Claimed by the Alpha's Love (Tori and Lucas) novel Chapter 167

Chapter 167

Tori’s POV:

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Lucas’s expression remained carefully neutral as he glanced between me and the road ahead.

The moonlight filtering through the windshield cast half his face in shadow, making him even more difficult to read.

“I assume you had a life before you met me, Tori,” he finally said, his fingers flexing slightly against the leather steering wheel. “What matters

is who you choose now.”

His words seemed perfectly reasonable and understanding.

If I put myself in his position, I couldn’t imagine being so calm about him holding hands, embracing, or kissing someone else.

Yet here he was, acting like it didn’t affect him at all. I couldn’t tell if he was truly unbothered or just skilled at masking his emotions, not

letting me see what he really felt.

Before I could respond, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen before answering.

“Grayson speaking.” His voice shifted instantly into that authoritative Alpha tone. “When did this happen?… No, tell him I’ll be there in an

hour.”

When he finally set the phone down, I asked quietly, “Is everything okay?”

“Nothing, I can’t handle,” he replied, his tone deliberately casual.

I turned to look out the window as the hospital came into view, deciding not to push the issue further. The night air was heavy with the scent

of rain and antiseptic as we approached Moontouch Medical Center.

Lucas pulled up to the entrance, the car’s headlights illuminating the glass doors.

As I stepped out and walked toward the entrance, I felt his eyes on me, watching protectively until I was safely inside. Then he left.

Inside the hospital, I made my way to the wing carrying a basket of moon berries and silver leaf herbs – traditional gifts for healing.

The antiseptic smell burned my sensitive nose, making Tracy sneeze internally.

Anna’s room was bright, the specialized wolf-friendly bed surrounded by machines monitoring her vital signs. The soft beeping created a

rhythmic background to the room’s soft conversations.

Grandmother Eileen sat in a chair by the bed, gently adjusting Anna’s pillows, while Janet was reading a story from a colorful picture book.

“Tori!” Anna’s face lit up immediately when she spotted me, her small hands reaching out eagerly despite her grandmother’s gentle attempts to

keep her still. “You came! Look what I got!”

“Of course I did,” I smiled, approaching the bed and setting my basket on the side table.

Both Eileen and Janet looked up with tired but relieved expressions, clearly grateful for the distraction my arrival provided. “How are you feeling, little one?”

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12:16 Thu, Feb 19 m

Chapter 167

“Better now,” she smiled. Dark circles ringed her eyes, making them appeal too large in her small face.

I nodded, trying to keep my expression light though my heart ached at he frailty.

I reached into my bag and pulled out a soft gray rabbit plush with long floppy ears.

“Look who came to visit you,” I said, placing the stuffed animal in her waiting hands.

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Anna’s face brightened immediately, her small fingers wrapping around the toy with surprising strength. “He’s so soft!” she exclaimed, pressing it against her cheek. “What’s his name?”

“I thought you might want to name him yourself,” I suggested, watching as she examined the rabbit’s stitched nose and button eyes with serious concentration.

‘I’ll call him Moon,” she decided after a moment, hugging the toy close to her chest.

“Would you like to hear a story about Moon and her adventures in the forest?” I asked, settling into the chair beside her bed.

Anna nodded eagerly, her eyes already wide with anticipation.

I glanced at Eileen and Janet. “Why don’t you two take a break? I’ll stay with her for a while.”

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“Are you sure?” Janet asked, though the relief was evident in her voice.

“Absolutely.

Once they rested aside, I began weaving a tale about Moon the rabbit and his journey through an enchanted forest where the trees whispered

secrets and friendly wolves protected the woodland creatures.

Anna listened intently, her eyelids gradually growing heavier until she finally drifted off, the rabbit plush still clutched in her arms.

I stayed for dinner with them. Janet had gone to get food from the cafeteria.

I glanced at the fruit basket I’d brought. “I’ll wash some of these, I told Elleen, who nodded absently, her attention focused on adjusting

Anna’s blankets.

The hospital bathroom was pristinely clean, the scent of disinfectant making my nose twitch as I rinsed the moon berries and apples under

cool water.

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12:16 Thu, Feb 19 m

Claimed by the Alpha’s Love