Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 212

Chapter 212

Grayson’s POV-

“I never gave that order,” I said firmly. “I would never hurt Lillian in that way. The flower was only ever meant for Ronan.”

“You deny saying that?” Lone Archer asked.

“I said to give her the best care,” I said, frowning. “That must have been taken out of context. A servant delivered this message.”

“We should find this servant to be sure,” Lone Archer said.

I didn’t want to think there had been any purposeful foul play, an intentional misleading of the doctors, but I had given no order dire enough to warrant giving the flower Lillian had toiled for to Odette. Never had I been given any indication that Odette’s poisoning was even bad enough to warrant such an extreme intervention.

“Yes,” I agreed. “I have a lot of people to talk to.”

I would discover where the miscommunication occurred, the break in the chain, and would work to keep something like this from ever happening again. But. I couldn’t go back to change what happened. Nor could I fully lay the guilt on someone else.

As prince, the responsibility rested solely on my shoulders. This miscommunication had been a failure on my part. Ronan was dead because of the lack of clarification of my orders.

I had no one to blame but myself.

And Lillian would blame me too.

“She lost control of her wolf,” Lone Archer said, seeing me staring at the resting face of my bride. Her beautiful dress was in tatters, but her face looked peaceful, only because it was so blank. When she would awaken, I knew that face would twist with grief and pain.

I wished I could take that from her, and put it onto myself. I would spare her any pain if I could.

We were supposed to be getting married today, declaring our love in front of the kingdom and the world. How could everything have gone so wrong?

“Her grief must be severe,” I said.

“She only had one brother,” Lone Archer said. “Their father is a manipulative asshole who poisoned Ronan as a tool against Lillian. She will take the weight of this onto herself.”

“She should blame me,” I said.

“She might.” He looked over at her sleeping face. “She will need patience, and maybe even space. You should give that to her.”

“I will be here when she wakes.”

“No,” Lone Archer said.

I sharpened my gaze at him. “She is my mate. I will be here.”

“If you want her to lose control again soon, sure,” Lone Archer replied, just as prickly. “If you want to give her a moment to recover before she has to handle this betrayal, then you will wait in the waiting room until she calls for

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you.”

hands curled into fists as a surge of anger pushed through me. Who was this man to give orders to a prince, an Alpha? I didn’t care if he was the Legendary Warrior, no one would keep me from my mate-

With a deep breath, I calmed myself, and realized I was being selfish. I wanted to stay by Lily’s side, but was that what she needed? Seeing me would upset her, and she had just lost control of her wolf. As much as I hated to admit it, Lone Archer might be right.

“You will stay with her?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Tell her I am here for her,” I said. “I want no doubt of my loyalty to her.”

“I’ll make it clear,” Lone Archer said.

Stepping closer to Lily, I came right to her bedside. Reaching out, I brushed the backs of my fingers across her cheek. In her sleep, she turned toward me, chasing the warmth of my hand.

With regret, I pulled away. She whimpered, and my heart broke.

“I’ll be waiting,” I said, to her and to Lone Archer, and walked out of the room.

As I returned to the waiting room, I saw more evidence of her rampaging wolf. Scratches in the walls, upturned carts, nurses and other workers being treated for bruises and scratches. One person was in critical care.

Whispers followed as I walked, and I could hear the return of doubt in Lillian.

“She’s unstable,” someone said.

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