TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 143

One hundred and forty three

Lisa POV

The room tilted after Cameron walked out with Evangeline in his arms. My mouth went dry. I kept staring at the doorway like he might walk back through it.

My mother took my elbow and led me to the couch. Dr. Harry stayed where he was, his medical bag open on the table. He kept staring at the door Cameron slammed, his face tight with confusion.

“Let’s just sit,” my mother said quietly. She grabbed the remote and aimed it at the TV. “The movie’s still on. Maybe it’ll help.”

Dr. Harry packed his instruments in silence. Metal clicked against the bottom of his bag. My mom glanced at me her brow pulled tight.

“The way Alpha Cameron reacted… that’s not like him,” the doctor muttered, zipping his bag. “I don’t know him well, but he’s usually careful. Talking to you like that, in your condition, isn’t good. Stress will slow your recovery, Lisa.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said, pressing at the remote buttons. “I knew what I signed up for.”

He shook his head.

“That doesn’t mean they ignore basic care. You’re under medical supervision. We found toxins in your blood. You need stability. Everyone involved should understand that, especially the people who hired you.”

My mother nodded. “That’s true, but he’s not usually like this. He’s under a lot of pressure. The pack, his personal life… it’s a mess right now.”

The doctor didn’t argue, but he stayed stiff.

“Pressure doesn’t change responsibility,” he said. “If anything, it makes it more important.”

“Dr. Harry, let’s not drag this out,” I said, looking up at him. “I’m here for the agreement. That’s it. I know you’re doing your job, but I’m fine.”

He looked at me, then turned to my mother.

“Make sure she eats today. No skipped meals. No stress. If anything changes, call me.”

My mother promised. He picked up his things, gave me one last look, and left.

The screen flickered through a scene I couldn’t follow. People talked and laughed, but none of it stuck. My mother let out small laughs here and there, like she was trying to keep things normal.

“Did you see that?” she asked.

I said nothing.

“You’re not even watching, Lisa.”

“I am.”

“You’re not.”

“I said I’m fine.”

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She let it go and kept the movie playing. Even she stopped watching after a while.

I kept going back to the way he spoke to me. Like I was something to get through. Something in the way.

I knew the terms from the start. I agreed to be a vessel.

But he had never spoken to me like that. Not even when we were strangers.

The movie ended. I stood up.

“I’m going upstairs,” I said.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No.”

I walked out before she could offer anything else. My room felt too quiet, but the silence was better than the forced normalcy downstairs. I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor. I lay back and closed my eyes, telling myself the arrangement was strictly financial. None of those thoughts helped the weight in my chest.

I fell into a restless sleep. I woke up less than thirty minutes later, and the disappointment was still there. It had settled deeper, like a stone in a well. I needed to move.

I changed into my swimsuit and headed outside. The pool water was still. I stepped in and let the coldness hit my skin. I moved through the water slowly. No voices. No questions. Just the sound of the water shifting around my shoulders. I swam back and forth until my breathing evened out and the noise in my head dulled.

Footsteps sounded on the concrete. I stopped and turned to see Franklin approaching.

“There is a swimming contest coming up in the pack soon,” he said, trying to smile. “I do not know if pregnant women are allowed, but you should join them.”

My expression stayed flat. “Cameron was here,” I said.

“I know.”

“And Evangeline.”

“What did he come for?” Franklin asked.

I shrugged and pushed off the wall, swimming to the other side before answering. “This is his house. My womb is what he hired. I do not know what response you want from me.”

“Was he mean to you? Something is off with him.’

I did not respond.

“I saw him this morning,” Franklin continued, leaning against a pillar. “He said things he would not normally say. He made decisions that did not match the rules he set in place.”

“People change,” I said. “Or maybe you did not really know him.”

He let out a short laugh at the idea of a Beta not knowing his Alpha. “Not like this, Lisa.”

“Then maybe he is under pressure.”

“He is always under pressure.”

I pushed myself out of the pool. Franklin passed me a towel.

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“He is dealing with a lot, but Cameron is not like this. He pulled me off your detail. It does not make sense. Maybe he thinks he does not need me for it anymore.”

“That is not how he works,” I said, wrapping the towel around me. “You know this. You are just angry. Do not be sarcastic about it.”

I met his eyes. “What should I do? Have a pity party? Maybe you do not know him as well as you think. Take my dad, for instance. I never suspected he was cheating, yet here I am, acting as a surrogate to cover his debts.”

Franklin sighed. “Fine. But would he also hurt his sister? He reopened the trade routes for Desmond.”

I paused, the towel halfway to my hair. “What?”

“The same routes he shut down,” Franklin said. “He cleared them this morning.”

I frowned. “Why would he do that? After what Desmond did to Nadia?”

“That is what I am trying to figure out.”

“It makes no sense.”

“Exactly.”

My grip tightened on the damp towel. Franklin continued, “And then he tells me to step back from you. Just like that.”

“Maybe he wants total control right now,” I suggested.

“That is not control,” he replied. “That is inconsistency.”

The glass door slid open and my mother walked out. She looked surprised to see Franklin. “You should have come inside. I would have made something for you.”

“I am fine, ma’am.”

She looked between us. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes,” I said.

“No,” Franklin said.

I shot him a look, but he ignored it.

“Cameron’s behavior today does not align with his usual decisions,” Franklin told her. “I am trying to understand why.”

My mother nodded slowly. “He was different when he came here earlier. Do you think something is wrong?”

“I think something changed,” he replied.

Before anyone could say more, his phone rang. He pulled it out and straightened his posture.

“Where are you?” he asked into the phone. He listened for a moment. “I am on my way. Send me the exact location.”

He ended the call and turned to us. “That was Nadia. Cameron is with Desmond.”

“What is happening?” my mother asked.

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“He is not talking,” Franklin replied. “He is beating him.”

My stomach tightened. “Beating him?”

Franklin nodded. “And he is saying Desmond went against his orders regarding the trade routes.”

“That makes no sense,” I said. “You just said he reopened them himself.”

“I know,” Franklin said, already moving toward the gate.

“Franklin, please be careful,” my mother called out. “Try to protect Cameron.”

He promised he would and left. The house felt heavier after that. Even my mother, who usually stayed positive, stayed quiet and nervous. She turned to me. “What do you think is going on?”

“I do not know,” I said.

She studied me for a second, then nodded. “Get some rest. You have had enough for today.”

I went back inside and headed upstairs. Night came quietly. The house stayed silent. There were no calls or updates from Franklin. I did not reach out. I did not want to look like I was waiting for him. I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling until I drifted off.

A knock at the door woke me. I sat up. Another knock followed. I got out of bed and walked to the door. I rested my hand on the handle for a long second before I pulled ft open.

Cameron stood there.

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