Chapter 230: THE SECOND BOND

Author’s POV

Keisha was still holding Nadia when she felt movement beneath her arms.

At first, she thought she had imagined it. She tightened her arms around Nadia, her face pressed against her hair, when Nadia suddenly shifted again.

Then her eyes opened and Keisha froze. "Nadia?"

Nadia blinked slowly, looking confused as she stared at the people surrounding her bed. Her gaze moved from Keisha’s tear-stained face to the doctor standing nearby and then toward Callum, who had been watching her with an expression that was filled with shock.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Nadia asked weakly.

Keisha pulled back so quickly that she nearly knocked the chair beside the bed over. "You’re awake."

Nadia looked even more confused. "Obviously."

Keisha let out a shaky laugh that quickly turned into another sob. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to compose herself as Callum stepped closer and gently touched Nadia’s hair.

"You scared the entire pack," he told her, his voice noticeably softer than usual. "You have any idea how long you’ve been unconscious?"

Nadia frowned, trying to remember. She looked from him to Keisha and then noticed the worry on everyone’s faces. "What happened?"

Keisha didn’t want to tell her. But Nadia kept staring at her, waiting for an answer, until Callum finally explained what had happened during the night.

He told her about Rhett being attacked while guarding her, about the assassin entering the room and Rhett getting between them, and about Rhett being injured while trying to protect her.

Nadia’s expression changed completely. "Where is he?"

Keisha barely heard the question before Nadia was already trying to sit up.

"Wait," Callum said, placing a hand against her shoulder. "You just woke up. You shouldn’t be moving around yet."

"Where is Rhett?"

"Nadia—" He started again.

"Where is he?" Her voice was weak, but fear filled it.

Keisha exchanged a look with Callum before answering. "He’s in another ward. They were treating him when I was told about the attack."

Nadia threw the blanket aside and Callum stared at her. "What are you doing?"

"I need to see him."

He looked confused. "You need to stay in this bed."

She shook her head. "He was attacked because he was guarding me."

Callum tried to steady her. "Nadia, you’re not even supposed to be standing yet."

But Nadia was already trying. Keisha rushed forward when she saw her stumble, helping her regain her balance before Nadia walked out of the room.

Keisha stared after her for a second before following.

She didn’t even make it halfway down the hallway before Nadia started moving faster.

By the time she reached the ward where Rhett had been admitted, she was practically running.

Keisha followed behind with Dane, who had arrived at the hospital after hearing that Nadia had regained consciousness.

Nadia pushed open the door.

Rhett was lying on the bed with bandages around several areas of his body, his face pale from exhaustion. He had only just begun waking when the door opened.

His eyes slowly focused when he saw Nadia.

Nadia stopped in the doorway.

Rhett stared at her as if he needed to make sure she was actually standing there.

Then Nadia rushed toward him. Rhett pushed himself up despite the discomfort and caught her when she reached the bed. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly while he returned the embrace.

"You’re okay," he murmured.

"Oh fuck, I just heard what happened. I’m so glad you’re okay." Nadia pulled back enough to look at him properly, her eyes moving over his face and the visible bandages. "You scared me."

Keisha stood a few feet away, watching them with a relief.

Dane looked at them, confused, and Callum, who had followed them into the ward, did exactly the same thing.

Finally, Callum crossed his arms. "Keisha."

She turned toward him. "What?"

"Do those two have something going on?"

Keisha blinked because Dane looked equally curious.

Keisha glanced back at Nadia and Rhett, who were still talking quietly to each other, before lowering her voice. "I don’t actually know."

Callum’s eyebrows rose. "You don’t know?"

"I know they like each other," Keisha explained. "That’s obvious. But they’ve never actually told me they’re together."

Dane looked at Rhett again. "That man nearly died protecting her, and you’re telling me they haven’t talked about this?"

Keisha shrugged helplessly. "I said I don’t know."

Callum sighed, but before he could say anything else, the atmosphere changed.

Nadia pulled away from Rhett and Rhett looked at her.

Both of them were completely still and Keisha noticed the change immediately. "What is it?"

Neither answered for a second. Nadia’s eyes widened as she stared at Rhett, while Rhett looked just as stunned.

Their mate bond had finally snapped into place.

The realization hit them both at the same time and Nadia’s face broke into a smile as Rhett stared at her for another second before a smile appeared on his own face.

"You’re my mate," Nadia whispered.

Rhett laughed quietly, looking almost stunned by the realization. "Apparently."

Nadia immediately hugged him again and Keisha smiled despite herself.

Dane and Callum exchanged another look, this time one of surprise rather than suspicion.

Callum cleared his throat and Nadia slowly turned around.

He was standing near the door with his arms crossed, his expression much more serious now. "Now that you’ve both recovered enough to start smiling," he said, "I’d like to know how you’re feeling."

Nadia looked down at herself. "Fine."

Callum studied her for a moment before pointing toward the chair. "Sit."

Nadia’s smile disappeared but she slowly sat down.

"You have some explanations to make for our investigation to continue, love."

Keisha moved closer, while Dane remained near the other side of the room.

Dane was the first to speak. "Let’s start with the poisoning."

Nadia’s expression tightened. "I’m listening."

"You said you were preparing tea when you collapsed. We need to know exactly where those herbs came from and who gave them to you."

Nadia thought for a moment. "I was told it could help pregnant women."

Keisha’s attention snapped into place again.

Nadia continued, "I was told it could also help people who were stressed. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it because I was stressed and Keisha was still in the hospital."

Keisha stared at her. "You were going to give it to me?"

Nadia nodded. "I wanted to drink some first and then take the rest to you. I thought it might help you relax."

Keisha’s expression softened for a moment, but Dane immediately asked another question. "Who gave you the herbs?"

Nadia looked between them as her expression became uncertain. "I didn’t get them myself."

"Then who did?"

Nadia swallowed. "I was given them by—"

She stopped and Callum leaned forward slightly.

Nadia finally said the name and for several seconds, nobody reacted. It was as if none of them had properly understood what they had heard.

Then Callum’s face changed.

Because the person Nadia had just named was the last person Callum expected.

It sounded like a cruel joke.

Nadia looked around at their stunned faces, suddenly realizing just how serious her answer was. "Vera gave them to me."