Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 82

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

Another present awaited me, a delightful surprise that I hadn’t anticipated.

Leilani.

In just a few days, I would be stepping out of the hospital, and as Jarek wheeled me—yes, I emphasize “wheeled” because I was now bound to a wheelchair for the foreseeable future—toward the parking lot, I spotted a familiar figure.

It wasn’t one of the triplets or any family member, and thankfully, my life wasn’t that unfortunate.

No, it was Maya. Maya freaking Ferdinand! My gym instructor and my closest confidante during those fleeting four years I spent in Europe.

Maya was a radiant soul, bursting with energy and an unquenchable passion for art. She had this extraordinary ability to light up a room, and yet, much like Jarek, she had a sharp tongue reserved for everyone else but me. Over countless nights spent under the stars, she had learned a great deal about my family and friends, weaving their stories into our conversations.

As soon as I caught sight of her bright smile and her signature baby pink hair fluttering in the breeze—almost like something straight out of a Disney fairy tale—I couldn’t contain my excitement.

With arms wide open, I lunged forward for a hug, and she immediately enveloped me in her warm embrace. “Oh, how I’ve missed you!” she murmured into my hair, placing the sweetest kiss right between my eyebrows.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming to NYC!” I exclaimed, my voice bubbling with joy. “I’ve missed you so much! I thought you’d never make it back!”

With a gentle hand, Maya brushed my hair away from my face, patting my head affectionately as if I were a child. A little side note: she did this often, considering she towered over me by more than seven inches.

Then, with a playful sass, she quipped, “Well, I wanted to surprise you. But I got the shock of my life when I found out you were on the brink of death. Guess you surprised me after all.”

Her words made me whip my head around to glance at Jarek, and as I had suspected, he wore a smug smile, clearly enjoying the banter.

Jarek and Maya were acquainted; in fact, she belonged to his pack. So, I could easily connect the dots regarding her assumptions about my condition.

I bristled slightly, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. “I was not on the brink of death.”

“Then what do you call having to source about ten bags of Rh-null blood for you? Isn’t that like standing at the gates of hell?” he shot back, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

My cheeks flushed crimson as I shyly ducked my head, murmuring, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were the ‘friend’ Jay contacted for the blood bags. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble for you?”

“Oh, it wasn’t!” Maya replied, waving her hand dismissively, her smile radiant. “I was already in the city because my parents wouldn’t stop setting me up for blind dates, and you know how Natasha is—a doctor and always busy!”

Natasha, of course, was her younger sister, always bustling around with her medical duties.

Maya wrapped her arms around me for another tight hug before bowing her head slightly to Jarek. Her voice softened as she said, “Alpha, I must be on my way now. I need to run some errands for my father. Please look after my Lani for me.”

“I will,” Jarek replied, his smile warm and reassuring.

“And Lani, I’ll swing by your house later tonight with a bottle of champagne and some takeout. Take care of yourself until then, and for heaven’s sake, don’t try to die on me, okay?”

I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress my grin. “Okay!” I responded, my heart swelling with happiness. She pulled me in for yet another hug before strutting away, her beautiful hair trailing behind her like a cloud of cotton candy.

My heart constricted in my chest, but not from pain—rather, it was pure joy. Joy because my friend was back, joy because I wouldn’t have to feel so lonely anymore, and joy because I would no longer be so dependent on Jarek.

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