Book 1: Chapter Fifty-One

*** Nate’s POV ***

My eyes opened and immediately I regretted it. The searing pain radiated throughout my entire body. The pillow under my head felt like it was making my neck hurt more than it was helping. What the hell happened? I closed my eyes for a second, trying to go over the information of what was missing. It was like a lightening bolt. The pain in my heart hurt worse than anything coming from my back. Goddess, Aelia had to stand through two hundred lashes. Any mate having to do that to another, mated or not, would crumble. Letting a sob escape, I deserved this pain but she didn’t. Aelia didn’t deserve anything she’d come across in her life.

The door opened up and I watched Silas and Shep step through. Silas made eye with me and sighed.

“How you doing? How’s the pain?”

I turned my head. “It’s nothing.”

“Nate…”

“How’s Solaris?” I used her new name since Shep was here. She never really said who knew and who didn’t.

Silas came around, sitting on the stool that I had in front of