“The audacity you have to raise your voice at my mate, knowing damn well you don’t have the balls to raise your voice at me.” Neron growled low, holding Valerian in the air by the front of his shirt. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?!”
Valerian huffed through his nose, slamming his eyes shut and bending his neck to the side to show his surrender. His eyes flashed between green and blue, wolf and human fighting against the alpha might before settling back on green. Kiya saw Neron’s body relax a bit through blowing out a breath, loosening his grip on his shirt but not letting go. “Neron-”
“Wait just a moment, Kiya.” Neron answered in a soft tone before turning his attention back to his beta. “You’re going through a lot, I understand. Your wife is in the operating room, and you’ re stressed. I can’t begin to think what you’re feeling through the bond. But none of that is an excuse for yelling at Kiya or *insulting* her.”
“Yes, Alpha.” He answered in a low, defeated whisper.
“She has done nothing to warrant your disrespect.” Neron spoke again. “You’re my friend and my brother, but if you ever cross this line with her again, it’ll be the last time you’ll ever speak another word. I will cut your tongue out and shove it down your throat. Do I make myself clear?
Valerian nodded in resignation, releasing a shaky breath once Neron released him. Kiya pivoted on her heels, biting her bottom lip and averting her eyes away from the men. This was way too much for anyone to handle. Assuming the coast was clear, one of the doctors working on Raina came into the room to deliver the news.
Raina was alive but in critical condition. She had been put into a medically induced coma, and an antidote against the wolfsbane and silver had been implemented in hopes of speeding up the healing process. That also meant her wolf, Cyra, was unable to heal her as she was unresponsive. Valerian’s entire body deflated like a balloon, but he tried his best to hold firm as he thanked the doctor for the update.
Neron believed it was best to leave him alone to see his wife. Once Adonis and Orchid came back from the play area, they departed to see Raina. Both he and Kiya took that as their signal to leave the hospital for the night.
They stepped foot into the woodsy air, but the silence between them crackled with tautness.
“Do you want to talk?” Neron asked as they walked back to the pack house.
Kiya inhaled through her nose, ticked her jaw, and shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
The sting hit him in the heart as he watched Kiya speed walk toward the house without looking back.
*Promises are only as strong as the person who gives them.”
**** *Neron* ***
Stephen Richards*
By the stroke of Lady Luck’s finger, repairing the damage to my home and land from the battle didn’t take as long as I thought it would. What would normally take my men and I hours, or even days, to fix was cut down by more than half thanks to the avatars. With a sprinkle of magic here and there, thanks to Phoebe and Asim and Violetta’s willingness to help, I could sleep easily knowing my home was alright.
Yet, an immovable stone sat heavy in my chest. How does one sleep with a bleeding heart?
Raina’s condition rippled through her family like a shockwave from an atomic bomb. One would be blind not to see or *feel* their sadness and frustration. Adonis’ forlorn gaze stuck to my heart like glue when he opted to skip dinner, preferring to stay in his room away from everybody. Little Orchid didn’t have to say anything to express herself, not when she blazed past everyone toward the direction of her bedroom. Valerian, defeated and spent, promised me that he would try to talk to his children before he went to sleep, but even I knew his efforts would be futile.
The children wouldn’t see their mother for some time. As much as we adults try to deny it, kids know. They can pick up disturbances better than anybody. They just can’t verbalize it as well as
we can.
After bidding Luli and the other Omegas a good night, I walked up the stairs to the fourth floor. The sounds of doors closing echoed from the hallway below. The avatars must’ve retired to the guest rooms I’ve given them. They deserved to rest after what they did for me earlier.
Sighing through my nose, I thought back to my encounter with Val in the hospital. Was I too hard on him? The man almost lost his wife, and I threatened to cut his tongue out. My muscles trembled with guilt. The mate bond was powerful, but it could be too powerful. Whatever one does, they will always have an inkling of how their other half is feeling, from their emotions to their physical condition. If they’re in pain or not. Who is to say Valerian isn’t taking on a lot of Raina’s pain right now?
Pain or no pain, the way he spoke to Kiya was unacceptable.
Speaking of my girlfriend, I haven’t seen her since we left the hospital, and I’m worried. She didn’t show up for dinner, and that, in itself, was a bad sign.
A pair of rapid footsteps echoed behind me as I approached the top floor’s threshold. A gust of air and a blur of black and blue dashed past me, damn near bumping into my arm. Once I caught sight of the mane of black silk hair flailing behind her, I crossed my arms and cleared my throat.
“You know, it’s rude not to say, ‘excuse me’ when you bump into someone, right, Nuria?”
My sister slowed her steps and spun on her heels to face me. She was up to no good. That Cheshire grin on her face said it all. She hid her arms behind her back, hiding whatever she cradled in her hands. “Hey, Alaskan Moose! What’s up?”
I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t THAT big.
“**I beg to differ—*
****
“*Shut up.” I grumbled to Onyx before turning my attention back to Nuria. “What was that?”
“What was what?” She cocked her head to the side.
“I asked you.”
“Asked me what?”
“What’s behind your back?”
“None of your business.”
A light thud was heard. Dropping my eyes to the ground, I spotted a small booklet with matches set in a perfect line inside. Nuria picked it up, hid it behind her back again, maintaining her rinky-dink innocence with that annoying grin on her face.
“What are you doing with matches?”
“Um…” She averted her eyes, asking the empty hallway for help. “I just need it for…something.”
“Something.” I repeated.
“Yes. Something.”
“Then you don’t mind showing me what else is behind your back?”
Nuria’s smile curled into a snarl. “Nosy, much? I’m not going to burn down anything if that’s what you’re thinking.”
*Not now, but one day, you might*. “Oh. Nuria, why would I think such a thing?”
“Because you’ve got that suspicious look on your face like you always do.” She rolled her eyes and showed me what she was hiding. “I just needed a couple of candles, okay?”
Two long white candles rested in her palms, with her thumb holding the matchbook. The body had melted a bit, shaping itself around Nuria’s fingertips. How odd. “See, was that so hard?” I chuckled when she flipped me a friendly bird. “Are the lights in your room not working?”
“Oh, they are. I don’t need them for light. Phoebe is sleeping with me tonight.”
“So, they’re for her.”
“You can say that. We’re going to have some fun with them.”
I pursed my lips together, confused. “What fun do you need with candles?”