Rejected, Then Reborn
Chapter 26

“Lacy.”

The human girl turned absentmindedly only to bump into a grinning Xavier Mendoza, “Oh, hi Dr. Mendoza,” She smiled softly, suddenly feeling on edge.

It was honestly no fault on the good doctor’s part, but ever since she had come to know that her friend, the Lyken Princess was secretly in love with him, her easy-going interactions with him had quickly become stunted.

Take this morning for instance, she had avoided him like the plague, pretending to be so swamped with patients even when she knew that she was lying, for the hospital was still very much empty. Lacy knew it was wrong and unfair to the charming Chief healer, but she couldn’t exactly change the fact that that was how she felt. That even a small smile in his direction felt like the ultimate betrayal.

Was she being too hard on herself?

Perhaps.

But Lacy liked to think that a sudden change in attitude would make him keep her at some distance.

But apparently, it was only making him seek her out even more.

“What’s up?” She asked, fidgeting with her hands absentmindedly. The bald-headed handsome hunk scratched his head, seemingly nervous, “Lacy I—” He started and then took a deep breath, shaking his head as though he wasn’t happy with what he had chosen to say at first, “H—Have I done something to you? Because you seem to be avoiding me.”

What?

“No, no, Xavier, w—why would you think that?” Lacy wasn’t going to lie and say that she wasn’t taken aback at the confrontation, for all along, she had been trying to convince herself that she was being subtle in her approach. To be cornered like this and when she least expected had greatly unnerved her than she cared to admit. “I am not avoiding you in any way, I’m just trying my best to get settled in, trust me it has nothing to do with you.”

Just tell him about your conflict of interest and let’s get this over and done with already.

Lacy couldn’t believe what the voice in her head was suggesting. No, for real what was she even going to say, huh? Xavier, did you know that Anaya has been in love with you for a while now, and I think you guys would be tots perfect for each other?

Now that only worked in the movies.

And this was real life.

As a matter of fact, Lacy could think of quite a number of ways that all of that could go sideways, and she did not want to be one of those contributing factors.

“I understand,” The good doctor scoffed shamefully, embarrassment written all over his face, “I have no idea why I thought you were avoiding me in the first place, I’m sorry for being so self-centered.”

Lacy smiled at him, “You know what? It’s totally fine.”

“Except it isn’t. Tell you what?” He suddenly had this thrilled look on his face—one that made Lacy almost instantly apprehensive. What now?

“Let me make it up to you, we can get lunch together, seeing as it’s almost time anyway,” He glanced at his watch, “12:50. It’ll be lunch by the time we get to the cafeteria.”

Oh gods.

Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

She couldn’t exactly say no to him, given that she had just told him that she wasn’t avoiding him. Refusing him now was just going to send the wrong message, and honestly speaking, Lacy didn’t want that. Xavier was such a nice person, but she couldn’t really point out his motive for constantly seeking her out, whether it was platonic or otherwise. It was plain safe to stay away until she had totally figured him out.

Awesome deliberation skills, Lace… now just tell him no and let’s be on our merry way.

“Uh, sure… I’ll love to have lunch with you,” She smiled tightly, ignoring the disappointed ranting going on in her head. “You know, I’ve always wondered why hospital and clinic is used interchangeably for this place,” She asked as they walked leisurely towards the cafeteria, her hands clenched tightly in the pockets of her light blue scrubs.

“Ah, B***d Moon’s most favorite paradigm,” He chuckled in amusement. “Well, this place started out as just a medical unit at first. Reed’s father, Alpha King Bardulf Winchester built it as a small unit where his wife, Naomi Winchester could practice. She was a doctor too, you know… specialized in obstetrics, specifically Maternal-Fetal Medicine.”

Now Lacy was intrigued, all thoughts of wanting to cancel gone. “Did this have anything to do with the tough childbirth process she-Lykens faced?”

“I see you don’t forget things at all,” He smiled, pride shining in his hazel eyes. “But yes. I don’t know if the opening of the unit suddenly convinced Lykens that it was okay not to be okay, for suddenly, the unit that was supposed to address only pregnancy and conception issues was quickly veering towards other areas, treating depression, to dementia, to a whole bunch of diseases that still plagued us despite our ability to heal and practically be immortal. Reed, who had just been eighteen then had heavily championed its refurbishment into a clinic, even going behind his father’s back to see it happen, because he believed that we all needed help sometimes. Eventually when his father died, he had it transformed into a full-fledged hospital offering all services, but someway somehow the old name had still stuck too.” He pulled her chair back and helped her sit down, promising to bring Lacy one of the best meals the B***d Moon Clan Hospital could boast of. Lacy smirked and asked him to hit her with their best shot, and then she watched him saunter off.

Left to her devices, she took her time to scan the cafeteria. It was quiet, and almost empty, just like every other part of the hospital today, but Lacy found that she did not actually mind.

As a matter of fact, it was better this way, for the few people that saw them together, the better for everyone.

Disinfectant wafted into her nostrils and Lacy g*****d in frustration. It seemed that one could not run away from the powerful scent in a hospital, for it seemed to have been mixed with the paint, or perhaps even worse, it was in the foundation that held the f*****g building together.

Xavier approached a few minutes later wielding two trays filled with a wrap, fries and a coke each, “Lunch is served,” He placed hers before her, a smirk forming on his face at the incredulous look on her face.

“A wrap and fries?”

“Vegetable and chicken to be precise, don’t hate until you taste it.”

Lacy narrowed her eyes playfully, deciding to humor the Healer Supreme, “Very well,” She tentatively reached for the chicken vegetable wrap and brought it to her mouth for a delicate bite. She could see Xavier watching her with bated breath as he waited for her final judgment, and if she was being honest, it thrilled her to no end that she could make such a powerful man so anxious. After what seemed like eons of chewing, Lacy couldn’t muffle it, a m**n of contentment slipped past her lips, causing Xavier to smirk in amusement and victory. “Do you have anything to tell me, human?” He raised his head pompously, teasingly. “It’s… it’s alright,” The way his head snapped to her so fast had Lacy bursting out in loud laughter, and she was still caught up in the throes of it when she lifted her head, only to meet the person she least expected to so soon,

The Alpha King, Reed Alderon Winchester.

He was looking every bit like the hot snack he was, dressed in semi-formal dark blue slacks paired with a black linen shirt that had a few buttons down to his chest open with the arms rolled to his elbows, but that was the least thing Lacy noticed, for the murderous look in his stormy blue eyes took the cake.

Her heart picked up unconsciously, and for a second, she thought he was going to go back from whence he came, but then he started to take long, purposeful strides, and then it suddenly dawned on her, chilling her to her bones and filling her with terror,

He was headed their way!