11. Luca

The phone buzzed insistentlyon the nightstand, rousing me from the deep, comforting sleep I had shared with Levi. Squinting at the screen, my heart dropped when I saw my mom's message:

Mom: Your grandfather has been rushed to the hospital.

Panic surged through me, and I scrambled to get dressed as quickly as possible. I turned to Levi, who was stirring awake.

"I'm so sorry, but I have to go," I said, leaning down to give him an apologetic kiss. "My grandfather"s in the hospital."

Levi's sleepy eyes widened with concern. "Do you need me to come with you?"

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I'll call you if I need anything."

Rushing out the door, my mind raced, wondering what could have caused this sudden emergency.

I arrived at the hospital in what felt like no time, the cold, sterile air of the lobby wrapping around me like a shroud. My mom spotted me immediately.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, her voice sharp. "Finally, you're here. I've been handling everything myself!"

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "What happened? Is he okay?" I asked.

"The doctors say it's a complication from his heart attack—something about arrhythmia and fluid buildup. But more importantly, Theo called me. Did you meet up with that fox right after your date with him?" Her hand gripped my wrist tightly, her eyes boring into mine.

I couldn't believe we were having this conversation now. The shock of it left me momentarily speechless. "Mom, please," I began, trying to pull my wrist free. "Now's not the time for this."

"Look," she continued, ignoring my protest. "I've talked it over with the Blackwoods. They won't back out, we just have to?—"

"Mom, please," I interrupted, my voice firmer this time. "This isn"t the time."

I pulled away from her grip, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness. I needed to focus on my grandfather, not this never-ending pressure about marriage.

Turning away from her, I approached the nurse's station.

"Excuse me, could you tell me which room Fergus McGowan is in?" I asked, trying to keep the urgency out of my voice.

The nurse looked up, her expression sympathetic. "Room 304, down the hall to your left."

I nodded in thanks and made my way to my grandfather's room, my thoughts a tangled mess of worry about his health and the constant pressure from my family.

My relationship with my grandfather had always been rocky, slightly strained by his unyielding expectations. Unlike Liam and Ollie, who had the strength to leave and carve out their own paths, I stayed.

A heavy sense of responsibility tied me to the coven. I didn't exactly want to be here, but I knew I had to be. The weight of it settled heavily on my shoulders as I neared his room.

I quietly entered, the beeping of medical equipment and the hiss of the oxygen mask the only sounds.

His eyes were closed, his face pale and gaunt against the hospital pillow. I pulled up a chair beside him and gently placed my hand over his, feeling the coolness of his skin.

"I don't know what to do," I whispered, my voice barely audible in the sterile room.

I felt a slight squeeze in my hand, prompting me to glance up. His eyes were open, looking at me with an uncharacteristic softness.

Even though he couldn"t talk, the warmth in his gaze and the gentle touch of his hand seemed to reassure me, as if to silently convey that everything would be alright.

I sat with him for a few more minutes, until a couple of nurses came in to check his vitals and adjust his IV. I gave his hand one last squeeze and left the room.

Stepping into the corridor, I was surprised to see Liam standing there. He spotted me and immediately came over, enveloping me in a tight hug.

"Ollie's on his way too," he said.

"I didn't expect you guys to come," I admitted, pulling back to look at him.

"We're here for you," Liam replied, his eyes earnest and warm.

The overwhelming rush of emotions hit me like a wave. I hugged my cousin again, clinging to the familiarity and support.

I knew what he meant. Ollie wouldn't come unless it was absolutely necessary; he hated seeing family, and Liam had distanced himself ever since he left the coven.

They weren't here for our grandfather, not really. They were here to support me, to help me through this.

A prickle of tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away.

"What's wrong?" Liam asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

I glanced around the bustling corridor, filled with our relatives who had started to arrive.

"It's everything," I said, my voice breaking slightly. "I don't know what to do. Mom and Grandfather are pressuring me about the arranged marriage, and now he's back at the hospital..."

Liam placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Let's find somewhere quieter to talk," Liam said.

Liam led me to a small, secluded waiting area, away from the growing crowd of relatives. As soon as we sat down, the words spilled out of me.

I told him everything—about Levi, about how our grandfather preferred an alliance with the fox shifters, and how I had been ready to follow his advice.

But my mother had planted doubts in my mind, urging me to consider the Blackwoods instead. The conflicting pressures were tearing me apart, and I didn't know what to do.

Liam listened intently, his expression serious. When I finished, he took a deep breath. "Well, what do you want to do?" Liam asked.

I stared at him, bewildered. "What? It's not that simple."

"Yes, it is," Liam said firmly. "Screw what they think. You're going to be the head of the coven anyway. What do you want to do?"

"I—I..." My voice faltered as the loud chatter of family drew closer, filling the waiting area with noise and tension.

Liam glanced towards the sound and then back at me. "Why don't you get some fresh air? I'll handle this for a bit. Run interference."

I nodded, "Thanks, Liam."

As I made my way out of the hospital, the cool night air hit me, a stark contrast to the suffocating atmosphere inside.

I reached for my phone to call Levi, but before I could dial, I saw him standing by his car, waiting. He was a steady, reassuring presence in the chaos.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

"Liam told me to meet you here. Is everything okay?" Levi's eyes were filled with concern as he closed the distance between us.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Yeah. It's all fine now, actually," I answered.

Levi reached out and kissed me lightly on the temple, his touch grounding me.

"I actually need to talk to you," I said, looking up into his eyes. "I need to ask you something."

Levi"s lips curved into a small smile, his dimples showing. "Are you finally going to ask me to be yours?"

I felt a surge of emotion, the weight of my family"s expectations lifting as I realized what I truly wanted.

"Yes," I said, my voice firm and clear. "Yes, Levi. I choose you."

Levi"s smile widened, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. "I've been waiting to hear that."

As we stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, I felt a profound sense of peace. Amidst the chaos and expectations, I had finally made my choice.

And for the first time in a long while, I felt like everything was going to be okay.