Olivia’s POV
Fluttering my eyes open, I stared at the bed and realized Lennox was no longer lying beside . The sheets were cold where his body should have been. My heart hamred against my ribs—that familiar, sickening panic rising in my throat. I bolted upright, my mind screaming that he had collapsed, or worse.
"Lennox!" I called out, my voice thin and frantic.
I sprinted toward the bathroom, throwing the door open so hard it hit against the wall. Empty. Just the lingering scent of sandalwood and damp towels.
I stood in the hallway, closing my eyes and drawing in a deep, shaking breath. I pushed past the scent of antiseptic that always clung to this wing and focused. There it was. His scent—stronger, cleaner, and full of that pine-and-earth musk that belonged only to him. It led away from the dical suite and toward the family wing.
I followed it to the boys’ room.
I stopped in the doorway, my breath catching in my throat. The nannies were standing by the wall, looking worried and hovering with their hands out as if they expected the world to collapse at any mont. But in the center of the room stood Lennox.
He was pale, and his movents were a little slower than they used to be, but he was upright. He was dressed in a simple shirt and sweats, leaning over Liam to help him tug on his school boots while Leon and Leo were already dressed, watching their father with wide, disbelieving eyes. He was prepping them for school all by himself.
"There," Lennox rasped, patting Liam’s knee. "Tied tight. You can’t lead a hunt with loose laces."
The boys looked at , then back at him. "Daddy, are you really okay?" Liam whispered.
Lennox smiled—a real, tired, beautiful smile. "I’m getting there. And I promise you, when you get ho from school today, it’s ga ti. We’ll sit in the garden. No doctors. Just us."
The boys let out a cheer, hugging his waist carefully before the nannies finally led them out. As the door clicked shut, the silence of the room felt different—lighter.
I stepped forward, my eyes searching his face. "Good morning," he said softly, watching .
"You should have woken ," I said, my voice thick with a mix of relief and lingering fear. "You shouldn’t be up doing all this alone. What if you’d fallen?"
"I needed to do it, Olivia," he said, reaching out to tuck a stray hair behind my ear. His hand was steady. "I needed them to see as their father again. And you... you looked so peaceful. So exhausted. I couldn’t bring myself to disturb you after the night you gave ."
I felt a flush creep up my neck at the mory of us in the tub, of the way we had reclaid each other. I reached out, taking his arm and guiding him back toward his suite. He didn’t fight , but he didn’t lean as heavily as he had two days ago.
When we got back to his room, he sat down on the edge of the large bed, and I sat right beside him, our shoulders touching. He took my hand, his thumb tracing circles over my knuckles.
"The specialist will be here in an hour," I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder. "Are you ready?"
Lennox looked at our joined hands, his jaw setting with that old Alpha iron. "I’ve died twice, Olivia. A doctor from India doesn’t scare . If there’s a chance to stay here with you... I’ll take it. Whatever the cost."
I leaned my head against Lennox’s shoulder, breathing in his scent, trying to morize the solid feel of him. We sat in that rare, quiet peace until the door creaked open.
Louis walked in, looking more rested than he had in weeks. He made a beeline for us, a bright smile breaking across his face when he saw Lennox sitting up and alert. He leaned over, pressing a warm kiss to my forehead.
"Good morning, love," he said softly, his voice full of affection. He then turned to Lennox, clapping him gently on the arm. "And good morning to you, Lazarus. I see you’ve already been up causing trouble in the boys’ wing. The nannies look like they’ve seen a ghost, but the kids? They’re walking on air."
Lennox gave a small, dry chuckle. "They needed to see their father on his feet, Louis. Not just a body in a bed."
Louis pulled up a chair, sitting across from us. "Well, you certainly gave them that. But now, it’s ti for the heavy lifting." He checked his watch, his expression turning serious. "The jet touched down thirty minutes ago. Dr. Kapoor is being driven up to the pack house as we speak. He’s brought a specialized team and equipnt we’ve never seen in the West."
I felt Lennox’s hand tighten around mine. The air in the room shifted from the warmth of the morning to the cold reality of the battle ahead.
"Levi is eting them at the entrance," Louis continued, looking at . "He’s already cleared out the West lab for them. They want to start the preliminary scans imdiately. No rest for the weary, Lex."
"I don’t want rest," Lennox rasped, his eyes flashing with a spark of his old Alpha authority. "I want a cure. I want to be able to pick up my sons without my lungs burning. I want to be the man my mate deserves."
My heart fluttered... he still calls his mate.
I looked at him, my heart swelling. "You already are that man, Lennox. But we’re going to make sure you stay that way."
Lennox didn’t look away. He reached up, his hand cupping the side of my face, his thumb grazing my lower lip. The intensity in his gaze was enough to make my knees weak, even sitting down. Ignoring Louis being right there in the room, he leaned in and kissed —a deep, lingering kiss that tasted of love and a desperate promise to fight.
"I’m the lucky one, Olivia," he whispered against my lips as he pulled back just an inch. "I’m the luckiest man in this world to have you. Most would have walked away from a ghost, but you... you chased into the dark and dragged back out."
He kissed again, softer this ti. "I don’t deserve your loyalty after everything, but I’m going to spend every day I have left trying to be worthy of it."
"You’re already worthy," I choked out, leaning my forehead against his.
Louis cleared his throat, a small flushed smile on his face. "As much as I love the romance, Dr. Kapoor is officially at the gates. Levi just ssaged. They’re bringing the equipnt up."
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