Free Web NovelChapter 28: Chapter 28
Nathan’s POV
No. That couldn’t be right. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
My pulse thundered in my ears. I rubbed at my forehead, trying to chase away the thoughts clawing through my mind. fгeewebnovёl.com
Maybe it wasn’t her. Maybe I was losing it. Too much stress, too many sleepless nights.
That had to be it.
I exhaled slowly, forcing the tension from my shoulders. Just as I did, movement caught my attention.
Sophia being wheeled toward me, pale but composed, her gaze already locked on me.
"Not heading to the exam room?" I asked, forcing my voice into something steady. The tone felt foreign and hollow.
Sophia’s lower lip trembled, her eyes glassy with hurt. "You left me back there, Nathan. You know I hate going to the hospital alone for checkups."
Normally, I’d have reached for her hand. Said something soft. But right now, my chest still burned from the thought of all that just happened.
She frowned when I didn’t answer. "What’s wrong?"
Her question cut through me. She followed my gaze toward the doors, but of course—there was nothing there.
"I thought I saw someone I knew," I said finally, keeping my tone cool and detached. "Guess I was wrong."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. "Oh. Alright."
She nodded.
I stood there in silence, every instinct in me still coiled tight.
My wolf’s voice was a low rumble in my mind.
She was here. That woman was our mate.
I swallowed hard, my jaw tightening.
If that really was Aria...
Why did she look so pale? So desperate? And why in the goddess’ name was there a child in her arms?
No matter how much I tried to reason with myself, the ache in my chest didn’t fade. It only grew sharper, like claws raking through my heart.
Aria’s POV
After I hurried out of the hospital, I waved frantically at a taxi until one screeched to a stop. I gave the driver my address.
"Please, go as fast as you can!" My voice trembled, my desperation bleeding through.
The taxi driver heed my instructions and in a matter of minutes, we were at the staff dorms.
I burst into the staff dorm room, clutching Lana. The lights blazed ahead.
Kara stood there, clutching a small package—the pediatric fever medicine I’d ordered online.
Her brows shot up when she saw me. "Aria, why did you get fever meds? These are capsules. You need liquid ibuprofen, the kind with a dropper."
She frowned, shaking her head. "The delivery guy knocked, but you weren’t here, so I grabbed it. Is Lana running a fever?"
Before I could answer, her gaze darted to Lana. The sharp inhale that followed made my wolf twitch restlessly under my skin.
"Goddess me, is she burning up bad?"Kara asked.
Kara slapped my thigh, muttering, "I didn’t see you when I got back. I figured the rain might’ve slowed you down. Wait—you took her to the hospital? Then why buy medicine separately?"
Her voice was too loud, piercing straight through my already frayed nerves. At the mention of the hospital, the memories of what happened there clawed up in my minf.
My throat tightened.
I couldn’t go through that again. Not tonight.
"No time to explain, kara. Please, help me. You’ve raised kids. What do I do?" My voice cracked despite my effort to stay calm.
I laid Lana gently on the bed. Her tiny face was flushed, her breathing too fast. My wolf whimpered inside me, pacing, restless and scared. I was tired, so tired. My knees almost gave out.
Kara was quick to catch me, her grip firm. "Hey, Don’t worry! We’re coworkers. I’ve got you. Grab a basin of warm water. I’ll get some folks to help out."
She squeezed my shoulder, her warmth grounding me for a heartbeat. "Don’t panic!"
I nodded, tears streaming freely now, and stumbled toward the bathroom.
By the time I returned, kara had already knocked on nearby dorm doors. Within minutes, a small crowd filled our room.
"Goddess me, a fever this high in such a tiny kid? It could mess with her brain if it doesn’t break," one woman said, her tone hushed but still cutting through me like a blade.
"My great-aunt’s kid had a fever like that when he was little. Unfortunately the child didn’t make it," another added.
My heart clenched painfully. My wolf snarled low in my chest, warning them to stop, to shut up, but before I could speak, kara’s voice snapped through the tension.
"Hey! Quit scaring Aria with that talk!"
She smacked the back of the woman who’d spoken. The woman flinched, her eyes wide, then turned toward me with guilt written across her face. "Aria, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just worried about Lana."
I swallowed hard and shook my head. "It’s okay," I whispered, though it wasn’t. Their words dug deep, feeding the dread already tearing at me.
Inside, my wolf whimpered again—helpless, desperate and furious that I couldn’t just fix this.
Kara barked orders, rolling up her sleeves. She grabbed a clean towel, soaked it in the basin, and began wiping Lana’s body with quick, efficient strokes.
"Don’t just stand there," she ordered the others. "Pitch in!"
"Right, right!" they chorused, moving fast now.
One woman changed Lana’s diaper, another ran to the store for the right medicine, and someone else prepped a cool compress. I stood frozen for a moment, watching them move around my little girl like a makeshift pack rallying around a wounded pup.
Then kara tossed me a bottle. "Aria, get some formula ready!"
Her voice brought me back. I blinked, took the bottle, and forced my trembling hands to move.
As I measured the formula, I said a little prayer, "Moon Goddess, please save my child"
