My Destined

Chapter 17

Leia

I sat on the bed with concern etched on my face as I watched Adriel pace around the room. For the past fifteen minutes since he barged in, he's been pacing back and forth and mumbling to himself, but he hasn't told me anything yet. What the hell is going on?!

"Adriel. Please tell me what's going on." I pleaded, shifting closer to the edge of the bed in an attempt to touch Adriel's arm as he passed. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his hand ran through his thick, black hair or down his face.

"My mom. She said she was not doing well. Cleo and I need to go see her." I know Adriel has visited his parents since we returned, but I have yet to meet them. It makes me anxious like Adriel still puts me at a distance.

"Is she okay? Let's go; I can go with you." Adriel finally stopped pacing as his eyes shot toward mine. I don't think I'll ever get used to his piercing gaze.

He looked like he was battling with something internally as he stood almost entirely still. Does he not want me to meet her? My stomach dropped, a sudden feeling of nausea started to build up, and my shoulders slumped at the thought. I tried pushing it down while waiting for him to respond, hoping he would squash my concerns.

"She can be a lot, even when she's sick. I'm not even sure how to prepare you." He was still contemplating, and I let him take his time before responding. "But your presence would probably help calm my nerves, honestly." Adriel sighed deeply before sitting next to me on the bed. As he sat close to me, his weight on the bed moved my body slightly toward him.

"Yes, of course." I felt relieved and happy that I could both meet his parents and help support him. Oh, my Goddess, I am going to meet his parents! That is until the panic set in. All the possible scenarios this could go crossed my mind, and I could feel the sweat forming and my heart racing.

I couldn't tell if Adriel noticed or if he was also stuck with his mind racing as we both sat in silence for what felt like forever. Calm down, Leia. I tried to talk myself down in my head and focus on my breathing to feel more grounded. I knew I needed to remain calm and probably even confident when I met Adriel's parents. But that was a lot easier said than done.

Without thinking, I leaned my head on Adriel's shoulder, and although he didn't move, I could feel the physical touch helped calm both of us, even if it was only slightly. I asked Adriel to tell me about his parents before I met them so he could attempt to "prepare me." This gave me more of a peek into Adriel's life and made me feel closer to him.

I learned that his parents had stepped down when he was 20 due to his mom's illness and that her illness is the one we discussed in the meeting - the Darkness. Adriel explained that his mom started being sick a few years before, constantly going to the pack doctor and sometimes to the clinic. They had no clue what was going on.

I could see and feel Adriel's pain in discussing this complex topic, making my heart ache for him. I could not even begin to imagine how to handle if one of my parents had fallen ill with this insane illness that no one could explain or cure. I almost felt for Alpha Milah despite her current terrible actions, who lost her mate and Alpha to this a few years ago. That feeling of helplessness and loss is probably unbearable.

Adriel said things got worse just before his 18th birthday as his mom started to have difficulty feeling and talking to her wolf. It devastated her, and she fell into a deep depression. Soon after, she could not shift and only occasionally spoke to her wolf. My heart broke for Adriel's mom and the whole family. Anyone would fall into a depression if this happened to them. Our connection with our wolves is everything.

Even Tala felt unease learning about the Darkness. I wondered why we weren't all informed about this if it had been going around for years, but then again, I understood it would likely cause unrest and panic amongst the packs. Once again, I felt a pang at the burden on Adriel's shoulders in both having his mom suffer from it and having to keep it tight-lipped from much of the pack.