Aria’s POV
A sharp, piercing, desperate cry ripped through my fog.
It was Lana.
My body moved before my mind caught up, my wolf snapping awake. I gasped, my heart pounding, my lungs burning.
"Ms. Aria, your delivery," ca a muffled voice from the door, followed by a knock that made Lana wail again.
My temples throbbed. I forced myself to stand, legs shaking, and shuffled to the door. A delivery man stood there, rain dripping from his jacket.
"You’ve got the wrong address," I said, my voice flat.
He shook his head. "No mistake. A taxi driver ordered this for you. Oh, and here’s a hundred dollars. He said you left it in the car."
He handed the bag and the cash before disappearing into the night.
I stood there, stunned. The driver... that mute man. He’d noticed and maybe even cared.
A strange warmth stirred in my chest. It was a mix of gratitude, confusion, maybe even guilt. I wanted to believe kindness still existed, that not everyone wanted to use or break .
But then I wondered, how did the driver know my na was Aria?
Did i unknowingly mumble my na when i was in a daze?. I pushed the thought aside
Then I mixed the dicine, drank it, and forced myself to stay alert.
When the fever finally reduced two hours later, relief flooded through . My head cleared and my vision sharpened.
I let out a sigh and reached for Lana, only to freeze.
Lana’s body was too hot, her forehead was burning, like fire. Her face was flushed red, her tiny body trembling, her nose wrinkled in pain.
"Lana!" I panicked, terror flooding .
My body moved on instinct, all exhaustion forgotten. My wolf howled inside , wild and terrified.
I grabbed my phone, barely rembering how, and ran into the storm. The cold air bit into , but I didn’t feel it. My only thought was her.
I desperately hailed for a taxi until one screeched to a halt. I barely managed to open the door.
"Pediatric ergency!" I shouted the mont we reached the hospital, my voice breaking.
The nurses took one look at . They saw how I was soaked, shaking and clutching Lana and rushed into motion. I barely got the words "thank you" out before running after them.
My wolf quieted for the first ti, her energy trembling beneath my ribs.
Then, voices drifted from behind the counter
"Did you hear? Alpha Nathan is here! Ms. Sophia Darwin scraped her ankle, and he ca with her."
"Oh my gosh, he’s so devoted. She’s lucky."
Their laughter echoed in my ears, but all I heard was my own heartbeat, pounding with thoughts of my child. I couldn’t afford to be distracted right now.
I was in the ward with my child. The sharp scent of disinfectant clung to the hospital air, burning my nose. A doctor had already been called to check on her.
All of a sudden, a noise ca. It was chaotic. The sound of footsteps and shouting tore through the hall as every doctor in sight rushed in the sa direction.
My body went still. My instincts scread that sothing was wrong.
"What’s happening?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
The head nurse barely spared a glance as she shoved clipboards and charts into a tray. Her heartbeat thudded quick and shallow, and the bitterness in her tone made my wolf’s ears flatten.
"Word just ca in—Ms. Sophia Darwin scraped her ankle. Alpha Richard’s here with her. Every doctor’s been called to check on her. No one’s got ti for you right now."
I clenched my jaw.
Sophia, Nathan’s precious Sophia.
My fingers tightened around Lana’s feverish body. "But my daughter—she’s burning up—she’s—"
The nurse sighed, already halfway to the door. "Then wait. Half an hour, maybe two. Once Ms. Darwin is seen, soone will co back for you."
And just like that, she was gone.
The noise of the crowd faded down the hall, leaving in hollow silence.
Lana whimpered softly, her body hot against mine. My heart felt like it had been flayed open.
I pressed my lips to her forehead. Goddess, she was boiling. The heat seared my skin. "No, no, no, baby... stay with ."
Her little eyes, watery and glassy, looked up at , so innocent and trusting. And I, her mother, her protector—had no idea what to do.
My wolf clawed at my ribs within , howling, Do sothing! Save our pup!
But I was trapped in a world bound by rules of the rich and indifference to the poor.
Desperation burned away my pride. I grabbed the sleeve of the last doctor hurrying past. "Please," I begged, my voice raw. "Where’s the pediatrician? An adult’s injury doesn’t need a children’s doctor—right?"
He stopped, just for a heartbeat. His eyes flicked to Lana who was limp, her cheeks crimson with fever. I saw the pity in his face and sensed the conflict written on his face.
But then his jaw tightened. "They say Ms. Sophia Darwin is pregnant," he said softly. "The director ordered all departnts to focus on her. Even the pediatric ergency doctor was reassigned."
My vision swam, the edges of the room closing in. She was pregnant and for that reason, the whole hospital bowed to her for a twisted ankle.
But what about my child? What about the tiny heartbeat burning against my chest?
My knees nearly buckled, but I forced myself upright. My wolf’s snarl echoed through my mind, hot and bitter.
The doctor muttered sothing about "physical cooling" and "dicine from a pharmacy." His words blurred together like water running off glass.
"Wait," I said, shoving my phone at him, my voice trembling. "Please—what kind? Can you write it down?"
He hesitated, glancing toward the commotion at the end of the hall and without another word, he rushed off.
And I was alone again.
The lights above buzzed faintly. I could hear every heartbeat around except the one that mattered most.
Lana’s.
I looked down and my world stopped.
Her lashes were still. Her breathing shallow. Her face flushed deep red, her little lips parting soundlessly.
"Lana!"
The scream tore out of , raw and wild, scraping my throat. I cradled her closer, shaking, my hands trembling so badly I almost dropped her.
"Please, no. No, no, not you—" My voice broke.
I pressed my forehead to hers, feeling the scorching heat, the unnatural stillness. My wolf inside went berserk, thrashing, howling angrily.
The waiting area was almost empty now. I caught my reflection in the glass doors, I looked like a ghost—hair plastered to my face, eyes hollow, Lana burning in my arms.
Despair swelled in my chest, thick and choking, but beneath it—beneath the exhaustion and fear, anger flared.
"Nathan," I muttered under my breath, my voice shaking with fury, "if anything happens to Lana, I’ll drag you down with ."
I tightened my grip on my daughter. "She’s so little, Nathan. Wasn’t destroying enough? Now you have to curse her too?"
My teeth clenched with fury. Sterling myself, I stord toward the elevators, cradling Lana tightly.
Just then, a swarm of doctors surged back, flooding the corridor like a pack, rushing forward to answer a summon.
I froze. They ca at like a tide.
Instinct kicked in. I turned my body, shielding Lana from elbows and shoulders. Soone’s shoulder slamd into , nearly knocking off my feet.
"Careful!" I shouted, but no one even looked.
The doctors were moving in a tight, excited cluster, clearing a path ahead of them like servants in the presence of royalty.
"Don’t block the way!" soone barked. "If you delay Ms. Sophia Darwin’ checkup, you won’t be able to afford the consequences!"
The man leading the group turned at the sound of Lana’s faint cry. His gaze flicked to , to my worn clothes and the trembling bundle in my arms. His expression twisted with disgust.
He shoved aside like I was nothing.
The shove wasn’t hard enough to throw , but it was enough to make my wolf snarl in warning.
Then I heard it.
"Alpha Nathan."
And just like that, everything inside went still.
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