Life moved in constantly unexpected ways. Just as a person started to feel that they knew things, saw a direction, became complacent; there would always be something that came entirely out of left field.
Sometimes, those were good things, sometimes they were painful; but mostly, it left people confused, in shock, uncertain of what would happen next.
Nadine sat numbly hearing the doctor's words through a fog, words that she couldn't fully process. Grace softly cried across the other side of the bed, holding her son's hand.
In all honesty, the petite girl didn't know how to feel, what to do.
Her life had been a series of events she had no say in, horrors to live through and over come. As much as Markus had tried to give her opportunities, she still had so much to sort out for herself, and face, that she couldn't figure out what she wanted other than to hide. Then meeting the Wolf King, that shook everything up, forced her secrets to come out, changed the course of her life... a path that was meant to lead to her finding a new path, a new role, with strength and support from a new pack, new friends, and the possibility of a future relationship with her mate.
Her mate.
She glanced at the unconscious form in front of her.
He looked awful. Painful cuts and bruises peeked out from under thick bandages and medical tubes.
The pain, she could relate to. It wasn't something she ever wished on anyone else.
But what of the man? Her mate?
She didn't love him. As much as everyone expected her to. She couldn't love someone who she didn't trust. And with her past, with both of their baggage, trust simply wasn't something they fully achieved yet. They had only recently begun to start trying. It was the beginning. Unfinished. Uncertain.
And yet, she still cared.
As much as he had been an ass to her in his own defensive reactions, she could see how much he paid attention to his pack. Her conversations with Sophia had opened her eyes to the life of omegas in the Royal Pack. His assumptions and lack of understanding made so much more sense when he was raised where omegas were protected, allowed to join the human world if they wished, or pursue human education programs and return to continue to live in the pack as seamstresses, accountants, even doctors and nurses. They were free to date unmated wolves or be with their mates if they found them. Wolves who rejected mates for being omegas were socially shunned for turning their backs on the gift granted to them by the Moon Goddess. That was the world he knew. All other assumptions aside, he truly had no idea of the horrors omegas faced in other packs, because he had no reason to investigate something that appeared to not be an issue in his.
The future queen had no idea that a pack even existed with such progressive attitudes toward omegas. It was mind boggling.
Her assumptions of him had been wrong just as much as his were of her.
And with that, regret started to fill the emptiness that the numbness created.
Regret that neither of them listened and tried before it got to this point. He made his choices, she was left with few options, but none of it mattered as he lay unconscious in a hospital bed.
"Your Majesty?" The doctor cleared his throat.
Nadine watched Alexander's chest rise and fall in machine created patterns. "Hmmm?" She finally looked up.
"I asked you if you could remain with us during the surgery? Though your mate bond has not been solidified yet, your presence could help keep him stable and help the healing process."
"Of course." Pale grey eyes flickered over to Grace who couldn't take her eyes off of her son. "Would having Elder Volkov there help as well?"
The doctor eyed the former queen and nodded. "I'm sure it wouldn't hurt."
As he left, Yuri cleared his throat. "While they prep for the surgery, we need to talk."
"Why?"
"Because there are things that need to be addressed."
A sudden rush of fury poured through Nadine as she turned to face the beta. "No. Why did they leave him alive?"
Grace gasped at the question and anger in the words. "Please don't tell me that you wanted..."
Nadine shook her head quickly. "No. But whoever caused the car accident, obviously had a goal of killing Alexander. They killed whatever prisoners were being transported. But they had the King, unconscious and injured. Why didn't they finish it? What motive do they have? What game are they playing?"
"Your Majesty." Yuri spoke softly. "Nadine, look at me. We don't know if they actually wanted to kill him or not. From what Alex told me on the phone, the Bogomil Beta pointed a finger at someone we all thought was dead. But if he is alive, he would want to kill Alexander himself, not some lackeys sent to seal up leaks. But that is why we need to talk, because while Alexander is here in a hospital bed, it will give his enemies the perfect opportunity to strike. You understand me?"
She nodded.
"Who? Who is responsible for this?" Grace questioned softly.
"Timur." One word that sent the former queen into a frenzy, barging out of the doors and calling for one of her maids.
Nadine raised a brow in question.
Yuri only shook his head. "No time to explain now. He will come, and it seems he has an army of rogues to back him up. Since you are not officially mated and thus not officially queen or luna, I'm still technically in charge until Alexander heals. However, I've seen you, my wolf submits to you. You are the Alpha and the Queen that we need right now. I'd rather we work together instead of separately."
**********
Darkness.
The fuzzy haze of sleep lifted slowly, but he was sure he was awake. The pain he felt announced his mortality and consciousness with clear reality.
"Nadine." He whispered.
"Shhhhh." That was his mother's voice. "We're both here."
His hands moved to rub at his eyes, only to find that he couldn't lift them far before cuffs and the metallic clinking of metal stopped him. "What's going on?"
"Stop, please don't hurt yourself." His mother's voice ordered as she held on to one of his hands. "You were ambushed and your vehicle was pushed off the side of a ravine. You're lucky to be alive."
He felt another warm hand slip into his free hand and press it to the bed.
Nadine.
"Tell me all of it." He demanded.
It was Nadine's voice that cut through. Emotions he couldn't place laced her words. "Your right leg and hip were crushed, along with your right shoulder, and a skull fracture with some brain bleeding. The advanced healing of your wolf has helped with much of it, but they had to surgically reset all of the shattered bones." She took a deep breath. "And glass got into your eyes. The doctors think they were able to save one, we will know with time. However, your right eye could not be saved."
His lungs deflated in shock. He was hurt that badly? By a car accident of all things? Because of...
"Timur. Mom, he..."
"We heard." Grace cut him off with venom in her voice. "But you don't worry about that. Your mate and beta have things well in hand. You need to rest and heal, the faster the better."
As hard as it was to admit to himself, the reality was that he knew his mother was right. He wanted to help, he wanted to fight, he wanted to kill the mother fucker. However, he needed to heal, as fast as possible.
In the meantime, he had to do something he had never really done before... trust Nadine with his people.
He squeezed her hand tightly as he hoped to absorb her strength, and let her know she had his support, as minimal as it seemed at that moment.
YOU ARE READING
Stronger- #Wattys2019
Werewolf"Why don't you pay attention?" Really? "Listen here ass wipe, I'm not the one who isn't paying attention. Take a good look at the crowd and figure out how to avoid all of that chaos before snapping at me." Her pale grey eyes looked up to the excess...
