CHAPTER TWENTY - Lucian
I’d never been a person who walked around with their head in the clouds, but after knotting Mariska and our conversation, I felt like I was floating. Once my knot went down, we’d showered and dressed. We grabbed something quick to eat from the kitchen and headed to Primrose House.
This could be our everyday life. Waking beside this beautiful Omega, making love, and running errands together. Talking and laughing, and sharing little touches and smiles meant only for one another.
Fuck. I was in love with Mariska. So deeply and thoroughly in love.
It literally hurt me to not say the words. I wanted to tell her, to kneel in front of her and offer all of me. There never had been nor would be anyone else.
Looking into her bright amber eyes, I believed I saw the same feelings reflected back. But was it me projecting my own emotions onto her? That thought scared me. It terrified me that she might not feel anything at all, and it was only her hormones making it seem that way.
I waited on the porch for her at Primrose House.
She packed a bag for Lyla and another for Eloise.
We then stopped at a bakery to get two boxes of pastries and another of various sandwiches along with coffees for Lyla, Mariska, and myself.
At the hospital, Mariska sat in my truck and sipped her coffee, stress stealing her smiles.
“It’ll be okay.” I gave her thigh a comforting squeeze. “Eloise is awake and coherent. Excellent signs for a full recovery.”
“But it will still take time. It could take months.” Mariska fiddled with the lid of her cup, and her breaths fogged up the passenger side window.
“It might, but I think she’ll push on through faster than anyone thinks. She reminds me of Liz in that she’s got secret super powers.” It was dorky, but I got a smile from her.
Yet it quickly faded back to a frown. “She does, but she’s only human. Strokes are complicated things. Sometimes the effects are delayed by weeks or even months. Years!” She shook her head. “I don’t know…”
I wanted to hug her and chase all her anxiety away.
Her big heart wanted to save the world, and she especially wanted to help those she cared about.
It made me fall for her all the more. I took her hand and raised it to my lips, kissing her knuckles.
“I may know trees much better than people, but I see the strength in Eloise. She might have seen many years, yet she has healthy foliage and a spring in limbs. I saw no evidence of borers or disease, and like a good matron of the forest, she takes good care of the younger trees around her.”
Mariska stared at me with her eyebrows raised for several seconds and then chuckled. She rolled her shoulders and some of her tension eased away. “Miss Eloise is the best of mother trees.” One more gulp of coffee and she reached for the door handle. “Okay. Let’s go.”
We gathered everything and headed inside. Eloise had been moved to long term care and was sharing a room with an elderly woman who was lightly snoring as we softly knocked on the door.
Lyla, who had been holding a magazine and showing something to Eloise, jumped up and rushed toward Mariska. “Mari!”
Mariska hugged her friend fiercely with a duffle bag in each hand. “I’m so sorry. I slept in and not even Artemis woke me. I feel like such an ass not showing up with coffee and breakfast for you.”
“I’m too happy to see you right now to give you trouble.
” Lyla took the pink duffle from Mariska and smiled.
“Thanks for getting my stuff for me. I was going to spend another night here, but Miss Eloise has already told me to go home tonight.” She lowered her voice to a whisper that I just managed to catch.
“She’s doing so good, but sometimes she forgets a word or two. ”
Mariska kept her smile but her body tensed up again. She gestured to me. “Lyla, this is Lucian. I think you only met him once, but he is the delivery man for the pastry gods today. I made sure to get all your favorites, plus a peppermint coffee with extra cream.”
“Bless the pastry gods, and bless you too, Lucian.” Lyla opened her arms and came forward ready to hug me, but she was jerked back by a growling Mariska who suddenly had fire in her eyes. I sucked in a breath and held it as Lyla gaped at her.
Oh no. I didn’t know what was going on, but I hoped they weren’t going to fight.
Mariska blinked a few times and flushed a deep crimson. “God, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”
Lyla burst out with a bell-like laugh. “You totally didn’t want me touching your Alpha. One night with your pack and you’re in deep, girl. That’s absolutely adorable!”
My grin widened. My Omega being possessive. I liked it. I liked it more than I ever thought I might.
Mariska swiped her hand over her face and muttered something which only had Lyla giggling some more. She then went to Eloise and gave her a hug that lasted at least a minute. The older woman rubbed Mariska’s back, soothing her worries.
“I see you went to Bryanna’s for the goodies.
My favorite place.” Lyla set her bag down by the end of Eloise’s bed and took the two boxes of pastries from me to place on the small table nearby.
“Thanks so much for the treats and for taking care of Mari.” She lowered her voice and leaned in.
“She might be the strongest of us, but she needs all the support she can get. I’m so happy she found you and your pack.
I’ve never seen her glowing like this or wearing a scarf to hide hickeys. ”
I choked on a laugh, but I felt like I was shining brighter at her comments too. Lyla was Mariska’s best friend for years, and if she had never seen Mariska so happy, that made me puff out with joy that we could make our Omega happier than she had ever been.
“I’d give you a hug if that wouldn’t set Mari on a rampage.
But right now, I want to change. I’ve been wearing these leggings and this sweater since yesterday, and I have to wear a different Christmas sweater every day.
It’s my thing.” Lyla told me as she picked up her duffle and then wagged a finger at me.
“Don’t touch any of the Kringles. Those are all mine, and I will eat every single one when I get back. ”
I saluted her and brought the coffees to set on the table as Lyla practically flew out of the room.
She had a crazy amount of energy and a ridiculous Christmas sweater to match.
She was a pretty girl if one liked the leggy model types, but Mariska didn’t have anything to worry about.
She was the perfect woman on all levels for me.
Plus, I could barely smell Lyla’s Omega scent which was kind of fruity. The antiseptic smell of the hospital was stronger, and Mariska’s delicious creamy vanilla perfume was there every time I inhaled.
I held back approaching Eloise’s bed, giving Mariska and her time to talk. I only came to stand beside Mariska when her housemother beckoned to me. “Hello, Lucian. So nice to see you again. Thank you for taking such good care of my Mari.”
“My pleasure.” My immense pleasure. I smiled trying not to think about how Mariska looked when she came earlier today. “How are you doing? I see a bit of color in your cheeks.”
Eloise chuckled and waved my comment off. “I’m tired and weak, but I’m all here. I’m going to put all my energy into working my doctor over so he’ll let me go home for Christmas. And if he doesn’t, I’ll have my girls sneak me out.”
Mariska snickered, but shook her head. “No way. If the doctor says you need to stay here, you’re staying. We’ll bring Christmas to you.”
“And trust you and Lyla to cook Christmas dinner?” Eloise raised a brow, barely containing her smile.
“We can follow your recipes.” Mariska protested, and I chuckled, giving her shoulder a squeeze.
“We would be more than happy to help. Liz and Jasper always make enough to feed a small army. I think this year’s turkey is over thirty pounds.” I laughed as Mariska gasped.
“With all the Alphas there, you need that much food.” Eloise closed her eyes for a few seconds and sighed as she leaned her head back on the pillow.
“I get tired so quickly. Mari, please be a dear and fetch some fresh ice water for my jug down the hall near the nurse’s station.
I don’t want to have to bother them as they’re so busy. ”
“Of course.” Mariska picked up the near empty jug on the bedside table and rushed to the door. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Once Mariska was gone from the room, Eloise reached for my hand. “Lucian, how’s my girl doing with her heat? I saw her there with Lyla being…” She frowned, searching for the right words. “There with Lyla…”
Linguistic troubles were effects of the stroke. My heart went out to her as I hoped it was only temporary as she healed.
“We’re taking good care of her. Don’t worry. Save your energy for getting well and battling your doctor.” I tenderly squeezed her hand.
“She told me…” Eloise paused again and wet her dry lips, her voice getting a little raspier. “She told me she wanted to stay here to help me through my rehabilitation instead of going to California.”
Everything in me lit up. Mariska was going to stay? I couldn’t hide my grin, but Eloise’s panicked expression vanquished it.
“Don’t let her.” There was urgency in her voice.
“She can’t give up her dream job for me.
I know she loves me and wants to do what she thinks is best, but an opportunity like this doesn’t come around often.
There’s only one reason that will make her stay that I’ll accept, and I’m not that reason.
Promise me you won’t let her give up her dream for me. ”
Yet if Mariska stayed to help Eloise, we’d have more time to convince her she was meant to be with our pack. I didn’t want to dissuade Mariska from chasing after her dreams, but this could be a game changer.
Eloise gripped my hand tighter. “Please promise me, Lucian.”
I swallowed, not liking it at all, but it was the right thing. Eloise had tons of support and would be fine. Mariska loved what she did. Her passion for her work was one of the things that drew me to her. I couldn’t tell her not to take her dream job either.
“I promise.” The words felt thick in my mouth, almost too heavy for my tongue to form. Yet not as much of load that pressed down on my soul.
Mariska returned with Lyla who had changed into another Christmas sweater. This one with working blinking lights on a bushy tree.
Eloise weakly motioned to the girls. “Water, please. Then I need a little nap.”
Mariska and Lyla fussed over their housemother as I stood back with my coffee.
My pack had plans to get Mariska to stay, but it would have helped if we had more time.
Balthazar was convinced she was ours already, and while Jasper had fallen just as fast for her, he wasn’t sure we could find something for her that would be as great as her job in California.
My stomach tightened and trembled as I tried to think of a life without Mariska. I wouldn’t go back on my promise to Eloise though. No matter how tempting it was to gain us more time.
I wanted Mariska to stay because she wanted to be with me, with the pack, as much as we wanted her. The only thing I could do was to continue to give her all of me and hope she’d fall as hard as I had, while encouraging her to live her best life.
Even if that life was in California.