Chapter 30
RAINE
Pain. Fire in my belly, my thighs shaking. I opened my eyes to look into Rhonaâs concerned face.
âYouâre awake.â She mopped my forehead with a wet cloth. âThank the goddess, I thought you were dying.â
At the moment that sounded like a good idea. âWhat happened?â I tried to sit up and winced. My back felt as if someone had taken a hammer to it. Then I rememberedâ¦. âWhere is he?â
âHis Majesty had something to take care of.â She looked at me with pity, her eyes sorrowful.
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Was he angry at me?
âHere, drink some water. You need plenty of fluids.â She put the glass to my lips, and I drank some. âYou have to stay in bed, your Majesty.â
âWhy? I am not sick.â It was just a bad period. That happened sometimes when a woman is under stress. And I have been under my fair share.
âHealer Gwynethâs instructions.â Rhona pulled the covers up to my chin. âSheâll be back to check on you.â
Amaris entered the room like a thunder cloud his Alpha aura oppressing to such an extent I found it hard to breathe. Rhona scurried out of the room, not daring to look at him.
âAmaris?â
He just stood next to the bed, staring down at me with that cold, dark expression. I reached out to him with trembling hands.
âYou had a miscarriage.â His voice was flat, emotionless, and he didnât take my hands.
I let them drop onto the covers. âNo, no, that canât be true.â But his eyes told me the truth. Those words hit me harder than a punch to the gut. The one thing that he wanted, and I couldnât give it to him. Was it something I did wrong?
âI didnât know I was pregnant. I didnât.â I shook my head terrified that he was going to reject me. âIâm sorry. Iâm
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so sorry.â I burst into tears.
Only then did he sit on the edge of the bed next to me and take me into his arms.
+5
âYou donât have to be sorry, Raine. This was deliberate, an attack on both of us. But I promise you, I will find out who did this.â His anger washed over us as he held me, his body shaking with it.
âI thought you were angry at me,â I sobbed into his neck. âIâve disappointed you.â
He breathed in my scent, his nose in my hair. âI could never be angry with you. I had never been more terrified in- my life. I thought Iâd lost you.â
Tasha howled in my head, her grief mirroring my own. We lost our pup before we even knew we had one.
He stayed with me the rest of the day, tasting everything Rhona brought before feeding it to me, even the water.
âYou donât have to stay here, Amaris. You have a kingdom to rule.â But I loved that he was there with me.
A shadow passed over his face.
âWhat is worrying you?â I held his hand and kissed his fingers. âTell me.â
He extracted himself from my arms and went to stare out of the window. After a minute or so he turned back, leaning against the table.
âI talked to the boy in the tower.â
My heart sank to my stomach. âPlease tell me you didnât kill him.â
âOf course not.â One side of his lip lifted in a bitter grin. âHe had some interesting things to say. Apparently, I am the worst king in the history of werewolf kings, impoverishing my people, punishing them if they didnât pay my taxes to go on living my lu life and throwing lavish parties.â I felt his anger rolling off him. âTell me if this is
I what youâve experienced in your pack, Raine.â
âNo! The hardship I suffered was because of Peterâs addiction. Nothing else. The pack members have never complained about their king. This is insane.â I tried to get up to go to him. I wanted to comfort him. These lies were hurting him deeply.
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As soon as my feet touched the floor he was at my side. âWhat are you doing? Youâre not to get up.â
âIâm not disabled.â I smiled at him, touched that he was so concerned. He lifted me up into his arms. âWe have to find out who is doing these terrible things in your name, Amaris.â I said, fondling his cheek, caressing his lips
with my gaze.
âWe?â He smiled softly, âMy sweet Raine, I am not letting you out of this wing of the castle. Not unless Ross or I accompanies you.â
âYouâre holding me captive?â I didnât like the idea of being cooped up.
aren
âIf it means making sure youâre safe, then yes, you are my captive.â He smirked slightly, pressing his forehead to mine. âUntil I am sure that no one can hurt you.â
âAmaris, I have to be able to look after myself. If not, I will be your weakness. Is that what you want?â
âBut you are my weakness, Raine.â He laid me down onto the bed, stretching himself out beside me.
âI donât want to be. I want to be strong. Iâve been weak my whole life and I am tired of it.â I wanted to be strong for him, to stand by his side and not be afraid of anything or anyone.
âYou will always be my weakness, mine. That doesnât mean you are weak. Which you are not, my queen.â He kissed me lightly on my lips and I ached for more, but he pulled back. âI will protect you, even if you donât want or need me to.â
âI want to help you, Amaris. I want to be the queen you need.â I meant it, I wanted to show the rest of them that I wasnât the weak Omega they all thought me to be.
âThen get well. So I can get you pregnant.â
His words were a sword to my heart. Was that how he truly saw me? âIs that all that you want from me?â I pushed him away.
âNo, f uck! Thatâs not what I meant.â He sat up, looking at me as if Iâd slapped him. âRaine, Iâm sorry. That came out the wrong way. Of course not, youâre worth more than justâ¦â
âA breeder.â I said and my voice sounded as bitter as I felt.
He got off the bed, his shoulders stiff and his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants. âI canât talk to you
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Emergency calls only M
Chapter 30
when youâre like this. Get some sleep. Iâll be back later.â