Chapter 171: Chapter 171

~ NYSSA

“Someone needs to tell me how the fuck this happened!” an angry voice boomed from somewhere in the distance. “How the fuck did she get hurt?”

“I don’t know, Your Majesty,” a shaky voice responded. “However we were able to stabilize her. She should be awake soon.”

“You’ve been saying that for over an hour!”

“Rowan please,” the voice that spoke was definitely female, and I recognized the exasperated tone as belonging to Aria. “They have done everything they can. She’s alive, she’s breathing—”

“She is not awake!” Rowan snapped. “She was fucking attack and no one was there. How the hell did a rogue get past our borders?”

With what little strength I could muster, I forced my eyes open.

That simple action felt like a chore, but my eyelids slowly fluttered open. The first thing I noticed was how many people stood in my room.

Aria sat by my bed, her head in her hands, Rowan stood next to her, his back to me and is hands braces gainst the window while a doctor stood on the other end of the room, hands shoved into his pockets as he shuffled awkwardly on his feet.

I opened my mouth to speak but what came out was a fucking embarrassing wheeze.

The sound managed to catch the attention of all three people because they turned to me with varying expressions from shock to relief.

Rowan was the first to get to me, his hands resting on my shoulders. “Are you okay?”

I tried to speak once more, but my throat was drier than a desert and my words caught. Rowan cursed, reaching for the jug on the table and pouring me a glass. I gulped it down greedily, and although cool, it did very little to soothe my thirst.

“More,” I managed out. Rowan was quick to oblige but the water still did nothing. “Where am I?”

“Hospital,” Rowan answered quickly. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been run over by a fucking truck,” I grumbled. “The rogue?”

“You killed him,” Rowan answered, his lips curling upwards into a small smile. “I’ll find out how he got in and if he’s the only one—”

“He is,” I cut him off. “He told me so. He wanted to make sure you felt the pain he did when you wiped out his whole family. He’s one of the rogues from my pack.”

Rowan cursed low, running his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner.”

I waved him off. “I handled it just fine.”

“You shouldn’t have had to.”

I turned to Aria who was still sitting quietly by my bed, watching the interaction with careful eyes. There was a band aid on her forehead where she hurt it but she looked fine otherwise.

“You good?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry.”

I frowned at her. “You didn’t ask to pass out.”

“No, but I’m the lycan, I should have been awake.”

Her look of guilt was exactly like her brother’s, from the way they furrowed their brows to the downward tilt of their lips. It would’ve been cute if it wasn’t so annoying in the moment.

“Can you both stop apologizing? No one asked for this to happen. Everything ended fine, can we just ignore it and focus on what matters?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “We have. Mating ceremony in a few days.”

Rowan’s brow rose. “Are you really thinking about a mating ceremony after what happened to you?”

“Of course, if we were mated, I could have mind linked you,” I said with a shrug. “Now, how soon am I getting out of here. As much as I love bed rest, I would like to be on my feet for my ceremony.”

*****************************

I was let out after one day of careful observation.

The stab wound at my side was nothing more than a slight pink gash and I was finally able to take of the bandage, I was fine for the most part, but too much strain sent pain shooting up my side.

Rowan watched me out of the corner of his eye a he drove back to the place, his brows knitted in concentration and worry. I ignored his watchful gaze, knowing that there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I knew better than to tell him I was fine, I’d been saying the same words since I woke up but he still didn’t believe me.

We finally arrived at the palace and I turned to open my door but Rowan was already out and pulling it open for me.

I raised a brow. “Are you kidding me? Really?”

He shrugged. “I don’t want you to stress.”

“It’s a door,” I deadpanned, ignoring his outstretched hand and hopping out of the car by myself. “I can open a fucking door.”

“I know you can,” he argued. “That doesn’t mean I’m not going to help you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Is this how it’s going to be after we’re mates? You trying to do everything for me?”

“Yes,” he answered without hesitation.

I rolled my eyes at him, not bothering to argue. I knew well enough that it would not yield positive results.

I felt his eyes on me as I walked up the steps into the palace and he didn’t look away even as I made my way into the kitchen for a glass of water.

“You’re awfully thirsty,” he noted.

I’d noticed it as well. In the hospital, I drank a glass every other second. “Unless there’s something like water poisoning—”

“There is.”

I froze with the cup to my lips, lowering it slowly. “I don’t think I’m thirsty anymore.”

At that exact moment, a guard walked in, bowing low to the both of us before turning his attention to Rowan. He lowered his voice to a whisper but it was clear that whatever he said did not sit well with Rowan because my mate frowned.

“I have to go,” he began slowly. “Are you sure that you’ll be—”

“I’m in the palace, Rowan,” I drawled, shooting him an unimpressed look. “I’m surrounded by some of the best guards in the world.”

He frowned. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Just go,” I cut him off. He went silent for a moment and I could clearly see that he was weighing his options. “If you don’t leave right now.”

He raised his hand in mock surrender. “Fine, I’m leaving, but fucking text me to let me know you’re fine.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to stop the small smile that tugged on my lips. “Whatever.”

As annoying and overbearing as it was, it did feel good to be cared for.

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