I walked into the room, Lucian was gone but Julia was present. She stood as I approached.

“He squeezed my hand again,” she said excitedly.

“That’s very good,” I told her. I was even more certain now that he would wake up soon. As I began to inspect Harold, Julia seemed to study me. She’d been doing that a lot lately, I noticed.

“Where did you say you went to school?” she asked.

I told her.

She hummed and nodded. “And what of your parents?” she asked. “They must be proud of you.”

“They passed away,” I said, keeping the details vague.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Julia said, though she kept on watching me.

“It was a long time ago,” I said.

She hummed again.

“I mean…” Gods, maybe I shouldn’t have said that. She was clearly suspicious of something, though I wasn’t sure exactly what. “My life isn’t all that interesting.”

“I disagree,” Julia said. “You are such a rising starlet, yet hardly anyone knows anything about you.”

“There’s not much to tell,” I said.

I reached out then to pull back Harold’s eyelids and inspect his eyes. Yet, just as I was about to touch him, his eyes blinked open of their own volition. He looked up at me, a little bewildered, and said, “Aria?”

Julia gasped. She seemed torn between calling me out and supporting her husband. In the end, his being awake was more important.

“Harold, Gods. I’ve been so worried about you,” Julia said.

Harold blinked a few times as he turned his attention to his wife. “Where am I?”

“The hospital,” Julia said, adding a pointed, “Again.”

Harold looked around, soaking in his surroundings. “So I am. Damn.” Then slowly, his attention returned to me. “And here is Dr. A.”

“Yes,” I said.

“That’s not what you called her a minute ago,” Julia said.

“Yes, well…” Harold glanced at Julia before focusing on me once more. “She does remind me of Aria. Doesn’t she to you, Julia?”

“She does,” Julia said. “And I hope that no matter what secrets that she might be hiding, or why, that Aria would know she could trust us with anything.”

They knew. I could see that clearly from the fond way they both looked at me, and for whatever the reason, they were willing to keep my secret – maybe because of their affection for me.

But it was too much. I couldn’t confirm or deny just yet. I didn’t want to lie to them, especially if they’d already guessed the truth. But I… I needed to think.

The best way to focus, I’d found, was to concentrate on my patient.

“Let me look you over before we talk about anything else,” I said to Harold. “You’ve been out for a while now. I need to make sure you are okay.”

Harold and Julia acquiesced to my request. Harold sat up in bed as I gave him a few cognitive tests. He answered my questions readily and all of his reflexes seemed in order.

“Everything seems normal,” I said.

“Good,” Julia said. “Then perhaps you’d be comfortable telling us what’s going on, Aria.”

Looking at them both, I weighed my options. They were like the parents I’d never gotten to truly know, and perhaps, if they fully understood the truth of my situation, they wouldn’t worry so much about my divorce. If they knew I could survive on my own, maybe they would even give this divorce their blessing.

“You can’t tell anyone,” was the first thing I said.

“Oh, Aria…” Julia said, shrinking a little.

I didn’t fully understand why she was upset. Had I disappointed her? “I’m sorry,” I started to say.

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Julia said. “We are the ones who should say sorry to you.”

I startled, not having expected that.

“Julia’s right,” Harold said. “We pressured you too much at the beginning, to give up your career and become a housewife for Lucian.”

“That was the way things were always done,” Julia said. “We just wanted you two to have the best shot at happiness. But we didn’t know what we were asking you to give up.”

“You saved my life, Aria. Multiple times now. If you would have been at the house and not here at the hospital…”

“The other Healers are capable,” I said, not wanting to take all the credit. Though, in truth, their capability varied wildly. There was truly no telling what level of care Harold would have received if Aria had not been there.

“Do not devalue yourself,” Harold said gruffly.

“Please,” I asked once more. “Don’t tell anyone. Especially not Lucian.”

“He doesn’t know,” Julia said, a statement more than a question. “When I first suspected, I watched him, but he didn’t treat you as he would his wife. He truly has no idea who you are.”

“She smells different,” Harold said. “Must confuse the hell out of Lucian’s wolf. How do you do that anyway?”

“My wolf helps me,” I explained.

I was uneasy. They still hadn’t promised.

“Why do you keep this a secret?” Julia asked.

I shook my head. “When I first got together with Lucian, I was putting the past behind me. I didn’t think I’d ever return to this life.”

“What we said didn’t help,” Harold said, frowning.

I didn’t blame them. They simply spoke what they thought was correct, honoring the traditions and values of the past. For a Luna, that meant becoming a housewife.

Yet, though they encouraged me, I was still the one who made the ultimate choice. I dedicated myself to that life, and to Lucian. I let my career behind me.

“I made my own choices,” I said. “No one is to blame but me.”

“When did you decide to come back to being a healer?” Julia asked.

“Things with Lucian and I have been tough for a while,” I said. “I think I saw the writing on the wall.” I didn’t tell them about the pregnancy. Even if I could convince them to keep the rest of it a secret, it would be too much to ask them to hide a baby from their own son.

Julia and Harold glanced at each other, and a silent conversation seemed to pass between them.

“We will keep your secret, of course,” Julia said, looking at me.

“We will,” Harold said. “And we support your divorce, though it does still pain us to lose you as a daughter-in-law.”

“You will always be our daughter-in-law,” Julia was quick to amend. “Whether you are married to our son or not.”

That was exceedingly kind and made me choke up a little.

Julia gave me a sad sort of pitying smile. “I will keep your secret, Aria, but I think you should tell Lucian the truth about who you are. Give him a chance to respond on his own.”

It was far, far too late for that.

The baby growing within me was proof of that. Lucian knew Dr. A was pregnant. If he discovered I was actually Dr. A, then he would undoubtedly be able to put the pieces together.

If he knew I was carrying his baby, he would never let me leave the pack.

I couldn’t let this happen. I had to leave as soon as possible.