Unexpected: Forever His (Book 1)

Chapter 48: Cruel Twists of Reality

I smelled the faint aroma of coffee and I pushed my tired body up in the bed. I glanced around me and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. At least I had found sleep. With Alexander guarding my dreams it had been easier. But he couldn't do it forever. I would have to face the nightmares if I was ever going to get over them.

I heard Aeron making his bubble noises in the next room and I smiled. I stood from the bed and slid my robe on and tied it around me. I ran my fingers through my knotted hair and stepped through the doorway into the small living area. Alexander immediately looked up and stood. "Good morning, Kayla."

I laughed. "Really, Alex. You don't have to be so respectful to a used-to-be queen who failed the prophecy and the world. Donovan still threatens our peace every day and I have no army, no warriors to fight that war. I don't even have my king." I pulled my arms around my stomach as I looked down at Aeron as he watched me.

He pushed his knees up and slowly stood on his feet and wobbled over to where I was. I smiled down at him as he clung to my leg. "I failed him."

Alex stepped over and engulfed me in a hug. "Kayla, your immense pain brings me almost to the point of tears. If you failed him, he would not be here right now. You went to the Shadowlands to protect him from Greta. You took her life because she threatened his."

I nodded and lowered my head onto his shoulder. "How did you sleep last night?"

I looked up at him. "Better. Thank you."

He nodded. "I would continue to watch over your dreams if I could." He suddenly smirked. "Besides, some of them were rather amusing."

I felt my cheeks flush and I pushed away from him. "Amusing how..." I hesitated.

Alex turned and headed to the bar and poured a cup of coffee into a cup. "Cream and sugar?" I nodded and he mixed both into the cup and brought it back to me. I lifted the warm mug into my hand and inhaled the aromatic scent. I closed my eyes and took a healthy sip of the hot liquid into my mouth.

"You're a woman, Kayla. If you think it might work, you should try it." He paused as I tried to figure out what he was referring to, and then suddenly, it hit me and I almost strangled on the coffee as I swallowed it. He smiled at me briefly but his expression became serious again. "I just worry that each time he rejects you, it will cause you to reject yourself more and more."

I blinked and took another sip. He was right. Alexander was always right about me. "I don't think I have the energy to try anymore, Alex." I closed my eyes to the tears that threatened to spill from them. "I...I've given up."

Alex stepped around me and came behind me. He grasped the coffee cup in my hand and lifted it away. I immediately missed its warmth and reached up to grab it back from him, but he moved it away just in time. I reached again, but again he moved it to evade me. I grunted and turned around to face him. He brought the cup directly in front of him and smiled. "Giving up means you will never get to enjoy the benefits of the goal you worked so hard for. You wanted this cup of coffee so bad that you turned to face me head-on for it." He looked back up at me and smiled. "Maybe you should do the same with Dante. Make him see you won't give up. That you can live. I believe the result would be much different." He held the cup towards me and I smiled and leaned towards him and kissed his cheek.

"Why couldn't it have just been simple and you had been my mate?" He smiled just as the door opened behind him and Kathiana walked in with a smile on her face. "Because he is my mate and you are far greater of a queen than I could have ever dreamed of being."

She stepped around Alex and I smiled over at her. I rubbed her stomach and hugged her. "And I have to admit that he's nowhere near as perfect for me as he is for you."