A PRICE TO PAY

Chapter 18

Price to Pay

Adelaide's POV

I couldn't believe that all I've been feeling was because of the mate bond.

I thought as much, when it was always around Kaius but, I didn't want to just conclude.

But, why was he acting as though he wasn't feeling anything?!

Was he trying to avoid me somehow?!

He asked me to come to his room, saying he was unwell but, all I saw was a very alpha man.

I couldn't tell exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it, but if he was pretending not to feel anything, then I needed to act too.

But, how can I when my heart yawns for him at any given chance. Even his wolf calls for me silently and I can't shut him out because of the bond we share.

If he doesn't want me, he should just reject me. I thought, still lying on the bed, my thoughts running wild.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

I thought it was Kaius and my mind almost leaped, but it was one of the maids in charge of the alpha's chambers.

“My lady, do you need anything?!” She asked, bowing silently, her both hands entwined in front of her.

I looked at her for a while without responding as though I lost my voice, but when I found my voice again, I spoke.

“Get me a cup of water..” I muttered, sitting up.

She nodded and went quickly to get the cup of water.

In no time, she returned with it, holding it gently as she handed it over to me.

I took it and drank from it, but after a while I started feeling unwell.

“Are you alright my lady?!” She asked again, trying to help me stand, but I stopped her.

I didn't want her to know much of what I was feeling nor tell Kaius what was happening to me.

I stood up and walked towards the door, but my eyes started spinning and I couldn't see where I was going clearly.

I stood there waiting for my vision to clear first before I continued walking.

The maid rushed to me at once, “should I help you, my lady?”

This time around, I didn't hesitate, I just nodded completely.

“Take me to my chambers.”

She acted at once and walked me down the hallway and to my room.

I sat on the bed and requested for another water.

She rushed to get it.

Just then, Paula entered looking worried immediately she saw the way I was looking.

“Luna! Luna!”

She rushed over to me, holding my hands as though I would dissolve if she didn't hold me.

“What happened to you?!” She asked, looking all over my body to see if I was hurt.

Just then, the maid from earlier came in with another glass of water.

But, as she was about to hand it over to me, Paula took it from her.

“I'll give it to her.” Paula said, taking the glass of water from her.

The maid looked at me as though expecting me to defend her, but when I said nothing, she nodded without uttering a word, she left.

“Why did you take it from her??” I asked, looking at Paula directly as she still held the water in her hands.

“I don't trust her to attend to you, my lady.” She said and without warning, she walked over to the restroom and emptied the glass of water.

I chuckled at her reaction, but I didn't say anything yet.

Soon, she returned with another glass of water, she tasted it in front of me, stunning me and then handed it over to me.

I held the cup for a while, staring at her.

She smiled and bowed her head as though she was shy, but I knew she wasn't, not the Paula I know.

She leaned in, staring straight at my eye balls.

“What happened to you?!” She asked, but I only smiled at her.

She heaved and walked over to the flowers by the corner of the room.

I sat up, ready to talk now, because I knew she was feeling disappointed because I didn't utter a word to her.

“Paula… I don’t feel well.”

I finally said, my voice sounding weaker than it used to be.

Paula turned immediately from where she was arranging the flowers by the window. The moment she saw my face, her hands froze.

“My Luna?” she rushed to me. “You’re pale.”

I pressed my palm against my chest. It hurt. It wasn't like a wound or illness. It was deeper. Like something inside me was being pulled, stretched, tightened all at once.

“I feel…” I swallowed. “I don’t know. Sick. But not sick.”

The pain came again and it was sharp this time around. My knees buckled slightly when I tried to stand up and Paula caught my arm.

“Sit. Please sit,” she begged, guiding me to the chair close to my bed.

I sat, breathing slowly, trying not to panic. This has been happening for a few hours now. It would come suddenly, then fade, then come back worse.

I knew from experience that nothing was wrong with my body, it could be the bond that was not sealed properly.

The bond? It rang in my head, as I thought about it, tapping my feet on the floor.

My chest burned whenever Kaius was near. And when he wasn’t, it ached like something important was missing.

I hated it. I hated how weak it made me feel.

The door opened without warning and I saw Kaius walked in.

My heart reacted before my mind did.

It tightened painfully, then fluttered, then burned.

I gasped.

Paula bowed quickly and stepped back.

Kaius’s eyes traced me for just a second before his face hardened again.

“So,” he said flatly. “You look worse….”

He looked at me and I wondered who told him what was happening to me and then I remembered the maid from earlier.

I clenched my fingers into my dress.

“I didn’t ask for this,” I replied quietly.

He scoffed.

“No. You just enjoy acting fragile.”

Paula shifted uncomfortably and then he spoke without asking for permission.

“My Alpha, maybe you should…”

“Leave,” he cut in sharply.

Paula hesitated, looked at me, then bowed and left.

I stood slowly, even though my legs trembled.

“Why do you keep doing this?” I asked. “Why are you being like this?”

He laughed, as though I was a joke to him.

“You want the truth?” he asked. “Fine. I’m doing you a favor.”

“A favor?” My voice cracked.

“Yes,” he snapped. “If you hate me enough, maybe your body will stop reacting to me.”

I stared at him.

“You’re… trying to make me hate you?”

His jaw tightened.

“This bond is a mistake,” he said coldly. “And mistakes can be undone.”

Every word hurt more than the pain in my chest.

“So you think hurting me will fix it?” I whispered.

“I think distance will,” he replied. “And disgust helps.”

Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall, I wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

“If that’s what you want,” I said softly, “then you’re succeeding.”

He looked at me again, as though happy about what he was doing.

“Good,” he said. “Then this won’t be hard.”

He turned and walked out.

The moment the door closed, the pain hit me fully.

I cried out, collapsing back into the chair.

My chest felt like it was being crushed and I couldn’t breathe properly.

Later that day, the Queen Mother came to see me.

She didn’t bother hiding her assessment as her sharp eyes scanned my face.

“You don't look so bad,” she said bluntly.

I said nothing, I just stared away. I wondered who was feeding them with so much information.

“This bond sickness will only worsen if you remain close to my son,” she said. “You should live apart.”

My heart skipped painfully. She knew it was the bond that was causing all this.

“Live… apart?”

“Yes,” she continued. “For your health. It would be best if you move to the east wing. Far from him.”

I wanted to argue, but I was tired already. I guess that was what Kaius wanted all along.

“If that’s what he wants,” I murmured.

She smiled faintly.

“Oh, it is.”

___

That evening, when Paula had gone out.

I was feeling bored and I needed fresh air. The garden looked like something that would relax my muscles if I stepped in there and it looked as though it was calling onto me.

I went to the garden without hesitation and then I tried to walk back to my room alone.

But, it looked like the hallway was endless and my vision was getting blurry.

“Just a little more,” I whispered to myself.

Then my legs gave out and I fell.

The pain exploded through my chest like fire and before I knew what was happening, everything went blank.