Chapter <b>302 </b>


    E’s POV


    I froze and turned back to look at Alexander with a quirked brow. “You want me there?” I asked. Usually, Alexander was the one who took Lucien to his check–up appointments. I was just the nanny, so I didn’t need <b>to </b>be there.


    “Of course.” Alexander stood and smoothed down his shirt, offering me a faint smile. “You’re the one who takes care of him every day. You deserve to hear the doctor’s assessment firsthand.”


    I couldn’t help but smile at the offer. It was small, but it was a reminder that despite everything, I still got to be a part of my son’s life.


    Even if neither of them would ever get to know that Lucien was my son. And even if Alexander was marrying another woman.


    “I’d like that,” I said quietly. “Thank you for inviting me.”


    Alexander nodded, and for a brief second, something softened in his expression. Then he gestured to the exit.“ We’ll have to be there by nine–thirty tomorrow morning, so make sure you’re ready on time.”


    “I’ll be ready.”


    The next morning, I woke up bright and early and dressed in one of my nicer outfits, not that it was anything special–just a simple sweater and a pair of trousers, a far cry from the extravagant and expensive outfits I used to wear as Luna. For some reason, I found myself even putting on a lightyer of lipstick before heading out. After wearing nothing but my gray uniform for so long, it felt like a luxury.


    I then dressed Lucien and prepared him for our journey to the doctor’s office, and found Alexander already waiting for me in the foyer. He looked up as I approached and gave me a look that almost seemed like surprise.


    “Ste,” he said, straightening as I descended the staircase with Lucien bundled up in my arms; it was a chillyte autumn day, and I’d dressed him in a little sweater and matching hat to keep him warm. “You’re ready?”


    I nodded, and Alexander’s gaze flicked over me briefly. For a moment, it almost seemed like he was going to say something else, but then he turned and opened the door for me.


    A little whileter, we found ourselves sitting in Dr. Evelyn’s office. She greeted us with a warm smile and immediately began her assessment of Lucien. She checked his vitals, listened to his heart and lungs, examined his breathing, and drew a tiny vial of blood for testing.


    The entire time, I watched anxiously from my spot beside Alexander with my hands sped tightly in myp. Lucien had been doing so much bettertely–eating more, crying less, sleeping through the night without those terrible wheezing fits that used to wake us all up.


    But I was terrified that Dr. Evelyn would find something wrong with him. He was still so small.


    Those minutes that we waited for the results were perhaps the longest in my life, and considering how much I had been through in this body and thest, that was saying something.


    “Well,” Dr. Evelyn finally said, straightening up and removing her stethoscope, “I have to say, I’m impressed.


    Lucien’s lung function has improved dramatically since hisst visit. In fact, I don’t think he needs the oxygen anymore.”


    Dr. Evelyn smiled at Lucien, who grabbed her finger and tried to shove it into his mouth with great gusto. “His breathing is strong and steady,” she went on. “His color is good. All of his vitals are exactly where I would want them to be for a baby his age.‘


    I let out a breath, tears pricking at the backs of my eyes as I did. My baby was going to be okay. He was improving. No more oxygen… No more fear.


    “I swear, it’s almost like his real mother is around,” Evelyn continued, gently extracting her hand from Lucien’s grasp. “Sometimes babies who’ve experienced trauma–like a difficult birth or early separation from their mother–will show remarkable improvement when they sense that maternal bond again. Their wolf recognizes it on an instinctual level.”


    My heart stuttered in my chest. Lucien’s wolf recognized me. Even in this new body, even though I looked different, some part of him knew that I was his mother.


    That was so much more than I ever could have asked for.


    Perhaps I would never be able to tell him that I truly was his mother, but at least he would sense our connection on a base level; just like how I had sensed a deep and profound connection with Lilith for the past five years.


    “Well, Ste has been an amazing nanny,” Alexander said, ncing at me. “She’s with him constantly. Takes care of his every need. I think Lucien has bonded with her in a way that’s helped him heal.”


    The tears nearly slipped out at that, but I blinked them back. I couldn’t cry here. Not in front of them. They would both be so confused and I wouldn’t be able to exin it away properly.


    “Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it,” Dr. Evelyn said to me directly. “Lucien is thriving under your


    care.”


    I managed a watery smile. “Thank you. That means a lot.‘


    After the appointment, Alexander suggested we get lunch to celebrate. I tried to decline, still not wanting to get too close, but he insisted.


    “Consider it a thank–you,” he said as we walked to the car. “For everything you’ve done for Lucien.”


    So I agreed.


    Alexander drove us to a restaurant in the downtown area. It was an upscale bistro, far nicer than I expected him to take the nanny on a random day out. But I supposed we had much to celebrate, and Alexander seemed to be in good spirits after the amazing news; I couldn’t me him for wanting to go somewhere fancy.


    The host led us to our table, and Alexander ordered us both lunch and a bottle of wine to share. We ate in rtive silence for the first few minutes once the food arrived. It wasn’t ufortable, although I kept stealing nces at him from over my ss.


    Oh, how I wished we could truly share the joy of our son’s recovery together. How I wished we could have this moment as a real family…


    But we’d never get it. And I wasn’t about to dwell on that for fear of ruining a good day. In fact, I tried not to


    think about any of it–not even the date where we almost kissed.


    We were halfway through our main course when I noticed the whispers starting. People at nearby tables were ncing our way, their eyes flicking between Alexander and me with obvious curiosity<b>. </b>Then I saw someone pull out their phone and snap a photo.


    “Alpha Alexander!” a woman’s voice called out. I looked up to see a small group of pack members approaching our table, smiling with glee. “Congrattions!”


    “We’re so happy you chose an Omega,” another woman gushed, beaming at me. “It’s such an inspiring story. We’ve all been rooting for you since the beginning!”


    Shit.


    Alexander opened his mouth to correct them, but before he could speak, someone else piped up: “You two make such a beautiful couple! Come on, give us a kiss for the cameras!”


    I thought the floor was going to open up beneath me and drop me into the abyss. <fn36ad> Th?s chapter is updated by f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn36ad>