~Celine~
I felt a wet towel on my face, causing me to shiver from my deep sleep. I tightened my closed eyes and clenched my jaws as this wet feeling refused to go away.
“Celine?” I heard someone call my name from afar, causing me to furrow my brows.
“Celine?” The voice drew closer and I shook my head, slowly opening my eyes.
“Hmm.” I moaned as I felt sharp pain all over my body. Instantly, I recalled what had happened and my eyes popped wide open.
I looked down at my belly, and my breathing grew intense in terror.
“Hey, hey.” He uttered in a whisper, carefully turning my head to look at him. “I’m here, Celine. You’re safe now.” He added, placing the wet towel on my forehead ahead.
“Ethan,” I called, even though I could barely hear my own voice. “Where is he?” I asked, trying to sit up regardless of the pain I felt, but he stopped me.
“Don’t move. It’s going to hurt more.” He instantly cautioned, making me lay back down. I then realized I was lying on the couch in the living room.
I could see Ethan’s face only because of the lights from the fireplace. His face was still swollen from the fight he had earlier.
“How long did I go unconscious?” I asked as my eyes scanned the living room.
“Over six hours.” He answered, withdrawing the towel from my forehead and dipping it into the bowl of water next to him.
Before I could respond, I heard the door open and close. “The door is fixed already?” Kiara wondered.
Then I saw a pretty huge man walk up to us, I could hardly see his face, because he stood in front of the fireplace.
“How is she now?” His voice sounded so familiar.
“I’m not sure. She just woke up.” Ethan answered. I could sense the worry in his voice.
“You’ll be fine, Celine. We would do anything to make you better.” He uttered, and I nodded slowly.
“Thank you,” I answered in a hoarse voice.
“Thank you, Alpha Joven,” Ethan answered and that was when it clicked. His Alpha was around.
“I’ll be outside with the others.” He added and turned to leave.
“He and the pack got here before Alpha Marcus left, a few minutes after you went unconscious. He even helped with fixing our door.” Ethan uttered with a faint smile as soon as Alpha Joven was out of sight.
“He met Alpha Marcus? What happened?” I asked curiously.
“I’m not sure, but he sure cautioned himself immediately after he saw Alpha Joven. He had no idea I was his beta. Apparently, they are more like business partners. They excused themselves to talk and before I knew it, he was off.”
“Just like that?” I asked in awe.
“Yes. I’m not sure what he said to him and honestly, I don’t care. He made you hurt yourself and I hate him. He should have been killed instead.” He answered with a straight face as he continued mopping my body.
“Are you saying I don’t have to bother about Alpha Marcus coming after me again?” I inquired.
“According to my Alpha, No, you don’t have to worry again. He said he sorted it out already.” He answered.
Hearing this made me so happy and I put on a smile. I slowly reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze.
“Thank you so much, Ethan…”
“Don’t thank me yet.” He butted in. “There are so many things I’m yet to do.” He added as he turned his head to look at my belly.
“The cut was deeper than I expected. Please tell me you can still feel your baby inside of you.” He added, and I placed my hand on my belly.
My shirt was still bloody and underneath the fabric, I could feel the swollen plaster on my cut.
“I don’t know, Ethan. I don’t feel anything. I haven’t started feeling anything.” I answered and looked at his face.
He heaved a loud sigh and nodded. “I believe the baby wasn’t affected.” He uttered and I bobbed slowly.
“I think so too. I would know if it was, right?” I asked, hoping I was right.
“Right!” Kiara and Ethan chorused.
After he was done mopping my upper body, he moved down to clean my legs. “Why are your wounds taking so long to heal? I know Betas heal pretty fast.” I uttered.
“They heal pretty fast but not when they’re injured by Betas like themselves. It takes a longer time to heal from wounds gotten from Alphas and Betas.” He explained.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. I’m sorry that I put you in my mess. You don’t deserve it.”
“Neither do you deserve this. I promised to protect you and be by your side but you almost died in my arms because you wanted to save me. I’m never going to let that happen. Ever.” He responded, paying more attention to cleaning my legs.
I stared at him with so much emotion. He was so good to me and I wasn’t sure if that was right after how badly I treated him.
Tears heated up my eyes and I sniffed, looking away from him. He hastily looked up at the sound of me sniffing and quickly touched my face.
“Are you alright? Is it hurting somewhere?” He asked with great worry. I shook my head and cleaned my eyes with the back of my hand.
“I am fine, Ethan. It doesn’t hurt.” I answered.
“Are you sure? Why are you crying then?” He further asked, and I shook my head again.
“I’m fine, Ethan. I promise.”
The door opened again and a young lady walked in with a tray in her hand. When our eyes met, she let out a feeble smile.
“You’re up.” She uttered, placing the tray on a stool and moving it close to the couch.
“Thank you, Martina,” Ethan said to her with a smile, and Martina nodded.
“Alpha Joven wants to have a word with you. I’ll stay here with her.” Martina said, and he nodded slowly.
“I’ll be back soon, Celine.” He held my hand and I nodded. He stood up from the chair and headed out, while Martina sat on the chair.
“I’m sorry about what happened to you, Celine.” She uttered and I let out a smile.
“Thank you,” I answered.
“I’m Martina. I am a Beta of the Joven’s pack.” She went ahead to shake my hand.
“I’m Celine..”
“C’mon, girl. I know you. You’re Ethan’s girlfriend. Everyone knows that.” She answered with a chuckle, and I let out a false smile.
I remembered vividly that Ethan told me to put up the girlfriend act when the pack members were around, and I was going to do just that, even though I wasn’t comfortable being called his girlfriend.
“Yes, I am,” I responded.
“Well, I’m so happy for you two. You’re so cute together.” She added.
“Oh, please. Enough girl.” I heard Kiara mutter.
“Thank you,” I said to Martina.
“I’ll feed you now before Ethan returns. I bet you’re starving.” She added, reaching for the plate and scooping out some porridge.
She carefully moved the spoon to my mouth and I took the porridge in.
“Hmm…” It tasted so delicious. “This is so tasty.” I commended her.
“Really? Thanks. I love cooking. My mate will be the luckiest man.” She uttered, and I giggled softly, nodding in agreement.
“I bet he will.”
After Martina finished feeding me, Ethan returned and she cleared the table and went to the kitchen.
“I hope you enjoyed your food.” He uttered, and I bobbed.
“I enjoyed Martina’s company too. She’s a very nice lady.”
“Oh yes, she is.” He answered with a large smile. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. He stretched it to me and said; “You can have your phone back. Alpha Marcus is gone and I believe you to make the right decisions.”
After hearing his words, I reached for my phone and collected it. To my greatest surprise, Alpha Kilhan’s picture was still the wallpaper. The same way I had given it to him.
“I haven’t deleted a thing, nor have I added anything.” He added.
I stared at Alpha Kilhan’s perfect face for so long. I couldn’t stop staring and I felt my eyes water again.
‘I can’t keep doing this to myself. Of course, I missed him, but it’s over.’ I thought.
I shut my eyes for a while, and when I opened my eyes, I clicked on my photos and deleted all pictures of Alpha Kilhan, including the ones we took together.
I clenched my jaws and gulped hard as I also clicked on my contacts, and I saw his phone number.
After a few minutes of reluctance, I deleted it too.
‘I have to move on and be a strong mother for my unborn child.’
I turned off my phone and looked at Ethan, who was just staring at me speechlessly.
“I have made my decision.”