Chapter 76 Calculated Tears
[Nyx]
"Yes, Alpha. Of course." Dr. Harrison's hands were steady as he worked on his tablet, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. "We're running a full toxicology screen now. If there's anything in her system that shouldn't be there, we'll find it."
"How long for results?" I asked.
"Full panel will take twelve to twenty-four hours. But we should have preliminary findings within a few hours."
The monitors suddenly shrieked.
Lilith's heart rate spiked on the screen, then plummeted. The line went jagged, erratic—nothing like the steady rhythm it should be.
"Code Blue! Room 304!" Dr. Harrison's voice boomed through the ICU.
Medical staff flooded in. Someone grabbed my arm, pulling me back from the bed. I stumbled against the wall, Selene beside me, her hand going to her mouth.
"Oh god," she whispered. "Lilith—"
Damon refused to move. His hand stayed locked on Lilith's until a nurse physically pulled him back. "Sir, please, we need space—"
"Clear!"
They shocked her.
Lilith's body convulsed on the bed, her back arching.
The monitor showed a brief spike, then flatlined again.
"Again! Charging to 300!"
"Clear!"
Another shock.
This time, the line showed a flutter. Then a weak, irregular beat.
"We have sinus rhythm! Unstable, but it's there!"
Dr. Harrison was barking orders—medications, dosages, adjustments to the IV drip. The team moved with practiced precision, but I could see the tension in their movements, the way they kept glancing at the monitors.
They were fighting to keep her alive.
I stood there, pressed against the wall, watching my sister die and be brought back, die and be brought back.
Beside me, Selene's breath hitched. "Please," she whispered. "Please let her be okay."
I turned to look at her. At the tears streaming down her face. At the hand pressed to her mouth, trembling.
You're good, I thought coldly. Really good.
Because this wasn't the face of someone who'd tried to kill Lilith. This was the face of a caring friend, devastated by tragedy.
But I'd seen the security footage. I knew what Selene Blackwood was capable of.
Dr. Harrison stepped back, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We've got her back. But she's critical. The next few hours will tell us if she can maintain stability."
"What caused that?" Damon's voice was raw, barely controlled. "She was already in crisis, and then her heart just—"
"The inflammatory response triggered cardiac arrest." Dr. Harrison's expression was grim. "Whatever caused the initial reaction is still in her system. Until we identify it and counteract it, she's at risk of another episode."
"Then find it." Damon's voice carried pure Alpha command. "I don't care what it costs or how many tests you have to run. Find out what's killing her."
"Yes, Alpha." Dr. Harrison gestured to his team, and they began collecting samples—blood, tissue, everything they'd need for a comprehensive analysis.
Selene moved toward Damon, her hand reaching for his arm. "She's strong," she said softly. "She'll fight through this."
He didn't respond, his eyes fixed on Lilith's pale face.
My phone buzzed. A text from Lysander:
Security footage from Lilith's room—deleted. That entire hour is gone. Same method as your room.
My blood went cold.
I glanced at Lysander, and through our bond, I felt his controlled fury.
Tell Damon? His voice came through the mind-link, quiet and careful.
I looked at Damon—at the raw devastation on his face. At Selene standing beside him, playing the role of supportive sister perfectly.
No, I responded. He won't believe us. Not about Selene. He's too protective of her.
Then what?
I watched Selene's hand rest on Damon's shoulder, watched her lean in to murmur something comforting.
Let him think it's a medical error, I said through the link. Let him rage at the hospital, demand investigations. It keeps everyone focused on the wrong thing while we find proof.
And Selene?
We don't let her know we suspect anything. We watch her. We wait for her to make a mistake.
Through the bond, I felt Lysander's agreement. She'll slip up. They always do.
And when she does, we'll have her.
Dr. Harrison returned with several nurses. "We need to run more tests. I'm going to have to ask everyone except immediate family to wait outside."
Selene immediately moved toward the door. "Of course. I'll just be in the waiting room if you need anything, Damon."
She paused beside me, her red-rimmed eyes meeting mine. "She's lucky to have you," she said softly. "Both of you—you and Damon—caring for her so much."
Her hand reached out, squeezing my arm gently.
You're touching me with the same hands that tried to kill me.
I managed a tight nod. "Thank you for being here for her."
Her smile was sad, understanding. "Of course. Family should support each other in times like these."
She left, and I watched her go, every instinct screaming that she was guilty.
But without proof, without evidence...
"Nyx." Damon's voice pulled my attention back. He looked exhausted, haunted. "Stay with her. Please. I need to make some calls—contact the family, make sure the hospital is doing everything possible—"
"I'll stay." I moved to the chair Selene had vacated, taking Lilith's cold hand in mine. "I'm not going anywhere."
He nodded, then left with Dr. Harrison to discuss treatment options.
Lysander stayed by the door, his eyes alert, watching everyone who entered or left.
Through our bond, his voice came soft and deadly: We'll get her, Nyx. Whatever it takes, we'll prove what she did.
I looked down at Lilith's pale face, at the monitors tracking her fragile hold on life.
Yes, I thought back. We will.
Because Selene Blackwood had just made one critical mistake.
She'd underestimated me.