Her Hidden Crowns (Suzanne and Austin)

Chapter 8

Alan's illness made him crave blood and become aggressive. Leaving Suzanne alone with him seemed reckless.

Richard stepped forward with a worried look. "Dr. Smith, you don't understand. My son's condition is... complicated."

Shane chimed in, clearly disapproving, "Exactly. If he lashes out, you won't be able to defend yourself."

No matter how skilled she was as a doctor, to them, she was still a fragile woman.

But Suzanne's gaze stayed fixed on Alan. She shook her head and said calmly, "It's fine."

Shane wanted to argue more, but Suzanne raised a hand to stop him. "Trust me."

Shane froze, his eyes narrowing. He knew her temperament better than anyone. Once she decided something, there was no changing her mind.

Still, he couldn't shake his worry. "Fine, but be careful. I'll be right outside. If anything happens, call me immediately."

To Shane, nothing mattered more than her safety.

Suzanne saw the concern in his eyes and gave him a small nod, silently reassuring him.

Richard felt uneasy and looked at Alan, speaking in a firm but pleading tone, "You have to control yourself. Don't you dare hurt her!"

Their worry was palpable as both men reluctantly stepped out. They glanced back several times before the door closed behind them.

The moment the door clicked shut, Suzanne's gaze fell on Alan, who immediately growled, "You can leave too!"

His fists were clenched tightly, veins bulging on his forehead as he visibly struggled to maintain control. With fewer people around, the sweet scent of blood seemed stronger, teasing his senses and tempting him.

delicate neck. He had an almost primal urge to

eyes rested on Alan, her tone measured and steady. "I'm the only one who can

unwavering, "You crave blood. Your body can't resist the hunger. It's driving you mad—making you irritable, reckless, and even violent. Your appetite has likely disappeared by now. You can't eat normal food anymore,

in surprise. Every word she had said was

drips to keep his body functioning and was barely holding on. But then his expression hardened, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "You could've gotten all of that from my father. Why should I

leaned back on the couch, propping her elbow on the armrest and resting her chin in her hand. She raised a brow and said with confidence, "Then let me tell you something no one else

scoffed in disdain. How capable could a woman be anyway? She couldn't

words

down there,

knew better than anyone else what she meant. His face

was something he had told no one. Not even the best doctors he had seen had discovered it.

"These symptoms aren't the last of it. You'll start to feel

a chill spreading through him as he

but now that she mentioned it, he remembered it had been happening

be nothing more than a broken man staring death

some understanding of his condition to describe so much in

in his chest. After a long pause, he fixed his gaze on Suzanne and asked in a low voice,

head, answering honestly, "I'm not sure. I

He laughed dryly. "So, you're

accurately, only to admit she wasn't certain? Was this some kind of joke? Or was she just here to humiliate

raised an eyebrow. "Right now, you're barely hanging on with IV drips, and even they don't fully suppress your symptoms. At the very

The symptoms will

her, momentarily speechless. His gaze lingered on her, his lips parting slightly as if to speak, but the words wouldn't

to respond. "We'll use acupuncture. If you

in trying? At this point, he was already a dying man. If there

silence, he