Chapter 23 Adien Faints
Haven’s POV
They had been in the boardroom for a couple hours now, and the discussion still sounded heated. Aiden was chairing the meeting, with the elders voicing their concerns.
“I’m confident our own project will dominate the market,” one elder said, a smug smile on his face. “The technology that we are developing is currently unmatched. No competitor can surpass us.”
Several other elders nodded in agreement.
“What about Percy’s tech invention? It won the last award.” One disagreeing voice sounded
“His concept is unstable and to be frank, he is being too ambitious. With their limited resources, they won’t deliver results.” The first elder countered
The level of confidence in them was astonishing.
At the head of the table, Alpha Aiden was leaning back on his chair, his gaze unblinking. He let the elders talk amongst themselves into exhaustion before he finally raised his hand.
“I’ve heard enough,” he said, “the meeting is adjourned.”
The elders nodded then shuffled out. For the first time this morning, there was silence in the boardroom.
I had been waiting patiently for the meeting to end, so I made my presence known almost instantly. Aiden frowned when he saw me.
“What are you doing here?” he asked in a plain voice, one that carried the unspoken weight of authority.
I held up the food container in my hands like it was a peace offering. “I brought you something to eat. You’ve not eaten since you woke up.”
His brows arched, ” you cooked? Food?”
“Yes,” I replied something twitching in me “Try it.”
He took the container but instead of opening it, he placed it on the table. He leaned back and narrowed his gaze.” What is it? You didn’t come all this way for this. Spit it out.”
I sighed as I sat on the nearest seat. He was always so doubtful.
“Eat while we talk,” I said, opening the lid. A light steam that brought forth the aroma of braised beef and herbs filled the air.
He studied me for a moment longer before picking up his fork. He took a bite, chewed, then reached for his glass of water.
I recalled Rue’s voice, her words that were edged with certainty. It was the 27th of July, just a mere minutes to 10
o’clock.
He will faint on the 27th of July, at 10 o’clock.
Her words irked me even though I refused to believe it. Even right now, I felt shivers down my spine.
I glanced at my watch. It was only five minutes to 10.
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“What is it?” Aiden frowned.
“Nothing,” I responded quickly, forcing out a smile ” Try this too,” I spooned some herbs and placed it on his plate. He ate it without much thought and chased it down with more water.
My eyes found themselves on the clock again. As the clock ticked towards 10, my palms were dampened with sweat. Tension was beginning to rise in my chest.
And when it struck, I exhaled.
A mock laugh escaped my lips. “See? Nothing happened. Rue’s words were just meant to taunt, she loves to make herself sound important.”
Aiden scoffed as he set down his fork, his tone unreadable.
“She really had the gall” I said while leaning back, relief flooding me.
He reached for the water jar on the table to refill his glass. His fingers brushed its handle, but before he could get a hold of it, his body stiffened, and his face contorted in pain.
“Aiden?”
He clutched his chest, his mouth gasping for breath. Almost instantaneously, his face drained of color, and in the next second, he collapsed forward.
“Aiden,” my voice was rough as I rushed to his side, toppling my seat in the process.
His eyes were shut, and his breath shallow. I shook him violently “wake up!”
Nothing.
My vision blurred as my hands fumbled in my pocket to find my phone.
“Vance! Get here now” I screamed when the call connected.
Moments later, Beta Vance rushed in through the doors “What happened?”
“He- he just collapsed!”
In a single motion, he lifted Aiden to his shoulder. He raced through the halls of the pack house into his car.
Speedily, we drove towards the pack’s infirmary. All the while, my heart hung on my throat.
When we arrived, the pack’s doctors flooded us, rushing Aiden to the already prepared emergency room.
I stood outside the room, hands clenched, hoping that Aiden would just wake up. Minutes turned into hours and finally, the head of the pack doctors stepped out of the room. His face was fatigued and ashen.
His expression made bile rise up my throat.
“His condition is…severe” he said gravely” the infection has spread quicker than we had earlier thought, and his lungs are now compromised. With the virus’ aggression, we should prepare ourselves for the worst.”
My knees almost gave out. Beta Vance caught my arm to steady me.
Seconds later, Veronica got out of Aiden’s room, her face desperate. Her voice wavered as she addressed the doctor.
“You have to do something to save my son,” she said.
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“We have done everything to our current capacity, but his body isn’t responding. Without a definitive cure “The doctor shook his head.
Veronica turned towards me, her eyes now bearing a fury I had never seen before.” This is your fault. If you had looked after him better instead of wasting your time on useless things, he wouldn’t be here. If my son dies
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“I…” I started, holding back a sob ” Rue warned this would happen. Maybe she can save him.”
Veronica froze, then sneered.” Rue? Absolutely not. I don’t care if the pack doctors never get sleep, they will make Aiden wake up.”
But even as she said so, the doctor’s hopeless eyes told of a different story.
“Is there really nothing more you can do?” I asked him desperately” there has to be something.”
“I’m sorry but…” he paused searching for the courage to face Veronica “we have tried everything at our disposal. And our hospital is the best around”
For the next hour or so, more doctors and elders assessed Aiden’s situation. None had an answer. None had a cure. Each rejection felt like a pile driver to my chest.
Finally, Veronica bent under pressure. Her face was more ashen than it previously was as she grabbed my arm. “I want her here. Have Rue get here. Do whatever it takes but bring her here!”
I gulped recalling how Rue mentioned that we should not even attempt calling her when Aiden faints.
“Go do it, now” her voice was sharp and resolute.
I couldn’t call her because she had my number blocked so Beta Vance tried her number.
After various attempts, Vance’s voice was dejected. “Her phone isn’t answering.’
I took his phone and dialed again. Once. Twice. Six times. Each attempt rang into nothingness.
“Damn it” I hissed.
Hopelessness clawed at my chest.
Veronica grabbed her coat, her face streaked with tears she refused to wipe. “If we can’t reach her by phone, we’ll go to her in person.”
“To the Blood Claw pack?” I asked, stunned.
“Yes.” Her tone was sharp. “If that’s where she is, then we’ll go. I don’t care what it costs. Aiden must live.”
I nodded, straightening my back though uncertainty churned in me. Rue hated us. She had every reason to. But now … she was our only chance.
Together, Veronica and I left the hospital.
For the first time, the mighty Alpha Aiden’s fate rested not in power, nor wealth, nor medicine-
but in the hands of the woman he divorced.
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