Chapter 494
0494
“Oh… like a shift… so when you go to hell, Uncle, will you shift before you go?”
I chuckle quietly.
Hell. You got that right, kid.
“Xander!” Zaia scolds, appalled. “I am so sorry, Zade!”
“He isn’t wrong. Yeah kid, I will. But don’t worry, when I go to hell I’m taking you with me.” 1 smirk, making Xander grin.
Sebastian chuckles at that. “I told you he gets his psychotic behaviour from your side of the family,” he remarks, kissing Zaia’s forehead.
Zion smiles. “But Uncle, you won’t go to hell, you’re too good.” He smiles.
“Na, I’m not kid… you just don’t know me.”
“Well… eat up, the food’s getting cold…” Zaia says, glancing at Atticus, who looks lost in thought.
“Ok, let’s eat. Grandma Shelby said to us to eat too…” Sia says as the other girl, who was a bridesmaid, also nods in agreement. Both look pale, but seems they are stepping up to comfort the adults.
“Atticus?” Zaja looks at him and my attention instantly wanders to Adriana. These things are fucking complicated. That’s why having no friends and no family was a lot easier.
“Excuse me,” Atticus replies before he leaves the room.
“I will ask the staff to prepare a tray to be taken upstairs,” Linette murmurs as she turns and leaves.
“Are you alright?”
I glance up to see it’s the beta’s wife who has spoken, heck I don’t even know their names, but she’s talking to Adriana.
“Yeah,” Adriana replies quietly.
‘Are you?’ I ask her through the mind-link.
There’s a pause. ‘I am.’
‘But he isn’t. Is that affecting you, Adriana?”
‘I know you’re my alpha, but can you not?’
‘Sure. He pisses me the hell off anyway. His face is really fucking irritating too, the kind you want to punch 24/7, I remark.
She scoffs in disbelief. ‘He is not that bad. Besides, I don’t know if you see it… He looks a lot like Valerie.’
Now that is a fucking insult, even if I was trying to get a reaction from her.
‘Nowhere near, besides aren’t you meant to be agreeing with me? Since we’re on the same side?”
She’s silent, and I know she cares, but I’m not about to meddle further. I’ll leave that to Val…
“How is she?” I ask my incredible doctor Luna through the mind-link. She’s a fast thinker when it comes to helping someone.
‘She’s not doing good, her reports are worse and the doctors can’t do anything for her… I can’t do anything. I feel like a failure. I wish I could stop her dying… There’s regret and sadness clear in her words.
“This isn’t on you, I remind her. “We can’t control death.’
‘I wish I could do more.”
Don’t we all?
It’s a while later and Zaia and Sebastian have taken all the children, including Linette’s, out for a few hours. The atmosphere has darkened considerably, and I’ve not seen Valerie as they continue to try to work on making Shelby a little more comfortable.
At this rate… I don’t think she’s going to survive for much longer. Something that I think everyone knows but doesn’t want to admit.
I can’t blame them. The morning was memorable, but the sadness that ensued really fucking isn’t pleasant. I stopped by Ada’s room too… She’s not looking good either.
Illnesses….
It makes me think of ARK1, the disease that was going around. It has miraculously eased up too. No surprise there, but I am not going to let it slide.
I have Anthony and Damien gathering proof that will be shared with the International Health Organisation when I have enough solid evidence to make my case foolproof.
No one is getting away with anything. Not on my watch.
Sighing, I step out onto the patio and light a cigarette, pausing when I’m certain I hear something down the side of the house.
Hugh?
I quietly walk down from the steps and round the corner to see him wiping his eyes. I had heard him leave the room so Atticus and Linette could spend some time alone with Shelby a little while ago, and I admit I do feel pity for the man.