89 (Lucian POV) Boundaries
Lucian
Making love to Mara never felt the same twice-but somehow, it always felt better. My body craved her constantly. That morning had been no exception. I needed her. And she gave herself to me-completely, fully, beautifully.
I’d also started to notice she wasn’t very vocal in bed. So I made a decision: I’d help her open up, ease into her pleasure more freely. She deserved to enjoy every bit of it, just like I did.
Breakfast followed. And for once, it was everything a morning should be-peaceful, quiet, ours. No Martha lacing every
bite with venom.
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No Darian sulking and casting obsessive glances at my wife.
No Lacy fluttering her lashes like a desperate understudy. And, mercifully, no Father diving headfirst into the family’s
private affairs like a drunk philosopher.
I still hadn’t forgiven him for bringing up our first heat at the breakfast table like it was some bedtime story. That moment
had belonged to Mara and me. Sacred. Intimate. And he’d turned it into breakfast conversation.
But now, here we were. Our first full morning in our home. And Mara was glowing. I could see it in her every gesture-how
she leaned into me more, how she smiled like she finally had air to breathe.
Midway through breakfast, my phone buzzed. I saw the hospital’s number on the screen and felt my stomach twist.
“Good morning, Alpha Nighthorn,” said Dr. Tevin Ashwill on the other end.
I glanced at Mara, tempted to excuse myself-but I’d made her a promise. No more secrets. So I stayed seated.
“Good morning, Doctor,” I replied.
“We need you to sign some documents,” he said, “and I’d also like to discuss some matters regarding Miss Livingston. I
promise it won’t take long.”
I looked at Mara. She already knew.
“Okay,” I said, keeping my tone even, and ended the call.
“What is it?” she asked, her voice light but eyes sharp.
“They want me to come in, sign a few forms. The doctor wants to talk.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t they know we’re on vacation?” she said, using finger quotes.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I guess we’re making a stop,” she said, shrugging. But I could hear the strain under the casual tone. She was trying. She
really was.
We finished breakfast and got ready. Before leaving, I let Jennifer and Richard know we might be back late. No need to lock up. The house already felt like a well-oiled sanctuary, and I was grateful.
On the drive, I reached over and placed my hand on Mara’s thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. I could feel the quiet tension beneath her calm. Tina had become a shadow over everything, and no matter how strong Mara was, I knew it weighed on
her.
She looked at me and smiled.
“We’ll get through this, Lucian.”
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19 (Lucian POV) Boundaries
And just like that, my grip on the wheel tightened-not with fear, but with resolve.
We would.
Because this time, I wasn’t navigating it alone.
I drove quickly to the hospital, pulled into the lot, and parked with practiced urgency. This wasn’t a social visit. I wasn’t here to be drawn into another one of Tina’s manipulations.
As we stepped out of the car, I reached for Mara’s hand-firm, deliberate. I wasn’t about to leave her behind like last time. We walked in together, fast and focused, and headed straight for the doctor’s office.
Dr. Tevin Ashwill looked up, surprised to see us both. His gaze lingered on Mara longer than expected, but to his credit, he masked it quickly.
“Alpha Nighthorn,” he greeted with a nod.
“Doctor,” I returned.
He turned to Mara, this time more formally. “Good afternoon, Luna Mara.”
Mara offered a polite smile.
Without wasting time, he slid a folder across the desk. “I need you to sign these.”
“What are they?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He hesitated, flicking a glance toward Mara.
“It’s okay,” I said. “You can speak freely in front of my wife.”
He took a breath. “We believe Miss Livingston might be… inducing her symptoms.”
“She’s not my mistress,” I cut in sharply. “I know the rumors, but I have no dealings with her. The pregnancy was the result of a single mistake-breakup s*x. I haven’t touched her since. Let’s get that straight.”
He cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. “Understood. My apologies.”
Then he looked at Mara again, as if measuring how much more he could say.
“She’s been manipulating her condition,” he finally said. “Suppressing food, using pills to simulate distress. It’s dangerous -for her and the baby.”
We already knew. But hearing it from a medical professional brought a different kind of finality to it.
“So what now?” I asked, already tired of this conversation.
“She needs to be monitored,” he replied. “Constantly. And frankly, she needs a psychiatric evaluation. That’s why I needed
your consent.”
I nodded and signed the papers without hesitation.
“Is that all?” I asked, standing.
“Almost. One more thing-if you could convince her to eat… She’s refused food since yesterday. If this continues, it could
severely harm the baby.”
I stared at him, my patience drained. Again-another emotional leash trying to pull me back in.
“No,” I said coldly. “I’ve signed the forms. I’ve done my part. But I want nothing more to do with that woman.”
The doctor blinked in surprise.
“If she wants to starve herself, let her. That’s on her. In fact,” I added, “let her know that if she manages to kill herself doing
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(Luran POV) Boundaries
this, she’ll be doing my wife and me a huge favor.”
I stood, the chair scraping back against the floor.
“I’m done being dragged into her games. Handle it, Doctor. That’s your job. Mine is to protect my wife-and I’ve had enough of watching that woman poison her peace.”
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Ruian POV Boundaries 2
