Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 80

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
By R. Joseph

Zevran.

When I thought of Leilani, I had envisioned her greeting me with gratitude, perhaps even a warm smile, but instead, what I received was a fierce hostility that struck me like a slap.

I had expected her to say “Thank you” when she laid eyes on me, not hurling a rejection that felt like a knife to my heart.

My emotions surged, a tempest of fury boiling within me as I stormed out of her hospital room, my footsteps echoing against the sterile white walls. I didn’t dare to look back, as if doing so would somehow tether me to the pain I was feeling. Climbing into my Mustang, I slammed the door shut, the sound reverberating in the quiet of the parking lot, and I sped away, the engine roaring beneath me.

If she insisted on being so fiercely independent, then she could damn well take care of herself!

Yet, just a few miles down the road, guilt began to gnaw at my insides like a relentless beast. Leaving her alone felt wrong, a betrayal of sorts, but I knew deep down that Leilani would never want to see me again—not after the way we had parted. With a heavy heart, I pulled out my phone and dialed Frostclaw’s number instead of turning back.

The line rang, but he didn’t pick up.

I tried again, desperation clawing at my throat, each unanswered ring tightening the knot in my stomach. After what felt like an eternity and my fifth attempt, he finally answered. His voice came through, laced with boredom, as if my call was an unwelcome interruption.

“Alpha Stormborn, what can I do for you?”

I inhaled deeply, my hands trembling slightly at the absurdity of my situation. The thought of begging him to go to Leilani, of all people, filled me with revulsion, but desperation had a way of stripping away pride. I was more jealous of his connection with her than I had ever been of anything in my life.

But I was truly desperate.

“Leilani is at the hospital,” I managed to rasp out, my voice heavier than I intended.

As soon as the words left my lips, an oppressive silence enveloped us. I could hear his breaths, deep and measured, a low growl rumbling in his throat, but he remained silent, leaving me to continue. “Something happened to her last night, but she’s out of danger now. Still, someone needs to be there with her. And I cannot be that person; she cannot stand me.”

Frostclaw exhaled shakily, and a realization hit me like a freight train. I hated to admit it, but it was painfully clear that he cared for her—perhaps even more than I did.

Goddess, he might even be in love with her.

His tone softened, the previous tension dissipating as he asked gently, “What happened to her?”

But I would never betray my brothers, not even for the sake of honesty. Instead, I crafted a half-truth, something that wouldn’t implicate anyone. “She lost some bloo—”

“Shit!” he interrupted, his voice sharp. “What hospital is she at?”

I quickly relayed the hospital’s address and every detail he needed to find her. When I finished, he surprised me by muttering a sincere, “Thank you.”

I was taken aback, caught off guard by his gratitude. Before I could respond, he hung up, leaving my car enveloped in an eerie silence.

A strange tingling sensation coursed through my body, a mix of relief and anxiety. My mind—and my insufferable wolf—kept reminding me of the fact that I had just sent my rival to be with Leilani.

-Not that we were in competition or anything.

‘You are. You fucking are,’ Morwen hissed in my mind, but I dismissed him with a scoff.

‘I’m not.’

“Then why does it feel like you want to go back to her? Why are you stalling?”

‘Because I fear she might be in danger!’

‘Ha! The kind of lies men tell themselves!’ He retorted, retreating into the recesses of my mind, leaving me to stew in my own thoughts.

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