Chapter 37: Kairos & Adelie

Kairos

I woke with a start, gasping for air. I sat up in bed, scanning the room for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

The remnants of sleep still clung to me, but my strength was back in full force. I hopped out of bed and headed straight for my closet, looking for something to throw on.

I nearly tripped a few times as I dressed, grabbing the first things I could find: black pants and a white sweater. I didn’t have time to waste, I needed to see Adelie.

I sprinted down the hallways, just like I used to when I was a kid. As I reached the top of the staircase, I was taken aback by the number of people gathered downstairs.

Raphael, Nathan, and a few of the older pack members were lounging on the couch. Helen was comforting Fala—my Fala. I bounded down the stairs, my heavy footfalls drawing everyone’s attention.

Helen let out a cry, “Oh dear Moon Goddess!”

I rushed over to Fala, pulling her into a tight hug. “They said you were gonna die,” she sobbed. “I thought I was gonna lose you.”

“Shh. I’m not going anywhere,” I reassured her, my gaze landing on a bewildered Raphael. I released Fala from the hug, keeping one arm wrapped around her.

“I saw that wolf take you down,” Raphael said, disbelief etched on his face. “You were practically dead a minute ago. The doctors said there was nothing they could do, that your body was paralyzed. How is this possible?”

“Adelie saved me,” I replied.

Raphael shook his head. “But when she tried to heal you, it didn’t work. How the hell did she manage to heal you?”

I smirked at him. “She had a little help,” I said, scanning the room for her, but she was nowhere to be found.

“She’s at the pack hospital, helping others,” Fala informed me. I kissed her forehead and bolted out of the house. I had to see Adelie.

I sprinted to the hospital, feeling as if nothing had happened to me. I was brimming with energy, and all I wanted was to find Adelie and tell her everything I felt, because I didn’t know when my last day with her would be.

I burst into the hospital, causing everyone to turn and stare at me in shock. “Impossible!” a doctor muttered under his breath.

The doctor quickly regained his composure. “What are you all gawking at? There are still fighters who need help,” he barked, before hurrying back to his work. In times of crisis, doctors could be gruff and irritable when things didn’t go according to plan, but who could blame them with so much on their plate?

The hospital was filled with members from my pack and Alpha Archibald’s pack. Many were injured, some fatally. I remembered seeing the lifeless bodies of our members on the battlefield.

Despite our losses, we fought with honor and pride. Our fighters were valiant, and I was proud of them. Those we lost would forever be remembered as the greatest warriors.

I searched for Adelie, but couldn’t find her, even though I could feel her presence. I continued to walk around until I spotted her sitting on the edge of a bed, her back to me.

The fighter on the bed had a large bite mark on his stomach and was groaning in pain. Adelie placed her hands on his wound, her touch as gentle as ever. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted slightly upwards.

After a while, his cries of pain subsided, but tears were streaming down Adelie’s face. She came out of her trance and wiped her tears away. “Luna, thank you so much,” he said, smiling at her. “Does it hurt you? The healing?”

Adelie gave him a warm smile. “Yes...but I’m just tired.”

“Kairos, could you hand me that cup?” Her voice broke through my thoughts, her finger pointing to a plastic cup filled with a green concoction. I was taken aback. Just an hour ago, she was sobbing beside me, and now she was acting as if nothing had happened.

I handed her the cup. “Thanks,” she muttered, not even sparing me a glance. Instead, she placed the cup on the bedside table next to the injured fighter. “Drink this when you’re strong enough to stand. It tastes weird, and if you’re weak, you won’t be able to stomach it.”

“What is it?” he asked, curiosity piqued.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” she replied, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Tell me,” he teased, matching her smirk. I didn’t like the flirtatious tone he was using with Adelie, especially when she was acting so distant.

Adelie just shook her head. “It’ll help you recover faster,” she said, before walking away to consult with a nearby doctor. She didn’t even look back at me, but I followed her anyway.

Before Adelie could say anything, the doctor spoke up. “You’ve done an amazing job, Luna. Everyone’s stable now. You should take care of yourself for a bit,” he suggested, his gaze shifting to me. “Why don’t you take a walk with Alpha in the forest to recharge?”

“Maybe I can still help here? I’m not useless,” she protested. Was she trying to avoid being alone with me?

“Don’t be silly, go,” he insisted.

“I think…” she began, but I cut her off. I took her hand and led her outside. “What are you doing?” she asked, frustration evident in her voice.

“You need to recharge,” I said simply. We walked in silence for a while. When we reached the forest, I let go of her hand. She ventured deeper into the woods, but I didn’t follow her this time.

When she returned, she didn’t even glance my way. She seemed more alert, which was good, but she was clearly avoiding me. I caught up to her and grabbed her hand to stop her. “Adelie,” I said, trying to get her attention.

“What?” she snapped. She seemed angry. Had she already regretted saving me?

“Are you mad?” I asked.

“No, I just… I don’t understand you,” she admitted, her gaze fixed on her feet. I gently lifted her chin so she was looking at me.

“Do you regret saving me?” I asked. Her response was immediate.

“No!” she exclaimed. “Of course not!”

“Then what?” I pressed.

“If you had a choice, you wouldn’t be here,” she said, her voice cracking with the strain of unshed tears. But Adelie didn’t cry. She was strong. “You didn’t want to fight. You refused to use my wish. Why wasn’t I enough for you to put your pride aside?”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t about pride,” I explained. “I just didn’t understand why you’d waste your wish on me when you could have anything in the world.”

“You are my world,” she confessed, wrapping her arms around me. “I thought I was going to lose you,” she sobbed into my chest. “And I hate it when you act like you’re not good enough because you are everything to me. I want you to know that I would do anything for you because I know you’d do the same for me.”

I couldn’t have agreed more. If she had refused my wish, I would have been just as angry with her.

“Adelie?” I called, catching her attention. She looked up at me, and I loosened our embrace slightly, but kept her hands in mine. “I assume you got that information from your father.” She nodded. “Did he tell you anything else I said to him?” I asked. She thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Good,” I smirked, leaving her looking more confused than ever.

I released her hands, stepping back just a bit. “Your dad gave me his blessing,” I confessed.

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “What blessing?”

“I don’t have a ring right now,” I admitted, dropping to one knee. “But I can’t wait any longer.” I looked up at her, my heart pounding. “Will you marry me?”