Chapter 3 Chapter 3 A Daring Proposal

"Three days?" I raised my voice at Dr. Reynolds as my eyes widened in shock.

He was a pleasant fellow, but he was strict when it came to his job.

"Lena, we've done everything, and the hospital board won't cover more treatment unless you clear your pending payment. Sorry."

I gritted my jaws together and swallowed repeatedly, hoping to push the ball back down my throat. "I see. Thank you, Doctor."

Three days. These were the only three days that I had in which to get through to save my mother.

I exited his office, his words binding me. Three days to make six hundred thousand. My heart was racing and fear churned in my gut, but I could not surrender.

I had to work. I had to think of something, fast.

"Breathe, Lena," I instructed myself, re-ponying my hair, putting on scrubs and getting ready for my morning shift at the hospital.

The Moonlit hospital in the Shadow pack was a hospital donated by the Moonlit pack as a peace offering to my pack, the shadow pack decades ago.The elders of the pack decided to name it after the moonlit pack because the hospital had saved a lot of lives and created employment opportunities for people.

I moved the hospital halls with a knife stuck in my chest. With each beep of the monitor machine, each groan of each patient, each panicked flurrying of the nurse's feet, I was reminded of what rode. I could not focus as I moved ward by ward, reading charts, reassuring patients, weighted with IV drip tubes.

I'd been passing by and heard the sound of a familiar voice across the hall.

"Lucas, for Pete's sake, you're not getting any younger and I'm getting older. I need to see my great grandkids before I die." I heard Luna Flora nagged

Luna Flora was the Moonlit Alpha's mother and she was popular in the hospital because she was an indigene of the Shadow pack and was the real influence behind the peace in the two packs.

I heard she has always visited the Moonlit hospital anytime she was sick because she believed being in her hometown would make her heal faster.

"We've talked about it, Grandma," came a short, but direct response. "I'll get married when I'm ready. Besides, the doctor said you are okay, stop exaggerating your condition just to blackmail me into getting married."

"For God's sake, Lucas. You're the Alpha son.. You need your Luna by your side when you take over your father's position. I'm not going to give up.I will set you up on a thousand of blind dates if I have to."

He responded immediately. "No blind dates. On any terms."

The rumour of the Moonlit pack heir being unable to find his mate was indeed true.

There was silence in the room

"Ahh!" she started after a pause. "My chest hurts, Lucas. I think I'm going to die soon."

"Fine, I'll think about it."

I clenched my teeth so I would not laugh. Everyone was accustomed to Luna Flora overreacting just to get whatever she wanted.

Their conversation stirred something in me. My heart pounded faster, no longer shrinking, but in something else-desperation? Hope? Or maybe both.

I made my way into her room to administer her description. She smiled at me as soon as I walked in.

"Lena, sweetie. My favorite Doctor," she said, smiling and stroking my hand softly as I was giving her pills. "Lena, meet Lucas, my grandson." She smiled at me widely. "Is he not handsome?"

"He is." I turned to the handsome man in front of me and bowed in respect.

I had seen Lucas Anderson on Tv and social media but he looks so much better in person. But the way he stared at me intimidated me. Was it his Alpha Aura? Or something else entirely?

Shifting uncomfortable, I turned my attention back to Luna Flora.

"You're single, right? He's single too and he's a good husband material," she continued.

"Grandma!" Lucas cut off his grandma, clearly annoyed. He glanced at me with an apologetic look. "Ignore whatever she says."

"Okay." I whispered.

Luna Flora rolled her eyes and remained quiet.

Alpha Lucas took his grandmother out of the ward to be scanned, and I continued with my head spinning with different thoughts.

What if this was the key? The key to saving my mom's life?

After they came back, I saw Alpha Lucas standing outside the ward, on the phone. 'This was my chance.' I thought.

I wiped my wet palm on my scrubs and walked over to him.

"Alpha Lucas?" I called, trying to make my trembling voice unnoticeable.

He turned to my direction and was taken aback to see me standing before him. "Yeah?"

"Can i please..talk to you? Alone?"

His furrowed brow then nodded. "Okay."

He hung up the call and followed me down the hallway. I walked into one of the supply closets at the end of the hallway, creaking the door shut behind me when I confirmed that no one saw us.

He's in the middle of the room, arms crossed over his chest. This better be good."

My heart was pounding so hard he could have heard the ring of my hammer.

"I'd like to make a deal with you." I swallowed hard.

"A deal? What kind of deal?"

With all the desperation in me, I summoned the courage and spoke up, "Take me as your mate."