Chapter 143
Gideon’s POV
When I returned to my pack, I quickly showered and changed, not wanting to walk around in blood and dirt covered clothes. Then, I returned to the hospital, relieved Xavier from his post at my son’s door, and sat at my son’s beside.
There had been no change since the last time I had left. Leo was still in his coma, which was worrying. Each day he remained unconscious increased the chances that he would never wake up. That knowledge just made everything feel heavier too.
As I sat there, I was struggling to come to terms with everything.
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Not only was Claire alive, but she was in fact hiding under my nose as Raven. I couldn’t hate her for this. As Raven, she had protected our child, even becoming poisoned herself in her efforts. She could have died.
I couldn’t hate her. I couldn’t even be mad.
I knew I had been the one to drive her to hiding. I had been the one to cast her out. Daphne had lied to me, which led to those decisions, but I had still been the one to make them. Of course she would want to hide the truth from me, perhaps worried that I would continue to make hurtful decisions to her.
Maybe that was what she was still concerned about now.
I wished I had any kind of way of finding out all she had gone through, but she had refused to tell me. Now that she was locked away in Ivan’s pack, I didn’t have any idea how I would ever find out the truth about what happened.
Ivan didn’t seem interested in helping me discover the truth. In fact, he had turned downright possessive over Claire, claiming she belonged to him.
I bit back a growl now, just thinking about it. My annoyance spiked. I had already suspected the two were a couple, but now I had those suspicions confirmed. I wasn’t happy to have this confirmed.
I couldn’t really think about why. The thought of the two of them together made my blood boil.
But, confusing personal feelings aside, this revelation also made everything more difficult.
If Ivan was covering up Claire’s truth for her, then I had little chance of uncovering it myself. Unless I wanted to start a war, I was unlikely to discover the truth.
And I couldn’t start a war just for that, especially with the pack that was my strongest ally at this moment. My alliance with Justin’s pack was all but entirely shattered at this point.
Maybe I should just let things go. Maybe it was enough to know that she was alive, even if she wanted to remain hidden,
even from Leo…
Leo deserved better, though, even if I did not. Leo deserved his mom.
“Daddy?”
I blinked a few times, pushing back tears. I missed my son so much, I was even hearing his voice in my mind.
“Daddy? Where are we? Is this the hospital?”
That was a strange thing for the Leo in my mind to ask. At once, I looked toward the hospital bed where my son had been resting in his coma only a moment ago. Now, he was awake, looking at me like he had just woken up from a long nap. He rubbed at his eyes, his hair ruffled.
16:13 Sat, Jan 31
Chapter 143
“Why are we in the hospital?” he asked.
“Leo,” I said, my heart in my throat. I leaned forward at once and hugged him, careful of all the wires and tubes still attached to him. “You got hurt. Do you remember?”
Leo shook his head. He didn’t.
“It’s okay.” I said. In fact, it was a relief. I didn’t want him to relive those moments of terror. He was safe now, and I was going to make sure that nothing like that ever happened to him again. For the rest of my life, I would protect my son. “I have to get a healer to look at you, okay? Stay put just a minute.”
Leo, my good, strong son, just nodded, watching me as I pulled away. I kept him in my line of sight as I stepped into the hallway. There, I called out. “Healer! I need a healer here! My son is awake!”
My relief was palpable, as joy filled up my heart. I wondered if this was how Claire felt in finding Nova unharmed, in being reunited.
As the healer came in and started to check on my son, I stood to the side and knew, I had to tell Claire that her son was awake. She had a right to know that her son has awakened.
As Claire was part of Ivan’s pack, belonging to him per his words, it would be disrespectful to call her directly. I also wasn’t sure she would return my calls.
Instead, pulling out my phone, I left the healers to their work to step into the hall and make a quick call to Ivan.
Claire’s POV
“Claire, I need to speak with you alone,” Ivan said, appearing in the doorway as I was about to sit down for breakfast with Nova.
I glanced at Nova, unwilling to leave her on her own after all she had gone through, But she had her plush animal and some of the other children of the pack were there.
“I’ll be okay, Mommy,” Nova said.
“I’ll be right back,” I told her.
She nodded.
Standing, I walked out of the room and followed Ivan down to his office. He closed the door behind me then came to stand at my side, not moving toward his desk at all.
“I have just received a phone call,” Ivan said.
“Okay?” I prompted.
“From Gideon.”
At once, my blood ran cold. “What does he want?”
“He said that Leo has awakened.”
Relief crashed into me so hard that I nearly fell over. I had to steady myself, one hand on the edge of the desk to keep from falling down.
Ivan inched toward me, hands raising like he wanted to help, but he decided better of it and lowered his hands again. keeping the distance between us.
“I have to go back,” I said. “I have to see him for myself.”
16:14 Sat, Jan 31
Chapter 143
“I’m sorry, but I can’t allow that,” Ivan said.
My gaze sharpened. “Leo is my son.”
“Gideon knows who you are now. You will not be safe, even if you return as Raven.”
“I don’t care. I –”
55
E155 your nets
“He could be using Leo as an excuse to try to trap you,” Ivan said. “I will protect you and Nova both, Claire. That is my duty as your Alpha.”
I understood what he was saying, and I agreed it was dangerous. But I couldn’t just abandon my son. What did Ivan expect? That I would never see Leo again?
“I want to be a part of Leo’s life,” I said.
“I know that,” Ivan replied. “I’m not suggesting anything else. What I am saying is that you can’t run there without some kind of plan.”
I blinked. “What kind of plan?”
Ivan was holding himself confidently. It was clear to me that he had already given this some thought and careful consideration.
I trusted Ivan, so I would hear him out, even on a matter as important as this.
He said, “I think it’s time we negotiate with Gideon.”
AD
