TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 65

Sixty-Five

LISA POV

I climbed the stairs to my room and kept my eyes on the floor as I walked past the staff. Their voices dropped when I passed, but not enough to hide what they were saying. One of them laughed under her breath, and another muttered something about stealing someone else’s mate.

I did not stop or respond. I walked straight to my door, stepped inside, and locked it behind me. I stood there for a while, then moved to the window and looked out at the grounds.

The next morning, I left early for the hospital. My mother was already awake when I arrived, sitting upright in bed and waiting. She reached for my hand as soon as I came close.

“You’ll be fine. The doctor knows what he’s doing, and everything is ready.”

There was a knock at the door. I turned and saw Cameron step inside.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to check on your mother and make sure everything is in place.”

He walked to the bedside and spoke to her directly.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m nervous, but I’m ready.”

“You’re in the right place. They’ll take care of you.”

They spoke for a while, and then my mother mentioned the meeting with the Elders. She explained everything, including my father’s attempt to have me declared unfit.

Cameron listened without interrupting. His posture changed as she spoke, and when she finished, he nodded.

“I’ll handle it. You focus on getting through this.”

The nurses came in to prepare her for surgery, so Cameron and I stepped out into the hallway.

“You didn’t have to come.”

“I know.” 1

“Evangeline said-”

“This is my hospital. I’ll be here if I choose to be here. Don’t let her push you into reacting. That will only make things worse for you.”

They took my mother in for surgery at eight, and Cameron stayed long enough to speak with the doctor before we moved to the waiting area.

“I have meetings later. I should leave.”

“That makes sense.”

“Walk me out.”

We took the elevator down to the parking garage and stopped beside his car. The space was empty, and the quiet settled around us.

1/4

“Thank you for coming.”

+15 8cnus

He stepped closer and kissed me before I could say anything else. I did not pull away, and the distance between us disappeared as if it had never been there.

“This isn’t a good idea.”

“I know.”1

He pressed me back against the car, and I stopped thinking about what was right or wrong. My hands moved on their own, and his followed, and we both knew we were not going to stop.

“Is this what it’s going to be now. Stolen moments and secrets.”

“I don’t know.”

We stayed there without speaking, until he had to leave. I watched his car leave the garage before I went back upstairs.

The surgery took hours, but it went well. The doctors said the first stage held, and they moved my mother into intensive care for observation. I stayed until visiting hours ended, then left with Franklin.

“How is she?”

“She made it through. They’re monitoring her, but the doctor is satisfied with the results.”

“That’s good.”

We drove in silence before he spoke again.

“I’m tired of the way things are in that house.

“What do you mean?”

”

“Nadia and Evangeline. The way they act. The way they treat people.”

“You like Nadia.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You do.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s made it clear what she thinks of me.”

I looked at him and thought about it for a moment.

“You could make her see it differently.”

“How.”

“Date someone else. Let her see you move on.”

“I don’t have anyone.”

“What about Cora?”

“The heat worker.”

“She’s still a person. It doesn’t have to be real. Just enough for Nadia to notice.”

2/4

+15 Bcnus

“That sounds like a bad idea.”

“Maybe. But doing nothing hasn’t worked either.”

He didn’t answer right away. “I’ll think about it.”

The next day, Cora came to the hospital with flowers for my mother. We sat together while visiting hours were restricted, and she brought up her work without warning.

“It’s not just a job. It’s a system. My father owed money, and when he couldn’t pay, they took me instead.”

I looked at her and did not interrupt.

“I only keep a small part of what I earn. The rest goes to them, and the debt never clears. It keeps going.”

“That’s illegal.”

“I know. That doesn’t change anything.”

“I’ll tell someone. Franklin or Cameron.”

“Don’t. You’ll make things worse for me.”

“You’re my friend.”

“I’m someone you met during your heat.”

“You’re still my friend.”

She looked down, then back at me.

“Thank you.”

“I need a favor.”

“What kind?”

“Would you be willing to fake date someone? Just enough to make someone else react.”

She laughed. “You’re serious.”

“Yes,”

She agreed.

When I got back to the house that evening, something felt wrong the moment I stepped inside my room. The portrait I had turned away now faced the bed again.

This time, a small camera chip sat inside the frame, positioned to capture the room.

I called Franklin and showed it to him when he arrived. He checked the rest of the room and found two more.

He removed all of them and kept the chips.

“Lock your door every time. Don’t assume you’re alone here.”

“I don’t think she’s trying to hurt me.”

“This isn’t about intention. This is about you remaining guarded and observant around her.”

3/4

I nodded, then told him about Cora and what she had revealed.

“I’ll look into it.”

He paused before leaving and looked around the room again.

“Be careful. This is getting worse.”

I waited until he left before sitting down on the bed.

There was no clean way out of any of this. I had already gone too far to step back.

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