It’s never easy, watching someone you love go through something traumatic, but as Noah watched Lilian being loaded into the ambulance, he wasn’t sure how to feel. He’d never wish what happened to Lilian on his worst enemy, and he didn’t want her to suffer or die, but any sympathy he might have had for the woman was quickly waning. He was still in shock after finding out that Lilian wasn’t his birth mother, but more so discovering that Eleanor, the woman who had given birth to him, was dead–and Lilian had known it all along.

The ambulance lights, mixed with the flashing red and blue lights from the police cars, cast an unsettling glow over the Mansion’s stone facade, turning the familiar into something ghostly and strange. Noah’s heart was pounding in his chest, his mind racing with the implications of what had just occurred. He felt a pang of guilt and fear, but he buried it, knowing he needed to stay composed. Riley stood beside him, his face pale, his eyes wide and glassy as he stared at the scene unfolding before them. Absently, he placed a hand on his stomach, as if to shield the child growing inside him from the chaos of the night.

They had all just witnessed something beyond comprehension, something that defied logic. Noah could sense Riley’s unease, his internal struggle to process what had happened, but there was no time to dwell on it now. The police were closing in, ready with their questions, and their suspicions hung in the air like a storm about to break.

A uniformed officer, middle aged, with fiery red hair, a stern face and calculating eyes, approached the trio and slowly glanced over each of them, sizing them up as he assessed the situation. Riley took a step closer to Noah. He lowered his head and dropped his gaze to the porch. Riley had never been comfortable around cops. They weren’t his friends. Most police looked down on omegas, seeing them as nuisances or trouble makers. Omegas were always the first to be blamed and the last to be taken seriously. It wasn’t fair, but that’s just how the world worked. Cops would sooner arrest an omega just for existing than actually try to help them.

Noah wrapped an arm around Riley and held him protectively close, earning him a puzzled look from the officer.

“So,” The cop, who had identified himself as Officer Kurt McElroy [MacO’roy], pulled out a small note pad and pen. He flipped the pad open then looked Noah dead in the eyes. “Who wants to tell me what happened here tonight?” There was a hint of irritation in his voice as spoke, and a very tired look on his face that told Noah the man was overworked and worn out. He’d probably rather had been anywhere else but where he was, taking statements from the three witnesses before him.

Again, he glanced between the three of them, impatiently waiting for a response. Riley kept his head down and his mouth shut, clinging nervously to Noah. Cassie, who was sitting on the top step of the porch, raised her head and stared back at the cop with a vacant and confused expression.

“Anyone?” Officer McElroy asked again.

Noah took a deep breath to steady himself then glanced briefly down at Riley before speaking. “There was an argument.” He began, his voice calm but laced with underlying tension that he did his best to hide. “It started between the four of us, My mother, Lilian, Cassie, Riley and myself. Things escalated though. Cassie stormed off to her room, my mother followed her and then…something happened.”

“Something?” McElroy looked up from his pad, his pen held, poised, above the page, ready to jot down notes as Noah spoke. He raised an eyebrow as he held Noah’s gaze. “What exactly do you mean by ‘something happened’? Be more specific.”

Noah hesitated as he tried to think of what to say next, something that wouldn’t make him sound like a raving lunatic. He couldn’t tell this man the truth. There was no way that he’d believe a ghost had attacked them and caused Lilian’s injuries. Finally he just shrugged and, rubbing at the back of his neck, said, “I really don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” The officer repeated. “Well, Mr. Reaney, why don’t you tell me what you do know.”

Again Noah sighed. He was ready for this interview to be over with but he couldn’t afford not to cooperate with the police. Especially when the events of the night had been so harrowing. There were just too many questions left unanswered and others that were impossible to answer. At least truthfully. “I wasn’t there for the start of the incident. I’d heard screaming and ran to see what was going on. I walked into a scene that…” He paused a moment and let out a deep breath. “Well, it was bad. Something I hadn’t expected. My mother had some kind of a manic episode and trashed Cassie’s room and then attacked Cassie. I rushed into the room and dragged Cassie out then went back in to help my mother. That’s really all I can tell you.”

“What was this argument about?” McElroy asked. “Initially?”

Noah toyed with the idea of telling the truth but then decided against it. Revealing too much information about his sordid family history would open up a whole new can of worms and Noah just couldn’t deal with that at the moment. “It was nothing at first, really. Mother just felt that Cassie was taking advantage of our hospitality and had overstayed her welcome. Things just got out of hand, they began yelling at each other and then Cassie stormed off. I guess Mother wasn’t done talking to her though and followed her upstairs.”

McElroy quickly wrote a few notes in his note pad and looked up again. “And, where did you say you were while the fight in the bedroom was going on?”

“In my room.” Noah told him. “When Cass and Mother began arguing with each other I left the room.”

“And Mr. Hicks?” The officer asked, “Where was he?”

“With me.” Noah quickly answered.

McElroy raised an eyebrow at Noah’s answer. “In your bedroom?” He asked, a bit skeptically.

Noah nodded. “He’s my fiance, we share a room.”

McElroy looked between Noah and Riley and the disgusted look on his face told the couple exactly what he thought of their relationship. “Okay.” He shook his head as he jotted down more notes. “When you first heard the screaming, what did you do?”

Noah furrowed his brow and crossed his arms over his chest. “I ran to Cassie’s room to see what was going on, what else would I do?”

McElroy looked up then and cocked his head to the side. “You can leave out the attitude.” He said while tapping his pen on the side of his note pad. “What about the omega? What did he do?”

Noah pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes. “His name is Riley, and he ran out after me. We were both very concerned with what we heard and wondering what was going on.”

“Alright, so once you made it to Miss Lauder’s room, what did you see. Walk me through it.”

Noah ran a hand through his hair then did his best to give an account of the night’s events, leaving out anything paranormal. His explanation basically had Lilian and Cassie fighting over Cassie’s unwillingness to leave the mansion unless Noah himself told her to go. She questioned Lilian’s authority and then Lilian, having some form of mental breakdown, flew into a rage and attacked Cassie. The two of them fought, injuring each other, and then Noah rushed into the room, broke up the fight, and pulled Cassie out and into the hallway.

McElroy listened, made more notes, and at one point attempted to question Cassie but that proved fruitless. Cassie muttered something about Noah’s mom attacking her but that was it. Anything else she said didn’t make much sense. She was still too rattled and upset to really answer any questions so questioning her further was pointless. McElroy turned his attention back to Noah, completely ignoring Riley.

“Is there anything else you’re not telling me?” McElroy asked with a dramatic sigh.

Noah shook his head. “No, I told you everything.”

“Really?” McElroy cocked an eyebrow. “Look, I’ll be honest with you. I think your story is BS. I think more went on here than what you’re telling me and frankly, it doesn’t add up. Your mother’s injuries aren’t consistent with what you’re saying happened and there are holes in your story big enough to fit the titanic through. I’ll give you one last chance to tell me the truth before I…”

“With all due respect officer, McElroy.” Noah cut him off sharply. “It’s been a long night. We’ve all been through a lot. My fiance is pregnant and needs to rest. I’ll be happy to have my lawyer contact you with a full statement in the morning if that will help but other than that, we’re done here.”

McElroy grit his teeth and nodded, but his contempt for Noah was clear. “I’ll be in touch if I have more questions.” He told Noah. “And I’m sure I’ll have more questions.”

“That’s fine.” Noah told him. “I’ll be here.”

McElroy took one final glance around the property then turned and headed back toward his car. He followed the ambulance off the property and when both vehicles were out of sight, Noah turned his attention to Cassie.

“You lied to him.” Cassie stated. Her voice was weak and lacked conviction as she spoke.

“Not entirely.” Noah said. “I told him my mother attacked you. I just didn’t tell him that my mother’s a ghost. As for the rest of it, I think we all know that there was some truth to what I told him. Riley explained to me what happened. What you said that set El off, and honestly I’m not really surprised. I mean, I should have realized before just what you were up to, I just never thought that you, of all people, would stab me in the back.”

“Noah, I swear…”

“Save it.” Noah snapped. “I’m done. Done with you and done with this whole mess. You’ve destroyed my trust in you, Cassie. I think it’s time for you to leave. I’ll give you time to pack your things but then, I want you out.”

Cassie’s eyes widened and she began to shake her head, frantically. “Noah, no. I can’t go back into that room. I can’t…I won’t.”

“Fine.” He told her, his tone cold and unsympathetic. “I’ll have your things sent to your parents house then, but I want you gone.”

“Where am I supposed to go?” Cassie cried. Noah could hear the desperation in her voice but he wasn’t moved by her sobs.

“Honestly, I don’t care.” He said. His eyes stared down at her with an icy glare. “You’re not my concern. You never were. Maybe your parents will take you back, though I seriously doubt it.”

Cassie broke down, her sobs echoed in the night air, but Noah didn’t waver, his decision was final. “You can wait for the cab inside,” he told her, his voice devoid of any emotion.

She again shook her head, pulling the blanket that the paramedics had given her tightly around her shivering body. She wondered then if maybe she should have agreed to go to the hospital when it was offered. She’d declined at the time thinking there was no way that Noah would actually throw her out and besides, she couldn’t really afford to pay for an ambulance ride or a visit to the hospital and there was no way that she’d ask her parents for help. She began to think that she’d made a mistake, but it didn’t matter now. The ambulance was gone and she was left with no other options. “No, I’ll…I’ll stay out here.” She said finally, resigned to her fate.

Noah shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He placed a hand on Riley’s back and the two of them turned and headed toward the door when Cassie called out to Noah, one last time.

“For what it’s worth,” she said, her voice shaky and full of regret. “I’m sorry. Please, believe me. I never wanted anyone to get hurt, I just wanted you to love me, not him.”

“Too little too late.” Noah said. “I told you once before, if it ever came down to you or Riley, I’ll always choose Riley. Always.”

Noah turned his back on Cassie and he and Riley stepped back into the mansion, closing the door behind them, and effectively closing the chapter on Cassie for good.

***

The dark walls of Reaney Hall seemed more oppressive now as Noah and Riley reentered the mansion, more constrictive. It almost felt as though the mansion itself were closing in on them. Reaney Hall, once Noah’s home, felt more like a tomb, sealing him in for all eternity. Noah’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions, torn between the shock of seeing Lilian being carried away on a stretcher and the burning questions about Eleanor Reaney that still haunted his thoughts. He clenched his fists at his sides as he tried to steady his breathing, but the emotions he felt were too tangled, too painful. His nerves were stripped bare and exposed to all.

Riley stood at Noah’s side and gently slipped his hand into Noah’s tightened fist. Noah relaxed some then looked down at Riley and smiled, warmly. “How are you feeling?” He asked.

Riley shrugged. “I’m okay. Exhausted, but okay.”

“Maybe we should call it a night.” Noah suggested. His concern for Riley and their child showing through as he looked the omega over carefully as though assessing him for injuries or fatigue.

Riley’s first thought was that they should attempt to clean up the Rose Room some before retiring for the night but then he remembered that Noah had servants for that kind of thing. It still seemed a daunting task though, even for paid help, and Riley would have been more than happy to assist though he was almost certain that Noah would disprove. He’d been so protective of Riley lately and frowned on him doing anything that might add extra strain or stress.

Riley sighed internally as he wondered if perhaps he could convince Noah to hire more help. It couldn’t hurt really, to have more people around. The mansion was so large and seemed so cold and void of life. Especially now. Tina would have gone home for the night. Maggie was probably still around somewhere though Riley wasn’t sure where. Baxter typically worked late into the night, leaving around ten but he rarely left the kitchen. Thomas, who knew were Thomas was. He could usually be found lurking around somewhere. Riley didn’t know if Thomas left at night or if he lived somewhere on the estate grounds. Probably the latter as he always seemed to be available when needed, no matter the time or day.

With Lilian and Cassie gone though, and the staff off doing whatever it was they did in the evening, it left the mansion feeling empty and less welcoming than normal. It was like being in an abandoned house or building, treading carefully as you explored, not knowing what was lurking in hidden corners. Riley suddenly had an overwhelming desire to flee and go someplace less…menacing. How Noah could stay there, cooped up in that house, year after year, Riley didn’t really understand. After just a few days of being there Riley began to feel restless. He wanted to go out, do things, and be around people. Of course, those were all things that Noah avoided doing so, in a way, Riley guessed he could understand. It was what Noah was used to and what made him feel safe. Unlike Riley who was starting to feel a bit claustrophobic.

“Actually,” Riley ventured, “I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go to the hospital and see how Lilian is doing. I know you don’t normally leave the mansion but I thought, under the circumstances…”

Noah quickly shook his head in protest. “I don’t ever leave the mansion.” He corrected. “Not for any reason.”

Riley felt his heart drop at Noah’s statement. Not for any reason? Did that include the birth of their child? Would Noah really miss his child’s birth? Or, would he insist that Riley give birth there, at Reaney Hall? Neither option really sat well with him. He wanted Noah to be there of course, but he also wanted to give birth in a medical facility with doctors and nurses and a sterile room where help could be immediately available if something were to go wrong. Not that he anticipated anything going wrong with the delivery. He just wanted to be sure. Omega births were tricky after all and a lot harder on omega fathers than on mothers. It just seemed irresponsible to not be properly prepared for whatever might happen.

Riley tried to understand Noah’s reluctance but there was a part of him that believed, with the right amount of encouragement, Noah would be able to overcome his limitations. At the very least, he had to try.

“Noah,” Riley said, his voice soft but tinged with urgency, “we really should go and at least check on her. I know it’s hard for you, but I’ll be there with you. I believe you can do it, for Lilian. She’s still your mother after all.”

Noah’s expression hardened. He felt a storm of conflicting emotions brewing just beneath the surface. “Riley, I can’t leave the mansion, you know that.” He snapped, the words coming out harsher than he’d intended. “Don’t you think I want to? That I’ve tried? I just can’t do it.” Noah didn’t know how to explain it to Riley in a way that would make him understand just how he felt. Hell, Noah barely understood it himself. He just felt like something beyond his fear, beyond his diagnosis, even beyond his understanding and control was keeping him there, tethered to the estate. For years, he had thought it was the trauma of watching his father die but now, he was beginning to wonder if there was more to it than that.

Riley recoiled slightly at the sharpness in Noah’s tone but quickly recovered when he saw the pain in Noah’s eyes. “You’re stronger than you think.” Riley told him. “I know you can beat this if you’d try again. This time may be different. Before, you didn’t have anyone depending on you so it didn’t matter, but now you do. Noah, Lilian needs you. You have to try, for her sake at least.”

Noah’s frustration began to boil over as he again shook his head and moved away from Riley, out of his reach. “I’d be there for her in an instant if I could. I just…I can’t. Every time I’ve tried to leave I’ve felt this weight pushing down on me, crushing me. I can’t breathe, my chest hurts, and I start to panic. I feel like I’m going to die. I know everyone thinks it’s all in my head but it’s not, it’s real and I can’t just ignore it and hope it goes away.”

Riley knew better than to push any further, at least for now. The anguish in Noah’s eyes was enough to make Riley shift the conversation in a new direction. “I understand.” Riley told him. “I’m not ready to go to bed just yet though. I doubt I could sleep anyway.”

Noah took a moment to calm down before speaking again. The last thing he wanted to do was take his anger and frustration out on Riley who, Noah understood, was only trying to help. Riley was an omega, it was in his nature to help. To try and fix things, and be a comfort to those in need. Noah really couldn’t fault him for that.

“What did you have in mind then?” Noah asked.

Riley hesitated a moment as he gave the question some serious thought. All this time he’d been so concerned with El and finding out what had happened to her that everything else had pretty much taken a back seat. Now though, his mind was oddly focused on Lilian. He couldn’t get the image of her lying on that stretcher out of his mind. She had looked so pale and lifeless. Her breathing had become shallow and by the time the paramedics had actually arrived, she had been completely unresponsive.

Riley couldn’t say he’d actually felt sorry for her, though he wished no ill will on anyone, but Lilian had crossed a line with him that there was no coming back from. But, seeing her that way stirred something deep within him, some hidden memory perhaps of his own parents that had remained buried and forgotten, until now. It had been so long ago and he wasn’t sure if it was even a real memory or something his brain had conjured up while trying to fill in the missing pieces of his past.

The memory was fragmented and unclear, like something from a fleeting dream, but it had stuck in his mind regardless. He remembered food. An ungodly amount of food and he remembered that it struck him as odd that food should be the first thing that came to mind. It made sense in a way, he supposed. There was always food, it seemed, during significant times in peoples lives. Weddings, births, celebrations of all kinds and yes, even at funerals.