Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 54

Chapter 54

+15 Banus

Chapter 54

Lillian’s POV

Overhearing the nurses, my heart sunk down low. If that’s what they thought…

I doubted the First Warrior had those kind of powers. While he might have been a fantastic fighter, having the ability to raise people from the bed seemed too far-fetched. Healing the sick and broken with just a touch? I’d never heard of anyone being able to do that.

The First Warrior’s abilities only seemed to become more amazing and outrageous as the legend persisted. Maybe I was too cynical but I didn’t believe.

But for them to think that Ronan could only be saved by mysterious, magical means made my chest ache. They were the medical professionals. They would know more than me.

No, I couldn’t give into despair. To fear. Ronan was going to be okay. He had to be. I couldn’t lose him.

Reaching forward, I took his hand. His fingers were alarmingly cold. I added my second hand, entirely circling his smaller one, trying to warm his.

I sat like that for a long time.

His hand never got any warmer.

I came back whenever I could after that. My days became much busier, filled with mundane social events that Josie insisted were too important for me to miss. My social standing mattered more to her than to me, but I didn’t like disappointing her.

Each time I returned to my brother, he looked worse and worse, and my heart grew heavier and heavier.

Once, I cleared the whole morning, just to sit with him longer, worrying over him and how frail he was becoming.

Eventually, hours after I had arrived, a servant found me sitting there. “Forgive me, Princess, but Ms. Rebecca is waiting for you in the parlor. You were to play cards with her this afternoon?”

“Oh… right…” I said.

Rebecca was a prominent member of the court. It was important for me to try to please her, to get on her good side. Doing so would win over even more members of the court, and perhaps earn me some good graces with the King and Queen. The Queen, I knew, was still frustrated with me for not yet falling pregnant. And with the ball quickly approaching, I was running out of time…

Things had been quiet with Grayson. At nights, he’d stayed on his side of the bed, and me on mine. We hadn’t talked about the Queen’s ultimatum, or my duties to get pregnant. We hadn’t talked at all. But we didn’t need to talk for me to know that it wasn’t going to happen.

Anything I could do to get on the Queen’s good side before she was struck with that disappointment could only help me. Maybe, with some convincing, she would agree to giving me more time.

For now, to start that process that would hopefully lead to those results, I squeezed Ronan’s hand once more and stood. Before leaving, I leaned over and lightly brushed my lips to Ronan’s forehead. Even though his hands were cold as ice, his forehead was hot as fire.

“I’ll be back as soon as I could,” I told him. “Be strong for me.”

Then, carrying my heavy heart, I turned and followed the servant out. I hid my emotions behind the mask I had

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Chapter 54

+15 Bghus

been perfecting, ready to place the part of the perfect Luna Princess once again.

Grayson’s POV

I felt when Prime Beta was approaching, and before he even opened the door, I was annoyed. He was carrying my meal. Again. That was Lillian’s duty, but she had not done much of it the past few days. In fact, aside from nights were we laid unmoving and unsleeping beside each other, I had barely seen her at all.

Beta opened the door and stepped inside. Balancing the tray with one hand, he closed the door behind him, then · brought the tray to me. I was so sick of soup and broth. I understood in my comatose state, I wouldn’t be able to chew, but I missed actually biting into something with substance.

With one look at my face, Prime Beta said, “I could try to sneak something else away from the kitchen later.”

I waved away his concern. “No. The ruse remains necessary, as frustrating as it is. But when this is done, I will insist on a steak dinner.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Beta set the tray down on the nightstand and then righted, stepping aside and at attention, waiting for more orders or to be dismissed.

I looked at the food with a contemptuous, bitter feeling rising inside of me.

“Where is she?” I asked.

“The Luna Princess is sharing lunch with Rebecca, a prominent court member. Your sister made the suggestion. Josephine has been advising Lillian on matters of the court.”

Josie was doing an adequate job, to recommend befriending Rebecca. Yet that didn’t uncoil the bitter feeling from inside my gut.

“She’s been gone a lot. So busy I barely see her.” Not that I needed to see her. “She has been shirking her duties with me. Others could notice and talk. Rumors could start.”

I was grasping at straws. No one would think much of a Luna Princess attending her duties, not so long as she still came to my bed at night. Having my heir was her duty, and we were still keeping up appearances on that front.

“Since winning the Hunt, the Luna Princess has become a person of influence,” Prime Beta said. “Many in court have been trying to earn her friendship and her favor.”

“What does she need any of that for?” I snapped. “She is to attend me. That should be her main duty.”

Even I knew I was being petulant, like a spoiled child watching someone else play with their favorite toy. She didn’t need to be by my side every minute. Hells, I didn’t need her here at all. I was fine before her; and I would be fine once she was gone.

Yet… I was still annoyed, even if it was unreasonable. I couldn’t quite bring myself to stop.

Prime Beta said nothing, his face unchanging. If he thought the worst of me, he didn’t show it.

I didn’t need him to judge me, though. I was doing plenty of that for myself.

What did I care if that woman was here or not? She had only ever been a thorn in my side, a means to an end?

I truly had been cooped up too long, if I was starting to crave her closeness and attention.

Ridiculous.

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Chapter 54

+15 8ghus

“Forget it,” I said. “Give me a report.”

Prime Beta hesitated. “Uh… on?”

“On the goings on of the pack.”

“I… could repeat this morning’s report? To my knowledge, nothing has progressed since then.”

“Fine,” I snapped, inwardly chastising myself.

What the hells was wrong with me?

The thought, the inner chastisement, lingered throughout the day, well into the evening. While Lillian finally walked into the room, she was practically dead on her feet, dragging herself toward the bed. She looked tired from a busy day, and that somehow only made me even more annoyed.

She had looked her best this morning, showing her smile to others. Yet by the time she returned to me, she hardly had a care for her appearance. For what I thought of her.

My irritation spiked, I glared at her as I asked, “Have you been enjoying your time away from me?”

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