Lucas watches us both, calm despite only hearing one half of our conversation.
Grabbing his hand, I give a gentle squeeze to show I''m still paying attention to his presence.
"Do you know how?"
Selene''s idea is a tall order. It isn''t like amnesia has some sort of cure.
The dhampir has an idea. We can talk to her about it.
Wow. I''d forgotten about Sister Miriam entirely. Between Lucas and now Selene''s return...
My thoughts are interrupted when Selene suddenly darts out of her comfortable position to shove her nose into my chest, sniffing intensely.
Showing mild irritation, Lucas grabs her by the scuff and yanks her away. To my surprise, Selene merely slinks low in submission as her ears tilt in my direction, blue eyes hard and suspicious. What''s that scent?
Slapping my hand over the new mate mark, right next to my crescent scar, I ask defensively, "What scent?"
Lucas sniffs at me. "You smell fine to me."
There''s something new, she insists, pawing at my leg. What is it? What did you get into?
"I didn''t get into—"
The string near my magic tugs, and I pause. "Oh. Maybe it''s that."
"What?" Lucas nuzzles into my neck, brushing his lips against the raw skin of my mate mark. "Is something wrong?"
"No. Selene can just sense something I almost forgot about." Sorry, Grimoire. "Actually, I—"
The string yanks again, almost painful in its insistence, and I pause. This isn''t a safe place to mention him. "I''ll tell you both later." Where it''s safe, I add silently to Selene, wishing Lucas could hear me. Wait. Shouldn''t he be able to...?
"When?" he asks, answering my question. I guess he can''t hear me. I''ll have to ask Vanessa. Is it because I haven''t been brought into the pack?
"When you''re discharged home." I pause. "To the place I''m staying, I guess. Is there another place you''d go? Do you know?"
He shakes his head.
"Okay. Then when they discharge you and I bring you home."
I bet.
"I''m glad you had each other," I say softly, meaning every word. The thought of Lucas alone in this sterile room, cut off from his memories and his pack, makes my heart ache. "Thank you for taking care of him, Selene."
She huffs again, but I feel her pleasure at the recognition. Someone had to look after him, she replies, her mental tone softening. He''s important to us both.
A chuckle breaks out at her words. As if she would have ever admitted such a thing just weeks ago.
* * *
A knock sounds at the door.
Selene''s ears perk. It''s our healer.
"Come in," I call out.
Vanessa enters, no longer looking tense and harried as her eyes touch on my neck before meeting my gaze. "Looks like you two made the best of your time together."
Heat rushes to my cheeks, but I nod as regally as I can manage. How are you supposed to act when people walk in knowing what you did? The smell is probably still in the air. On our skin. Everywhere.
God, I hope she can''t smell all of it.
And whoever was out there probably heard...
God. This is horrifying.
I mean—no, she doesn''t know the details. But anyone can take a look at the mark on my neck and know what we were doing in here.
Whose idea was it to have sex in a hospital?
Terrible idea.
I was not made for this kind of public scrutiny.
Lucas doesn''t seem affected by this situation at all, merely nodding at Vanessa, his posture aloof and guarded.
I''m taken aback by the sudden tension radiating from him. This is Vanessa. Why would he react so defensively in her presence? Even if he doesn''t have any memories with her, he should have been told she''s one of his people.
He doesn''t remember her, Ava, Selene''s voice echoes in my mind. To Lucas, everyone here is a stranger—even those who were once his closest friends and allies. Even his mate. Can he trust someone simply because they say he can?
Shit. I hadn''t really thought much about that. I was so focused on me, on him not recognizing me, that I didn''t think how it must have been for him with everyone.