Nicklaus’s POV
After a few hours, I woke up in the day to find my daughter sleeping peacefully beside me, her fever had subsided, and I could tell she was on the mend. I turned my thoughts to Lethal, my wolf form, seeking his insights.
“What do you think, Lethal?” I asked quietly.
Lethal’s presence in my mind responded, “I think she’s going to recover soon. Let’s hope Margaret can find a solution quickly.”
I nodded in agreement, my focus shifting between my daughter and our conversation. “Yeah, let’s hope so. I just want Estella to be free from that evil spirit, and then we can address the pack issues and win the war.”
Lethal’s reassurance came, “It’s all going to fall into place perfectly.”
As our conversation tapered off, my phone suddenly rang. It was a call from one of the pack members. I quickly answered, standing up to give the call my full attention. “Greetings, Alpha Nicklaus.”
“Greetings to you too. I hope this call is about Mateo?” I asked, my heart pounding.
“Yes, Alpha Nick. We received a call from the enemy. It’s difficult to trace the number and location, but they left a message for you.”
I braced myself, already anticipating the content of the message. “Tell me the details.”
“They want you to surrender yourself, or else they’ll kill Mateo. We’re doing our best to locate him, but there’s still no sign of Mateo.”
The news hit me like a punch to the gut. “What do you mean they’ll kill Mateo? Find him, no matter what. I’ve got a lot to deal with right now.” I ended the call abruptly, my frustration palpable.
Just then, the door swung open forcefully, and Gabriella stormed in, her expression a mix of concern and anger. “Where is Mateo? What happened to him?”
Caught off guard, I tried to manage the situation, “How much did you hear?”
“How long have you been talking on the phone?” Her frustration was evident in her voice.
I had to be honest with her, there was no other way. “I’ll tell you everything. I promise not to hide anything from you. If I kept anything important from you, I’ll deserve your anger.”
She was visibly upset, her anger unabated. “I expect you to be honest with me, Nicklaus. I won’t tolerate any more secrets.”
“I’ll be completely transparent with you,” I assured her, but my attempt at a reassuring smile had no effect on her mood.
“Before that, how is Estella?” She asked, walking closer to where our daughter was sleeping on the bed. “Her fever came down a little, but I don’t know if she’s getting better or worse. I just wish I could do something to help my daughter. I feel horrible not being able to do anything for her,” I replied, feeling a deep sadness. However, I knew there must be a solution.
“Nick, it’s going to be alright. Don’t worry yourself,” she said with a reassuring smile. Did that mean she wasn’t as angry with me anymore?
She touched Estella’s forehead and looked at her face. Estella still appeared pale. She kissed Estella’s forehead and covered her properly. Then, she spoke to our daughter, who was still fast asleep and shivering, “Estella, everything is going to be fine. Your father and I will do everything possible to make sure you get better, and you’ll also be freed from any wrong spirits. No one will be able to control you anymore. I promise you, we won’t let Dedusa make you a puppet.” She held Estella’s hand and enchanted some spells. I could tell she was making a strong effort to help our daughter recover, but to me, she seemed frail, as if she shouldn’t be doing spells right now.
I walked over to where she was sitting and placed my hands on her shoulders. “Are you feeling weak?”
“Don’t worry, I’m feeling better,” she responded, though I had doubts about her answer at that moment.
“Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?” I advised, trying to dissuade her from overexerting herself with more spells. However, she was stubborn and concerned all at once. I couldn’t blame her for that.
“I’ll go to great lengths to keep her safe. So, don’t worry about me, okay?” She looked up at me, and I realized that maybe she didn’t fully comprehend how important she was to me.
“Why wouldn’t I worry about you? You’re my mate, and she’s my daughter. Both of you are incredibly important to my life. I’d be willing to sacrifice myself to ensure you both have a good life. Always remember that,” I assured her.
“I know,” she responded, offering a brief smile before saying, “Let’s discuss this outside.” It was probably better not to discuss such matters in Estella’s presence, as she might hear us. I agreed with her decision to step outside and talk.
“Sure, let’s not upset our daughter with it.”
Walking out of the room with her, I noticed Gabby’s eyes were still focused on Estella’s room. We were both determined to ensure no harm came to our child.
“So, tell me, what happened to Mateo? Is he alive?” She began questioning me at that moment.