<b>Chapter </b><b>218 </b>


    :


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>


    As the doctors and nurses came running, one turned to me and asked, “What did you do? You upset her<b>!</b><b>” </b>


    All I had tried to do was talk about my wife.


    The nurses injected Mom with something, a sedative maybe, and she seemed to calm down.


    Was this how it had to be, then? Was talking about Amber too much? Did I have to keep the woman I


    loved a secret again for my mother’s sake?


    How could I possibly survive that?


    My heart heavy<b>, </b>I stepped out of the room when directed by the nurses so the doctor could work.


    I pulled out my phone. Amber still hadn’t called me back, and now I wasn’t sure if I should try to reach <b>out </b>


    again.


    The pull of our bond tugged at me, feeling ufortable now when it was usually afort.


    Maybe I had acted too soon dumping those pills. Maybe, with this distance, I really needed them now.


    Frightened about what I had just experienced – had I nearly killed my mom? – I walked to the nurses‘


    station.


    <b>I </b>remembered the name of the prescription, so I asked her for some.


    She gave me a curious look. “That’s not something we just give out, Alpha.”


    “I know,” I said. “I had a prescription but I misced it.”


    “Why would you need such a thing?” she asked.


    I swallowed hard, then told her the truth. “I miss my mate, but she doesn’t want me back. I’m feeling the


    strain.”


    Understanding crossed the nurse’s face then. “Yes, I understand. Give me a moment.”


    She disappeared into a backroom. Before I could feel some regret, she returned with the bottle of familiar


    looking pills and handed them over to me.


    As I turned away, <b>I </b>unscrewed the cap and down two of them.


    Amber’s POV


    I sat at Rafael’s dining room table with him and Mary. There was brunch food before us but no one was eating. Instead, Mary was ring at me, while I was trying not to notice. Rafael was on the phone a lot, and when he wasn’t<b>, </b>he was rubbing at his temples like he had a throbbing headache.


    “The good news is, generally, people seem to be handling the news rather well,” Rafael said. “Early polling shows that the public is excited about a new potential princess, especially one as well–known and well- liked as Healer Amber.”


    “What’s the bad news<b>?</b><b>” </b>I asked him.


    <b>“</b>Your clinic is already overrun with people hoping to see you,” Rafael said. “I’m not sure when you’ll be able to return to work.”


    That wasn’t just bad news, it was terrible!


    But we were so close to finding a permanent solution! “I can’t just quit now,” I said.


    “Even if you went, Amber, you won’t be able to get anything done. The public is practically crawling the walls. They are here too, lining up outside the fence, hoping to see you.”


    “What a hassle,” Mary muttered. “Bet you regret what you’ve done now, huh?”


    “I didn’t do this,” I snapped at her, not for the first time.


    Her cool steady re remained on me. She didn’t believe me now, just like she hadn’t believed me all the


    times before.


    “I can make a statement,” Rafael said. “Demand the people leave you alone.”


    “You think that will work?” I asked.


    Rafael was quiet, which was a no.


    “If they are curious about me, then they will be curious about Alice too,” I said, realizing. “Rafael, we need


    to get her here.”


    “If it’s not already toote,” Mary said.


    “What does that mean?<b>” </b>I demanded.


    “If they found out where you worked, you think they don’t know about your daughter?” Mary asked. “I bet


    there are crowds there already.”


    Rafael picked up his phone.


    My heart sank.


    Gods, why did I ever think she would be safe on her own?