Chapter 0020
Aria’s POV
After Sheila’s outburst, her eyes widened as if she was surprised and appalled by her own lack of decorum. Clearing her throat, she tried to relax her body somewhat, leaning heavily on one leg
The attempt at calmness, however, was not terribly successful. She looked uncomfortable, even as she tried to offer a friendly smile.
“Dr. A,” Sheila said, laughing slightly. “No wonder you disappeared for three years. Perhaps you seduced an alpha from a different pack and were too embarrassed to face the public. But you wouldn’t do that, would you?”
The more she talked, the more I realized entertaining this outburst of hers was a massive waste of time. Looking away from Sheila, I turned my attention to Piper.
“Return to work, Piper,” I said, gesturing to the phone that was ringing on the reception desk.
Nodding, Piper sat down and answered the phone.
Cathy gave me a look, and then laughed the entire way out the door.
Set on ignoring Sheila, I turned around to continue my research through the textbooks at the back of the office.
Somehow, Sheila interpreted my turning my back to her as an invitation to approach me. She veered around reception and came into the back of the office where I was standing near the bookshelves.
“Has this happened before, Dr. A? Is
secrets from your previous lovers his why you wear the mask, to conceal your true identity and help keep
Sheila was full of accusations today.
Focusing on the textbook I was holding, I flipped a page.
“Don’t ignore me,” Sheila snapped, anger once more returning to her tone. This hair trigger of hers proved that her anger had never dimmed since her entering this office, despite what she pretended. She had never calmed
downl
I flipped another page.
“You are too cruel,” she said, her voice shaking. She wiped at her eyes like she was crying, but I didn’t really look to be sure. She cried at the drop of a hat, about everything whenever she didn’t get her way.
In the textbook, I found the passage I was looking for and read it closely.
“This is why it’s taking you so long to cure me, isn’t it? You fell in love with Lucian and now you are delaying everything, hoping he will choose you. You are delaying my healing on purposel” Shella’s voice raised, shouting
now.
Unfortunately, some
ne of the older Healers were at that moment passing beyond my office door. Hearing Shella’s accusations, they started to head inside.
“Why won’t you heal me, Dr. A?!” Sheila screeched.
“What’s this?” asked one of the Healers. I recognized him from the break room earlier. “Dr. A Is refusing to treat her patients?”
“She has fallen in love with Lucian, and using that against tel” Shella said, turning to them for sympathy.
This was getting out of hand. Closing my book, I tried to assure them, “None of this is true.”
425 BONUS.
“She’s been selfish from the start,” said the second older Healer. “That medicine that extends the lifespan of werewolves. She refuses to share the formula Don’t you know, Dr. A, that more advances can be made to that
“She doesn’t care,” said the first Healer. “She only cares about money.”
“That’s why she’s after Lucian,” Sheila added. “For his money. I’m sure of it.”
“Now, wait a minute,” said
I
“If you disagree. Dr. A. then you will hand over the formula to the medicine that extends lifespan,” said the older Healer. “Else you prove yourself a liar and a gold–digger.”
I hadn’t given over the formula specifically to keep it safe from Healers like them, who wanted the formula only they could twist it around and make themselves more money. By holding onto it, I could ensure that everyone had equal access to the medicine, and not just the wealthiest werewolves of the pack.
Yet truth and reason weren’t going to matter to this crew, even if I did point it out.
Instead, I turned to look at Piper, who, after just hanging up the phone, was looking wide–eyed and a touch frightened, as if she was caught in the middle of all this.
“Piper, will you find me Sheila’s folder? The one I’ve been working on.”
“At once,” Piper said, bounding out of her seat.
Calmly, I turned to Sheila “Do you really want to know why I haven’t cured you in so long?”
The older Healers looked at Sheila, who seemed stunned a moment. Then, stubbornly, she burst out, “Of course I do you devious woman.”
Piper brought the folder to me. Holding it, I flipped it open and started to read.
“The loss of Sheila’s fertility stems from her mating with multiple non–mated males while herself being marked. This has caused a disorder of her pheromones…”
Sheila walked right up to me and lifted her arm, ready to slap me across the face. I closed my eyes, preparing, but the slap never landed. Opening my eyes again, I could see why.
Lucian now stood behind Sheila, his hand firmly grasping Sheila’s wrist.
“Do not disrespect Dr. A,” Lucian said coldly.
Sheila’s face crumpled up in a flash. Real, ugly tears fell from her eyes this time. “I knew you cared about her!” she cried. “Don’t even bother coming home tonight, as you’ve completely forgotten me!”
“Sheila,” Lucian said, his voice flat and steady. “Calm yourself,”
“Don’t talk to me like this- like I’m nothing. Who are you even going to take to tomorrow’s family gathering? I should be your partner, or are you going to take this little bitch in a mask instead?” Sheila glowered at me. Tears streaked down her face, smudging her eye makeup.
In a way, I almost felt bad for her. Her words were ridiculous and laughable. She thought, in my absence as Aria, that she could just swoop in and take over my life. 1, too, thought Lucian had feelings for her. Maybe he did, but it wasn’t enough to have him drop everything to cater his whole life to her.
At least in this moment, Sheila was clearly the third party here.
Sheila, by even bringing up the upcoming event, was making a gamble. She wanted something from Lucian.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0020
Perhaps his attention, perhaps his public declaration of them as a couple.
She had to have known that Lucian was denying the divorce That must have infuriated her. Me as Aria was still a part of Lucian’s life, and now Dr. A was as well. Maybe Sheila felt like she was losing any hold she had on Lucian.
Good. She had dedicated far too much of her time plotting my undoing. It pleased me to no end to watch it backfire in her face, even if it was a rather pathetic sight.
Sheila batted her long eyelashes at Lucian, giving him her best doe–eyed pouty–lipped look. But he didn’t even see it, because he wasn’t looking at her at all.
“Lucian?” she said, perhaps hoping that saying his name would turn his attention to her.
It didn’t.
Instead, he said, “I will only take the most suitable and most deserving person to the event.”
He was looking straight at me.
