Archie's POV
I was carried away from Blood Dawn by my wolf, blood oozing from my wounds. Yet, the physical pain couldn't compare to the agony in my heart. My heart was dead; how could my body still feel?
Alisha's determined face as she stabbed me haunted me. The piercing coldness seeped through every pore when I recalled that moment. She was willing to kill me for another man—her husband, as she emphasized. Husband, a title I once scoffed at, now tore me apart.
My wolf seemed distraught too, incessantly muttering and complaining in my mind. "What have you done this time?" "I angered my beloved because of you!" "Oh, I faked a move to save you just now, she must be furious!" "How should I apologize to her?" "Maybe I acted too fiercely just. I should try gentler methods." "Oh, what if she..."
I couldn't bear its incessant chatter, so I ruthlessly shattered its fantasies. "Forget it. Whatever you do, she won't forgive you. You and she are over! Finished! She won't have a place for you in her heart. To her, you're nothing short of an enemy!" I was speaking to my wolf, or maybe myself.
My wolf fell silent after my harsh words. I didn't think I was being excessive; I believed I was helping it see reality sooner. It was a good thing for both of us.
However, my moment of quietness was short-lived. My wolf, after a period of silence, went crazy. It started to rampage, darting around wildly, and I, being held in its mouth, felt like a ragdoll on a roller coaster, enduring intense jolts, my words drowned by the wind and its erratic movements.
If I managed to survive Alisha's blade, I might as well perish in the jaws of this insane wolf.
After countless inexplicable jumps and dizzying spins, I was finally released to the ground. Feeling the earth beneath me brought immense relief, but I couldn't contain the urge to vomit.
Before I could finish, a concerned voice rang out, "Alpha! What happened to you?" Samuel rushed to my side, patting my back to ease the discomfort. Shaunda joined, helping me up and onto a car. My wolf had brought me to them.
"Alpha, how did you get such severe injuries? Were you attacked by rogues? We have been waiting for you to come out, but you never did. I tried to contact you through mindlink but got no response," Samuel spoke as he bandaged my wounds.
Shaunda, too, assisted, handing bandages to Samuel, her gaze serious. It seemed she was waiting for my response.
Exhausted and unable to speak, I tried to avoid sharing the events with them. However, my wolf had different plans.
It complained to Shaunda, "Shaunda, I found Archie in Alisha's bedroom. You have no idea how angry she was. Her wolf, my beloved, bit down on Archie's arm. I suspect she wanted to bite it off. All because I saved him, I offended my beloved. It is all his fault! My beloved and Alisha can do no wrong!"
Hearing my wolf's words, Shaunda immediately furrowed her brows and asked me through mindlink, "Didn't you say you were going to Dark Forest? How did you end up in Blood Dawn? And in Alisha's bedroom?"
I remained silent.
"Archie!" Shaunda's voice turned stern, "Tonight is Archie and Louie's wedding night. What are you trying to do?"
Upon hearing this, the pain from my freshly bandaged wounds inexplicably flared up again. I closed my eyes, turning away, refusing to answer Shaunda's question.
Seemingly angered, Shaunda continued, "Archie, Alisha is pregnant. She is carrying Louie's child. So, stop bothering them! I didn't want to tell you before, but if you persist like this, it benefits no one. I brought you here to make you give up, to look forward, rather than drown in your fantasies and ruin someone else's happiness!"
The first sentence Shaunda uttered left me stunned.
Pregnant... Alisha and Louie's child... My mind buzzed, and I didn't hear the rest of Shaunda's words.
Alisha had wished for a child, and I had consistently refused. Now, she finally had the chance to have her own child. The father... wasn't me.
Recalling Alisha's regretful words about meeting me, I truly felt sorry for her. I was indeed a failed husband.
A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I felt powerless and just wanted to let myself drift into unconsciousness. I'm sorry, Alisha, for failing you before. Now, the only thing I can do for you seems to be one...
Before slipping into darkness, I gave a command to my wolf: go to Alisha, secretly watch over her for me, don't let her discover you.
Then, my consciousness sank into darkness.
Louie's POV
When I woke up, I saw a circle of people by my bedside. Alisha, Taria, and even Gray. Their expressions were grim, especially Taria, whose eyes were red, crying softly against Alisha's shoulder.
I felt a splitting headache, and my body had no strength, particularly in my throat, which hurt so much that when I attempted to speak, no sound came out.
Alisha was the first to notice my awakening. She exclaimed, "Louie!" with joy and quickly went to fetch water when she saw my difficulty in speaking.
Taria rushed to my side, tears streaming down her face as she choked out, "You finally woke up!"
After I finished the water, feeling some relief in my throat, I hoarsely asked, "What... what happened to me?"
"Blame it on that lunatic Archie. I won't let him off! How dare he harm you!" Taria, still holding my hand, cursed Archie vehemently.
"Archie?" I felt puzzled. What did Archie have to do with this? Didn't he leave after the wedding? I turned to Alisha with a questioning look, but her face remained cold, as if she didn't want to mention that name at all.
Gray explained, "You were attacked by Archie, nearly killed. I must have him pay the price."
I widened my eyes, finding it hard to believe what I heard. "What?"
Alisha looked at me in surprise. "Last night, he broke into our room and attacked you. Don't you remember?"
Upon hearing this, I understood why I was lying in bed again, but Archie? Attacked me? I had absolutely no recollection.
I tried hard to remember, but my memory only extended to Alisha entering the bathroom to take a shower. Everything after that seemed shrouded in darkness. I couldn't recall anything.
The more I tried to remember, the more my head throbbed. I involuntarily clutched my head.
Seeing my distress, Alisha and Taria rushed forward, asking where it hurt. Gray went out to call the witch doctor, Faye.
"I... I don't remember," I told them blankly. I had no memory of what they were talking about. There was a blank space in my recollection from Alisha entering the bathroom until I woke up.
Alisha's expression became extremely serious, and I could sense her worry and tension.
After Faye examined me, he glanced at Alisha and then reassured me, "It's okay. It might be a concussion from the previous attack affecting your memory. Nothing serious. Take your medicine on time and rest well."
However, despite Faye's assurances, when I saw Alisha's pale face and thought about my disappearance of memory, an uneasiness crept over me.
I knew I couldn't keep deceiving myself anymore. So, after the others left, I said to Alisha, "Alisha, now that Taria isn't here, I need to confess, I know why you finally decide to marry me and I don’t want to become your burden."