39: Naps save lives.
**Kala pov**
I adjusted Zion’s blanket one last time before sitting beside him. His chest rose and fell slowly - the view was one I didn’t think I would ever take for granted again.
Today had been the first full day since the venom that we could spend mostly together, quietly, without anyone invading our privacy and new problems aiming right below our belts.
“Careful,” I muttered, adjusting his pillow so it didn’t slide. “You’re already unstable enough without rolling off the table.”
Zion snorted out a tired laugh, still managing to flash me that grin that made my heart beat just a little faster than usual. “I don’t plan on flying off the table just yet, love. You’ll have to try harder to scold me.”
I rolled my eyes and nudged his shoulder. “Don’t tempt me.”
So far, we had spent the day quietly, mainly focusing on doing small things, bit by bit, to almost give ourselves a false sense of normalcy both of us craved so desperately. I helped him stand and walk around the tent, made sure he stayed hydrated, and kept the conversation light.
Sometimes we didn’t speak at all and simply enjoyed each other’s presence without words.
Privacy had been everything we needed. No threats outside, no chaos within, just the two of us, finally feeling safe in each other’s company, and the relief for something so simple was more than I could explain.
We sat there for a good moment, not uttering a word, just feeling and breathing peacefully for the first time in Goddess knew how long, until Zion decided to break the comfortable silence.
“You know, I appreciate everything you’ve done today. Even the little things. No, especially the little things because those add up into bigger ones.” He said and turned to look at me before he flashed me another one of his grins.
I reached over and brushed a strand of hair from his face. “I haven’t done anything extraordinary.”
He turned his head toward me fully and flashed a weak, playful smirk. “You know, sometimes I feel like I survived because of you more than anything else.”
I chuckled and leaned closer to him, loving how natural and right it felt to touch him, even if only like this, just leaning against his frame. “You’re dramatic.”
“Dramatic? Moi?” Zion laughed and placed a hand on his chest dramatically before adding, “never.”
I rolled my eyes at his behavior. “I didn’t know you had some French in you.”
Before Zion could add something equally as ridiculous, the brute stepped back into the tent. I glanced in his direction and flashed him a welcoming smile.
Zion tensed next to me, then relaxed just as quickly. “He’s back, what a surprise,” he muttered but his words were laced with amusement rather than irritation. “And it seems he’s as overprotective as ever.”
I couldn’t help but glance at the brute as he positioned himself near the entrance again, looking around the tent with that intense focus.
What surprised me the most was Zion’s reaction. He didn’t act like someone who was threatened and instead, nodded at the brute and spoke. “Thank you for doing what I can’t right now.”
The brute didn’t answer with words, he simply nodded back, acknowledging the words, but never really offering more than that. I watched his face for a moment and noticed the way he kept an eye on every shadow both inside and outside the tent, and also how his gaze followed my every movement.
There was a ridiculous, almost humorous seriousness about him, especially whenever he hovered near me like I might vanish if he blinked.
“Parenting advice,” the brute suddenly muttered, eyes focusing on Zion. “Step one: keep humans alive. Step two: always have water nearby. Step three: never, ever underestimate the power of a nap. Very important.”
Zion let out a small laugh, shaking his head. “Very sound advice, I must admit.”
I joined in with the laughter, leaning into Zion. “Is that seriously how you approach your fatherly responsibilities?”
The brute’s eyes narrowed, but the corners of his mouth twitched like he knew he was funny. “Naps save lives,” he announced like he was negotiating a business deal - all stern face and serious voice.
Zion shook his head, still grinning. “If naps are your strategy, we might survive this little midlife crisis situation of ours.”
The moment was light, easy, and for a while, the outside world didn’t exist. I rested my hand on my belly, feeling the faint movements from our child and smiled like an idiot, listening to the playful banter between my mate and the unexpected guardian.
As I started relaxing a little more, just as quietly as the brute had entered, more guests joined us. I stiffened automatically and Zion tensed beside me.
Aife and Bane stepped into the tent, connected hand in hand as they had been lately. Except, this time, Bane wasn’t that awfully stinky, rotten beast, but human again. Although the change was there, I still tensed because of his presence alone and instinctively shifted closer to Zion.
“Evening,” Aife greeted us with a smile, her eyes instantly focusing on Zion.
As always, she seemed to radiate nothing but calm energy, and I almost relaxed, or at least did until I noticed that Bane’s eyes were focused on me again.
Zion carefully wrapped his arm around my waist and whispered, “they’re just checking on me, relax.”
I forced a smile, but my nerves didn’t settle. I didn’t need anyone to feel the same as I did, but there was still something about Bane’s presence that put me on the edge. It wasn’t the monstrous creature he was yesterday, I believed my issue was that he looked so darn human it could be misleading for others.
Deep down, I would never forget that under the skin and smiles still hid a dangerous monster.
The brute positioned himself near me and Zion whispered again. “See, your guard is here. Even if Bane scares you, this bug guy is doing what I can’t right now and he’s doing a darn good job at that.”
The words didn’t put me at ease, but I still nodded, mainly to avoid worrying Zion more than necessary.
Just then, as if he could read my thoughts, Bane cleared his throat and spoke, eyes focused on me. “It’s not the beast you have to fear, it’s the monster who walks around with my face.”
My heart skipped a beat and my breath hitched. I didn’t think he had any idea about the irony of his words now that he stood with that same face he just mentioned. As much as I wanted to point that out, one almost pleading look from Zion was enough to make me reconsider.
“I heard you - loud and clear, and I’ll remember it,” I finally grumbled.
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