Rhaegar covered my body with a towel and took me out of the bathroom, putting me on the bed. He removed the hair covering my face and wiped the tears from my face. He frowned and kissed my forehead.
" I'm sorry," he muttered, kissing me again.
I brought my hands to my face and inhaled. I felt uncertain about life and void. I was nullified, and I hated feeling this way.
My mate tried to hug me, but I coiled away, not wanting him close for a while. His heart hammered in his chest, and he looked fearful. I didn't want him to think he did something wrong, I just needed some time from him.
' I think I want to be alone for a while,' I croaked.
" Nalya, I don't-" he began to protest, but I stopped him
' Please, I need this. Just for a while,'
He nodded, frowning. He gave me clothes, and I wore them.
I was discharged from the hospital in the evening after the doctor ran tests. The car ride back to the packhouse was quiet. I was feeling restless for some reason but keen to see Khai. My gaze was out the window, my head leaning against it.
We arrived and opened the car door. The packhouse was quiet which was odd. My mate and I exchanged a glance. I let out a sigh, and we walked to the door. I opened it, and my heart almost flew out of my chest when I heard,
" WELCOME BACK HOME!"
I exhaled, startled, and clutched my chest. I glared at my mate, this was the last thing I needed. His hand was raised to display his innocence.
' I swear I didn't know about it. It must have been your friends that planned it,' he said via mind link.
I put on a smile. Kiyana and Azura were the first to hug me tightly.
" We missed you so much,"
" Welcome back," they squealed.
" Thank you so much, everyone," I smiled.
Everyone greeted me, and I wondered how much they knew. As the evening went by, people came to greet me. All they knew was that I was in a horrible accident and Juliana was the cause of it. I was talking to Abby and Cat, Cat was complaining about her boyfriend leaving her after he caught her cheating. I glimpsed Maryiln and Roma dancing slowly to the music, everything was wonderful. My mate was talking to Kendrick and Nate, but he glanced my way every chance.
I managed to dodge the people and went to Khai's room. Kaley and Layth were there, telling him a story. They noticed me and smiled. Layth stood from the couch.
" Hey, you," he smiled. Kaley too came to greet me.
" Escaped from your party?" she asked, hugging me. It felt surreal that she was here with me, looking so beautiful in her modest mid-length dress.
" I missed Khai," I said. My son sure was excited to see me, and I carried him.
" You're so big!" I said, putting him on the larger bed opposite. Kaley and her mate stayed with us for a few minutes but left, leaving us time to bond.
" Kaley," I called as she walked out.
" Congratulations," I wink, pointing at her now-marked neck. A shy smile curled on her lips, and Layth kissed her on her cheek.
" Thank you,"
They left the room and played with my son. Khai started to fuss, it only meant he wanted to sleep now. We lay on the bed, and it didn't take long for sleep to take over us.
Rhaegar.
I found her sleeping in our son's room. I kissed them both before covering them fully and going to my suite. After taking a shower, I lay on the bed, trying to sleep, however, it was impossible to sleep. I was missing Nalya next to me.
' I need some time, ' she croaked, her eyes filling with tears. I felt earlier how my breath and kisses startled her, she never reacted like that to me.
I wanted to oppose her request because I didn't want her away from me. I wanted to be there for her, always.
' Please, I need this. Just for a while,' her voice was broken. Nalya understood what she needed right now, and if staying away from me would help, I'd give her space. It would be hard to not touch, or kiss her, but I loved her too much to say no.
The next couple of days, I gave my mate as much space as she needed. She didn't sleep in our suite and only came there to grab clothes. I was watching from my packhouse office as she played with Khai in the large garden, they were having a picnic date, and she wore nice white shorts and a tank top. I turned my gaze away when Nate entered, frowning.
" I was coming to the office, I only came here to get some files," I told him. Lately, I have been working at home and not in the office building in town.
" Alpha Tomson and Madam Claudia are requesting entrance on our border," he informed me. Alpha Tomson was Juliana's grandfather, and Claudia was her mother.
" Let them through, we'll talk in my office," I was dreading this conversation with the Tomson family.
In ten minutes I was in my office. Claudia is entitled as fuck, and expected me to release Juliana to them.
"She did what she did because you broke her heart," Claudia snarled.
" Do you even realize what she did was treason?" Nadia was fuming, glaring at the two. I invited her to be part of this meeting.
" She was bitter," Alpha Tomson said. The old man was groaning and inwardly cursing, he didn't want to be here today.
" She worked with rogues that alone is punishable, and not only that, she conspired in her right state of mind to kidnap and torture the luna of the Autumn Moon pack, and a future Queen of the werewolf realm, that is a death penalty," Nate explained patiently to them. Claudia glared at him. She tried to justify her daughter's actions, but it only infuriated me.
" Are you going to kill her?" Alpha Tomson asked as he was peering at me.
" After a few years, yes," I answered, and he was horrified. I wasn't going to let Juliana live after what she did to my mate. She knew fully well that Nalya would have died, but she didn't care. How inhumane and selfish is that?
" No! Prince Rhaegar, I won't let that happen," Claudia cried. I shared a glance with Nate, I didn't know if he agreed with my decision as we hadn't discussed it prior, but Nadia supported my decision.
" No, my Prince, we are allies, please, you can't do that," Alpha Tomson took a begging tone, " You once loved her, she was your friend,"
" A friend who betrayed me in the worst possible ways," I barked. Nadia nodded, raising her chin.
After further discussion, I agreed to Juliana staying in the cells for years.
" How many years?" Claudia gritted her teeth.
" Twenty years," I said, and she stood from her seat abruptly.
" You won't do that! I won't let it happen!" She screamed. " That fucking filthy rogue stole her love! She surely -" I grabbed her neck in anger before she could finish her sentence, choking her. Her father was begging me to let her go, but I didn't listen. I held her tighter, and her eyes were red,
" How dare you insult my Luna, my mate," My tone was deadly, Rega surfacing.
" You're such a disgusting woman, Claudia. Your daughter almost had my baby killed, and you're here defending her?" Growled Nadia, her eyes flashing.
" My Prince, I apologize for my daughter's insolence. Please, y- you'll kill her," Alpha Tomson said, his voice shaking. I threw Claudia against the other side of the wall, her ankle twisting painfully, and she cried in pain.
" Get the fuck out of my pack," I growled. I was on edge and would rip her throat out if they stayed. The old alpha noticed my dark mood, and bowed, dragging his screaming daughter out of the room.
" Twenty years, she's fucked. She already looks horrible," Laughed Nate.