Chapter 4

LILA

When I finally walked into the ICU, after being granted access to see Gavin, my heart shattered.

His skin was pale like paper, dark circles shadowed his closed eyes and his lips had lost their pink color. Wires and machines surrounded him, beeping, blinking- reminding me every second that something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

The doctors were still working on his diagnosis. Nobody knew the reason for this sudden mysterious illness and even with my gift, I couldn't see the answer. I was born with the power to feel into people's energy, to see hidden wounds inside. And since the inception of my career as a healer, I'd seen things people couldn't describe.

But Gavin... I couldn't see what was hurting him.

"Why is this happening?" My voice was shaking like a leaf caught in a wild wind.

It was like standing in front of a thick, dark, wall. A fog. Every time I tried to reach inside him, something pushed me away. And it terrified me. I was his mother. I should know.

I should feel. But I didn't. I couldn't. Jackson pulled me close to reassure me. "He'll be fine."

"I can't see what's wrong with him." I cried. "I'm trying. But... its just not working."

"I need you to take a deep breathe, baby. Take a deep breath."

I nodded, and did as he said, before trying again. But nothing changed. The fog wouldn't let me see what was wrong. I was already a sobbing wreck.

"I- It's not working. This thing is very bad."

"Keep trying. You've healed worse illnesses. Don't say you can't. I know what you're capable of, honey. Please try."

Unable to pinpoint what the exact problem was, I was left with one option- revitalising his body with the hopes that he'd tell me how he felt which would give me an idea of what to do.

"I'll fix this. I swear, baby. I'll fix it." I repeated, determined, while wiping the tears from my face.

I placed my palm over his heart and closed my eyes. I whispered the word that had served me well over the years, calling the light and pouring everything I had into him. And... for a moment, it worked.

Gavin’s eyes fluttered open.

"Mommy? Dad" His voice was soft, precious, weak but still there.

It hit me like sunshine after a storm.

"Gavin!" We cried out simultaneously, before I cupped his flaming face in my palms. More tears came free. "You're awake, baby!"

He smiled, but it was one hell of a wry, weak one. There was barely any warmth behind it. "Mommy, I feel so cold."

I wiped his face with shaky fingers, wondering how that was possible with the way his body felt so hot. "Oh my love, you're going to be okay. You're safe now."

"Don't cry, Mommy..." His voice was getting weaker.

My heart cracked.

"Hey buddy," Jackson got on a knee. "You'll be fine, okay? We'll take care of you."

Gavin nodded weakly, but said nothing.

It wasn't long before my hope came crashing again, because he soon went out again. And no matter how much I tried to get him up, it wasn't working. He was colder. He skin looked almost grey and his little chest moved slower, like breathing was suddenly hard. And every now and then, the machines around him beeped louder, faster, until the doctor came in and took care of it.

I was beyond broken towards the end of the day and despite Jackson's attempts to calm me down, I felt worse.

"Lila," Jackson said, his hand around my waist as he pulled me close, "We'll figure this out. Don't panic."

I shook my head, trembling. "Something’s wrong, Jackson. Something’s eating him from the inside. He felt so hot, but he told me he was cold."

I felt so powerless. Like a bird with no wings. A healer who couldn’t heal her own son.

That's when someone knocked on the door. It was the receptionist, and she looked nervous. "Ma'am... someone's outside. He says he's an Alpha and he wants to speak with you."

Jackson, upon hearing that, straightened. "An Alpha? Who?"

"He wouldn't give his name. But he has guards with him. They're... intimidating. Please come talk to them."

My heart skipped a beat. Who could it be?

"Show me," Jackson growled, squeezing my palms assuringly, his protective side kicking in fast.

We walked out to the waiting area, and then I saw him. My jaw dropped. What the hell was Tyler doing here. He stood there, dressed in black. His Alpha aura rolled off of him in waves. You couldn't miss it. The energy around him was thick like smoke. Four men in black stood around him, hands clasped in front and eyes scanning every inch of the room like trained killers.

Tyler met my eyes, then looked at Jackson. "I need to speak to Lila. Alone." He said without preamble.

Jackson stepped forward, having noticed my discomfort. "The hell you do."

I put my hand on Jackson’s arm. "Wait." Then I faced Tyler. "I have nothing to say to you. Get out and leave. Now. And don't bother staying around because I don't want to talk to you."

Tyler sighed. "I know what it looks like, considering the recent circumstances. But please, you must speak with me."

"And I said I won't." I turned around and started heading back, but he said the words that stopped me on my trail instantly.

"Wait. Its about Gavin." He didn't stop. "I know about him. I know he's sick. And if you're going to ask how I knew, I... I've been watching. I'm sorry, okay? But I had to know. Please. I just want to help. And that's why I want us to talk. Alone."

How the hell did he know? And what was his business in this?

I really wanted to ignore him and get on my way, but what if he really knew the solution? For someone whose ego was the size of mount everest, there was no way he'd have traveled all this way to bullshit me.

I turned to Jackson. "I'll be with you in five minutes. Please."

We stepped outside where it was quiet.

"Say what you came to say," I snapped.

"I know you don't trust me. I deserve that. But I'll make this as quick as possible. I know Gavin is my son. That's why I'm here. So we can save him. He's dying, Lila. And yesterday, I felt it. I sought Aethera, and she told me everything."

"Don't. Don't you dare stake a claim to being his father. You lost that right after you threw me out. You're not part of his life and you'll never be. You don't get to show up today and play hero." He stepped closer, but not too close. "I know I might sound crazy, but I have seen signs. In my dreams. I felt him slipping away. Something dark is touching him."

"And what? You think you have all the answers now?"

"I think we’re wasting time. I want to help you. I have resources. Contacts. People who can do something about this."

I shook my head. "I don't want your help."

"And I don't want to lose my son."

"You already did, Tyler. Get out. I thought you had an actual solution. Thank you for wasting me time. Don't talk to me again."

I turned and walked back inside without looking back, brimming like lava.

But that night, I had a dream. I was standing right there beside Gavin’s bed, and several hooded, faceless priests stood in a circle around his bed. Then a guttural, old voice echoed from one of them.

"Only the bond of the fated can restore the child. The path to healing him lies in union."

I jolted awake, sweating as the words echoed in my mind. I didn't make sense. Couldn’t be real. It was just a dream. But I couldn't shake it.

That evening, I visited a seer who lived in the outskirts of the Raven Pack.

"The boy," she'd said, touching my hand, "belongs to the moon and to fate. Only when the bond with your fated mate is whole again will the curse break. If not, he will die."

That didn't deter me from visiting other seers.

But each one said the same thing.

I had to marry Tyler.

Because he was my true mate. Because Gavin was born of us- bound by fate.

And the only way to save him... was to he with the man who broke me.

How could fate be so cruel?