Aria’s POV
It was Collins.
“Miss Aria,” Collins’s voice ca through, tense. “Alpha Rowland is having a stomach issue. I’m at his hotel now. We’re taking him to the Hemsworth Group Private Hospital. Do you have a ssage? I’ll tell him when he wakes.”
My fingers went cold around the phone.
“Stomach issue?” I repeated, my mind racing. What could have caused it?
Could it be the chili? It was after he ate it that I noticed a slight discomfort in his deanor but he did a great job masking it.
My stomach dropped.
Guilt slamd into so hard my wolf whimpered.
“Send the ward number when you get there. I’m coming now!”
I turned sharply. “Kara, stay with Lana!” I didn’t wait for a reply. I grabbed my coat and car keys and bolted out the door.
The night air hit like a slap, wind whipping my hair back. I ran, my heels clicking uselessly as my wolf pushed for speed.
Why didn’t he refuse the chili? Why didn’t he stop ?
My chest hurt as I flagged down a cab.
“To Hemsworth Group Private Hospital, please!”
The car took off. I refreshed my phone again and again, my claws threatening to break through my skin.
Soon we arrived at the hospital.
“We’re here.” The driver said.
I was out before the car fully halted.
The hospital lights were harsh, too bright for my eyes. My gaze snapped to the glowing SURGERY sign. A crowd stood outside. I spotted Collins in their midst.
“Why is he in surgery?” My voice ca out thinner than I wanted.
Collins looked troubled, but a nurse answered quickly. “He has acute gastroenteritis. He can’t handle spicy food. It probably irritated his stomach today.”
My knees weakened.
I did this.
My wolf lowered its head, ears flat, drowning in guilt.
“Ms Aria, it’s not serious,” Collins said quickly. “He’ll be fine—”
Just then, I felt it.
A gaze, heavy and dominant, hot against my back.
Every hair on my body rose.
I turned.
Nathan stood a few steps away, tall and unmoving. His alpha presence pressing against the air like gravity. His eyes were fixed on , dark and unreadable.
Had he been there the whole ti?
“You’re really that worried about him?” His voice was low and controlled, but I heard the growl under it, my wolf did too.
My spine stiffened on instinct, then straightened.
I t his eyes.
“Of course,” I said, my voice steady, even as my heart pounded. “I am.”
The air turned colder between us.
Nathan’s POV
I stared at her. My wolf paced inside , claws scraping against bone.
“Rowland is that important to you?” I asked.
My voice sounded level but it wasn’t, I could tell she sensed it too. Jealousy burned through my veins like silver.
She raised her brows. “Nathan,” she said calmly, “I relied on you recently and you were of great help, for that, I am grateful. If there is anything you need, You can contact my team. But beyond that, we have no personal connection.”
No Personal Connection.
Those words landed like a blade sliding between my ribs.
My fists clenched at my sides, my claws threatening to break through skin.
In Aria’s world, I wasn’t soone she cared for.
I was a case she’d already closed.
“Fine,” I muttered, lowering my head so she wouldn’t see the storm in my eyes. “I’m leaving. Collins, stay.”
If I stayed another second, my wolf would do sothing reckless.
I walked out without looking back.
The night outside was thick, streetlights casting small islands of light in a sea of darkness. I stepped beyond them, letting the shadows swallow .
That was where wolves like belonged anyway.
******
Collins soon ca back to Hemsworth Group. I was still in my office.
I hadn’t gone ho, I couldn’t.
I leaned over my desk, staring at the screen without really seeing it. There were numbers, reports, security projections and aningless noise. I took a sip of coffee. It was cold.
“Alpha Nathan,” Collins said from the door.
I didn’t look up right away. I pressed two fingers against my brow, trying to ease the ache building behind my eyes. “How did it go?”
“Alpha Rowland is out of surgery. He’s safe. He just needs to avoid spicy food.”
My jaw tightened. “Okay.”
Collins hesitated. “It’s very late, Alpha. You should rest.”
I looked at him then. “Did soone tell you to say that?”
Hope is a pathetic thing. Still, it rose within .
“The doctor said you didn’t look well at the hospital,” he replied carefully.
It was not Aria. Of course not her.
A humorless smile touched my lips. She despised , yet so broken part of still waited for proof that she didn’t.
How absurd.
“Alright,” I said, turning back to the screen in front of .
Collins left and the office fell silent.
I lifted my gaze slowly, turning it to the floor-to-ceiling window, the reflection that stared back at wasn’t entirely human, my wolf had partially taken over. It stared back at , restless and unsatisfied.
I rose to my feet and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The city glittered, but was dimr now, like even the lights were tired.
Everyone was asleep but my mind wasn’t.
I held a cigarette between my fingers, though I didn’t light it. Wolves heal fast, except from things like this.
“Nathan? Why are you still here so late?”
My ears twitched.
I turned.
Aria stood near my desk.
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