Chapter 239 Happy Birthday, Rae

Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Happy Birthday, Rae

Eira looked up.

Kate smiled. "So your nickname is Rae. That’s cute."

"Some of the kids call me that," Eira said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Barry glanced down the cramped hallway. "Mind if I stay here tonight? I can drive Miss Gwen to the hospital in the morning."

Miss Gwen waved him off. "As long as you don’t mind the accommodations, Doctor Wood."

"I’ve slept in worse," Barry said with a grin.

That settled it.

A few minutes later, Barry and Alpha Killian were settled into a tiny dorm room with two sets of bunk beds.

Barry climbed onto the top bunk and stretched out.

"This takes me back to my UCLA days. Bet you never lived like this, Killian. A guy like you probably had a private wing before he could walk."

Alpha Killian ignored him. He leaned against the railing and opened his phone.

Barry caught a glimpse of the screen as Alpha Killian changed one of his contacts.

Rae.

Then he locked his phone and looked at Barry.

"Look into Sam’s condition. Find out what support he’ll need for communication and daily care."

Barry’s expression grew serious. "There’s no magic fix for autism, if that’s what you mean. But speech therapy, occupational therapy, and the right specialists could help him communicate more easily. I can arrange a full evaluation."

"Send me the bill."

"Like you’ve ever let me pay for anything," Barry muttered.

Alpha Killian’s stare turned cold.

Barry sighed, then added, "While I’m here, I could ask around about Eira. She grew up in the system, right? Maybe we can find out where she came from."

Alpha Killian’s expression changed at once.

Barry lowered his voice. "Her family history might explain a few things."

After a long pause, Alpha Killian said, "Find out. Quietly."

"Got it."

--

The next morning, Eira was up early, helping serve breakfast in the dining hall.

She was halfway through the line when Alpha Killian walked in.

A little boy spotted him and waved. "Morning, Mr. Sterling!"

Alpha Killian gave him a brief nod. "Morning."

The boy beamed and turned to the others. "He said good morning!"

Within seconds, more children were calling out to him.

"Morning, Mr. Sterling!"

"Hey, Killian!"

"Morning!"

Alpha Killian tried to answer them all, but the greetings quickly turned into a wall of noise.

"All right, give him a break," Eira called. "Go eat before your breakfast gets cold."

The children laughed and scattered.

Alpha Killian stopped in front of her.

"What are you having?" Eira asked. "I’ll fix you a plate."

"I’ll wait. I’ll have whatever you’re having."

She gave him a long look. "Then go find a seat."

Alpha Killian lowered his tall frame into a tiny blue plastic chair. His knees nearly reached the table, and the chair looked ridiculous beneath him. Still, he sat straight-backed and serious, as if he were in a board meeting instead of a crowded dining hall.

Eira finished serving, removed her apron, and carried two bowls of oatmeal to the table. She added brown sugar and berries to hers, then pushed the second bowl toward him.

Alpha Killian took the spoon and glanced at her.

"Do I pass inspection?"

"Barely."

He took a bite.

Outside, snow drifted past the frosted windows. Inside, the room smelled of cinnamon, coffee, and warm toast.

Alpha Killian looked at her.

"Thank you, Rae."

The nickname sounded unexpectedly intimate in his low voice.

Eira froze with her spoon halfway to her mouth. She looked up into his silver-gray eyes, then quickly lowered her gaze.

"Mm."

They finished breakfast in comfortable silence.

A little later, Kate drove them to the airport.

--

Palo Alto.

Lila picked them up herself. The moment she saw Eira, her face lit up, and she started talking before Eira had even closed the car door.

"Okay, so this morning I drove Mrs. Jones over to Ten Ashford Lane to help her clean the place from top to bottom..."

Alpha Killian’s eyes narrowed when he recognized the car.

So that was why Lila had been driving it so often. She had been spending a lot of time at Ten Ashford Lane.

"Get in, Eira," Lila said brightly, throwing open the passenger door. "My brother can take the back seat. He knows how to open a car door."

Alpha Killian said nothing. He slid into the back.

Lila pulled away from the curb and headed toward Southridge Estates.

Eira glanced over her shoulder. "So, what did I miss while I was gone?"

"Where do I even start?" Lila said. "That post of yours blew up Sebastian’s entire family. Not figuratively. It was a full-blown detonation."

Eira raised an eyebrow.

"Sebastian is out at Hale Group. They didn’t exactly fire him. They had a very serious conversation, and then he suddenly resigned." Lila made air quotes with her fingers. "No severance. No golden parachute. Nothing."

Eira’s mouth curved slightly.

"Since then, the Hale household has been a total shitshow. Oh, and Isabella came looking for you. She didn’t even make it past the property line. One of the dogs chased her off, and apparently, she hit the ground hard."

"Isabella fell?" Eira asked.

"Face-first, according to Mrs. Jones." Lila grinned. "I didn’t see it myself, so I can’t swear to it. But honestly, I would’ve paid good money for the replay."

A quiet laugh escaped Eira.