3 Days Later

“Will he wake up soon?” I hear Arabella ask softly before she states under her breath, “I can’t believe I am saying this, but I miss him already.”

Hearing this, I open my eyes slowly and then turn to gaze at her. Not knowing that I am looking her way, she continues murmuring quietly, “I wouldn’t think I could ever care about a creature. It’s just so weird.” Just after she says it, she looks up and then sees me staring at her.

Immediately her face flushes as she starts stuttering, “I” “I” “I” “I mean.” Her words trail off before she runs out of the room.

The doctor glances over at me and then says, “I guess she really does care for you. She sat here for hours each day holding your hand.” He shakes his head and then continues, “That girl is starting to come around I think.”

Not knowing what to do, I try to sit up to follow her. Unfortunately, I must have lost a lot of blood because I am too weak to move very much. Seeing this, the doctor rushes over to help me. He places one hand behind my back and the other on the bed so he can steady himself and me.

When I am finally in a sitting position, he places several pillows behind my back, and I try to piece everything that has happened together. While the doctor is still here, I ask him, “Have there been any other cases of our people going insane in the last few days?”

“No. Although there have been several cases of stomach aches. I didn’t know if it was from the food or from an illness, but either way they ended up getting over it with some fluids and a good night’s rest.” He says with a matter-of-fact tone to his voice.

“Oh, alright.”

“Why do you ask?” He stares at me while asking quickly afterwards.

Pausing, I run through my mind the possible reasons for this and still come up empty handed before answering the question. “Because it seems when there is one, many others follow, and he seemed fine just before it happened. I am trying to figure out why and if there was anything I could have done to stop it.”

He shakes his head and states, “It really is a shame. He was one of the best alpha’s we had.” When I glance back up at his face, I notice that he looks extremely saddened.

“I have one more problem that maybe you can help me with. There is a consensus around here that I have lost it, and I am concentrating too much on Arabella. My people believe I am not fulfilling my duties as a king. Do you also feel this way?” I stare at the ground when I say it because I am afraid of what he will tell me.

“Honestly?” He asks without hesitation.

Looking right at him this time, I smile and say, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Sighing, he states, “Yes. Your attention has been solely on this girl and what really is she? A potential mate? A human queen? A Luna? You know as well as I do that the people will never take her in as their anything, if she is a human being. It just isn’t right.”

“Then perhaps I have to make a decision tonight. Either let her go, kill her or leave the kingdom and let someone else take my place.” Sighing with the weight of the world on my chest, I close my eyes before saying one last thing. “Thank you. You have been really helpful.” As I smile, I watch him walk into the next room before he returns with a cup of coffee for me.

“Here you go. Take a sip, not twelve and then when you are done, I will check your incision.” He points to my side with a grimace and then turns to walk out for a minute.

Taking the hot cup in my hands, I hold it there for a few minutes as I breathe in the aroma of the black coffee. Then I raise it to my lips and feel the heat rise. I was hoping to take a sip right away, but just as soon as I test it, I wince in pain. It is far too hot to drink the way it is.

So, I place it on the table in front of me and wait till the doctor gets in. When he does, I notice that Arabella is with him. She peeks around his back and stares at me before stepping out and asking, “Are you feeling much better now?” Then she smiles at me with that beautiful mouth of hers.

Waiting till she comes closer to answer, I watch her move around the doctor to take a seat next to me. “Yes. I am. Thank you for asking. Also, I want to thank you for looking after me these several days. The doctor told me that you sat here for hours, and it makes me very happy, to say the least.”

If I told her exactly how much it meant to me, she would run in the other direction and never look back at me. I would sacrifice everything for her, and just knowing that she at least cares if I live or die now, makes me wonder if she is starting to have feelings for me finally. If she is, what does this really mean?

This brings me back to my initial problem, am I willing to leave the kingdom and everything I have fought so hard to save? Or there are two more options that I don’t want to have to think of again right now. Could I kill her or let her go back home? One means breaking my heart and the other possibly killing all my people.

The sad fact is that something must be done. Why can’t I just let nature take its course? I know the answer too well. Because my people won’t let it, that’s why.

After thinking about this, I glance back over at her and notice that she too is deep in thought about something. I hesitate before saying, “A penny for your thoughts.” While smiling with my most charming smile.

She looks up absent mindedly and then states, “That I was really worried about you. You have an effect on me that I can’t describe.”

Wishing right at that moment that I could take her into my arms and kiss her, I fight with myself to stand up. She sees me having problems and then rushes over to my side. “Don’t.” She says quickly while holding me still.

The minute her hands are on my body, it drives me nuts and I must kiss her no matter what. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her up onto my lap and devour her mouth with mine. She doesn’t fight me at all, instead she wraps her arms around my neck and returns my kisses with her own.

Wanting her so badly at this moment, I groan and then the doctor walks in on us. Sighing, I quickly let go of her body and she stays standing next to me the whole time he checks my wound. Every once in a while, I glance over at her while he pokes and prods, but then I catch her looking at me too long once.

Perhaps she is starting to have feelings for me? Who knows? Maybe by the time I get out of this place, she will be willing and waiting for me to take her all the way.

With that thought, I remember something else. In two days, she is 18. I can wait that long. Then, it is on.