HAYLEE~~By the time Xalen and I got to the execution ground, which we had chosen for the hearing instead of the court, everyone was gathered, including representatives from all the packs in the realm.Among the representatives was a familiar Alpha. I didn’t notice the night I crashed Allison’s dream coronation after she tried to crash my entire life. Upon sighting Jett, Liya grunted, “I know he is also a victim of circumstance, but why do I still hate him so much?”Did I feel the same way? Hell, yes.However, Jett wasn’t the reason I left my mom’s side today. He wasn’t the reason my mom was half dead and why Kaylee was dead, dead. Therefore, I couldn’t care if he was present or not.“Good afternoon, members of the Royal Pack and subjects who have come from far to celebrate a wedding that unfortunately didn’t happen,” Xalen began, addressing the large audience. “A new date for the wedding and coronation will be announced after all this mess has been cleared.”“Good afternoon, Alpha
ALPHA KING XALEN~~“Isn't it a great morning? Perfect for torturing the devil and his incarnate.”If I had been fighting sleep to watch over Haylee and her mom, even though we were in a safe place where no one could snatch her up and take her miles away from me just to torture her before I get her back…Yeah, my fears exactly.But even though I was certain none of that could happen, I stayed up to watch Haylee and her mom after I made sure Haylee got comfortable on the bed. So it's been three nights of little to no sleep for me, starting from the night Haylee was taken, which I spent trying to catch fake Jose, whom I believed was the red wolf— not like any of that matters now anyway.If I were trying to stay awake before Haylee woke up and voiced those words, my eyes cleared immediately. Although my brows furrowed as I didn’t understand how someone who cried herself to sleep could wake up in such good spirits, good enough to want to drag our prisoners through hell.I was stunned, a
HAYLEE~~“Are you planning to rot in bed with me?” The voice I had been yearning to hear all day finally broke into my restless mind.My eyes flew open with immediate alacrity.I expected to see myself in the private room where the Healers had been attending to my mom and in Xalen’s arms because I remembered falling asleep after crying my eyes out and gazing at my still mother for hours.However, I saw myself in the familiar realm, which could be called our special place. It brought a smile to my face, yet my heart skipped a beat as I gazed at her flawless face and healthy body—of course, she was gorgeous in this realm.“Are you planning to kill yourself or die of exhaustion?” I retorted after getting over the initial shock, among other feelings.“Why would I want to do that? I don’t want to die, Nerina.” She muttered to me, and the smile on her face widened when she saw the way I reacted to her declaration. “Yes, I do not want to die, and I heard everything your kind healer said,
HAYLEE~~The second Gladys used the word “death,” I felt a million and one emotions crashing into me and going straight for my already aching heart.I might not act like it, but I heard every word she said. Each one pierced into my skin, inflicting an indescribable pain on my soul. The past twenty-four hours of my life seemed to be so extra. I mean, I couldn’t even find the right words to describe or express all that had happened.And from experience, I might never find those words.“If it’s too much for her, I hope you can let go of your desires and make the right decision for her,” Gladys concluded after telling me that I might have to let the mother I was yet to know die.Did she say if it gets to be too much? Fuck, this was too much for me. My body was constantly experiencing pain in different forms and on various levels. I didn’t know just how much more I could take.But I still wouldn’t want to keep Aradia hooked up to machines if it was doing more harm than good. I still wou
ALPHA KING XALEN~~I have tried to be as quiet as possible while still being supportive. I gave Haylee the space she needed to process her feelings and all the new information Gladys was throwing at her, but I also had to be there for her.I had to find a balance, and for a fully grown Alpha male like me, finding a balance between caring and staying back was difficult.But of course, not as difficult as wrapping one’s head around Gladys’s response to Haylee’s last question. In fact, Haylee jolted off the bed, eyes widely open as she gasped, “Are you kidding me? Gosh, you can’t be serious, Gladys.”My mate fought against Gladys's declaration. Yet, when she saw Gladys's unwavering expression, Haylee crumbled from within, begging as she began to sob, “Please tell me you were trying to be funny.”“I won’t joke around with such—” Gladys began, shaking her head.But Haylee cried out, cutting her statement short, “But she can’t experience withdrawal symptoms for a whole year! Why would yo
HAYLEE~~“There you are!” Gladys exhaled with relief when I entered one of the private suites in the building. I wasn’t surprised my mom was getting special treatment, nor was I caught off guard when Gladys approached me and threw her arms around me.Liya, who had been quiet since the emotional moment with my dad, muttered, “It’s hugging day, I guess.”I smiled sadly as I hugged Gladys back, nodding as she told me how happy she was to have me back home. But she also grumbled, “I am so mad at the devil that did all this damage. I wish I didn’t have to give him an antidote and heal him after he was brought in last night.”Confused, I queried, “Why did you have to do that?”I pulled back from Gladys's comforting hug and looked at my mate, who had also been quiet. Before Gladys could answer, Xalen did with a small smile on his face, as if he didn’t want to provoke me, “She had to because he would have died if she didn’t. I couldn’t let him die that easily.”“Great.” I nodded, telling m