-29
TYSON’S POV
I stirred in my sleep to the most wonderful sensation in the world. I felt so complete and warm. My lips spread into a contented smile and I cracked open my eyes.
Then, it struck me like a bolt of lightning. I had never intended to sleep with Aurora. I couldn’t let her come any closer to me than she already was!
I got out of my bed and glanced at Aurora. Thankfully, she was still sleeping. I didn’t want her to think that I had any feelings for her. I left before Aurora got up.
“Aslan! Zarina! Caleb!” I called out as I entered the hall.
Zarina was the first to teleport in front of me. She seemed particularly happy that I had allowed her to use magic inside the palace. Aslan arrived a few moments later.
“I am going to Typhoon. Zarina, it will be your responsibility to take care of Aurora. Help her learn how to control magic. Aslan, it will be your duty to manage the affairs behind me and Caleb can do whatever…” I commanded and walked towards the clearing.
I was about to shift to my dragon form when Aslan caught up with me. “What is the matter, brother?”
“Nothing, Aslan. I just have some work.”
“Something is wrong… You are leaving in such haste that you didn’t even bother to shower. I have a strong feeling that it has something to do with Aurora.”
Letting out a deep sigh I said, “If I stay here, I will be forced to sleep in the same room as her to keep up the act…”
“What happened, brother? Is Aurora alright?”
I was taken aback by his question. Did my brother think I had done something to her? Maybe it was best to let him misunderstand.
“Take care of her while I am away. Keep me posted…” I said taking my dragon form and then flew towards my home, Typhoon.
CALEB’S POV
My heart sank when I saw Meredith from the car. She looked paler than the ghost. She was so distracted that she didn’t see my car coming.
Thankfully, I managed to hit the brake at the right time and the car came to a screeching halt a few inches from her.
Jumping out of the car, I trotted towards her. I scrutinized her from top to bottom and asked, “Are you alright?”
Instead of replying she buried her head in my chest and burst out sobbing. Her cries and whimpers send shivers down my spine. What could have happened to make someone like Meredith cry? She was a very strong woman and had seen so much in her life.
“Meredith… tell me what happened… are you alright…” I asked repeatedly but got no response.
I hated to do this but I was left with no option. I lifted her chin gently and said looking into her eyes, “I command you to tell me what happened.”
Her eyes glazed over and she started speaking in a mechanical voice, “The Dark Lord paid a visit. He has cast a spell on all the wolves in the pack except me. If you don’t meet him within twenty-four hours, all of them will be dead.” She dropped on her knees and started sobbing again.
I knelt in front of the guard lying near the entrance. My fingers trembled as I placed it on his neck. There wasn’t the slightest flicker of a pulse. His face was paler than the ghost and there was no sign of heartbeat either.
I rushed inside to find my Gamma, Alacair lying similarly on the floor. Venturing inside I found heaps of bodies strewn across the floor.
“They had gathered to celebrate our victory over Bloodhound Pack,” Meredith said walking in.
My heart twisted on seeing her listless expression. This was all my fault. I was so busy caring for Aurora that I forgot about the Dark Lord’s proposal.
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she said, “I am so sorry, Caleb. I failed as your Beta. I couldn’t even protect our pack members.”
I wiped away her tears with the pad of my thumb. Looking into her eyes I said, “You wait here and make sure no one harms them. I will make this right even if… even if it means making a pact with the Devil himself.”
FIVE MONTHS LATER
AURORA’S POV
I groaned stretching my legs. They hurt like a thousand demons. The last phase of my pregnancy hadn’t been very smooth. Constant headaches, cramps, loss of appetite, and mood swings made each day seem like a battle.
“Cramps again?” Caleb said kneeling in front of the couch.
“Hmmm…” I muttered through clenched teeth.
He made me stretch my legs on his lap and started massaging them. Within minutes the pain had gone. He seemed to have become an expert at it.
“The pain is gone now. Thank you for this Caleb.” I said holding his hand to stop.
He flashed a bright smile and said, “Did you have the potion?”
I chewed my lower lip and shook my head. I so hated this stupid potion. It tasted like a hundred neem leaves and a thousand bitter gourds had been blended and made into a concentrated solution.
“Aurora! How many times have I told you to take it on time.”
“It tastes so yucky!”
“Here Aurora, have this,” Zarina said handing me a golden goblet. Zarina and Caleb had formed an alliance of sorts. They took care of me and kept me entertained. I would have died of boredom if not for them.
I kept staring at it with a distaste for a long while before chugging it down quickly. Then I stretched my hands towards Zarina.
She took the goblet from my hand and shook her head with an evil grin.
“Hey! This is cheating. I drank that yucky potion. Where is my candy now?”
She took out the candy waved it in front of me and said, “Come and get it.”
I wasn’t falling for her trick. The last time she had made me run around the house behind her. Technically she ran and I trudged behind her slowly while she teased me with the candy.
I raised my arms and used magic to whisk the candy out of her hands. I had already popped it into my mouth before she could understand what was happening.
Zarina’s face turned paler than a ghost and she said, “I had told you not to use magic, Aurora.”
F***! No! I had forgotten all about it. My body was too weak to sustain a dragon shifter’s child. So, Zarina had used her magic to create a shield of sorts around my baby. This kept both of us safe. Now that I used my magic the shield became ineffective.
“Caleb! Carry her to the medical room. I will return with the healer.” Zarina said fading from the room.
“She is worrying unnecessarily, Caleb. I am not feeling any different.” I said as he carried me up the stairs to the medical room.
“We are not taking any chances,” Caleb said in a serious tone, laying me on the bed.
Then I felt it; an intense pain like someone was tearing me apart from the inside. I screamed grasping my abdomen. My face got covered in sweat and tears rolled down my cheeks.
Caleb was by my side in an instant. He held my hand and soon I felt a calm feeling engulf me. The pain was still there but it became bearable.
Soon, the healer arrived and injected me with something. I couldn’t feel anything below my waist once the medication took effect.
Caleb stayed with me all the while, holding my hands. After what seemed like an eternity I heard a sweet, shrill cry.
My heart skipped a beat when I looked at the baby covered in blood. She was so tiny yet so beautiful. My heart swelled with a kind of love I never thought one could feel. Everyone else faded in the background. I had eyes only for my baby.
The healer cleaned her up and wrapped her in a cloth before handing it to me. Holding her close to me made me feel complete.
My heart turned into mush when she smiled at me, her copper eyes shining with joy. I could kill just to see her smiling.
“Can I hold her?” Caleb asked, gazing at her adorably.
My lips were chapped and my head spun but I managed to say in a weak voice, “I am not going to let Tiara out of my arms even for a moment.”
Then I got lost in the oblivion of darkness…
.