Chapter 56

**Kataleya’s POV**

‘Kataleya, we need your help with something.’

I was woken up by a mind-link from Michael.

‘Goddess, this better be good. Not only are you waking me up, but you are trying to force me to leave my mate.’

‘I promise, it will be. Mom wants to throw Justin a small party when he gets out of the hospital, which from what staff told mom will be later tonight, tomorrow morning, and mom has been begging for you to come out of the hospital room. You have lost weight and your skin has lost its glow; you seriously look like a pale vampire. I think mom is going to try and force some vitamins down your throat too.’ He finished with a laugh.

‘Fine, but I want to be back before Justin wakes up.’

I carefully roll off the bed, so I can throw on some leggings and a tank top; thankfully, Michael and Oliver have been bringing me clothes from my room to wear. Justin starts to stir, so I quickly readjust my pillow so he is holding it. He stiffens for a moment and then he slowly exhales and falls back to sleep.

I leave the room and I spot Leigh talking to one of the nurses. “Leigh, I have to help Michael with something really quick. Will you keep an eye on Justin for me? If he wakes up before I return, will you let him know that I will be back shortly.”

“Of course, Kataleya.”

I hurried out of the hospital and to the packhouse.

I spot Michael and my mom and I rushed over to them. As soon as my mom spotted me, she engulfed me in a hug, squeezing tightly.

“I have been so worried about you,” she whispered, “don’t disappear on me like that again.”

“Mom,” I sputtered, “I can’t breathe.”

“Mom, you are trying to kill the future Alpha,” Elijah walked up and said while laughing.

Mom pulled away and looked me up and down, “You have lost weight. You need to eat.”

“Mom, I am fine.”

“Don’t tell me you are fine. I bet you can’t tell me the last time that you ate a proper meal!”

Unfortunately, she is right. I have not been eating the past couple of weeks. I would chew on ice or take a couple of bites of something to appease them, but other than that, I was a wreck. I couldn’t eat, I struggled to sleep without nightmares. I knew I wasn’t taking care of myself, but I just couldn’t bring myself to care. All I could think about was Justin lying in that bed and there was nothing that could be done to help him.

We spent the next two hours preparing one of the ballrooms for a small get together for Justin’s return home.

I felt someone pushing on my link, trying to connect, ‘Kataleya? Is everything alright?’

It was just Justin. He must have woken up and I wasn’t there. ‘Yeah, Michael needed my assistance, so I told him I would help him if it was done quickly. I was trying to be back before you woke up.’

‘It’s okay, beautiful. I just wanted to make sure you were fine. You refused to leave my side last night, so I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t urgent and that you did not need me.’

‘Nonsense, I always need you Justin…after everything for the last two weeks, I have learned that I do need you and I always will,’ I said as my voice cracked at the end. Losing him, it really tore me up. It also may have been what I needed to realize that I would be a fucking idiot to reject him.

‘Aww…our baby is sad,’ Ares whimpered.

‘Ares, I am fine…I just realized what I almost lost when you didn’t wake up. I would have been stupid if I had actually rejected you.’

‘Love, how were you able to hear Ares?’

I forgot that he did not know that I could hear Ares and I suspect that it was because I was an Alpha Female. My dad always stated how he could hear my mom’s wolf, but she was not able to hear his, but I have a feeling ours is different, since I have different abilities than my father does. If I really am considered a legend, since I am a female Alpha, then a lot of things are going to be different with our bond.

‘I have learned a few things since I marked you. One is that I can hear your wolf counterpart, especially if his thoughts are directed at me. I imagine once you mark me, you will be able to hear Skye’s annoying ass.’

‘I am about to head back to the hospital. Do you want me to pick you up something?’

‘Will you bring me some decent clothes? I am tired of these hospital gowns. It never leaves much to the imagination. Will you, also, bring me a pastry and coffee from Zidelia’s?’

I giggled. ‘Of course, Justin. Just so you know, I find the hospital gown sexy. I enjoy that it does not leave much to my imagination.’ I could already see the wheels turning with that last comment. I usually avoid comments that could be taken inappropriately, but lately, with Justin I feel different. It was like this right before the rogue attack and then the feeling continued to grow. Now, I feel completely comfortable around him. I have my shy moments, but for the most part I am comfortable and safe with him.

I rushed to my room and grabbed him some of the clothes that he had placed in my room for when he stayed over. I then went to Zidelia’s to pick up the pastries and coffee for Justin. She even threw in something extra special, a new recipe, for Justin and I to try. I have always known that I was her favorite.

Once, I walk back into the hospital room, Justin engulfs me in a hug. “Goddess, I missed you,” he mumbled, kissing the top of my head.

“I missed you too. I am sorry that I had to leave. My brother was insistent that I help him with something and it got my mom off my back about getting out of this room, even though she still harassed me about how much weight I have loss and my lack of eating.”

“We are going to change that tonight. I asked the chef to make us a special dinner and have someone bring it to us. I asked the doctors and nurses to not disturb us tonight, so that we can have some time to ourselves and since I pretty much missed your birthday. I feel awful that you spend your 21st birthday stuck in this room and then I technically died on what should have been your special day.”

“No need to feel guilty. The best gift you could have given me was coming back. I don’t know what I would have done if you had truly passed…” I felt the tightness in my throat and the tears pricking the back of my eyes.

He raised his hand and brushed his thumb across my cheek. “None of that love. No need to cry. I am here now and if I have a say in it, I will never leave your side. We are going to have a good night. No tears. We are going to lay here, eat our dinner, and cuddle while watching a movie. And I promise if any rogues attack this time during our movie, we will not respond, babe.”

I giggled, “You know, I will have to respond. I am the future Alpha after all, Justin.”

He sighed, “Why did I know you were going to say that? Can’t you give me the peace of mind for like two seconds that you will not throw yourself into any dangerous environments?”

I sighed. “I am sorry, Justin. You know, I can’t just sit back and neglect my duty as Alpha.”

“I know, I just wish that I could always keep you in a little cocooned bubble, so that I would know you are always safe. Let’s lay down. I had one of the nurses grab some of your favorite movies for us to watch. We are starting our marathon with the first Harry Potter movie.”

Goddess, I love this man.