SEQUEL: THIRTY-SEVEN

Alina threw her head back against the wall as Roman dipped his head to get at her neck, painting red-hued starbursts all down the pale column of her neck.
“Ah, Roman…” She panted when he sank his sharp teeth a little too deep into the curve of her neck, her hands clutching onto his hair.
Their journey up the stairs and into Roman’s bedroom had been a blur, Alina burning up the moment Roman placed his hands on hers.
The pleasure Roman gave her was sublime but no less intense because of that. It felt like drowning in a calm lake, she couldn’t escape and she didn’t want to escape.
When they basked in the afterglow and Roman had his arms securely around her, Alina realized that she had stopped asking what she wanted to do with her life. And that was because she had already found it, even before she realized it.
-+-
The next morning, Alina was supposed to call her dad but the call came in before she could make it. Roman had gotten her a new phone but it wasn’t her phone that rang, rather it was Roman’s.
They were curled up in each other’s arms on the bed, sunlight streaming in when the phone began to buzz incessantly.
With a scowl, Roman reached for it, intending to switch off his phone only to frown at the caller ID.
Alina immediately picked up on this because had been intently studying Roman’s face while burying her fingers in his already sleep-tousled hair.
Roman gave her an inscrutable look. “Anton.”
All the sleepiness that Alina previously felt drained away, “I planned to call him anyway, you should pick.” She said flatly.
Roman was tempted to hang up just because of the way the lights left Alina’s eyes when she heard who was calling but it was very odd for Alpha Costin to call him out of the blue and keep calling.
“Hello?”
“Your Highness!” A strange voice replied instead, sounding frantic. “Alpha King Costin had to be rushed to the hospital, is Princess Alina with you-”
Roman had put it on speakerphone first thing so they were both privy to what had been said.
“What??” Alina interrupted, shooting upright.
“Princess Alina! I’m so glad I was able to reach you.”
“What happened to my dad?” She asked frantically.
“The doctors say he had a heart failure-”
“Where is he?” She cut him off again, feeling like her heart was going to fail too.
Roman was already on his feet, getting dressed. The moment the location was given to them, they headed out.
On the plane, Alina’s nerves were shot to hell. She was deathly silent the entire time, the only indicator of her panic was her pale hands which held on tightly to his.
Alina had a hard time processing what was going on. It was impossible, her dad was immortal, nothing could happen to him, nothing… But somehow, he was admitted to the hospital currently fighting for his life.
How long had he been battling with a heart disease and she didn’t know. But it wasn’t that she didn’t care, she would kill to have her dad rely on her every now and then.
When they got to the hospital that her dad was admitted into, his condition had fortunately stabilized so she was allowed to see him right away.
Alina froze at the doorway, unable to take another step in. Her father’s second in command was by his bedside looking the most ragged Alina had ever seen him but she paid no attention to him, her eyes fixed on her dad who looked like he had aged decades since the last time she saw him.
All of his hair was completely white now and he looked very frail, it was so terrifying to see it made her tear up.
“I understand if you don’t want to be here,” Anton started to say, guilt spilling out of his wrinkled eyes.
Alina didn’t let him continue, sweeping across the space to throw herself on her father’s chest. “Do you have any idea how terrified I was to hear that something happened to you?” She asked in a muffled voice in between sobs.
Anton placed a hand on his daughter’s hair, he had also frozen when Alina showed up at the door. He had seen the pictures of her new hair in the media but it was nothing compared to seeing her in person and seeing his dead mate in their daughter’s features.
“I don’t deserve your concern,” He sighed wearily.
“You don’t get to decide that,” Alina angrily said, still not lifting her head.
She had been prepared to completely cut her father off, her call that morning was supposed to accomplish that but this… all this… none of this was part of the plan.
Her dad was the only person who had remained by her side unconditionally and even though he did poorly in taking care of her, he was still her father. She wouldn’t be able to take it if anything happened to him.
Anton chuckled, an empty sound. “I don’t deserve you.” He corrected.
Alina didn’t say a word this time, holding tight to her only parent.
“I’m really sorry, love-”
Alina immediately knew why her dad was apologizing without him having to say it bluntly and it made her hold onto him tighter. “Please don’t leave me too,” She begged desperately, lifting her head for the first time.
Anton just kept calmly patting her hair, “It wasn’t supposed to end like this. I hoped… I hoped I would have more time to try to make up for everything I didn’t do.”
Alina’s face was stained with tears, her vision blurry as she stared up at her dad. “Do you love me?” She blurted out, her thoughts a jumbled mess.
“Always.” Anton whispered, his eyes slipping shut.
The machines hooked up to the European Alpha King started to beep crazily and Lloyd, his second in command dashed out to get the doctors.
Alina reluctantly let go of her dad so that the doctors could attend to him, immediately going to Roman who had his arms out. She melted into his hold, the screaming in her head quieting down.
In all this, she only wished that she hadn’t heard the words she wanted to hear all her life when her dad was on his deathbed.
She held on tightly to Roman even as they were made to leave the hospital room, confident that whatever happened to her dad, she would live through it because now she had Roman.
She lifted her head to look up at Roman, a sad smile breaking through her tears. “Do you love me?”
Roman held her so tight and it was just enough, he pressed a kiss to her hair and said the words she craved to hear.
“Always.”

*END*