The Rise

Chapter Forty-One

I gazed down at Ayodele's body which was resting in a hospital bed. I didn't know how the foriegn body - Ashur's soul - was going to interact with him and wanted to keep him stable and under strict watch when he was sleeping.

Ashur's mother was now aware and I had to be sure to keep him alive. So, before I left the hospital to meet Aaisha's baby and to prepare dinner, I made sure the best doctor and nurses were at his side, watching him 24/7. I was taking no chances.

I should've stayed and watched him for a bit longer to make sure everything went perfectly. I had seen Ashur in Ayodele's body in my vision, but I didn't know if the future could change as I made choices.

I frowned, realizing I still had a lot to learn about being a divine. How much could I affect the lives of my wolves? I could give them mates, but I couldn't explain mates actions. I thought I'd have a lot of power over them, but they did make their own choices. All I could do, for the most part, was steer them in the right direction.

Like Nakida, I couldn't make her decision to betray me. I took a deep breath. Nakida.

As Valerio and I walked out of the hospital and passed the doors to the prison, I had an urge to tell her that her brother had died. She hadn't received a chance to say good-bye to him. Ayodele refused to see her after her betrayal.

Now, a part of me was regretting it. He was her only brother and she loved him so much - more than anything, more than Vihaan. I knew that for a fact. By the way she looked up to him, even though he was her younger brother, told me so much about her.

Was never seeing her best friend and brother ever again enough punishment?

A part of me screamed yes, but the darker part of me screamed no.

After we passed the cells, I stopped. "I need to tell Nakida."

Valerio furrowed his brows in a pained expression. "Aaisha is screaming through the mindlink for us to get there," he said. He put his fingers on his temples and massaged lightly.

I urged him along. "You go. I'll be there in a bit."

Valerio's gaze traveled from me to the cell then back. He looked like he wanted to stay with me, but instead he just nodded and departed through the forest to our cabin. Aaisha was probably going to hate me for not going to see her first, but this was something I needed to do.

No, I didn't want to do it, but Nakida had been a strong warrior for me for a long time. She deserved to know that her brother was dead.

When I made it to the entrance to the cells, I nodded to the guards at the door. "I will escort you in there," one of them said.

"I can go alone," I stated.

"I mean no disrespect, but Valerio informed me that nobody goes in there without a guard, especially you."

I raised a brow. "Did he really now?"

Valerio, although nothing like his brother, was starting to act a bit like him. Possessive... or maybe he was just practicing caution?

I nodded my head. Although I could defeat everyone in here within a few moments, it was best to be cautious I guess.

One guard stayed on post while the other followed me down the steps. I passed Vihaan's cell. He called out, trying to get my attention, but I ignored him. I didn't have time for his pleas of innocence.

Nakida was in the last cell, curled in a ball in the corner. I lightly tapped on the iron bars, catching her attention. She wiped her sleepy eyes and stood up. "Moon Goddess." After a bow, she gazed at me. "How can I make this up to you?"