It took a while for Nicolas to calm down.
“Not a word of this to anyone.” He said to karen as he composed himself.
Karen nodded. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“She’ll be fine” Kai said to Nicolas. “I’ll make sure of it. For you.”
“Thank you,” Nicolas replied.
Kai got to his feet and turned to Karen. “Let’s go ” He said, his eyes hard.
Karen felt a bit afraid. “Okay.”
That night she slept beside David, only able to get two hours of sleep. She made a mental note to ask the healer for some sleeping potions.
The next day, Kai mobilized his warriors. Karen met him in the field as he was addressing the warriors. She waited patiently for him to be done before going up to him .
“What’s going on?” She asked, confusion on her face.
“We’re sending forces to Asher’s pack for yesterday.”
“A war?!” She whispered
“We will soon see.” He said and brushed past her, walking away.
Karen didn’t like how cold he was. Ever since the previous night, he had been like this. Even though earlier in the morning, he introduced her to one of the capable nannies in the pack to take care of David.
He seemed really angry.
And she believed he had all reason to be. Part of what held so dear to him had turned out to be a lie. He had spent so long believing that Asher was his Savior when in facet Asher was a selfish man who didn’t care about anyone.
He was starting to remind her of her own father.
Karen tried to go by her activities, taking care of her and David and leaving him with the nanny when she had something to do outside.
She spent some time in the gardens trying to clear he head from her worries.
Each day that passed by seemed like it was even worse.
Kai was getting more and more angry, easily snapping at even the smallest things. Karen respectfully stayed on her own giving him as much space as possible, not wanting to further enrage him.
At mealtimes, a servant would bring their food to them. On one of such days she and David ate together in their room
“Is that big man my father?” David suddenly spoke up, glancing at her.
Karen choked on her food. She quickly drank some water and turned to her son. “Why Would you ask that?”
The boy shrugged. He was pushing his food around on his plate. “I sometimes hear his voice in my head.” He mutered “he sounds very angry”
Karen agreed. Kai was very angry these days. With everything that was going on. “I’ll tell you who your father is, okay.” She said with a soft tone. “Until that time, don’t say things like this anymore.”
He nodded. “Okay, I won’t.”
Kai hadn’t asked her yet about the baby’s father, his one condition for saving David. Karen thought that maybe he had forgotten about it.
She prayed that he had forgotten. Because she didn’t know what to tell him.
In the evenings Karen would check up on Verena. It had been four days and she hadn’t woken up yet. Karen would sit by her bedside and watch her chest rise and fall.
She wished she would wake up already.
***
Nicolas watched the healer treat Verena’s wound, the elderly woman shaking her head every two seconds.
“Will she wake up?” Nicolas asked, for the umpteenth time.
“I’m afraid I’m not so sure.” The healer replied. “I haven’t seen anything like this before. It’s not supposed to happen .”
Nicolas took Verena’s hand and held it close to his lips. He prayed desperately that she would open her eyes and look at him. He wanted to hold her, hear her voice and gaze into her eyes.
The past four days had been hell for him. Waking up and she wasn’t there beside him. He missed her presence so damn much.
The healer packed up her things and got up to leave. “Will I lose her?” Nicolas asked the dreaded question.
“Prepare your heart.” The healer replied with a sad smile. “That’s all I can say” she took out a pouch of herbs and handed it to him. “It’s for the nerves. Drink it like a tea, it’ll help a bit.”
Nicolas felt his entire world crumble at those words.
Prepare his heart?!
How would he do that?! He wanted his love back, his eternal mate. And he would do anything to get her back. Anything except prepare his heart.
Nicolas wished he had gutted Asher right before the cowards ran away. He had been shocked to learn that he and Kai’s rescue was a planned event. What did he stand to gain ? Power? control?
Did he want to take Kai’s pack for himself?
Nicolas sighed, his head feeling heavy wut all the thoughts running through them. He glanced at the herbs in his hand. He doubted that they would help at all
‘Nicolas,’ Kai’s voice pierced through his mind. ‘Any luck?’
‘Not yet.’ Nicolas replied. ‘The woman said I should prepare my heart.’
He , heard Kai sigh. ‘I’m really sorry’
‘Its no your fault.’
Nicolas knew Kai was getting restless. Form what he had been able to gather, Asher was on the run and plotting something. His pack had been deserted, not even a soul to be found. The man was turning out to be pure evil himself.
‘I should be there helping you out ‘ Nicolas said.
‘Dont even try it.’ Kai spat ‘not until you’re in a better head space.’
‘Kai you need rest.’
‘Not yet. I have to…’
Nicolas felt another person intrude inside their mind link. He went on guard, and he felt Kai tense too.
‘Hi,’ The soft voice of a child said. Then it was gone.
‘what was that?’ Nicolas asked.
‘Someone tapped into our link.’
That was impossible. No one could do that. Unless….
Nicolas felt a sinking feeling in his chest. ‘That’s weird.’
‘I agree. You take care, I have to see the warriors.’
Nicolas nodded. He turned to Verena. “He’s still fighting for you you know. Even after everything”
She didn’t reply. He really hoped she would have.
***
Karen walked through the halls, memories of her time as the alpha’s slave flooding her mind. Aside form Kai, there was also Verena who made her life hell.
Karen had never imagined that she would be feeling pity for Verena as she was right now. It made her smile. Life always had a way of turning out in the most unexpected ways didn’t it?
Karen got to Verena’s room and ushered herself in. Nicolas was by her side, as always. He looked up at her and waved, no words exchanged between them.
Karen sat beside Verena, touching her arm lightly. She hadn’t noticed in the past, but Verena seemed young, about her age. And now that she was in a coma like state, she looked even younger.
Karen thought about it all.
Perhaps if it weren’t for her, would Asher have succeeded?
Verena was to marry Kai. And she had seemed like she was looking forward to it. And then she showed up, setting everything ablaze.
Karen felt a twinge of guilt. But then she turned and looked at Nicolas, and it also dawned on her that if she hadn’t showed up, Verena would have been stuck in a loveless marriage with Kai driven solely by political greed.
“You really love her don’t you?” Karen asked Nicolas.
“Yes, with all that I am.” He replied. “I know it must be weird to you, given our circumstances and all that. But I am more than happy the moon goddess mated us ”
“I can’t tell ..” Karen said. Nicolas wasn’t afraid to show his affection for Verena.
Karen wondered if Kai even loved her at all. He hadn’t said the words to her, he was giving her mixed signals. It was an exhausting thing.
Karen held Verena’s hand and squeezed. She wished with her whole heart that Verena would wake up, if for no other reason, for the sake of her love. She closed her eyes and prayed with her heart that Verena would wake up.
Karen blinked, starting to feel tried out of nowhere. She felt a liquid trickle down her nose and touched it. Her hand came stained with blood.
“Karen?” She heard Nicolas’ worried voice call. “Are you okay? Oh my goodness you’re bleeding!”
Karen shook her head. “it’s nothing. I….”
Verena stirred. She opened her eyes, half lidded and tired.
“Nick…” She gasped.
Nicolas gasped and rushed forward, grabbing her hand. “You’re awake!”
“I ..” Her eyes drifted shut and she went back to her deep sleep.
Karen was feeling dizzier by the second. But at least her prayer had worked. Verena had woken up.
“That’s really good ” She said quietly. “Thank the goddess ..”
“Karen! Karen! Don’t pass out! Karen….”
She heard Nicolas calling her name till his voice got fainter and fainter till she couldn’t hear him anymore. Her ears filled with a ringing noise, her eyes going blurry.
She fell into a pair of arms, her body going weak. The last thing she saw was a pair of worried blue eyes peering into her face.
***
Karen woke up in her room. She knew from the ceilings. as she laid in bed, trying to recollect her thoughts, she felt her head explode into a headache. She sat up in bed and groaned, rubbing her head.
“Mommy!” David’s voice called out. “You’re awake! I was so worried.”
Karen glanced at him and smiled. “My baby, I’m fine now.”
“I really hope you are.” She heard Kai’s voice and he sounded bitter.
She turned to see him sitting by her bedside, his eyes cold and hard as he stared at her. Karen felt her heart drop a beat.
“What’s wrong?” She asked,
“What’s wrong is you seeking attention at the worst of all times.” Kai snapped. “Can’t you understand what is going on? You think you can go about playing victim?!”
What the fuck was wrong with him?!