67I was taken aback. "How did you know that?" I asked.She smirked. "I'm a werewolf too, but from a different pack. It was me who recognized Lucas. That's his real name, by the way."Surprised, I leaned in closer. "Lucas? Yes he's the alpha of his pack?"She nodded. "Yes, and quite attractive too. I was hoping he could be my mate, but I was wrong.""How did you know about me?" I asked."He told me about you," she said. "Said you were his mate."I frowned. "What's the point of continuing a relationship with him to the point of having sex with him in the hospital's toilets?"She shrugged. "I lured him there. I've been in the human world for a while, and I rarely encounter other werewolves. I wouldn't miss the opportunity of having sex with a handsome werewolf, especially an alpha."Johanna looked around then said, "Oh, your friend seems to be getting impatient."As I turned to see Grace, I remembered that I had left her alone and I could see that she was starting to get impatient. I t
68Lucas looked at me with wide eyes, disbelief evident in his expression. "How is that even possible?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. "Who would want to harm you in the hospital of all places? And why during the fire?"Damien leaned forward, his eyes sharp with curiosity. "Did you see who it was? Do you have any idea who might want to hurt you like that?"I shook my head, feeling a shiver run down my spine as I recounted the terrifying ordeal. "No, I didn't see anyone," I admitted. "I had dozed off in my office and when I woke up, there was a fire raging outside. The door was blocked from the outside, and it took all my strength to force it open. That's when I realized that someone had deliberately placed a broom to keep me from escaping."I could see the fear in theirs eyes and knew that they were just as worried as I was. "I'm afraid that whoever started that fire meant for me to die," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "They wanted to make it look like an acci
69Damien ran his hands through his hair in frustration, still struggling to come to terms with the situation. "Arson...I just can't believe someone would do this," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know it's hard to accept, but you saw the evidence. Michael seemed sure it was deliberately set," I reminded him gently. He turned to me with a sigh. "I should have listened to you earlier. You suspected foul play from the beginning and I didn't want to consider that possibility." His brows furrowed as he pondered who could be behind such a malicious act."Don't beat yourself up, you were just hoping for the best," I reassured him. "The important thing now is focusing on solutions."Damien nodded determinedly. "You're right. I need to put our patients first." He took out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. "Let me call Frank - he owns the gym next door. Maybe he can help us temporarily until the hospital is rebuilt."The phone
70Damien pulled up outside our home and turned to me with a reassuring smile. "Try and get some rest. I'll be back later to check on you." I nodded tiredly. "Thanks for the ride. Good luck sorting things out at the hospital."As I got out of the car, I heard the front door open and turned to see our three children - Landon, Lana and Liam - rushing over with concern. "Mum! Are you okay?" cried Lana, throwing her arms around me. I winced slightly at the contact on my burns but wrapped her in a hug. "I'm alright sweetie, just a little sore." I gave her a comforting squeeze before letting go. Landon frowned, taking in my disheveled appearance. "What happened? Why are your clothes all dirty?"I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "There was a fire at the hospital. I got caught up in it but I'm fine, just a few small burns."Liam's eyes went wide with worry. "A fire? Were you scared?" His innocent question made me pause. I knelt down to his level, meeting his gaze reassuringly. "I
71I rolled my eyes at Lucas's greeting, a habit when interacting with my former lover. While our history remained, my heart now belonged to Damien. Thankfully Mr. Watson had departed, sparing me further awkwardness."And what the situation at the gym?" I asked concerned. "The situation is under control, most patients moved to the gym for now," Lucas replied to my inquiry. I detected a hint of weariness in his tone; tending to the aftermath must have drained him. "And Damien?" I pressed, concern for my fiancé overriding other matters. Lucas sighed. "I left him overseeing cleanup but he was in a foul mood, snapping at anyone within earshot. Didn't seem like he'd be home anytime soon."My shoulders slumped at the news. The stress of the day still clung to me like a shroud, and I longed for Damien's comforting embrace. But his duties came first, as always."And you?" Lucas asked gently, gazing at me with a tenderness that still stirred emotion, despite my resolve. "How are you holdin
72Lilian My heart raced with fear as we turned to see the silhouette of someone familiar in the dim light. "Who's there?" Lucas called out, his voice tinged with concern.The figure stepped forward, revealing the stooped form of Mr. Watson, our elderly neighbor. Relief flooded through me momentarily at the sight of him, but confusion quickly replaced it. Why was he here, and why did he choose to interrupt us in such a dramatic manner?"Mr. Watson? What are you doing here?" I asked, my brows furrowing in bewilderment.The old man shuffled closer, his apologetic tone barely audible over the pounding of my heart. "I-I'm sorry to startle you, dear. I was just looking for my cat," he explained, his voice wavering with uncertainty.A cat? I couldn't recall ever seeing one in his vicinity."A cat?" I echoed, exchanging a puzzled glance with Lucas. "We didn't know you had a cat, Mr. Watson. And we've never seen one around here before," I added, my tone tinged with suspicion.Lucas's jaw ti
73The next evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, I found myself on edge, anxiously awaiting Grace's arrival. She called me half an hour ago to ask if I was home and I said yes. My heart pounded with anticipation and dread, knowing that I would have to face her and maintain the facade of normalcy.As the sound of her car pulling into the driveway reached my ears, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the confrontation that was sure to follow.Grace stepped out of the car, her expression a mixture of concern and confusion as she approached me. "Lilian, I've been worried sick about you," she exclaimed, her voice laced with genuine concern. "I haven't seen you all day. Are you okay?"I forced a weak smile, my stomach churning with guilt. "I'm fine, Grace," I replied, my voice strained with the effort of concealing the truth. "Damien asked me not to set foot in the hospital until I've fully recovered."Grace's brows furrowed in concern as she reached out to touch my arm. "Oh,
74LilianIn the aftermath of our heated argument, I attempted to make amends with Damien before we went to bed, but my efforts were met with cold indifference. His deliberate avoidance cut deeper than any words could, on the one hand, I blamed myself when it was my fault.I needed to release the built up pressure, stress and fear and unfortunately it was there at the wrong time. I touched the empty spot next to me on the bed where Damien usually slept. Initially, I thought Damien had left early for the hospital, perhaps still simmering with anger from last night's dispute, too upset to bid me farewell. Frowning, I glanced at the clock on the wall read - it was only 7am. It was unusually early for him to leave without dropping off the children at school first. Their laughter echoed from downstairs, confirming they were still at home. This realization sparked a flicker of hope that Damien might still be around, possibly cooling off from our spat.Pushing back the curtains, I peered