My peaceful world was shaken by violent tremors, as if a small earthquake had struck the courtyard.
I opened my eyes with great difficulty, my eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, only to find Lauren staring at me with eyes as wide as moons, shaking me like a madwoman.
I muttered in a voice I could barely hear:
"What... what is it?"
Lauren let out a long exhale followed by a deep sigh of relief, as if she had been holding her breath her entire life:
"My God! I saw you lying on the ground like that, and for a moment I thought you had lost consciousness or something terrible had happened to you."
I sighed slowly, shaking my head with mock regret:
"I think pregnancy hormones have affected your logic a bit this time."
Lauren burst into a ringing laugh that echoed beautifully in the courtyard, and said with flowing enthusiasm:
"It doesn't matter now! What matters is that the party outfits have arrived! And you have to choose."
I straightened up quickly, reaching out to grab her hand and pull her toward the room, asking curiously:
"Let's go then, time is running out. By the way, did you tell Arin the happy news?"
Lauren smiled a charming smile, her eyes shining with overwhelming happiness, and began to tell me enthusiastically:
"When he found out about my pregnancy, he almost went crazy with joy! He couldn't believe for a moment that he was going to become a father. He has become so protective, even preventing me from doing many things out of fear for me and our little child."
I replied with comfort and reassurance, patting her shoulder tenderly:
"Didn't I tell you? I was sure he would become a wonderful and perfect father."
As soon as we stepped into Night's room, I was mesmerized by the scene before me.
Three dresses of extreme beauty were displayed like paintings.
But my eyes couldn't resist the charm of a jet-black dress, embroidered with delicate gold patterns at the chest, flowing to define the waist precisely and then widening smoothly at the bottom, sleeveless and completed by a luxurious royal cloak.
I picked it up eagerly and said with clear admiration:
"This one, I like it!"
Lauren's eyes widened in amazement, and she opened her mouth in surprise:
"That dress? It was personally chosen by the Alpha!"
I raised my eyebrows in mock surprise and said sarcastically:
"Oh, that arrogant man has amazing taste then."
Lauren chuckled softly and said with a smile:
"Don't let appearances fool you, my dear."
I nodded to her understandingly:
"Indeed, and he is the best example of this contradiction."
"Alright then, I'll go now, Arin is waiting for me."
I waved her goodbye and carefully placed the remaining dresses in the closet.
Afterward, I lay down on the bed, my body surrendering to the weight of exhaustion, while my head and hands slowly rolled downward off the edge of the bed.
I closed my eyes in extreme fatigue, feeling the lethargy completely overwhelm me.
I was relaxing comfortably, immersed in my own world, when the door opened quietly.
I didn't bother to open my eyes; instead, I continued my relaxation in that strange way.
I felt him advancing toward me with quiet, measured steps, finally stopping in front of me, directly over my head.
I ignored him completely, pretending not to notice his presence, but I was aware of every movement he made.
Then, I felt him bring his head remarkably close to mine.
"What is he trying to do?"
I wondered internally, my curiosity starting to overcome my feigned coldness.
I opened my eyes slowly and looked at him. He was facing me exactly, staring at me with an intensity that truly flustered me.
He noticed the confusion in my eyes, but I managed to regain my composure quickly, saying with feigned coldness:
"What the hell are you doing?"
He answered very calmly, as if nothing had happened:
"Nothing."
I raised an eyebrow skeptically and replied:
"And what is your head doing now? Don't tell me it moved on its own!"
He answered with a slight smile, perhaps a mocking one:
"It's possible."
I pushed him away with slight annoyance and said:
"Don't interrupt my relaxation."
He snorted with clear sarcasm as he sat on the sofa opposite me, contemplating me with looks I couldn't decode, and said:
"You call this relaxation? In that strange way?"
I ignored him completely and closed my eyes again, trying to enjoy the remaining silence, while being fully aware that his gaze never left me for a single moment.
Suddenly, I felt a piercing coldness invade the place abruptly—the same sensation that had gripped me on that ill-fated night.
I forced my eyes open to see Night still in that watchful position, observing me intently.
"Damn, doesn't he feel this change in the atmosphere?"
I stood up quickly, scanning the room and sniffing the air for any trace, but I found no specific scent, only an overwhelming feeling of another entity's presence.
Night looked at me in surprise and stood up, approaching me with curiosity:
"What's the matter?"
I looked at him cautiously and said:
"Don't you feel something strange?"
He knit his eyebrows in confusion and shook his head. I stared at him intensely and said:
"He is here, I feel him... that man."
His eyes widened in shock, and he was about to say something when a thick black smoke suddenly spread throughout the place, and a rough voice began to echo around:
"Ah, my dear, finally you've started to feel me. Soon you will be completely mine... my own."
Night screamed in a violent rage, pulling me behind him for protection:
"You bastard, show yourself!"
The voice laughed loudly and said:
"My dear brother."
I was shocked by what I heard. His brother? I felt suffocated, and my heart tightened painfully. I pressed my chest in pain and said in broken words:
"Wha... what... have you... done... to me?"
Night looked at me with extreme concern, holding my shoulders:
"Sira, what's wrong, Sira... What did you do to her, you prick?"
The voice laughed a booming laugh that shook the corners of the place and said before everything vanished with the smoke:
"Soon, Sira Walker, you will be mine!"
I screamed in sharp pain, as if my heart was being ripped from its place. Night said with increasing worry and fear:
"Sira! Sira! Look at me!"
I raised my gaze to him, my eyes red from the intensity of the pain, to see his panicked features. I told him as I clung to him and straightened up a little:
"I'm fine... I'm fine."
Night said quickly and in terror:
"No, no, you are not fine!"
I shook my head while breathing slowly and sporadically; the pain was becoming more intense.
I squeezed my heart's location with my hands, closing my eyes tightly, a faint moan escaping me because of the ache.
I coughed violently, and drops of blood flowed from my mouth, only to collapse into his arms afterward.
He quickly carried me and placed me on the bed with grave concern, while I pointed weakly to the source of the pain in my chest.
He lifted my shirt, and his eyes widened in shock and horror at what he saw.
I looked down with difficulty—there was a strange tattoo, and black veins extending from the tattoo toward my heart and its surroundings.
The tattoo began to move and throb, and the pain increased as if an invisible hand was crushing my heart.
I screamed and writhed in my place from the intensity of the pain, and said to Night, whose features showed extreme fear and terror:
"Night... do... something..."
I felt like I was drowning in deep darkness. He placed his hand on my face, saying in a trembling tone:
"Okay Sira, look at me. Don't close your eyes, come on Sira, look at me."
Suddenly, his heart contracted too, and his features contorted in severe pain, clutching his heart with his hand.
His gaze widened in shock and panic as he shouted:
"The bond! It's breaking!"
At that critical moment, Lauren rushed in; I believe he had telepathically communicated with her.
Night pulled away slightly, writhing in pain, and said in a broken voice:
"The bond... the bond is breaking!"
He pointed with a shaking finger at the strange tattoo that was moving and throbbing terrifyingly on my chest.
Upon seeing the tattoo, Lauren's eyes widened in sheer horror, and she said in a faint, shocked voice:
"It's forbidden magic."
She swallowed hard with great difficulty and continued the explanation:
"It's for... separating mates. When the original bond breaks, the caster of the spell automatically bonds with the intended person—which is Sira in this case."
Night looked at her in disbelief, shaking his head:
"Can't you do something?"
Lauren took a deep breath, trying to compose herself and focus her powers, and said with determination:
"I think it's in the early stages, so I'll try... and I hope this works."
She looked at Night with a serious gaze; he understood the signal and said quickly:
"Impossible, I'm not leaving!"
Lauren pulled my shirt aside and placed her left hand over my heart area, saying to Night:
"You must support me then with your energy."
Night nodded immediately, placing his hand on her shoulder to provide her with his energy.
Lauren began her work, and her palm placed on my chest glowed with a bright light.
I was semi-conscious of what was happening around me; I could hear and see everything, but the pain was overwhelming.
I felt something cold and burning at the same time penetrating my heart and every cell in my body.
I screamed like a madwoman from the intensity of the pain, drenched in heavy sweat.
I dug my claws—which had grown long—into the bedsheets in a desperate attempt to endure the horrific pain, while Night sat over me, trying to hold me down and prevent me from thrashing too much.
After long minutes of struggle and tension, Lauren pulled away as soon as things calmed down and a relative silence fell.
She looked at the tattoo, which began to fade gradually on my chest, and said with clear exhaustion and relief:
"My God, thank you."
Then she sat exhausted on the nearby sofa.
I was still shivering involuntarily and breathing with great difficulty.
I opened my heavy eyes slowly to see Night still over my body, breathing with obvious effort, leaning his hands on either side of the bed.
He was staring at me with a scrutinizing look full of concern.
"This man is truly eccentric,"
the thought crossed my mind, and I smiled a faint smile as I watched him.
Night blinked several times, as if making sure that what he saw before him was real and safe.
I couldn't restrain myself; his panicked and distracted look was too funny.
I laughed despite the pain that made my features contort, and said mockingly:
"Damn you, Night."
I heard Lauren's faint chuckle, and I looked at her with a look of deep thanks and gratitude.
I suddenly remembered her sensitive condition and said with genuine concern:
"Lauren, are you okay? You idiot, you're pregnant!"
She waved her hand in the air with a reassuring indifference and said:
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Because the Alpha provided me with his energy, it won't affect the health of the fetus."
Lauren continued her talk as she stood up from the sofa:
"And now, I must go."
She rushed out, closing the door behind her. I closed my eyes, trying to calm my racing breath and the remaining shivers in my body. I looked back at him, staring at his features.
He was truly attractive, dripping with light sweat after the effort he had exerted.
He was staring at me in a strange, intense way, his eyes suddenly resting on my lips, which I began to bite automatically, flustered by his dangerous proximity. I said in a faint voice:
"Aren't you going to move away?"
He finally looked back into my eyes and said in words that came out of him unconsciously:
"You are driving me crazy."
I blinked several times in shock, and
"Haaaaa"
was all I could say. He suddenly regained his senses and moved away from me in clear embarrassment, leaning beside me on the bed.
I looked at him; he was breathing so hard that his chest was rising and falling in an amazing way, and I imagined his tight muscles under the shirt dancing with his hurried breaths.
I cursed myself for my perverted thoughts.
"Why have I started thinking of him in a dirty way? Damn me."
I sighed so loudly that he stopped breathing for a moment and stared at me intently. I bit my lip hard again.
"Crap, why do I always put myself in embarrassing situations?"
I looked at him seriously, mixed with some curiosity:
"Was it your brother?"
Night sighed deeply and nodded in agreement. I said thoughtfully:
"That explains his somewhat familiar scent... but why is he so resentful of you?"
He was staring at the ceiling vacantly, as if recalling painful memories. I closed my eyes and said with feigned coldness:
"It doesn't matter to me anyway."
I felt him looking at me again, and I heard his voice saying with a strange calmness:
"I killed his mate."
I looked at him in shock.
"That explains his actions toward me... How?"
He continued in a tone devoid of emotion:
"She was sent to spy on the kingdom. It turned out she was my brother's mate; she deceived him and was planning to kill him. But I uncovered all her plans, and he didn't believe me. So, before she could cause a catastrophe, I killed her."
He finished his words while looking at me, waiting for my reaction.
I sighed with sorrow for the situation he had gone through, and I turned to face him.
I placed my trembling hand on his cheek gently, stroking it with my thumb:
"You were forced to do that for the sake of the kingdom and the people, and for your brother too. So don't blame yourself, hmm? I am always here to listen and comfort you, so don't hesitate to share your worries with me. I will be here by your side."
I smiled at him, not believing that he had shared a bit of his past, which I thought was very painful.
He returned the smile with a faint one and suddenly pulled me to bury his head in my chest. I noticed then that I was still without a shirt!
"Damn! What is their problem with my shirt? In every disaster that happens to me, they take it off!"
I froze in place for a moment, then gradually relaxed, enjoying the warmth of his body.
I raised my hands and placed them on his head, stroking his hair with my fingers.
I didn't realize I was falling into a deep sleep; my comfort and his warmth completely overwhelmed me, to the point that I didn't realize the passage of time.
I woke up minutes later—perhaps hours—to find Julia staring at me with intense concern. The sight of her truly startled me.
"Damn it Julia, you scared me!"
I told her, my heart still racing from the sudden fright.
She said at a very fast pace, her eyes full of tension:
"Are you okay? Ha? Does anything hurt? Ha? Tell me..."
I interrupted her with slight annoyance; her fast voice was causing a headache:
"Fine, fine. Just stay quiet for a moment."
She pouted with a cute anger; she looked absolutely beautiful being angry that way. I smiled in spite of myself,
"My God, she looks like a child whose candy was taken away,"
then I said in a calmer tone:
"Thank you for your concern. Don't worry, I'm fine."
I pinched her cheek gently; she smiled and moved my hand away shyly.
I stood up quietly, and I felt every bone in my body screaming in pain. I contorted my features in a bit of pain.
I headed toward the drawer to take a painkiller. Julia quickly handed me a glass of water, so I swallowed the pill and drank the water.
I looked at myself only to be surprised—I was wearing his shirt!
"He put it on me? How and when? Why didn't I feel him?"
I wondered in my mind, drowning in a new confusion, while Julia's smiling gaze followed me.
The sound of a loud grumble coming from my stomach broke the silence.
"Crap, I'm hungry!"
I said it in a tone reflecting my annoyance.
At that moment, the maid entered pushing a cart of luxurious food, with Night following her like a majestic shadow. I wondered to myself,
"Does he feel my hunger or what?"
The maid was about to leave, but a sharp look from Night toward Julia made her laugh embarrassedly and make an excuse to leave, saying:
"Excuse me, I have work!"
Night turned his harsh gaze toward my face. I stared calmly, then he said in his deep, masculine voice:
"Do you feel better?"
I was lost in him, drowning in wonder about the reason for his strange and contradictory behavior.
He furrowed his brows, waiting for my answer, but the words froze on my lips.
I didn't utter a word; instead, I continued staring at him with curiosity mixed with a boldness I hadn't known in myself.
As if something pushed me to break the barrier of silence and tension hanging over the place, and without prior warning, I spoke the question that was weighing on me:
"What is the reason for the change in your treatment of me, Night?"
He was flustered by my sudden question.
I noticed for a moment his changing facial expressions before he quickly regained control over his features and changed the subject by saying with feigned coldness:
"Just eat."
I sighed in despair, realizing fully that he wouldn't tell me the truth.
A bitter disappointment washed over me; I had hoped the reason for his change was genuine admiration, not just pity.
I started eating, but I couldn't ignore him completely. I told him in a quiet tone:
"Even you, you should eat."
He stepped forward and sat beside me at the table, and began eating without saying anything else, while the hanging questions filled the void between us.
Immediately after finishing the meal, I felt a strange heaviness invading my body.
Extreme fatigue and sleep were suddenly hitting me like successive waves drowning me in a sea of irresistible drowsiness.
I didn't have the energy to resist or even think about it.
With heavy and slow steps, I crawled toward the bed. I pulled back the thick cover and got under it, burying my body completely in the warmth of the mattress.
I placed my head on the pillow, which at that moment felt like a soft cloud, and I felt immediate and absolute comfort.
My only desire was to sleep—to sleep for centuries, to forget everything that had happened.
I looked at him with heavy, sleepy eyes, barely able to keep them open. With a faint smile, I whispered my last words before almost losing consciousness:
"Goodnight, you bipolar man."
He was still looking at me with those gazes I couldn't decode—a mixture of wonder and perhaps hidden concern.
My eyes dimmed, and I finally surrendered to sleep.
The last thing I saw before the darkness completely claimed my vision was the perfectly sculpted features of his handsome face.