#Chapter 38 My Husband and I

It’s a long day at the hospital.
Reese isn’t doing much better, and Mara has only gotten worse. They are in neighboring rooms now, making it easy to watch their symptoms increase and their health decrease. I sit between the two rooms in an uncomfortable chair, fighting back the nag of tire that has been surrounding me lately.
That’s not the only thing surrounding me, though.
Eugene walks me to the hospital every morning and night, while Gabriel will spend the afternoon and evening with me at the hospital and at the palace. When he is normally in his office, he instead works in our bedroom, meticulously trading a glance from me to his laptop.
That’s not the worst of it, though. Alpha Herold will come up to the hospital around noon and spend a long part of the day with me, making it impossible for me to ever be alone with my many, many thoughts.
I sit here now, watching the clock, waiting for the exact minute I hear that damn voice say those same words like they have every morning.
“Queen Luna,” Alpha Herold murmurs. “You want some coffee?”
He holds out a cup before him, waiting for me to take it. Sometimes I give in and oblige, but other times I don’t, waiting for him to just set it down somewhere and leave me be. I am exhausted today and yawning already, so I take the cup of coffee and give into his gesture.
“Why are you here?” I gust, sipping the hot, sweet caffeine.
“Well, Reese and Mara both have been in my pack hospital before, it only seems fair that I make sure they are taken care of here.”
“Taken care of?” I scoff, shuddering in hatred. “Weren’t you going to cut off Reese’s care anyways? You were going to stop paying for his treatment even after Olivia did everything you asked and agreed to marry you—you don’t deserve to know a damn thing.”
“I have made my mistakes,” Alpha Herold hums, staring blankly into Mara’s room. “I have made a lot of mistakes, Queen Luna. I know that I have, but I refuse to let them sit and swell inside of me anymore. I see everything clearly now and I know I am a better man, and a better Alpha, compared to what I was before.”
“Before,” I bite, that word an insult to me. “You really means it like this; before my wife was murdered carrying the unborn child I already denounced, I was a bad, bad man—but it’s all better now. I’m a good guy after my wife was murdered carrying my child.”
He swallows hard, my words wounding him. “Well, I didn’t mean it like—”
“I know exactly how you meant it,” I snap. “Now leave, Alpha Herold. Right now.”
He lingers beside me for a pained, long moment. He dares to turn and strut back down the hallway, alone and defeated like most days, but he hesitates before me, his voice low in muttering exhale, “if I had it to do over again, I would—”
“You don’t get a do-over, Alpha Herold,” I snip. “You had one shot and you blew it.”
“Did I really?” he breathes. “I have a lot of time left in this life to make things right and who knows, maybe you’re not the only one to get a second shot at things…”
Before I can call him crazy or dismiss his words, he stalks off down the hall with an uncaring twinkle in his eyes. He smiles subtly, nodding to me as he hops on the elevator and the doors shut on his proud look.
I’m thankful to not be too alone today, Celine joining me at the hospital office where she brings a packed lunch along with her. She sits opposite of my desk, minding my laptop as she passes me some food and pink, fruity drink. She smiles caringly, waiting until I push my work aside before striking up a conversation.
“Gabriel said you would be here,” she says in a gleeful grin.
“He always seems to know where I’m at these days,” I say.
She picks at her leafy meal, “well, about that…”
“What?” She shakes her head, on the edge of taking back her words but I won’t let her. “Celine, please. Finish that sentence.”
“I overheard Gabriel a few days ago talking to that physician and his Alpha brother,” she hums, sipping on her pink drink as well. “I may have misheard it, or misinterpreted it, I’m not completely sure, but Gabriel was talking as if he wanted you to be guarded for a while.”
My stomach drops, “why would he say that?”
“Something to do with that girl you told me about, the one that ruined your relationship and then had you killed,” she adds. Her eyes look sad and something resembling guilt crosses her features now. “I didn’t want to bother you today but when you sent away Herold this morning, Gabriel gave me money and asked me to come spend some time with you today.”
I scoff, my hands flinching into taut fists for a second. “Are you serious? Why would he say that, Celine, does he not trust me out here alone?”
“It seemed more of genuine worry, in my opinion.” She hesitates, speaking lower now. “he was talking about that girl again and he thinks you’re becoming a little too focused on her and what she did to Herold’s wife. I tried to reassure him you’re fine, of course, but he gave me the money for lunch and told me I could take any car I wanted to.”
I lean back, spotting a familiar sports car in the parking lot below. I offer an amused grin. “You just wanted the free food and fast care, didn’t you?”
“Of course!” she says, breaking us both into a laughing spell. “But seriously, girl, should I be worried about you. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Celine. Always.”
She takes that as gospel and leaves for the day. I spend the rest of my time working, until Gabriel returns for his shift in watching me, his hands stuffed into his front pockets and his eyes heavy on me. I can already smell his argument from here, but I don’t know why, watching him walk straight over to my desk and grab me by my hips.
“Ouch, Gabriel, what are you—”
He only growls, rubbing his pelvis against my backside and making me purr a noise I didn’t intend on making. I blush, but it’s enough for the King Alpha, as pulls for me to lean over the desk, exposing my backside from under my short, hiked-up skirt.
“Too much work, my dear,” he hums, his hands teasing me and I can’t seem to tell them to stop. Maybe, just maybe, I don’t want them to. “I know just how to relax you.”
His fingers curl into my wet, hot core at once, surprisingly, and I gasp alive. I try to stay still, not wanting him to stop, and he doesn’t seem keen on doing so either. He presses his knuckles deep into my sex, throbbing them in and out methodically.
“Gabriel—what—”
“Shh, my dear, just relax. Focus on me for now and nothing else.”
I abide, just for this one moment, as I give into his pressuring, pleasing fingers.