Chapter 118 Kaelen’s fear 1

Chapter 118: Chapter 118 Kaelen’s fear 1

Talia’s POV

"I was alive, Finn was alive, and that was enough."

The words echoed in my head as I lay on the bed in the healers hall, with Kaelen’s hands still cupping my face and his gray eyes still wild with fear. His hands were still shaking.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked.

Kaelen’s jaw tightened. His thumbs brushed across my cheeks, and he swallowed hard before he spoke.

"A warrior mind-linked me," he said. His voice was rough, and barely controlled. "He told me the Luna was fighting rogues alone. He said that she had killed three of them, and that she had carried a wounded boy out of the forest."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and I saw his throat move as he swallowed again.

"I ran," he said. "I did not wait for anyone, I just ran."

I looked at his face. The fear was still there, hiding behind his eyes, and I had never seen him like this before. Kaelen was always controlled, always distant, and always in the Alpha mode. Even when he was gentle with me, there was always a wall between us, like something that was held back.

But right now, there was no wall.

Right now, he was just a mate who thought he was going to lose someone.

"Why did you go into the forest alone?" he asked. His voice was not angry. It was something else, and something worse. It was broken.

"I heard screaming," I said. "I could not walk away."

He stared at me for a long moment. His hands were still on my face, and his fingers were trembling against my skin.

"I should have been there," he said. "I should have protected you. I should have known you were in danger."

"You did not know," I said.

"I should have." His voice cracked. "You are my mate, so I feel it when you are afraid, and I should feel it when you are hurt. But I ignored the feeling, thinking that you had heard about the rogues, and you were either just afraid of the news, or it was just my wolf. I continued to fight in the forest, and I did not know you were bleeding."

I reached up and touched his wrist. "Kaelen, I am fine."

"You are not fine." He looked at my arm, at the bandages wrapped around it, and at the scratches on my face. "You are covered in blood and bandages, and you can barely keep your eyes open."

"I am alive," I said. "Finn is alive, and that is what matters. Plus the healers will definitely have something to clear the marks totally."

He shook his head. His hands dropped from my face, and he looked down at the floor.

"I am taking you to our room," he said.

"Kaelen, the healers need to..."

"No." He looked up at me, and his gray eyes were hard. "I am taking you to our room, and I will take care of you myself."

He did not wait for me to argue.

He stood up, slid one arm under my shoulders and the other under my knees, and lifted me off the bed. I gasped as pain shot through my back, but I did not tell him to put me down.

Because I knew he would not listen anyway.

The healers watched as he carried me out of the hall. Some of them opened their mouths to speak, but Kaelen glared at them, and they closed their mouths and stepped aside.

Piper stood by the door, with her eyes still red. She looked at Kaelen, then at me, and she nodded once.

I nodded back.

The healers hall fell silent behind us. I did not turn around to look, but I could feel their eyes on my back. First they had seen me collapse, and now, they had seen Kaelen carry me out. They had seen their Alpha, who was cold and untouchable, kneel by my side.

I wondered what they thought of me now. Maybe the Luna who fought rogues, and the Luna who made their Alpha afraid, and kneel.

I did not know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but I did not let it bother me right now.

Kaelen’s arms tightened around me, and I stopped thinking about the healers. I stopped thinking about the warriors and the whispers and the way everyone would look at me tomorrow.

I just focused on the warmth of his chest and the steady sound of his heartbeat beneath my ear.

His heart was still racing even now, and even after the danger had passed, he was still afraid. I could feel it in the way he held me too tight, like he was afraid I would disappear if he loosened his grip. I wanted to tell him I was here, and that I was not going anywhere. But the words would not come.

He was here with me, and I was here, alive. And that was enough for now.

Then Kaelen carried me into the hallway, and the doors closed behind us.

The walk to our room was silent.

Kaelen did not speak, and I did not have the strength to. His arms were strong around me, and his chest was warm against my side, and I let myself lean into him.