Chapter 46: 46

Word Count: 1458

~Hunter

Kaan sets me down on his bed with heartbreaking gentleness.

I can still feel the effects of the poison weighing down my limbs, seeping me of any remaining energy. Yet, thankfully I can tell it's leaving my system.

"I can't believe it..." I mumble, rubbing my hand over my face as Kaan comes to sit next to me.

"I know." Kaan fluffs the pillow up behind me. "Are you comfortable?"

"I'm okay, Kaan. I promise," I assure him, smiling gently.

Seeing Kaan being so doting is both sweet and amusing. I know he feels guilty about not being able to protect me, but none of this could have been predicted.

"You should have told me you were taking the poison," he says, his features morphing into concern.

I rub the back of my neck. "In my defense, I didn't know it was going to almost kill me."

"I'm just so glad you're okay."

I gaze up at my mate, at those deep green eyes that never fail to captivate me. Despite look exhausted, he's just as handsome as ever, and the urge to drag him into this bed with me is overwhelming.

"Kiss me," I murmur, leaning closer.

The softest smile touches his lips. He lifts his hand, sweeping it around to the nape of my neck, tangling his fingers into my hair. The moment our mouths touch I feel all the tension bleed from my body.

I fall back until my head is pressed into the pillow. Kaan leans over me, sweeping his tongue into my mouth both gently and with enough passion to have my toes curling.

Kaan kisses me until I can't breathe anymore. Then, he pulls away to draw his mouth down my neck, making my skin tingle as he kisses it softly.

He's being far too gentle for my liking.

I wind my fingers into his hair, tugging hard enough in hopes he will understand that I want more of him. He merely touches me leisurely, like he's worshipping me rather than devouring me.

Suddenly he pulls away, looking down at me.

"Why did you stop?" I pout.

He laughs breathily, brushing the hair from my flushed face. "You're recovering, you need rest."

"I don't need rest I need you," I insist, tugging on his shirt, wondering how feasible it would be for me to rip it off his body right now.

Kaan pulls away, making me huff out a sigh of frustration. It's like my body craves him, and having him pull away from me physically hurts.

"Shh, Hunter," he soothes, sitting back enough to stop tempting me so much. "Seeing you like that, in a bed about to die was terrifying to me. I wasn't sure I would be able to keep living if something happened to you. I'm still coming down from that."

My smile falters. Oh.

"I understand, just know I'm okay. I feel a bit weak, but the antidote worked well," I assure him. If I'm feeling ready to jump his bones, I'm probably almost healed at this point.

Still, Kaan doesn't look convinced. He's had a dubious look on his face for a while now, like he's waiting for me to combust into flames any second now. Unless Tay gets near me, which I doubt, I should be fine.

And I don't doubt that Kaan will be vetting any food coming to me from now on.

"I must go thank Azura shortly," he notes.

"Stay with me for now. For the night," I encourage, pulling on his sleeve. I'm tired, but even so, I don't think I'll be able to sleep on my own. When I close my eyes, visions of the look on Tay's face when she looked down at my helpless body haunt me.

"Of course," he murmurs. "Just let me change."

I watch him, trying not to let my mind wander back to horrible things as he sheds off his shirt, going through his dresser looking for something to wear to bed.

"Are you really going to send Tay away to your grandmothers?" I ask.

"She needs to think a lot about what she has done. Our grandmother won't allow her to get away with anything, so I know she will be safe, but also held accountable," he explains, switching his pants for comfier ones.

"That sounds like a good idea."

As long as his grandmother remains safe, that is. It seems as though Tay was only targeting me because she wanted me to stay here. I doubt she would be tempted to hurt her own grandmother unless she was desperate. Hopefully she will see that this is the best option for her.

Kaan pauses, looking over at me with a frown. "If you want her to be punished more, then we can talk about that."

"No, I don't want that. Something is clearly going on with her, and she doesn't deserve to be punished just because she was brought up in this crazy environment," I say.

Kaan has only turned out so even tempered because his family favoured him so much. Azura and Tay have been given a hard time their entire lives. I think they have been reacting to their environment, and although Tay has done something terrible, I don't want her to be punished cruelly.

"That's kind of you, Hunter. Even when it would be reasonable for you not to be."

"Being in the country will be good for her...I hope," I mumble, smoothing my hands along the wrinkles in Kaan's comforter.

Kaan slides into bed next to me, his presence comforting me.

"Why did Azura try to kill your parents?" I question. The issue has been bothering me since I found out about it.

Kaan sighs uneasily. "It became clear she would be stuck here forever, that my parents would never allow her to marry, to get a normal job or to pursue her painting to the full extent she wanted to. So, she lashed out."

"Oh..."

"She regretted it immediately. Ever since I swore that once I became Alpha, and was able to oust my parents from this place, I would free Azura," Kaan explains, his dark hair tousled and messy against the white pillow.

I don't blame Azura for trying that, even if it wasn't the best way to go about things. Her parents are monsters. I've been tempted to do away with them myself.

"When are you planning to do that?"

"Soon. It's complicated, getting my parents to move." Kaan rubs his temples. "They are still largely connected to many treaties, to many agreements that have been made. However, it's going to be my primary focus behind being the best mate to you that I can."

My heart warms. He always puts me first, even when everything is falling apart around. He always has been looking out for me, even when I first came here.

Aside from the time he shot me in the back with a poison arrow, though...

"You are the best mate. I wouldn't want to be with anyone else," I tell him earnestly, nestling my head in against his shoulder.

"So you're definitely here to stay?"

I giggle. "I think we've established that I am."

Before, all I wanted was freedom. Now, I can only see my life with Kaan, my mate and my husband. Once Tay and his parents are out of his life, I want to go travelling, to see as much of the world as possible, like I've always dreamed.

Kaan kisses my forehead. "Good. Once this is over we are going away for a bit, and I'm going to make up for all our lost time."

"You read my mind," I muse with a smile.

I turn my head, tilting my chin up to look at him. My eyes brush down to his lips as I become desperate to taste him again.

Just as I lift my head to kiss him, a violent scream echoes down the hallway from outside.

I freeze. "What was that?"

"Someone's in trouble."

We immediately launch from bed - me much slower than Kaan - before we fling the door open to see a frantic maid. Her face is deathly pale and she looks ready to throw up at our feet.

"Alpha Kaan, you need to come right away," she exclaims breathlessly, bracing her hand against the doorframe. "Something terrible has happened?"

"Tell me," he demands.

She squeezes her eyes shut, as if to force away the horror that she just witnessed. "Your parents have been murdered."

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