Chapter 134: The Call
Aurora’s POV
The night was quiet, but my mind was restless. Oliver had insisted I stay in his bed, wrapped in his arms. We didn’t have sex again that night; he just held me with a fragile kind of care, as if he were afraid he might break me if he squeezed too hard. I lay there against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and feeling like a complete fraud. He was at peace because his beast had been fed, while I was wide awake, still feeling the phantom grip of his hands on my hips and the heat of a desire I wasn’t supposed to like.
The next morning, the sun drifted through the curtains, waking me up. Oliver was already up, dressed in a sharp suit that made him look every bit the powerful Alpha King.
"I have a council meeting," he said, leaning over the bed to brush a stray hair from my face. "It’s confidential, so I don’t need you to attend as my assistant today. Stay here and rest, Aurora. Or go out and clear your head."
He reached for the mahogany desk—the same desk where he had pinned me just hours before—and picked up a credit card and a set of heavy keys.
"Take my card. Buy yourself whatever you want. And those," he pointed to the keys, "are for your car. I realized I hadn’t even given you the chance to drive it yet."
I swallowed hard. Between the fever, the sex, and the secret life I was leading, I had completely forgotten that I was now the owner of a luxury vehicle.
"Thank you, Oliver," I whispered.
He leaned down and kissed me softly. It was a sweet, lingering kiss, the kind that promised a lifetime of protection. "I love you so much," he said against my lips. "Call me if anything comes up."
I nodded, my throat tight. I still couldn’t say it back. The words "I love you" felt like they would choke me. He didn’t seem to mind the silence; he just smiled and left the room.
I stayed in bed for a long time after the door clicked shut. My body felt heavy. My center was sore—a physical reminder of how intense he had been. I inhaled deeply, the scent of him still clinging to the sheets. I felt like I was drowning in wealth and affection, yet I felt more alone than ever.
The silence was shattered by the sharp ringing of my cellphone.
I scrambled for it, thinking it might be Oliver, but my heart sank when I saw the caller ID. It was the hospital. My stomach did a sickening flip. I picked it up, my hand trembling.
"Hello? This is Aurora," I said, my voice barely a whisper.
"Miss Aurora, this is Dr. Aris," the voice on the other end said. He sounded tired. "Can you come over to the hospital? We need to talk about James."
"Is everything okay? Is he—"
"I can’t explain it over the phone. Please, just come as soon as you can."
The line went dead.
Panic flooded my veins. I didn’t even think. I threw off the covers and rushed to the closet. Oliver had already ordered a new wardrobe for me to replace the shredded clothes on the floor. I grabbed a simple dress and a light jacket, dressed as quickly as I could, and snatched the car keys from the desk.
I took the elevator down to the garage. The staff offered polite greetings, but I barely saw them. I found the car—a multi-million dollar masterpiece of engineering that screamed power. I got inside, the smell of expensive leather filling my nose. I started the engine, the low purr of the motor vibrating through the seat. I drove slowly at first, my mind a mess of prayers and fears, until I reached the hospital.
When I pulled into the parking lot, I could feel the eyes of people on me. The car was a beacon of wealth, which drew attention.
I ran inside, my heels clicking loudly on the tiled floor. I reached the doctor’s office, panting, my chest tight.
"Sit down, Aurora," Dr. Aris said, gesturing to the chair across from him.
"What is wrong?" I demanded, ignoring the chair. "Do you need more money? The card—I have an Alpha’s card now; I can pay for anything. Just tell me what he needs."
"It’s not about money," the doctor said softly. He looked at me with a pity that made me want to scream. "James’s condition... it’s deteriorating. He isn’t responding to the treatments anymore. Even the healers we brought in from the pack... their abilities aren’t taking hold. His heart rate is slowing down."
I felt the air leave the room. "No," I breathed. "No, you’re wrong."
"Aurora, I’m sorry," he continued, his voice full of pity. "I think you need to prepare yourself for James’s death. We are looking at a matter of days, maybe even hours."
"No!" I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat. Tears blurred my vision, hot and stinging. "I can’t lose him! He is my only family! For six years, I have worked, I have done things I shouldn’t do, I have spent every penny I had to keep him alive! You can’t tell me it’s over!"
"We’ve done everything possible," he said.
I didn’t listen to the rest. I turned and bolted out of the office, running down the hall toward James’s room. I burst through the door and stopped dead.
He looked so small. My big brother, who used to carry me on his shoulders and tell me stories about the werewolves, was now a pale shadow of himself. He lay there, lifeless, with a dozen wires snaking out from under the thin hospital blanket. The rhythmic beep... beep... beep of the monitor was the only sign that he was still with me.
I broke down. I collapsed into the chair by his bed and grabbed his hand. It was so cold.
"James," I sobbed, pressing his limp hand to my cheek. "Please. Please don’t leave me. You were supposed to wake up. We were supposed to go back to the house... we were supposed to be a family again."
I cried until my throat was raw and my eyes were swollen. I hugged his motionless body, begging the universe to take me instead. James had dreams. He wanted to be a warrior. He wanted to travel. All of that had been crushed in a single night of violence.
And then, through the haze of my grief, a name flickered in my mind like a poisoned flame.
Raymond.