Ashira’s POV
Have you ever felt waking up with a feathery feeling? I can feel like my body was flying in the air as if I don’t weight at all. It’s… so light. I feel so light.
“It’s been three days. Why isn’t she waking up?”
Aiden? Why is his voice so hoarse and tired? Did Nick stopped helping him out with the pack works and he was loaded with the job?
I can feel a familiar warmth on my palm. I know this hand. I know every inch and warmth of this big hands. Suddenly, I feel like my hand was micro-sized in between his.
“Have we been tricked?” That’s Seth. Tricked of what?
Hey, why can’t I open my eyes? I feel light but too lazy to even open my eyelids?
‘No. Please no. Come back to me, baby.’ I sweat that was Aiden’s voice reaching me through our portal. I have heard that same words from him, sometimes I heard him said how much I meant to him and how much he loves me. But most of the time, he say those words.
Am I not allowed to sleep? What’s wrong with him?
‘Welcome back to you.’
I was then placed on my core, its too bright but I can see my wolf despite being camouflage by her fur. Did she just welcomed me? Why?
‘Welcome back?’
‘Hmp!’ she looked like I did something bad and she’s not happy with it. What did I do wrong?
‘Are you in your bitch attitude again? You were idle for quite some time, what’s wrong with you?’
Actually, what’s wrong with everybody?
‘I was busy taking care of your puppy! Stuck here babysitting is not a good experience specially with your pup’s grumpy wolf!’
Pup? Oh, right! I was pregnant! Wait, if I’m with Aiden right now then… he saved me from Elon! Oh my God! He saved us!
‘Ashira… be with me…’
It was Aiden, reaching out again. Am I out for too long after he saved me? He seems too worried. Oh, God I need to wake up!
Seth’s POV
“This is bad. If this continues, Aiden will die before Ashira even woke up.” I shook my head. Ava thought that the pan she was holding is good enough to hit my head. “Aw! Hon! My head is not a freaking stone!”
“That’s what you get for spouting nonsense, you idiot!” Oh, I can see my mate’s nose flaring with anger.
“What can I say? He hasn’t eat anything, he put water in his mouth but give it to the unconscious Ashira. If we got enemy right now, they would’ve attacked because of how vulnerable our Alpha is.”
It’s true. Aiden haven’t left Ash’s side since the day we saw them at their spot few days ago. I can’t forget the shock I felt seeing her covered in blood but what I feared more is that it was Aiden’s blood all over her body.
And it’s a lot.
I never saw him bled that much even at the battles our pack had. Never. I can only wonder what happened since he didn’t say much about what happened.
Nick told me what he planned. I’m not against it, even I wanted Ashira to be back because I know how she and the whole Elon’s disaster affected Aiden. Also, I know that the pup inside Ashira will be strong enough without the stealer’s gift.
“Are you scared that Ash will-”
“No. Don’t say it. She’ll wake up, not now but soon. As long as she’s breathing, we have a reason to hope. What concerns me was Aiden. It seems like he is the once who’s scared.”
“Do you think that King tricked him, though?”
I felt silent. Nobody knows the King. No one know what kind of ruler he is but if he did tricked Aiden then there is no way we could take a revenge.
“I just hope for the better.”
Ava sighed and hugged me, I hugged her back tightly. “Okay, I need to finish cooking now. You go upstairs and look after Alpha Aiden.”
“Duty calls.” I grinned.
I do pray everything goes well.
I entered Aiden’s room and saw the same scene. Him, holding Ashira’s hands with both of his. He never took his eyes off her, he haven’t sleep even for a bit. I don’t know how strong he is to hold on but I know he is physically fatigued. Or even mentally.
I tried talking to him about rest but he remained by her side, awake, guarded.
“Hey, Ava’s cooking something. You want anything?” I asked. I waited for a moment but no response from him.
I sighed.
“Man, you’re a handful.” I whined. I decided to sit on the chair behind him and watched as Ash lay on the bed, peacefully sleeping.
‘Hey, wake up on your slumber now, sleeping beauty. Your knight will be dead before you know it.’ I said through her portal. I’ve been talking like this to her but it seems her mind is still at rest.
I sighed. No response, too.
“Have we been tricked?” I asked carefully. I thought he will finally speak to me if I trigger something but still, he is quiet.
I sighed.
I watched as Aiden suffered silently. What is he thinking right now? Does he think he deserves this? Is he hoping like us? Is he praying? Is he talking to her? Is he losing hope? Is he giving up?
No, the last one is far from being possible.
“Baby… I’m here.”
I jumped from where I was dozing off with my own thoughts when I heard him speak.
Baby? I looked at Ashira and her eyes are open!
SHE’S AWAKE!
“Can you hear me? Look at me, baby, please…” Aiden begged.
I can’t imagine Aiden pleading like this. I’ve been with him for so long and he never sounded so… helpless.
“Aiden… W-What’s wrong?…”
Aiden was stunned for a moment. He was unable to speak upon hearing Ash’s voice. I looked at his back, I can’t see his expression…
He suddenly moved and hugged Ashira tight.
He embraced her and…
Aiden cried.
He is almost screaming his cries as he held his mate in a tight embrace. He didn’t mind my presence, its as if I am not in this room or… he simply don’t care.
I never seen Aiden cried.
Just now.
Ashira’s POV
“Ahhh!” my eyes watered from the way Aiden is crying.
It sounded… painful.
The cry I hear when someone dies, the agony when someone broke your heart. It’s the same. But why is he like this?
I encircled my arms around him and embraced him as tight as I could. What’s wrong? Why is he like this.
My eyes started to pool tears and I’m sobbing hard, getting absorbed by his emotions despite the confusion inside me. Did I put him into so much pain that he breakdown like this? What happened?
He continued crying while his face is buried on my neck. I tried consoling him, calming him by caressing his back but he doesn’t stop. He won’t stop. He can’t. He whined like a hurt animal and I can feel the pain he have from the emotions that slipping through our link.
I can’t stop myself but join him. He was hurt, pained but happy.
Damn, what just happened?
“Aiden, what’s wrong? Look at me, please…” I whispered between my sobs. I held his face and made him look at me. I was stunned for a second.
His eyes are so sad. Oh my, what happened for him to be like this?
I grabbed his face with both of my hand and kissed him on the lips. His lips are trembling, he is happy but there’s something else he hold inside that I can’t put into words.
His arms snaked on my waist and pulled me closer to him as he kiss me back. We are kissing without our tongues, its a deep smack but its just enough.
It feels enough.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying like this?” I asked when I break the contact of our lips.
I pressed my forehead to his and wiped the tears off his eyes and cheeks. He is still sobbing but not like earlier.
But the feeling that I can’t explain is still there. It’s drowning him and he seems unaware that its slipping to me.
“Y-You’re here. You are here. With me.” he whispered and tears started pooling down his eyes again.
“Shh, baby, what’s wrong? I never left you. I’m always here. I will always be with you.”
Is it that bad to sleep now? Or am I not asleep?
I wanted to pry for answers and explanation but I know this is not the right time. Aiden is still sinking in this drowning feeling and even if I can feel half of it, I can’t swam myself up.
Oh, Aiden… what happened to you? To me? To us?
He hugged me once more and as I had him in my arms, I felt everything he was feeling right now.
He thought I won’t come back, and he is grateful to heavens that I’m here. It confuses me but I can still feel it so bad.
“Don’t leave me again…” he whispered and kisses me again. I never thought of leaving you…
“I won’t. I will never.”
“You’re back… you’re back.”
He kept repeating those words over and over like he couldn’t believe it. I looked at Seth who is quietly walking out of the room.
I guess I didn’t just fell asleep.
***
It’s been two days since I woke up. Two days since I witnessed my mate cried so hard and looking back, I never thought he will be okay. He never left my side since. He holds my hand, and never let go if it in everything that I do. May it be eating, bathing, anything.
“You always look at me.” I said.
We are sitting here at our spot. The sun is shining bright and the day is wonderful that I asked him to take me here. I feel like its been too long since I’ve been here so I enjoyed the greenery.
But Aiden’s gaze never left mine.
Slowly, his arm that rested on my waist moved up to my shoulder. He pulled me closer. He kissed the top of my head in long seconds then he looked at my eyes again.
“I love you, Ash.” he whispered.
I smiled. “I love you, too.”
He kept being like this every since I woke up two days ago. I don’t remember what happened after I was taken hostage by Elon but Aiden filled me up with details.
He said that Elon has stolen me from him and that the King came to lift the curse. I never remember any of it, but I cared less. All that is important to me now is that I’m back and cured.
He thought I won’t wake up anymore, that I left him for real.
Aiden rested his head on my lap as he lay on the grass, he caress my baby bump and planted kisses on it.
I smiled.
“Oh, it moved.” I said as I felt it. I chuckled when he continued kissing my belly, asking for more movements. I ran my fingers through his hair as he played with our baby.
Aww, I think he can’t wait for our child to be born! He look so cute!
“Did he fell asleep?” Aiden pouted when the baby didn’t moved again, and I laughed from his reaction. He waited but when there’s no response from our child, he closed his eyes and gave my bump a long kiss.
Aww, he looks so daddy-ing.
I continue to caress his hair. He seemed over protected of me lately. I can only imagine the fear he gone through while I’m out of our bond. Though he barely talks about it and ensure me that everything was fine, I know it didn’t.
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