Avenging Luna
Chapter 106: No Fucking Phone

Chapter 106: No Fucking Phone

Leila POV:

Days had passed, and the rumors of my "illness" had spread like wildfire. People I barely knew began coming to comfort me, offering sympathetic glances and heartfelt words. Yet, still, there was no sign of Lily. Every day, my anticipation built, only to be met with disappointment as she continued to lurk in the shadows, silent and unseen.

Is this plan even working? The thought gnawed at me. I’d put Drake, Dr. Harry, Nurse Ann—everyone I cared about—through so much pain and worry. Was it all for nothing? I began to doubt myself, to wonder if I’d misjudged her altogether. What if Lily wasn’t the arrogant fool I thought she was? What if she was clever enough to hold off, to wait until the very end before showing her true colors? My stomach twisted at the thought.

Does she really want to wait until I’m gone? That possibility chilled me. I’d hoped—maybe foolishly—that her pride would get the best of her, that she’d slip and expose herself before I was forced to go to the extremes of faking my own death. But maybe I miscalculated. If Lily truly intended to wait, I’d have no choice but to take drastic measures, and faking death would be no small feat. With the mate bond still pulsing between us, fooling Drake could be nearly impossible.

Anxiety was starting to spread among my allies. Dr. Harry and Nurse Ann had both become visibly tense, their worry etched into their faces whenever they entered my room. Their shared unease was growing more noticeable, and I feared one of them might slip up and reveal too much. One wrong word, one unguarded moment, and this entire plan would fall apart, dragging everyone down with me.

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady my thoughts. I can’t let this go to waste, I reminded myself, clutching onto that single thread of resolve. But my heart ached with the weight of it all. What am I doing to the people I love?

I could see the toll my plan was taking on Drake every time he came to visit, each time he took my hand in his and whispered words of encouragement, fighting his own battle against the sorrow he believed was looming.

In the depths of my mind, my wolf Layla whimpered, sharing in my fear and frustration. She understood the need for justice, for proving our innocence, but her desire to see our mate free of this torment was undeniable. Just a little longer, I told myself, clinging to the hope that this would end soon, that the truth would surface without needing to shatter the bond that held Drake and me together.

Drake had been by my side every day of my stay at the hospital, barely leaving for anything. I’d tried to tell him I was okay, that he should go handle pack business, but he refused each time, saying Lucas and Nelly had everything under control. Today, though, he had finally stepped out, mentioning he was going to visit Ash-our son and would be back shortly. His departure left a quiet space in the room, one that I tried to fill with calm, to focus on staying strong until Lily revealed herself.

A knock on the door broke the silence. "Come in," I called absentmindedly, not expecting anything unusual. But when the door opened, my heart stopped.

There, standing with a bouquet of flowers and a gaudy "Get Well Soon" card in her hand, was Lily. Her expression was carefully constructed, her eyes wide with fake sympathy, her mouth pulled into a sickly sweet smile that I knew was nothing but a mask. She looked down at me with that practiced concern, but I could see it, the faintest glimmer of triumph in her gaze.

The last time I’d seen her, she had stormed out in a flurry of fake tears, denying every accusation I threw at her, swearing she was innocent even as I told her I knew. I had expected her pride would keep her away, or that she’d gloat at a safe distance. But here she was, standing in front of me like she was some kind of caring friend. And now that I finally had her here, I realized I had no idea how to act, no idea how to pull her strings enough to make her confess.

My pulse pounded with a mixture of dread and determination. Stay calm. Keep her talking. If I could get her to slip up, just once, everything would be worth it.

"Leila, dear!" Lily’s voice oozed with feigned concern. She placed the flowers on the bedside table, her fingers lingering on them as she turned to face me, smiling too wide. "I just wanted to come and see how you were holding up. I can’t believe you’ve been so unwell. It’s so... tragic."

My blood boiled at her words, at her transparent act. The sheer gall of her, standing here with her fake sympathy, nearly made me lose my cool. I forced myself to nod, to play along just enough. "Thank you, Lily," I managed, keeping my tone as steady as possible, though I could feel my hands clenching beneath the covers. "It’s been a... rough time."

She continued to talk, each word layered with false concern, and I fought to keep myself from snapping. Wait. My phone. If I could record this, have some kind of proof... My mind raced, frantically trying to remember where I’d left it. I could get her talking, guide her toward that confession. She loved the sound of her own voice too much to pass up the opportunity to gloat, especially if she thought I was weakened, defeated.

Just keep calm, I reminded myself, my eyes scanning for my phone as I nodded along to her fake sympathy. I needed her to slip up, to let her arrogance override her caution. Just one confession, Lily. That’s all I need.

But before I could coax Lily into revealing anything, I needed my phone. Where the hell was it? My mind raced, frantically replaying the last few hours. Then it hit me—Drake had it. He’d taken it earlier, saying he wanted to snap a picture of Ash since his own phone had died.

Damn it. Of all times...

A surge of frustration boiled up in me, my fingers itching with the need to act. My one chance to finally catch Lily red-handed, and I was sitting here, defenseless, without a way to record it. I clenched my fists beneath the covers, forcing myself to breathe. I couldn’t let her see my panic, my desperation. One slip-up, and she’d catch on, retreating back into the shadows.

I glanced at Lily, her face still twisted into that sugary-sweet smile, her eyes scanning me like a hawk sizing up its prey. I had to think fast. Somehow, I needed her to stay, to keep her talking until I could figure something out.

Maybe I could play on her ego, keep her here just long enough for Drake to return—or for me to find another way to capture the truth. I forced a weak smile, letting my voice falter just a bit. "Thank you for coming, Lily," I murmured, as if overcome with emotion. "I’ve been feeling so... vulnerable."

Lily’s eyes brightened, her lips curving into a subtle smirk. Her arrogance was already starting to show. Perfect. Now all I needed was for her to get comfortable enough to slip up. I’d make her confess, even if I had to drag every word out of her, one by one.

I wasn’t sure if Lily had chosen to ignore our last encounter or if she’d somehow erased it from her mind, but I was betting on the former. It was just like her to sweep any confrontation under the rug, pretending it never happened as long as it served her. Fine. If that’s how she wanted to play it, I could do the same. I’d play it cool, act as if I’d never confronted her about the wolfsbane incident.

My pulse pounded as I forced a gentle smile, the same one I’d use for a casual friend, as if the last time we’d spoken, she hadn’t fled in a fit of fake tears, as if she hadn’t refused to admit the truth. I swallowed my resentment, burying it under layers of composure. If she wanted to pretend, then I’d let her. But this time, I’d be ready.

I softened my gaze, trying to project weakness, an openness that would put her at ease. "It’s been... a rough few days," I said, letting a trace of weariness slip into my voice. "Thank you for coming by. I didn’t expect to see you, honestly."

Lily’s face lit up, pleased to see what she assumed was me crumbling under the weight of my own "illness." Her self-satisfaction was almost too obvious, her smugness barely concealed. I fought to keep my expression passive, to give her the impression that I was defeated and vulnerable, the perfect setup for her to make her move.

Fine, Lily, I thought, meeting her gaze without a hint of suspicion. Ignore the truth all you want. But I’m watching, and I’m ready. This time, I’ll be the one pulling the strings. I just gotta learn how to fucking trap her now that she was here.