Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 97

Nolan’s POV

The hospital doors burst open as I carried Talia inside. Nurses rushed forward at the sight of her limp body.

“This way,” one of them said, guiding me down the corridor. “What happened?”

“She was poisoned with wolfsbane. She has been provided with a counteragent,” I answered as I followed them.

I laid Talia on the nearest bed. I was reluctant to release her, but I forced myself to do so. She looked so fragile. Her condition had worsened as her lips tinged with blue.

The moment I stepped back, doctors and nurses crowded around her. I was pushed aside and escorted out of the room as nurses began cutting away what remained of her bloodstained dress.

‘You should’ve killed Viki when you had the chance,” my wolf snarled as I stalked toward the waiting room. “She dared to hurt our mate. She sent rogues to do it. Her throat should’ve been crushed!’

I clenched my fists. ‘I spared her only to give Talia a change of vengeance. Viki is a rogue. If Talia doesn’t deal with her, life will do it for her.’

‘That is not enough,’ my wolf snapped. ‘She is a threat to our mate. She will never keep her word. She will try to harm Talia again and if she does it will be your fault.’

‘That will not happen,’ I growled.

My wolf continued to rage. ‘What is the point of you saving our mate if you didn’t follow through? You had Viki. You should have done what Jason failed to do for the mate bond.’

‘I did not save Talia because she is our mate! Do not twist my motives. Marco made her wolf go dormant. That weakness led to her kidnapping. I had a responsibility to correct what his mistake caused,’ I countered.

‘Lies!’ my wolf scoffed. ‘You can lie to yourself, but you cannot hide the truth from me.’

I ignored him. My gaze fixed on the door that now separated me from Talia. I strained to hear what was happening in the room.

The time dragged on. My shoulder bled freely beneath my torn shirt, but I refused to move. No one came around, not even Della, but a nurse who scolded me about bleeding all over the floor.

“Alpha Nolan, you should have gotten this looked at,” she said as she bandaged me up.

“Sure, thanks,” I said.

The doors to the infirmary slammed open. I stood up quickly. The nurse amped up to scold, but thought better of it when Solon stormed in. The Alpha King followed. His Alpha aura filled every corner. Guards surged in behind them. Their eyes fixed on me as though waiting for the command to tear me apart.

"Prince Solon, there are patients here. Show some decorum," I taunted and winked at the nurse, who looked as if she wanted to fade away.

"Don't give me that shit!" Solon snarled. "Where is she? Where is Talia?”

"She is being worked on by the doctor right now. Please Prince Solon, calm down," the nurse answered.

“Then explain why I found her alive in the dungeon, letting rogues torture Talia,” I shot back. “Clearly, Jason didn’t kill her.”

“You lie,” Solon spat, stepping closer. “You did this to Talia.”

I sneered, “As if I would stoop so low to harm a she-wolf.”

“You think you can hide your treachery with lies. You hate my father. You regard him as your father’s murderer. You provoked both of us before the Hunting Rite began, and now you want us to believe you saved Talia from the goodness of your heart? You’re not fooling anyone, Nolan,” Solon snarled.

Arguing with Solon was grating on my nerves and getting increasingly exhausting by the minute. “You are simple-minded. You think because you shout louder your words become true. Just admit you cannot imagine that I acted for reasons beyond your narrow suspicions.”

Solon blushed at the insult, and he growled, “What did you call me?”

“Are you deaf now too?” I asked, watching as Solon’s hand went to his hilt. “You’re simple-minded, Prince Solon.”

“You expect us to believe you just happened to be there?” Solon barked. “That you fought rogues by chance and stumbled across her? No, this is just another one of your schemes. You harmed her yourself and now you parade yourself as her savior!”

I growled low in my chest. “Believe what you want. But if I had not been there, she would be dead while you and your guards wandered the forest like fools.”

“Enough!” The Alpha King’s fury filled the room, silencing even my wolf. His gaze pierced me. “Then why did you save her?”