HER KIND

The Wake

'Chapter 29'

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The room echoed with the steady crackling of firewood, each pop resonating in the quiet space. Thoughts hung heavy in the air as Katrina, engrossed in preparing dinner, added a hum of activity to the room. The rain outside painted a chilly scene, signaling the arrival of winter. Dria found her place on a chair near the couch where her father lay, while Kane brought down a mattress for the twins to be close to their father.

The first day had slipped by since Nathaniel's return, his hands in a constant cycle of being immersed in heated coal, Kane diligently ensuring their warmth. Dria was engrossed in a journal when a subtle movement caught her attention. Hastily closing the book, she joined the collective gaze of the room as Nathaniel groaned, his eyes slowly fluttering open.

Nathaniel's eyelids lifted, his brows scrunching into his mane, and his lips moved slightly, but no words escaped. His eyes, still squinted, scanned the room. They brushed past the twins, then settled on Dria. He looked away briefly, only to return his gaze to her figure. "Dria?" he asked weakly, squinting further.

Dria nodded, gently cupping his cheek and brushing away the hair that fell before his eyes. "Yes, Papa, it's me."

He smiled lightly at her, attempting to get up but groaning in pain. His eyes clenched tightly, and he looked away, calming himself before meeting her gaze again. "Not the reunion I imagined, Bambi," he chuckled lightly, each movement accompanied by a groan.

"You need to be careful," she cautioned, moving closer.

"Listen to your daughter Nathan," Katerina's voice filled the room as she entered the living holding what seemed to be a bowl of liquid. She placed it in Dria's hands and gestured to her father, "He should eat that, he hasn't eaten in three days according to what Jeremiah told me, blood Simmon men, how do you expect to save everyone if you can't even eat," Katerina mumbled as she walked back into the Kitchen.

Nathaniel sighed lightly, "Nice to see you too after so long Kat."

"She's not wrong, it somehow does run in the family, I mean Marcelo and Elliamdidnt even want to eat when Dria was knocked out and..." Kane's voice trailed off as Dria glared at him from across the room.

"Knocked out?" Nathaniel's voiced as his eyes moved from Kane to Dria in question.

"It was my fault papa," Elliam admitted, his eyes failing to meet those of his father.

"Elliam had just gotten his powers and I got caught in the mix of his rebirth," Dria explained.

"What were you doing around Elliam when he was going through his rebirth?" Nathanial's eyebrows raised inquisitively.

Dria shrugged, her eyes avoiding his, "I thought I could help but that's beside the point."

"Didn't you read the books, they give warnings when Nulpine's are shifting?" he asked, his head tilted to one side.

"I must have missed that part," Dria sighed, "anyway can we move on."

Nathaniel shifted on the couch, his gaze turning toward Marcelo and Elliam. The room fell silent as his eyes lingered on his twin sons. After a moment of contemplative silence, he spoke, "Marcelo, Elliam, come here."

The twins exchanged uncertain glances before cautiously approaching their father. Nathaniel reached out, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "I've missed so much," he said, his voice filled with a mix of regret and affection. "You both have grown, and I can see the strength in you."