The Luna Queen's Rebirth (Ellie and Dominic) novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Ellie POV

By the time I made it halfway across campus, the Bandage on my head had started to itch.

Our ‘relaxing’ outing didn’t exactly include nearly drowning. Not great for my stress levels right now.

I tugged my hood lower, hoping no one would notice the wrap beneath it. The scrape wasn’t even bad, just dramatic-looking at the time. Too much blood. I’d patched it myself–mostly because I refused to let Dominic hover over me like some furious, overgrown Saint Bernard.

My memories played over in my head. I remember his lips on mine. Warm, compared to my cold.

And his face in that moment…

The fear.

The way he’d said my name like it was something fragile. I haven’t heard that… in a long, long time. Maybe our wedding night being the last.

It kept replaying in my head whether I wanted it to or not.

My hands slapped hard to my cheeks, jump scaring a few ladies passing me.

Nope. No. Not thinking about him. Back to reality.

I stepped into Emergency Med class, took my usual seat/and tried to pretend the room wasn’t spinning in slow, nauseating circles.

At least I culd count on today being away from everyone. I was a healer now, and there was no chance of seeing Dom, Lucas, or anyone until lunch.

Hopefully.

“Class,” The Professor said, clapping her hands, “today we have an extra special assignment! Today, you’ll be doing routine check-ups on volunteers from the Pack Management Academy! What a fun collab of students!”

A deep breath slowly rose through my nose.

Deep breaths. Calm. We are calm.

r

My eyes drifted to the door as it opened. I was begging, praying to see Sarah for a partner, but my hope slowly shriveled by the second.

Blonde hair, a blue and silver hoodie. Charming smile.

Lucas waved when he saw me.

The, between a mix between a few girls,a towering man ducked his head to enter the room. Dark locks sweeping haphessardlessly over his head. Eyes like judgement glancing my way.

Dominic didn’t wave. He was too busy staring directly at me like he could read my skeleton through my

hoodie.

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Gross.

The professor began pairing us off.

“Ellie,” she called. “You’ll be working with… Lucas.”.

I glanced up, unsure if I should have been relieved that is wasn’t Dom. Or… more concerned after Lucas’s sly smirk to Dom as if he’d won something.

Dom only straightened his posture.

“Dom,” The professor continued. “You’re with Karina.” 1

Karina cheered, snatching his arm with glee.

I rolled my eyes as Lucas walked over to me grinning, the picture of enthusiasm, while I was faintly considering just skipping the day

“Hey, sunshine,” Lucas said, sliding onto the exam cot. “Nice head accessory. Is that new?”

“It’s called a bandage,” I muttered. “One you might be leaving here with if you keep pushing it with Dominic.”

He leaned forward suddenly and touched just above my ear.

I flinched. “Hey! What are you-”

“Just checking the bump you’re trying to pretend isn’t there.” His expression softened. “You okay?”

I looked away. “It’s just a scrape.’

“Uh-huh,” he said, clearly not buying it. “How’d it happen?”

My shoulders tensed. “It was an accident.”

“Weird,” Lucas’ head tilted. “Because the cut, your hair, smells like him.”

Lucas’s eyes flicked across the room-to Dominic-sharpening into a glare.

Dominic, looking relaxed as Karina trace a hand down his chest fo rhis heart, glared back immediately, jaw

clenched.

“You know,” Lucas murmured, “how every time you’re around him, something catastrophic happens.”

“Right?!” I whispered before I could stop myself.

Then I quickly coughed to pretend I hadn’t agreed.

“Nevermind,” I waved it off, approaching the cot. “It actually was an accident. I…owe him a thanks. So, if we could just get this done without pissing him off, I would appreciate it.”

Lucas snuggled into the cot with a grin, holding his wrist over his head dramatically. “But Ellie,” he croaked. “I think… I’m dying…I need…mouth to mouth.”

I frowned.

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Too soon.

My hand smacked him away to his chuckle.

Focus. The assignment. The test next week. Literally anything but the two idiots who were bound to burn holes in each other across the classroom.

“Alright, class,” the professor announced. “You’ll perform a routine check-up. Vitals and documentation. Accuracy matters.”

I nodded, simple enough. Until Lucas sat up straighter, suddenly looking like he took academics seriously for the first time in his life. He held out his wrist.

“So,” he murmured, eyes glinting, “I’m not pretending to be sick today?”

“No,” I said, reaching for his wrist. “Just… be normal.”

But the second my fingers brushed his skin, his thumb grazed the inside of my arm light, and teasing.

I froze. My pulse jumped. His lips curved.

“Don’t do that,” I hissed under my breath. “This is serious.’

“Is it?” he asked softly.

He shifted slowly-too slowly-rolling onto his side so that he faced me fully, head propped in his palm. The movement brought him closer than he had any right to be. His voice dipped lower.

“Maybe I’m just adding difficulty to your test,” he said. “Seeing if you can stay focused.”

I glared, but my hand was still wrapped around his wrist… and his heart beat warm against my palm.

“I am focused,” I insisted. But my own was bumping in my ears.

“Mm.” His gaze traveled over my face, just watching. Really watching. “If you say so.”

I swallowed. The air felt suddenly thicker.

He shifted his wrist slightly, fingers brushing mine again. I tried to ignore it, my pen moving automatically, muscle memory taking over.

“Careful,” he murmured. “I can be distracting.”

“More like annoying.”

I pulled out my stethoscope to my ears and stepped closer, pressing the small cicle to his chest.

His pecks were…bigger then I thought. But I forced my focus as he looked up at me, near nose to nose.

I nearly stepped back but kept my spacing. “Deep breath in for me.”

“Anything for you.”

I felt his minty breath on my collar bone.

My frown hardened as my pen moved. “Again.”

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But suddenly, I stopped.

Wait.

Then I glanced down at the number I’d written and froze. That couldn’t be right.

No. No way. That pulse belonged to a dying man. Someone minutes away from collapsing.

My stomach bottomed out. Had I realy been so distract? Had I actually wrote it wrong? But-