Monitor the sleeping baby
1597 Words
Eryx
~
I placed Kaira on the bed gently, happy she didn’t wake up after all the toss and hassle.
Seems she’s a heavy sleeper or just fully exhausted.
I sat at the edge of the bed and looked at her sleepy face full of bruises and cuts. Her upper lip was busted and left cheek was swollen, yet she looked beautiful.
I didn’t know what moved me, but I took her hand, and a smile formed on my lips. And it felt soothing watching her this way.
After an unknown measure of time. I finally asked my wolf what I had been running away from. “Now what?”
What do you want to do? Voros responded with a question.
I want to be able to smell her, hold her… I shouldn't.
Voros snorted in disapproval. “Why are you resisting?”
“You know what will happen if she’s really the one. She would be a target again like ‘Her’. She is weak and has already been through so much.”
Stop saying that she’s weak. Weren’t you the one that suggested the academy? Anyone who can have so many injuries, survive a Lycan’s attack and not dissolve into sobs, must be strong.
I can help you dissolve this conflict, since you're confused about your current situation, there’s only one thing to do.
Which is? I asked.
“Reject her,” Voros suggested. I couldn’t smell her as mine, but I felt a piercing ache in my chest area the moment Voros spoke those words. ‘Rejection.’
He continued. “You know you can’t do it because it won’t do us any good. That’s why you couldn’t leave her behind.”
I released a slow breath. “What should I do? I can’t let her go, and I can’t be with her either.”
I can feel your anxiousness, Eryx. It will be fine. Don’t rush this. For now, keep her close and keep her safe. With time, you will know what to do…”
Food is here, Ben's voice cut through the mind-link, jerking me out of my thoughts.
I was staring at sleeping Kiara, and I lost track of time. This has never happened before.
“My King?,” Ben called after a minute.
I knew I should leave, but why do I find it so difficult to separate from Kaira? What if something happens and I am not here? What if she disappears again?
Then an idea popped up.
“Ben, answer the call and keep it on…,” I instructed and took my phone to call Ben for a video chat.
I placed my phone on the TV stand, so that the camera pointed at Kaira. With this video call, I could keep an eye on her from afar.
Give me your phone,” I demanded from Ben as I walked through the waiting room.
He nodded in approval without questioning me further, as he saw Kaira’s sleeping form.
I muted the call, so that I wouldn’t wake up Kaira accidentally.
“That’s called a baby monitor,” Aven spoke from behind.
“Huh?”
“When you have a camera pointed at a sleeping baby so that you can see her room in other parts of the house. A baby monitor,” Aven explained.
“Or stalking,” Cassian added. “Will you tell us what’s your deal with this girl?”
I sat on the chair and took one plate that had sausages, eggs, and toast.“There’s nothing, I told you guys already.”
I was already shoving food in my mouth while stealing glances at Ben’s phone (aka ‘The Baby Monitor’). Knowing that Kaira was there, sleeping peacefully calmed me down.
I narrowed my eyes and focused on the phone in order to confirm her chest was rising and falling as she breathed. Other than breathing, she didn’t move a muscle and I needed confirmation she was alive.
“I got the first aid supplies sire.” Ben said as he dropped the bag next to my food on the table.
“Eryx,” Aven called out calmly, “You are hiding something.” We felt you being anxious. Talk to us brother.”
We can’t tell them yet, Voros spoke quickly. We aren’t sure ourselves, and they might kick against it.
But again, they’re our brothers, and their wolves are trying to get word out of me.
She… she just reminds me of ‘her.’” I said.
Cassian scoffed, I don’t believe you.
Well, think whatever you want. “I’m responsible for her,” I said, which got me raised eyebrows from both of my brothers, who obviously wanted more clarity.
“Why are you making it sound like you are responsible?” Cassian asked. “And don’t you dare say because of the hardship, omegas are prone to sufferings, regardless of who is involved.”
I raised a hand indicating for Cassian to keep shut. “Well there’s always a first time. This isn’t about being looked at as the responsible one here, not like I am making myself look good either, it’s because of me that girl got another beating.”
Aven and Cassian exchanged looks, feeling something missing in my cooked-up story. Even Ben looked genuinely confused.
Sure, the girl got a few beatings and even though you were involved, you didn’t do it on purpose. These are internal dealings of Victor’s pack. As Alpha King, Eryx, you should know that no Alpha would tolerate others meddling in how rewards and punishments are given to his people.
That’s the thing, I drawled. Victor, step-father or not, is only a royal rogue King, she’s an omega from a full-blooded pack, so her business is my business.
You don’t get my point, Aven tried to make me see reason. By taking this girl away during punishment, you indirectly make Victor look like he can’t handle his kingdom. Sure, she’s not a warrior, but every member in that palace counts.
I rubbed my face with force. I knew the repercussions but… “She had been offered to us. You both rejected her, but I didn’t. No one cares about her.”
And you do?,” Cassian snapped.
What’s so special about this girl anyway?” He stood from his seat and walked straight to me, jabbed a finger right at my chest.
Cass… Aven tried to stop him.
You, Eryx Draven, are known for showing no ounce of emotions, even the thinnest bit. Now you claim to change over night, and behave like me and Aven are outsiders. Forgetting were triplets. “You made yourself like an outcast, are you trying to provoke Victor knowing fully well we need him as an ally to solve the disappearance of pack members happening in the shadows. Is she worth jeopardizing the main capital for? Are you aware this might cause a war?”
I growled, and my face contorted in anger. “What do you expect me to do? To leave her there to rot while they beat her to death?”
“That’s not what Cassian meant,” Aven interrupted with urgency while his eyes darted from mine to Cass.
We three are brothers, we can’t keep on having this same disagreement because of that she-wolf.
Aven seeing he got mine and Cassian’s attention, he resumed talking.
Cassian is right Eryx. You know that we’re just trying to look out for you and the safety of our pack.
I snorted. “How self-righteous of you both—when even Ben and Kaden had something bad to say about how out of character this is for me.”
What?
I watched Ben's face paled and go limp from the corner of my eyes.
“I didn’t force her. She followed me on her own,” I said irritably. Why are you two making it look like I kidnapped her?
They would never understand, we kept them in the dark, Voros added. In a way, it looks like you smuggled her, since we took her from Emma.
At least it worked. We’re out, and we only need to come up with a cover-up story and things will be fine. Why are Aven and Cassian making a fuss?
‘Thud!’
A sound came from Ben’s phone and my eyes widened in sheer panic when I saw an empty bed.
Kaira had disappeared!
I dashed out and ran frantically to my room.
I let out a breath I was holding when I saw kaira sprawled on the floor, sleeping. She fell off the bed.
I shook my head helplessly because she looked adorable while hugging a pillow and I panicked like an i***t for no reason. Why would I think that she would disappear?
I walked to kaira slowly and carefully pried the pillow from her hold before lifting her up.
Kaira stirred a bit while adjusting in my arms to a more comfortable position, and I stood still like a statue as a delightful smile spread across my face.
I lay with Kaira on the bed with a plan to leave so I could finish things with my brothers. After all, I needed to set things right, whether they accepted or not.
However, Kaira’s head rested on my shoulder and her warm breath fanned my neck as wonderful sparks overtook my senses, making me tense and relaxed at the same time, and unable to let go.
I stared at her, engraving every curve of her face into my memory, and didn’t realize my eyes were closing gradually.
- Writer
