The Regretful Alpha 15.2

Book:The Clawless Luna Wants Rejection Published:2024-11-1

One thing Usher noticed in the brief moment between unconsciousness and consciousness was the gentle grip that held his fingers. With it came the soft exhalation of someone whose scent was all too familiar, Vione’s scent.
“Usher? Are you awake?”
A word spun through Usher’s mind. Then came the questions that accompanied it. Awake? Have I fainted?
Because the last thing Usher remembered was being sucked back into the time portal. After that, everything was dark, and fainting seemed like the most plausible thing that could have happened to him. Then another question came up. What time am I in?
That was the most important thing right now. Especially since Usher was sure that it was Vione who had discovered his existence after he had left the time portal.
“Usher, can you hear me? Are you-”
Usher groaned and felt the vibrations spreading through his chest. His eyelids felt incredibly heavy, as if they wouldn’t allow him to fully wake up. But he didn’t give up and kept trying.
Vione’s face was the first that Usher saw. Vione looked at him intently. He could feel the worry in her eyes.
At the same time, Usher received the answer to his earlier question. He was in the present and his worries vanished. “Vione.”
Vione quickly helped Usher up from the bed. Then she instructed Usher to lean against the headboard of the bed. She made sure Usher could sit comfortably as a flood of relief washed over her.
The worries that had plagued Vione for hours were gone. Now she could breathe easy, but that didn’t mean she’d ignore the restrained grin on Usher’s face. So, she immediately fetched a glass of water after making sure Usher was sitting comfortably.
“Usher, drink this.”
Usher took the drink and quickly moistened his parched throat. He drank it all in one gulp, instantly relieving the heavy feeling that had been oppressing him. His breath felt free now.
Vione took the empty glass and put it on the bedside table. Then she got up, intending to leave for a moment. “I’ll call Rowena, Usher. Just wait here. I won’t be long.”
But Usher stopped her without a word. He reached out and grabbed Vione’s wrist. Vione turned and found herself pulled into Usher’s embrace.
Vione was enveloped in the warmth she had missed so much. It was only fitting that an immediate feeling of peace enveloped her entire being. She closed her eyes and savored Usher’s embrace.
“I missed you, Vione.”
Vione’s heart beat in a deeply melodious rhythm, and Usher’s words were like lyrics that complemented it perfectly. “I’ve missed you too, Usher,” she replied with all her heart. Then she stroked Usher’s back with a soothing touch. “Thank you for coming back to me.”
It seemed that Vione’s intentions had changed slightly now. She could call Rowena soon. Now was the time to finally banish all the longing that had plagued her for so long.
About half an hour passed and Rowena had checked on Usher’s condition. She assured everyone that Usher was perfectly fine.
“Nothing bad has happened to you, Alpha. You’re perfectly fine and just need a few days to fully recover.”
Vione breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God,” she whispered with immense relief. “Thank you, Rowena.”
Rowena turned and smiled at Vione. “You’re welcome, Luna. Now I’ll prepare some medicine to speed up Alpha’s recovery.”
Vione could not express her gratitude. In her eyes, Rowena’s help could not be repaid with mere words. She was deeply grateful, and now she could not speak.
Rowena gave Vione a gentle pat on the shoulder before deciding to leave. Her footsteps were followed by Ayla, who felt she had heard enough about Usher’s condition. They started to leave the room but Usher’s voice stopped them.
“Rowena, when can I go through the time portal again?”
The atmosphere, once filled with relief, suddenly changed. Rowena turned to look at Usher, her forehead slightly furrowed. At that moment, Usher stared straight at Rowena.
“I can still use the time portal, right? Just because I came back to the present doesn’t mean I can’t go back to the past, right?” Usher asked hastily. There was a hint of worry in his mind. He couldn’t afford to lose the only chance to fix all the mishaps that had happened now without Rowena’s help and the time portal. Besides, he hadn’t returned to the desired past yet, and the half-moon pendant necklace he was supposed to give to Vione in the past was still in his possession. “I-”
“Usher,” Vione interrupted quickly. She approached Usher with a worried look on her face. “You’re still tired. You need rest. So, it’s better if we discuss this another time.”
Vione’s words were true. Usher still needed time to recover. But strangely, he felt an unusual attitude from Vione. “I’m fine, Vione. I just need time to rest. After that, I-”
“You will leave again?”
Vione’s voice rose. Everyone was surprised, especially Usher.
“Vione?”
Vione stumbled in a wave of worry and immediate concern as Usher expressed his intentions. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She tried to calm herself, but the memories of yesterday kept swirling in her mind. “I’m not sure returning through the time portal is the right decision, Usher.”
“Vione, I-”
“It’s dangerous, Usher,” Vione quickly interjected again. A hint of her calm vanished, and with it her breath began to rush. “You may have survived this time, Usher, but there’s no guarantee for the next time. You could be hurt and your life could be in danger.” Then she turned to Rowena. “Isn’t that right, Rowena?”
Rowena didn’t answer. But her demeanor gave an implicit answer.
“I don’t want to take that chance, Usher.” Vione shook her head repeatedly. Her breathing became more erratic in a wave of growing fear. Especially as the heat began to spread in her eyes. Her gaze at Usher was tinged with tears ready to spill. “No. I don’t want to lose you a second time.” She felt helpless in this fear. “I can’t, Usher.”
*