Chapter 91

Killian:

“You know, she is a very nice girl.” Mom said, making me smile. “I never did expect to say this when I found out that she was a Bernardi, but I have to admit, you did not fail to surprise me.”

“How so?” I asked, shaking my head in question. Both mom and I walked back to my sister’s secret garden, and though she hasn’t been here in a very long time, I was thankful for the fact that she did not reject my request this time. 

Normally, even mentioning the garden was taboo for both her and dad, and though he was yet to come here, I was glad that she did.

“When your sister was killed, we swore an oath to dry out their bloodline. Little did I know was the fact that our bloods would be merging to make a family.” She said, and I looked down at my feet.

“Mama…”

“I don’t want you to explain your reasons, nor do I need you to. The girl is nice, and is a beauty, and she seems to have gone through more than she even voiced out to you.” She said, stopping me. Mom crossed her arms over her chest for a second as we crossed the rose field. Her eyes landed on them for a few seconds before catching sight of the lilies and orchids. It was Eleanor who chose to plan them here after hearing that they were my sister’s favorites.

“Eleanor has been taking care of the garden after I was shot.” I said, explaining the situation, and mom nodded in understanding. 

“The man that I knew a year ago would not even allow any woman into this place. Now, you are allowing her to take care of it.” Mom said, and I looked down at my feet, avoiding her eyes. “I believe that she is the missing Bernardi bride?”

“He already knows that she is with me,”

“And that is why he shot you.” She stated, making my chest burn. “You didn’t give me details, but I didn’t need to hear them from you to know the facts, Killian.”

“She is my mate, and she’s been hurt by all of them, including her father.” She nodded in understanding before crossing her arms over her chest. “I called you here because I wanted to tell you that I planned on giving her our last name.”

“That will not change who she is, Killian,” she said, and I took a deep breath. “Her getting our last name will not mean that she is one of us.”

“But her marrying me will,” I said, and mom’s eyes widened. Her heart raced and I shook my head. “I am deeply in love with her, mama. And believe me, I am more than willing to lay the world under her feet. All I want her to do is ask, and the thing is, I know that she never does.” 

“Killian…”

“I know that you might be against us joining in blood with the Bernardi, mama.” I said, stopping her. “You, more than dad even.”

She looked down at her feet, avoiding my eyes for a second before she shook her head.

“I can never be the reason that stops you from your happiness, Killian.” She said, taking my hand in hers. “But marriage is a big step, especially when you just met her, and when she has a psychopath that…”

“Him, I will deal with . But the one thing that I request is to get your consent about marrying her.” I said, and mom looked down at her feet for a second. 

“You know that I can’t do that when I just met the woman. And though you have marked her and there is no changing that, marrying her would be a big step considering that she is yet to give you a child.” She said, reminding me of an old tradition that we used to have when it came to ‘joining’ enemy families.

“You know that we tend to break every tradition…”

“As I said, Killian, I am not going to be the person to stand in the face of your happiness.” She said, stopping me. “But I will not consent to a woman that I barely just met; just give me a chance to get to know her and I will give you my consent, if you are still looking for it.”

I smiled and nodded before she nodded at the door behind me. “Now, how about we go inside before your father comes looking for us?”

I smiled and nodded before wrapping my arm around her as we walked inside the house. We walked out of the suite and toward the living room where everyone was dismissing themselves to their room.

“Did Eleanor come back?” I asked dad who shook his head before wrapping his arm around mom. 

I frowned at the fact that Eleanor took as long as she did in the kitchen.

The fact that she was going there alone told me that she needed to take a breath, but I didn’t know what she was doing until now.

“Natasha, did Eleanor send you anything?” I asked, shaking my head in question as I walked out of the living room. 

She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’ve been looking for Nikolai for the past hour, and the man is literally nowhere to be found. Mom said that he took Eleanor to the living room, but…”

“What?” I asked, frowning in confusion.

“He went to the kitchen to call her to the living room.” She said, and I frowned in confusion. I walked into the kitchen and frowned before trying to catch my mate or Nikolai’s scent.

My heart ached, and a heavy feeling settled in my chest as the smell of blood filled my nostrils, making my heart race as I followed the smell. Natasha frowned in confusion as she followed me, and I pulled my gun out. The sight of blood seeping from under the door made my heart drop, and opening it, Natasha screamed when she saw Nikolai falling with a wound to his chest, unconscious. 

“Nikolai?” She called, and I shook my head at the sight as I tried tracing my mate. It wasn’t long until I realized that she wasn’t here, and forcing the lump that formed in my throat down as I tried digesting it, I growled. 

“Get the fucking paramedics, NOW!” I roared as I lifted the man in my arms. “And don’t you dare fucking die on me, brother. YOU are not going to be dying on me, I will not allow it…”

“Killian?” Vladimir asked, frowning in confusion and I shook my head as I tried thinking straight.

“Block all the paths leading to and out of the Estate, even the underground passages.” I said, and Vladimir frowned in confusion. “I said a fucking word.”

“Killian, what the fucking hell is going on?” Dad asked before his eyes widened at the sight of Nikolai. “What the fuck happened here?”

“Someone fucking entered the pack house.” I said, and dad frowned. “And whoever that somebody is, they got Eleanor…”