Chapter 221: Was she actually okay?

"Why were you at the place the rogues had cornered the lion king, Patricia?" Mira asked coolly, a sly intention in her mind. "You were banished from the lion clan and just so happened to be where the chaos happened so you could play ’hero’?" Mira raised a brow.

Alpha Wolf Wei Jie scoffed. He seemed annoyed Mira was questioning the lioness, and banished? When was Patricia banished? "Can you not give the woman an applause where it seems fit or does your morals not allow it?" Wei Jie spat out in annoyance.

Yes, he knew Mira was innocent, yes, he knew that Hye Yang had been the mastermind behind all the reasons he hated Mira for so long but it was hard to not detest a person who had tortured him with her own free will even though it may have been induced by manipulation.

As far as he could tell or guess, Mira was not under any form of hypnosis or control from anyone when she held those lashes across his skin or treated him like a contaminated pond. She was herself through and through and she had inflicted so much pain to his heart and body so it was hard to undo all of that in just one devastatingly long evening.

"Ah, right, as long as you have the power to make laws and give orders, everyone else must answer to you." Wei Jie responded to himself, still talking to Mira. His words were spiteful and Mira could not believe she just felt jealousy over this brat.

Wei Jie was a bratty big bad wolf. "Are you really going to do this in front of an outsider?" Mira questioned, her voice calm.

Wei Jie laughed. "The only outsider I see among us is you. Patricia however," Wei Jie put his arm around Patricia’s shoulder and pulled her form to his side. "Has been an insider since the day I knew her. Banished from one clan or not, it does not change a thing." Wei Jie looked at Mira dead in the eyes like he was trying to contend with her on purpose.

Patricia only cowered in his hold, afraid for her own life. She was all but a banished lioness and her lion king was present here. The woman who was his wife was the reason she had bern banished and she just witnessed the woman burn her own sister’s face without a single remorse.

I may be a stubborn, hateful woman but I do not want my cheeks roasted, Patricia thought to herself. She cleared her throat and bowed down.

"I do not wish to cause any confusion." She stated and ensured that Alpha Wolf Wei Jie’s hand was not touching her any longer. "Not have I shown up to cause any harm. I will answer your question, mother of the tribe." Patricia stated. Being banished taught her to be respectful and to reflect on her wrong doing. She found no need to let her rage at what she called injustice fuel her into turning evil, after all, the very people she lived among all her life were still the same, her bad situation or not. "Ever since my banishment, I have roamed far and wide and hunted to feed. I have not stepped foot into any clan as a visitor nor invaded any spot. I have lived like a wanderer."

"You mean like a rogue." Mira corrected.

That was not quite it but Patricia did not correct her statement, that was the least important thing now. "I have served the lion king and the lion clan all my life and I could not simply do nothing while I watched his life nearly get snatched away from him. He may not consider me his subject but he will forever be my king." Patricia kept her head low. She did not intend for her words to lighten her banishment or soften any hearts, she was just being honest. In fact, after she put a lion cub in danger out of her own selfish, yet caring, desire, she knew she needed the space away from her own clan despite how bad it had hurt. "I have caused you great harm, forgive me." Patricia worded.

Mira stared at the lioness with no words to say. She was unsure of what to even say to this. Patricia’s banishment did her more good than harm but that lioness was the reason Jia Hao bit her and nearly killed her in the first place but it was also the reason she ended up saving a lion cub and being in need of treatment that somehow led to her being laid by the Lion King so no matter how she looked at it, Patricia being a scheming scape goat paid a good price in her life.

"I would say you are forgiven." Mira finally uttered. "Thank you a great deal for saving my husband. I do not know what the lion clan or our children or me would have ever done to hear such terrible news about him." Mira looked at Jia Hao now, she could not believe she almost lost him. The good thing was that he was here now and alive. "But I do not have a say on your banishment. I cannot say anything about it." Mira immediately added. She could not tell if Patricia wanted to woo her way back into the lion clan but that was still a hard pass for her. The woman hated her as far as Mira knew but she loved lions so while Mira was certain she would always protect a lion cub, she was unsure she would protect her if she was in those shoes. She also was unsure if Patricia would be kind to her children as a fox’s offspring or as true born lion babies and Mira did not want to take that risk.

"It is alright. I have not arrived to appeal. I only followed the lion king to bring him back to a good shelter. I will take my leave at once." Patricia stated.

Mira took a deep breath. "Please, stay. Enjoy the feast." Mira faked a smile, right now, she just wanted to lay down, she was mentally and physically exhausted.

"I am honoured by your kindness." Patricia stated.

"Please, come with me, I want to catch up with you." Alpha Wolf Wei Jie said once Patricia stood up. Mira’s eyes burned into the back of his retreating form as she could not fell if his display was pure childishness or pettiness or both.

[ Congratulations host! Your baby’s health is safe and you can move freely now!

Your health is also at the best, so worry not! ] System chimed. This made Mira sigh with relief.

. . But something felt wrong. Her body felt heavy yet system said she was okay. Mira took one step forward. Her vision began to daze. Her breathing became heavy and although she heard her husbands call for her, she did not hear what they said.

With another step forward, Mira felt feverish, her head pounded and she could feel her own sweat.

Everything was blurry. It did not take long for Mira’s vision to decline and a second later, all she saw was darkness.