Chapter 175

Ava’s POV

“Refuses to die.”

The words hung in the air. A wave of relief crashed over me, so overwhelming I almost stumbled. Beside me, Elaine sighed quietly, though her worried expression betrayed her attempt to mask it.

“There’s internal bleeding,” my father said, his tone flat and clinical. “A lot of it. The bullet missed his heart, but caused serious damage to surrounding tissue. We’ve stabilized him for now, but…” He trailed off, his expression tightening.

“But what?” I whispered, my throat feeling like sandpaper.

His eyes met mine, heavy with unspoken weight. “It’s critical. He’s not out of the woods yet. The next 24 hours will be crucial. But,” he added almost reluctantly, “I believe he’ll pull through.”

“So he’s going to be fine?” Elsine asked sharply.

“I just said that,” my father snapped, glaring at her. His gaze shifted back to me, narrowing in disapproval. “The company you keep,” he muttered, shaking his head and scanning me from head to toe. “Clean that blood off your face and change into something more appropriate. Or security will escort you out.”

He turned and left.

“Wow,” Elaine said. “He takes ‘asshole’ to a whole new level. Couldn’t even pretend to have a shred of humanity while wearing that coat, huh?”

I sighed, but didn’t respond. Grayson was alive. That’s all that mattered.

I didn’t ask if we could see him. I knew the answer: not until he was stable. Elaine gathered her things, tossing her scarf over her shoulder.

“Well,” she said, detached, “I guess that’s it for the day. I’ll be back later, or not. Who knows.” She started toward the exit.

“Elaine, wait.”

She paused. For a brief second, I thought I saw worry, quickly replaced by forced irritation. I hesitated, my gaze dropping to her still-flat stomach. “Congratulations. And… on your mating too.”

Her expression softened momentarily, genuine surprise flickering across her face before she murmured, “Thanks.” She left.

I sank back into the chair, releasing a held breath. My father was right: I needed to clean up. I reached for my phone, finding it wasn’t there. I must have lost it at the carnival.

Cursing, I found Rachel at the nurse’s station.

“Rachel,” I called softly. She looked up, concern etched on her face.

“Mrs. Blackwood, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied, my voice shaky. “I just… lost my phone. Can I borrow yours? I need to call someone for a change of clothes.”

“Of course.” She gave me her phone.

“Thank you.” I dialed Isabella’s number from memory.

“Hello?” Isabella answered cautiously. “Who is this?”

“It’s Ava. Please, bring me a fresh set of clothes to my father’s hospital. Right away.”

There was a pause, then, “I’m on my way.” The line went dead.

I returned the phone with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

She nodded, her gaze lingering. “You should sit down. You look like you’re about to collapse.”

“I’m fine,” I repeated, though I wasn’t.

My reflection in a nearby door showed blood smeared across my face, my clothes rumpled and stained. I looked as broken as I felt.

I cleaned up in the restroom. The cold water stung, but grounded me. I looked less like a mess, but still felt like one.

Back in the waiting area, my legs felt like lead. I tried to numb my thoughts, but it was useless.

Grayson didn’t have his wolf. If he had, none of this would have happened. He would have healed faster. And the reason he didn’t? Me. His choice to be with me kept him from breaking the curse.

Guilt weighed on me like a mountain. “What ifs” and “if onlys” spun in my mind.

“Lilian!” Isabella’s voice startled me. She rushed over, gasping, “Oh my goddess, what happened to you? Why are you here?”

“Did you bring the clothes?” I asked quietly.

She frowned, handing me the bag. “I did, but talk to me. What happened?”

I avoided her gaze, gripping the bag. Then, I forced myself to look at her, my throat tightening. “We were at a carnival… and someone started shooting.” My voice wavered. “We wouldn’t have been there if I hadn’t made him take that turn.”

My voice cracked. “This is all my fault.”

Isabella knelt, taking my hands. “Lilian, stop,” she said, her voice steady and full of conviction. “This is not your fault. You didn’t ask those shooters to come. You didn’t put that gun in their hands.”

Tears pricked my eyes as I shook my head. “But if I hadn’t—”

“No,” she cut me off, her grip tightening. “If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. I was the one who played that stupid prank that made you come out in the first place.”

“It’s not your fault, Bels.” My voice was barely audible. “I just… need to get changed.”

She nodded, giving me space. “Okay. Go ahead. I’ll wait here.”

I locked the bathroom door and leaned against it. My thoughts rushed back as I changed.

Grayson didn’t deserve this. The image of him fighting for his life wouldn’t leave my mind. The blood, the gunshots, the chaos—it replayed like a broken record.

I splashed cold water on my face. My face looked pale, my eyes red and swollen.

As I dressed, I thought about the curse. What if Grayson resented me? What if he regretted choosing me over his wolf?

I shoved the thoughts away, but they lingered. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my dirty clothes and stepped out.

Isabella was waiting, a worried look on her face. She straightened. “Feeling a little better?”

I shrugged. “Not really, but thanks for the clothes.”

“Anytime.” She hesitated. “You know I’m here for you, right? Whatever you need.”

I nodded, grateful. “I know. Thank you.”

I sat down, gripping the bag, and stared at the clock. All I could do was wait and hope Grayson made it through the night.

Deep down I knew he would. This wasn’t the end of his story, but maybe it was the end of mine with him. Because the moment he woke up, I was going to tell him to find his fated mate.