Nathan’s POV
Aria wore soft clothes and held a small box in her hand.
“I heard you were working overti,” she said gently. “You must be hungry.”
She opened the box and brought out the content.
“I made it myself, do you want to try it,” she added, looking at with those bright eyes of hers.
I moved toward her before I even realized it. My wolf leaned forward, drawn by her familiar, warm scent.
“Didn’t I ask you to not to co whenever I am working late?” A voice growled, my voice, except it wasn’t speaking
“I won’t co next ti,” she said suddenly, lowering her head, packing it back up. “I am sorry.”
I reached for her but all I touched was air. My hand went cold, I was in an empty office. There was no Aria. It was just a mory from two years ago... back when she was still my wife.
The past crashed over like a tidal wave, dragging regret, guilt and everything I never said.
I clutched my chest as I rembered her face that day. She looked hurt and quiet, trying not to cry.
Pain surged within . My wolf whined low, wounded in a place no healer could reach.
Tonight, the way she was worried about Rowland...
That used to be how she worried about .
I tilted my head back, staring at the sky beyond the city and all I could see was endless darkness.
Aria’s POV
I stood beside Rowland’s bed, my arms crossed, staring at him while he drifted back to consciousness. The steady beep of the monitor grated on my nerves.
His eyelashes fluttered.
He squinted at . “...Am I dreaming?”
My brow twitched.
“Why would Aria be at my bedside... even if she looks annoyed... still a nice dream...” he muttered.
I knocked him lightly on the forehead.
Not hard enough to hurt, just enough to remind him this was reality.
“What are you talking about?”
He blinked, then jolted. “Aria? Why are you here?” He yanked the blanket up to his chin like I’d caught him doing sothing illegal.
I closed my eyes briefly. Moon Goddess, give strength, I muttered.
“Get a grip and act normal,” I snapped.
My wolf was already tense from guilt and worry and right now I had zero patience for his nonsense.
He imdiately softened, lowering the blanket a little. Even pale and weak, his face still had that irritatingly refined look, but now paired with a guilty grin.
“Tell ,” I said, my voice going cold, “why did you eat spicy food when you can’t handle it?”
He shrank back, his eyes wide and pitiful. “Didn’t you give it to ?”
My eye twitched.
“You ate it just because I gave it to you? Don’t you know your own limits?” I slapped the mattress in frustration.
The bed shook. He looked like he’d bitten into sothing bitter.
“You hardly ever feed ,” he complained. “How could I not eat it?”
I stared at him. Was he a grown man or a neglected pup? My wolf huffed, deeply unimpressed.
I warned through clenched teeth, “Don’t ever try this again, Understood?”
He instantly brightened, clearly deciding the storm had passed, and tried to sit up. The mont he lifted himself, pain twisted his face.
My wolf reacted before I thought. I stepped forward, sliding a pillow behind him and pushing him gently back down.
“Stay still!” I glared.
He sucked in a breath, but his eyes...They were shining with mischief, even now.
“Okay,” he said softly, smiling like he knew sothing I didn’t.
I felt tired all the way down to my bones.
“Aria,” he said after a mont, rubbing his chin, his eyes sharp now. “I rember calling an ambulance before I passed out. How did you know I was here?”
Uh oh. My wolf stilled.
His gaze narrowed playfully. “Don’t tell you’re secretly in love with and have people following ? The mont I get sick, you appear—”
I swatted his pointing finger away. “Stop fooling around while you’re sick.”
He deflated into the pillow. “Oh.”
That “oh” was so tragically small my wolf almost whined.
I exhaled slowly.
“I’m fine now,” he said more seriously. “You should go ho. Lana needs you.”
I blinked at him, surprised.
Then I tucked the blanket around him, the movents gentler than my tone had been. “There’s a folding chair. I’m staying tonight. Kara’s with Lana.”
His eyes went wide. “You’re going to sleep in the sa room as ?”
I stared at him.
How did he turn basic caregiving into sothing suspicious? I smiled sweetly and knocked his head again. “It might’ve been an accident giving you chili, but it’s partly my responsibility. I’m being responsible.”
“Responsible...” he repeated, his eyes lighting up like I’d said sothing scandalous.
Watching him, I felt a headache forming.
Before I could speak further, Raymond crossed his arms dramatically. “No way. I’m a patient with charm, and you’re perfectly healthy. I can’t trust you!”
He slamd the call button.
I froze.
The nurse walked in.
He pointed at like I was a threat to public safety. “She’s definitely up to sothing. I want a private room!”
I couldn’t even speak.
The nurse bit back a laugh, but professionalism won. She gave an apologetic look, one that I understood.
Patient preference ca first, if Rowland wanted to be alone, then he would be granted that.
I closed my eyes. My wolf sighed deeply inside . Of all the dramatic, ridiculous, impossible n in this world...
Why did I have to feel responsible for this one?
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