31: As stubborn as a brick.
**Zion pov**
I woke up to the ache in my body even before I opened my eyes. My muscles screamed with pain, skin prickled with that stupid needly sensation, and there was a faint taste of blood lingering in my throat. My chest burned as I blinked against the light seeping through the tent.
Kala was already there, watching me like I might disappear at any moment. Her hand brushed against mine so softly, I barely felt her touch at all.
“Morning,” I muttered, my voice rough and deep, nothing like I usually sounded.
The moment she smiled at me, I felt like my soul left my body and my heart stopped mid-beat. “Morning. How are you feeling?” Kala whispered, gently cupping my cheek like she was still scared to touch me.
I watched her for a longer moment, giving myself time to take in every feature of her face and admire her beauty. How in the hell did I get so lucky to have her as my mate? How? Had I saved thousands of lives in my past life to be blessed with someone as perfect as Kala?
Eventually, I had to remind myself that she asked a question and expected an answer. “Better than I did yesterday, but don’t get excited, it’s not like I can do backflips yet.”
She chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “You don’t have to, just sitting up is enough.”
I let her help me to the edge of the table I still slept on, my every movement probably more careful than it was supposed to me.
“You don’t have to push too hard,” Kala scolded me as she helped me up. “We have all the time in the world.”
I wanted to laugh at her optimism, but decided against it. It was bad enough that my pregnant mate had to drag me around, so laughing at her attempts to help me would be downright cruel.
So, instead, I focused all my energy on taking the first step. One, then another one, while Kala still stayed close, her hands outstretched towards me as if she was ready to catch me if I fell.
When I finally reached the log in the middle of the tent that held the structure upright, I leaned against it and groaned. “Okay, this is enough for now. My legs are negotiating with me and I don’t like it.”
Kala laughed at me. “Negotiating? You sound like a stubborn old wolf, not the Beta I know.”
I tried to smile and failed miserably. “Old wolf, huh? Maybe that’s appropriate.”
For a while, we just enjoyed the silence around us. When it became too much for me, I spoke again, trying to sound casual so I wouldn’t worry her too much. “Do you think this will ever stop? I mean the constant fighting. Will we ever find peace again?”
“I don’t know,” Kala admitted without thinking about my questions for too long. “All that matters to me is that you survived and I know you’ll keep fighting for our baby to have his grumpy dad.”
I forced down the lump that formed in my lump and nodded as my hand instinctively moved to her stomach and her hand instantly covered mine. “Don’t overthink it,” Kala whispered. “You’ve done enough already.”
I nodded although my thoughts wouldn’t settle. “I can’t stop thinking about Bane,” I admitted and focused my eyes on the baby bump so I wouldn’t have to meet her gaze. “He’s still my best friend, my love. If I can help him, I will.”
Kala’s hand gripped mine and squeezed it gently. “I know and I understand your intentions, but I need you to remember that you have to think about us too. And yourself, Zion. You can’t be strong for anyone else if you break yourself first.”
I let out a long breath, closed my eyes and leaned my head against the log. Kala was right, but my chest still felt heavy with the need to act. I couldn’t just sit here while Bane still suffered because of the curse that wasn’t his own doing.
My best friend wasn’t the best man on this planet, but I truly didn’t believe that he deserved what was happening to him now.
Eventually, Kala helped me back to the table I slept on. Every step I took was painful, but this was progress and I was happy about anything I could get.
As I sat down and groaned, Kala grabbed my hand and placed it on the side of her belly. “Feel that?” She whispered, eyes sparkling with joy.
I nodded, mesmerized by the sensation of life growing inside her. “I do,” I whispered, scared of speaking too loud and scaring the baby.
Before I could comment, the brute stepped inside. I didn’t know his name, only that my wonderful mate kept addressing him as such, so I started to do the same thing and the man didn’t seem to mind too much anyway.
“Is the little one awake too?” The brute asked, his voice low and rough, but still somehow kind.
Kala laughed and smiled at the brute over her shoulder. “Seems like it.”
The brute stepped closer with a soft smile across his lips. Funny enough, I didn’t feel anything odd when he was around us - the man acted like a protective father when it came to Kala so maybe that was why I didn’t feel threatened.
His hand reached out and hovered over Kala’s bump, as if silently asking for permission. Kala smiled again and nodded, which was enough for him to settle his large hand on the bump. “Strong little thing,” the brute muttered.
I pulled back for a moment and smiled, watching how they interacted with our baby. Despite the chaos of the past few days, this tiny moment felt safe.
“You’re going to be a fighter,” the brute whispered and added. “Just like your dad.”
Kala laughed at his words and shook her head. “A fighter, yes, and as stubborn as a brick, just like his father.”
My eyes instantly found her and a wide smile spread across my lips as I murmured, “I don’t deserve you.”
She instantly tilted her head and gave me the look. “Yes you do.”
There were no questions asked, no doubts, no nothing - just sharp and to-the-point words that reminded me, once again, where I stood.
I didn’t comment anymore, kept my mouth shut and enjoyed the moment. After a while, we heard steps nearing the tent again and the brute tensed, just like I had seen him previously, he positioned himself between us and the tent entrance, ready to fight if necessary.
A moment later, Bane and Aife stepped in. Although my best friend was stuck in the form of a rotting beast, I could still see him, not the ugly on the outside.
Bane’s eyes instantly found me. “Still alive,” he whispered, but the words were loud enough for everyone to hear.
I knew he didn’t mean anything bad by making the statement, so I simply grinned, nodded and replied with a simple, “yep, alive and intend to stay that way.”
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