Chapter 53

Silver’s POV

I felt cold upon hearing Shirley’s words. I stared at her with my mouth hanging open. Could it be true? Could she really be Elliot’s true mate? Why hadn’t this come up before? Why didn’t Elliot tell me? Why hadn’t Shirley?

“I know this is a lot for you to take in. I’m sorry, Silver. I didn’t want you to find out this way. But you needed to know,” she told me, releasing her hold on my hand. My body had gone completely numb and I didn’t even realize she was holding my hand. “But after your two divorces, Elliot will be marking and marrying me. Our packs will be joined, and we’ll overall be better for it. Isn’t that what you want? For everyone to be happy and stronger?”

I found myself nodding along with her words, but not fully understanding what it was she was saying. I felt so unbelievably numb, I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry my eyes out. But I remained frozen in my seat, staring at her like she just slapped me across the face.

“I really hope there aren’t any hard feelings,” she said, batting her long lashes at me.

I mistook her condescending attitude for sweetness. That was my mistake. I thought she was truly apologizing to me for her actions; that was another mistake. I should have never believed her, but now I sat in a chair at her bedside with my heart bleeding in the palm of my hand.

What was wrong with me?

How could I be so naive and think that Elliot was actually falling for me? I thought he could have been falling in love… I was falling in love.

But now I see that I was only kidding myself. I was pathetic and there was nothing more I could do to mend this disaster of marriage.

“Silver?” Shirley asked with fake concern evident in her voice. “Are you okay?”

I cleared my throat and nodded, blinking a few times to keep the tears from spilling out of my eyes. I wasn’t going to give Shirley the satisfaction of watching me break. She doesn’t get to see my tears. These tears were for me and me alone. I forced a smile as I stood to my feet.

“Thank you for telling me, Shirley,” I told her sweetly. “You are kind to tell me the truth.”

She nodded thoughtfully, watching me almost warily.

“If there’s anything I can do, please let me know,” she said, that plastered smile never leaving her lips.

I nodded again and turned away from her. Just as I started toward the door, it opened and Beta Leo along with Elliot walked back into the room. I immediately slammed the walls up around me and put a metaphorical mask around my face so he couldn’t see my pain. Like Shirley, he didn’t deserve to see me break.

“Are you all set?” He asked, his eyes pouring into me.

I nodded.

“I’m very tired though; I think I’m going to head home now,” I told him.

He looked uncertain for a moment.

“I can drive you,” he offered.

I was about to deny him, but I didn’t get the chance because Shirley was whimpering and crying out for him from behind me. When I turned to look at her, I saw tears streaming down her face and she was holding onto her leg, which should have been healed by now.

“It hurts! I think something’s wrong, Elliot!” She whaled.

“Shit,” he cursed under his breath as he ran around to tend to his mate. I heard him yelling for Beta Leo to fetch the doctor and he was wondering why her leg hadn’t healed already. I gave a mocking laugh, but it was low enough that he didn’t hear me.

There was no use in staying; he was preoccupied now. I would just have to call a cab once I left here. I turned away and walked through the doors. I went straight to the nurse's station in the waiting room and told them that I was leaving.

“The doctor wanted me to give you this medication before you left,” the nurse said, handing me a bottle of pain medication. “Typically, we wouldn’t have let you leave without someone coming to discharge you and pick you up. But seeming your husband is here, I’m assuming he’s arranged a ride for you?”

I bit my lower lip, not wanting to lie to her, but also not wanting to stay any longer. I nodded.

“Yes, I have a ride waiting,” I told her.

She nodded thoughtfully and signed my release forms.

“Try to take it easy,” she warned before I walked out of the door.

I grabbed my cellphone which was thankfully in my pocket and glanced at the screen. It was going to die soon. I sighed and was about to call for a cab company when I heard my name in the distance.

“Luna Silver. Are you heading home?”

I was relieved to see Gamma Erik standing by his usual black sedan with a grin on his lips. I enjoyed spending time with Erik; he had started to become a very good friend to me despite the fact that he was hired to be my bodyguard. I knew he was there when I was kidnapped and he fought like hell to get me back, but Shirley was quicker and rescued me first.

At the time of my kidnapping, Erik was patrolling outside. I’m sure she probably saw that somebody had broken into the palace and was most likely the one who called Elliot and took me to the hospital.

“I’ve told you to just call me, Silver,” I told him, walking towards him.

He smirked.

“And your husband would have my balls in a handbasket if I did that,” he teased, opening the back seat of the car. “Let me take you home.”

“I can call a cab,” I told him as I held up my phone. Just then, my phone died.

I frowned at the screen and then sighed in defeat.

Chuckling, Erik motioned for me to get in.

“Come on; it’s my job to protect you, remember?” He asked.

I nodded and gave him a sheepish smile as I slid into the back seat of the car.

“I’m surprised the Alpha isn’t joining you,” Erik said as he pulled away from the hospital.

I shrugged my shoulder, trying to be nonchalant.

“He’s too busy tending to Shirley,” I muttered; even I could hear the bitterness in my own voice.

Erik raised an eyebrow as he glanced at me in the mirror.

“Shirley was incredible when she rescued you,” he admitted. “The Alpha was grateful to her.”

I nodded, not sure what else to say.

“Are you okay?” He finally asked after a long silence.

“Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile. “Just tired.”

Even though Erik had become a friend to me, I still didn’t trust him. He was under the influence, not to mention the employment, of Elliot.

The rest of the carried was silent. When we reached the front entrance of the palace, I thanked Erik and got out of the car. He walked with me inside and did a quick patrol of the inside of the house, ordering the gammas outside to do another sweep of the outside. I noticed that there were a lot more gammas on the perimeter than there had been yesterday, and I wondered if that was because of me.

I went straight into the parlor and put my phone on the charger against the wall. Then, I walked into the kitchen. Immediately, I was pulled into a tight hug from Mariah. She had tears in her eyes and her body trembled as she held me close.

“I was so worried about you,” she breathed. “I saw the blood on the ground, and I couldn’t believe something like that happened to you.”

“Blood on the ground?” I asked, frowning.

She nodded.

“You hit your head on the glass coffee table. The maids replaced it and cleaned the mess, but not before I saw it all as I passed through,” she said, her eyes wide and alert. “How are you feeling?”

“Small concussion, but I’m okay,” I told her. “Mariah, can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she said, releasing me. “Come sit down. I made your favorite soup for lunch. We can talk and eat at the same time.”

I went over to the island counter and sat on the barstool. She poured me a bowl of baked potato soup; my mouth watered at the incredible scents that formed in my nose. She also poured me a mug of tea and placed sweetener and milk on the counter beside me.

I took a big bite of the soup and immediately moaned at the delicious flavors.

“It’s so good,” I murmured.

She smiled; pleased with herself.

She started to pour bowls for herself and other staff members around the palace. Mariah always prepared the meals for the staff members in the palace, and I was beyond grateful to her for that. She always said, “Even though they are low-ranking wolves, they are still pack members and they deserve hot meals.”

I couldn’t agree with her more.

“So, what did you want to ask me?” She asked after a little while.

I swallowed the soup in my throat.

“I wanted to ask about Shirley,” I confessed, staring at my bowl of soup. “Does she come around here often? Like, does she hang out with Elliot a lot?”

I already knew the answer to this, but I needed to hear it from someone else. She looked uncertain for a moment before her brows pinched together.

“I believe her visits are usually business related. But yes, she comes here often. I don’t know what she talks to the Alpha about though. She stays locked in his office.”

A knot formed in my stomach, tighter than the one before.

“And he’s usually in there with her/,” I asked, my voice strained.

She was hesitant but she gave me a nod.

I stood to my feet and gave her a small smile.

“Thank you, that’s all I needed to know,” I told her.

She furrowed her brows together just as I turned away from her.

“Silver, are you okay?” She asked, calling after me.

I paused for a moment before I left the kitchen and I said over my shoulder, “Honestly, I don’t know.”