The Hideous Secret

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Her mate was groggy the rest of the day. He blinked slowly as he rubbed his pudgy lower stomach. They had just bottle fed their children, and he looked ready to pass out. She came to sit beside him and tuck him in.

"Alek, darling, you need to rest."

He just shook his head slowly and reached his hand up to stroke the side of her face, "Nonsense. It is hardly past the noon. The sun has only just started to set. There is work to be done." He protested.

"Darling, sleep, please." Allahie pressured kissing his forehead and bringing the covers up to tuck him in. "You must rest."

He weakly pushed her away, "Allahie, no."

"Darling come on, you need to rest. You had triplets."

"And I'm fine." He mumbled his golden eyes hallow. He was far from fine. His magic was still recovering from the shot that Lousen had given him. His body was in ruins. He was exhausted.

"Sleep. Come, I will lay beside you," Allahie murmured struggling to squeeze in beside him on the tiny bed. He just whimpered but couldn't fight her. As she laid beside him she took his head and put it against her chest, soothing him.

After a few tears of confusion and protest her mate was unconscious. Allahie just studied the nearly empty room. Just Hawlor in his tiny human from remained. Rath and Ana had went for a dinner, and Kennith was out himself. He left Lackrin under Allahie's care as he went shopping for unneeded extra items for his son.

There was a soft nock on the door, but since it opened and the foot steps were soft she expected it to be Kennith. Instead it was Tetra. The werebear.

She was in human form, her eyes on the ground. They were brown now and her hair was too. As a demi fae she must have worked hard at concealing her true from.

"I heard news that your mate had the baby?" She murmured softly and Hawlor emitted a growl.

"Shush now How-How" Allahie muttered and he rolled his eyes. "Yes, Tetra, Alek had the babies."

Tetra smiled softly, "I...I am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt or scare him."

"It's alright," Allahie replied with a smile, "Alek can be stupid sometimes. Attack first, ask later. He saw a werebear and lost it."

"How is he?"

"Lost. Confused. Exhausted," Allahie murmured and smiled wider, "Pudgy." She poked her mates flabby stomach and he whined in protest clinging further against her. She bet he was sore and instantly felt bad.

Tetra nodded, "I will go. He needs rest. I wanted to stop by and bid you luck with your life. This village isn't...I'm...I mean...I can't hide it forever."

"Tetra please. Don't go, talk to me. You are all this village has left. I failed them."

"You had a pregnant mate in need. That trumped anything they had to say." Tetra rose to her feet. "I will stop by perhaps tomorrow. I do not know." Her voice was soft, and despite Allahie's protests she left.

Hawlor actually whimpered and curled onto his side and put his head onto his hands. He watched the door and didn't comment again though Allahie frowned at his weird behavior.

Allahie let her mate sleep against her for a while before she freed herself from him and went to prepare dinner. Alek probably wouldn't want to eat but he would need to.

Hawlor just fell into a light doze as cooked quietly. She cooked a complicated meal so it took a long time of stewing. As she prepared it Alek woke up crying. His eyes were clouded and he held his stomach. "Were are they?" He cried out, "What has happened?"

She left the meal to rush to his side, "Alek, baby, you are fine. You are okay. It's okay." She kissed his forehead and his cheekbones. He studied her with tear filled eyes. "Alek." she put her hand on his pudgy stomach and rubbed it, "You had them. Don't you remember darling?"

He shook his head and burrowed back against the pillow. "Everything hurts, Allahie," he cried like a child.

She pressed a kiss to his forehead, "I will get you medicine soon enough, rest for now. You need rest." He took no convincing and as quickly as he had waken up in he had passed out.  

Allahie just smiled softly, checked on the sleeping triplets and adjusted their blankets. They were all sleeping soundly as well after their big day. Lucrien was in the middle and being snuggled on by Lackrin and Isabella. With a kiss to each of their foreheads Allahie resumed her place in the kitchen cooking dinner.

Authors Note

Sorry for the late and short update! Busy break!  I'll try to add more to this soon, and then add to the Greeting of Kings. I hope you enjoy! :)

-Lyra