Twelve Hours To Save Her; Six Years To Forget HIM.

WYNTER

"I want a divorce."

 The words hung there, stupid and small, like he'd just told me he wanted extra cheese on a pizza order.

The audacity of this man.

I laughed, actually laughed like a freaking psycho because that's exactly what he was trying to turn me into.

"Silas? Our daughter is in a hospital bed right now fighting for her life, and you're calling me to talk about a divorce?" I asked slowly, as slow aa I could get.

"I've made up my mind, Wynter. I'll have my lawyer send the papers by morning." He continued.

"You can't be serious." I retorted.

"I've never been more serious about anything." He slammed back.

I heard her laugh in the background. That woman. That stupid, tinkling laugh like she was watching a rom com.

“How dare you, Silas? How dare you!? Have you forgotten in a hurry how we got married? And how did this child come to be?” I heard him cough in the background.

“I do perfectly well, Winter. But right now, I am tired. We're not okay together, its best we let go of each other soon.”

Yeah. 

Good thinking. Bad timing.

Our daughter was dying and this was the best to divorce?

“Silas, I swear on every star, if you push me far enough, I don't mind coming to the Salem mansion.” I threatened.

The Salem house was the central pack house. Anything that got there was out of families hands, it was now decided by the Alpha.

And I knew perfectly well that Silas would never want that given who the Alpha was.

“You won't do that. You want the best for Hazel.” He said.

"Fine," I said,.something in me going very cold.

"Divorce me. I don't care, Silas. I don't care if you're tired because I'm unsure of exactly what you're tired of. What are you tired of? You're tired of sleeping with your mistresses and trying your best to hide them away?”

“But Hazel needs a procedure tonight, and I need you to authorize it. You're still her father. Your signature is on the policy. And the procedure costs 200 thousand dollars."

"I'll have my lawyer look into it."

"Look into it?" My hand tightened around the phone hard enough that I thought it would break.

 "Silas, she needs consent tonight, not next week, not after your lawyer 'looks into it.' Tonight. And the money needs to be paid to the hospital tonight as well.” 

"You're being dramatic."

"I'm being a mother. There's a difference, Silas."

“You don't actually think I'll just hand over 200k to you, just like that, right? You know what you were in this marriage, Wynter. A tool for revenge. Act like it.” I bit down hard on my lips, anger surging through my veins.

“Good thing you're finally embracing it and not trying to play the perfect husband anymore. But your daughter needs you now. She's been calling for you. You need to be here.” I continued trying my best to act like none of his words were affecting me.

"And I'm about to be late for dinner. The divorce papers will be sent to you tomorrow, Wynter."

“Sil—” The phone beeped indicating he had ended the call.

My heart wrenched like I had been stabbed a million times.

I stood there, my back pressed to the door of Hazel's ward, staring at the black screen of my phone like it might rearrange itself into a different conversation if I looked hard enough.

 It didn't. 

Nothing about tonight was going to rearrange itself into something survivable.

Two hundred thousand dollars. 

I slid down, my head buried in between my thighs as I sobbed.

A husband who'd rather finish his dinner date than save his daughter's life. 

I was going crazy.

Crazy was an understatement, I was about to lose my goddamn mind! 

I walked back into the ward and sat beside Hazel's bed, brushing a piece of hair off her forehead. 

“He's not coming, my sweet baby girl.” The tears just flowed as I stared at her pretty face, “He’s not coming. Forgive mommy, I didn't pick your father well enough.” 

I'd spent six years telling myself Silas would eventually remember what family meant. 

Six years!

But right now, my daughters life was hanging on the line and I was done making excuses.

My phone buzzed again, and for one wild second I let myself hope it was him, calling back, coming to his senses.

It wasn't.

It was a text from the hospital's billing department, informing me that without updated insurance authorization, Hazel's procedure could not proceed as scheduled, and that the department required payment confirmation within twelve hours to hold her spot on tomorrow's surgical roster.

Twelve hours.

I didn't have twelve hours.

 I didn't have twelve dollars, not really, not with every joint account locked and my own card declined at the vending machine an hour ago when I'd tried to buy a bottle of water.

With blurry eyes, I began scrolling through my contact for anyone I could call.

Anyone. 

Anyone who could help me out of this mess.

The answers were almost the same, either I was too late and they had just spent money on something important or they didn't have enough to lend me that amount.

I scrolled until my fingers went numb and that's when my eyes fell on the contact I had mistakenly dialed just now.

When did I call HIM? 

Every hair on my body stood, my heart drummed against my chest as I panicked, pressing the decline button almost immediately.

I hadn't spoken to him in 6 years.

Six years ago, I had sworn that I would never call him again and now my thumb hovered over his name.

Killian.

I hadn't spoken to him since the wedding. 

Since the look on his face when Silas had put a ring on my finger and dared his own brother to say something about it. 

I remembered every detail of that look, not anger, not the rage I'd braced for, just something quiet and devastated that had haunted me for years afterward.

 If I called him now, he probably wouldn't even pick up.

Hazel whimpered in her sleep, a small, broken sound that made the decision for me before I'd even finished making it.

I pressed call again.

All dignity thrown out the door because dignity won't save my child.

It rang once.

Twice.

My heart was thudding loudly as I slowly stood up and began pacing.

On the third ring,the call went through.

“Six years, 23 days and 16 minutes. Hello there, Wynter?”