The Luna’s Choice (Theo and Ayla) by Kat Silver

Chapter 82: Theo

I sat next to the hospital bed gripping Ayla’s hand, praying she would wake up but also wanting to keep her in this state of peace a little longer. I focused on the rhythmic sound of the machines so I could hold on to the numb feeling that held the storm inside me at bay.

What was I going to say? How would I tell her?

I felt Ayla’s hand twitch and knew I would have to figure that out soon. Slowly, she regained consciousness, her eyes flickering open, and immediately, her gaze met mine. I forced the knot in my throat back in order to speak.

“Hey, love,” was all I could manage.

I could see the thoughts working through Ayla’s mind and it wasn’t long before I knew I wouldn’t have to tell her anything.

She knew.

We had lost our pup.

Her eyes filled with tears and her chest rose and fell quickly, but her face remained stoic. It was like watching the wall she had built up when we had first met snap back into place. I moved to pull her into my arms but she pulled away. Ripping her hand from mine. I reached for her again but she pushed me away forcefully, rolling to her side without a word.

I was frozen.

She was breaking and she wouldn’t even let me touch her. To make it worse, she had completely blocked our connection. I couldn’t feel her

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through our bond. I pushed my heartbreak back. She would need time. I would be here for her in any way I could. It was all I had.

“I…” I swallowed hard to keep my voice calm and steady. “I’ll get the doctor.”

I refrained from trying to reach out to her again and turned from the bed. I found a nurse and let her know that Ayla was awake. She paged the doctor and then went in to check Ayla’s vitals. I wanted to go back in the room so bad it hurt, but I didn’t think I could keep myself from holding my mate. So I waited just outside the door until Dr. Athens arrived.

The nurse came out just as he met me.

“Her vitals are strong,” she said. “However, it’s hard to tell how stable she is with the emotional state she’s in.”

The doctor nodded. “Thank you, Jackie.” The nurse left and the doctor looked back at me with a severe expression.

“What did you find?” I asked desperately.

Dr. Athens gestured toward the door to Ayla’s room. “Perhaps we should go over the results together.”

I hesitated a moment, bracing myself for Ayla’s coldness, but followed the doctor inside. She was still laying with her back to us.

“Hello, Ayla,” the doctor said kindly. “I’m Dr. Athens. I’ve been overseeing your care. How are you feeling?”

Ayla rolled back over and pushed herself up a little farther in the bed, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she looked at the doctor

expectantly. But still not at me.

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“You were brought to us last night,” Dr. Athens stated. “You had suffered a lot of blood loss and I’m afraid your…”

“I know,” Ayla said curtly.

The doctor nodded his head. “We have run some tests trying to figure out what could have happened.”

I instinctively moved next to the bed. Needing to be close to my mate.

“We found a large amount of wolfsbane in your system, Luna.”

“What?” I hissed.

“If I’m honest, I’m surprised you’re still with us at all,” Dr. Athens continued. “With that amount, you should have died.”

“I’m immune to wolfsbane,” Ayla said stoicly.

My head snapped to her. “Baby, what are you talking about?”

Ayla looked blankly toward the window. “After Harry…” she faltered. “After Harry, I didn’t want to be at risk like that again. My family was known for their immunity. I started dosing myself to build up mine.”

“I see,” the doctor commented quietly.

I didn’t know how to respond. I was furious that she had done something so reckless without telling me but that only made me realize exactly why she didn’t tell me. Would I have actually let her go through with it?

It didn’t matter now.

“Well,” Dr. Athens said, pulling me from my thoughts, “in any case, we are all glad you are still with us, Luna. You have the support and

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love of the pack. I’ll give you two some time.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” I replied.

Ayla still wouldn’t look at me after he left. I slowly reached my hand out to brush her arm. She tensed and shied away again, making me stiffen. With a sigh, she closed her eyes.

“Not yet, Theo,” she whispered, still facing away from me. “Please, not yet.”

I didn’t know what else to do.

‘Mina,’ I linked, ‘Ayla’s awake. You should come be with her.’

Mina and Briggs were in the waiting area so it didn’t take long for them to be knocking at the door. Mina came in and went straight to Ayla’s side. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was red. She had taken the news hard. Ayla looked at her and, after a moment’s hesitation, threw her arms around her cousin’s n*eck.

I felt my heart shatter. I turned to leave the room. I couldn’t watch someone else get to hold her when I couldn’t. I stepped into an empty room across the hall. Briggs was right behind me and shut the door. My hands clenched and relaxed. I forced my fingers through my hair as I paced short paths across the floor. Briggs put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. I let him pull me into an embrace and I wept.

“She won’t even let me touch her.”

“She needs some time,” Briggs said.

I stepped away from him, taking a deep, calming breath. “I know,” I

said.

“Did they say what may have happened?”

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My mind went back to the doctor’s words. Ayla’s confession had distracted me, but the realization hit me.

“She was poisoned,” I said, rage starting to boil inside me.

“What?” Briggs exclaimed.

“Someone tried to kill her, Briggs,” I said. “And they succeeded in killing our child. When I find out who, I will destroy them.”