Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 296

"I'm sorry," Ethel whispers to Onai when he passes the boy in his way to the back room.

Axel nods and sighs, walking to the room. I even grab a bag, but when he passes me, he takes it.

"We've got it." He smiles, even though it's strained. He takes the bags by Onai too, but I don't know if it's because he doesn't want Onai's scent to get on them, or because he doesn't want his friend to have to help the doctor...

It's the hardware store all over again. What do I do?

I take a step towards him. I don't think the nurse is speciesist, but if she can't even touch something that smells like him, she shouldn't even be in this house. "Onai-"

"Can you...?" Shen starts.

She's limping harder. It was getting better last time I checked, but now, it's much worse. I sigh, looking away from Onai to offer her my arm. She takes it gratefully. Ethel stands at her side. He doesn't touch her, but I know that if she reached out, he would be there to support her in any way. Somehow, I think she knows that from the way she glances at him, but still, she doesn't. We walk forward.

The back room is just a bedroom. It has no windows though, like it's at the center of the house. But the walls are as green and brown as the forest outside.

"Dr. Janice," Aiden says.

Carson and Axel put the stuff they're carrying down, but they don't leave. They stay beside Aiden, watching me and Shen enter the room.

Dr. Janice looks at them, stopping her current task-taking her supplies out on the table inside of the room. "What is it?"

"Please get the patient," Carson says.

I furrow my brow. Dr. Janice comes to grab Shen away from me. Her blue eyes look at me frantically, hands holding on for dear life. Even Fei grabs me, one hand on Shen and one tangled in my shirt. I feel responsible.

I look at Ethel. He blocks his aunt, but that doesn't stop her.

I remember the way she dragged her thumb across her neck, asking me if I wanted Shen dead. Did the brothers give her the okay? Is that what's going to happen in this room?

Even with Ethel's life on the line, I don't know if it's enough. But surely Dr. Janice wouldn't risk causing the death of her own nephew... right?

With Ethel blocking Dr. Janice and me holding onto Shen, Aiden decides he needs to take evasive action. He puts his arm around me and pulls me away.

"Stop it." I struggle, but his grip gets tighter.

"You'll thank me one day." He lifts me effortlessly, lugging me around like I'm some kind of unruly sack of potatoes. "When you're alive."

He's impossible.

He walks out of the room with a steely confidence, until something dawns on him. His amber eyes turn back. "Ethel." I'm still in his arms, so I swing with the motion. He eyes his beta, muttering, "Come on. There are things we need to discuss."

"Yes. There are." Ethel looks at Shen for a long time, and then he follows us and the other two brothers. "Don't worry," he says over his shoulder. "She's my aunt. She won't kill me... I think."

"Don't go." Shen grabs him with a shaky hand.

Ethel looks at his aunt.

She shrugs, much to Aiden's irritation.