Chapter 68 Chapter 68
Reynard kept her close to him. “It’s not gone,” he whispered.
“How can you be so sure?” she wept. “I can’t feel it anymore, I can’t feel you.”
“Because I can still feel our connection.” He soothed her by rubbing her back. “I can feel your connection with me, and I can feel a connection with Brendan, too. If I can still feel him, then that means you both are still connected.”
Suki pulled back from the hug a little, still in his grasp, and wiped away her tears. “Really?”
He nodded. “Once this substance is out of your system, you’ll be back to normal, and you’ll feel our bond again. And even if we did lose our bonds, it doesn’t mean you’ll lose us. Don’t worry, babe.”
Offering a weak smile, Suki spoke quietly, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being you.” She placed a hand on his cheek. “For always being calm and keeping a level head when I’m always panicking. You’re always there for me.”
Rey smiled. “And I always will be. Now, let’s get you inside so you can eat something and rest.”
As she opened the front door, she froze with a wave of fear thrusting upon her. “What if there were more of those beetles? We have no idea how it got in my bag in the first place.”
“Way ahead of you,” Brendan said in his usually calm and collected voice, emerging through the gap of the door Suki opened. He leaned against the doorframe and continued, “I went through all your bags and did a thorough search; there’s nothing there.”
She blushed. “You went through my bags? All of them?”
“All of them, love.” He winked at her. His smug face settled to a calmer and more serious face. Taking her hand into his, he asked, “How are you doing?”
Pain twinged in her chest; she didn’t want to explain it. She didn’t want to see the hope in Brendan’s eyes vanish – another thing stripped away from him like everything else in his life.
Reynard spoke before she could, “I’ll explain everything inside.”
✧ ✧ ✧
Suki rested her head on the island table in the middle of the kitchen, exhausted from the events of the evening. “It’s so good to be back at home.”
“Do you want more food?” Brendan asked, ready to spoon up more of the beef stir fry that Reynard had quickly whipped up.
She groaned, “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”
“More for me, I guess,” Brendan said excitedly, serving another portion for himself.
Rey rolled his eyes. “Can you leave something for Suki to have tomorrow?”
“What?” spat Brendan, his mouth half full. “She has chefs who can make her whatever she wants tomorrow? Do you want me to starve?”
Reynard crossed his arms. “That’s your third portion. I highly doubt you’ll be starving any time soon.”
Tilting his head, Brendan offered a smug grin. “Are you making sure I don’t gain weight? How sweet.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“You guys bicker like an old married couple,” Suki said sluggishly.
The pair looked at each other, confused, and then grimaced before looking back at her.
She yawned. “I think I should get some sleep.” Pushing herself to her feet, she stumbled back, losing her balance for a moment.
Speeding behind her, Rey grabbed her and held her up. “Slow movements, Ki.”
“Sorry…” She held herself tall and placed her hand on his shoulder to keep herself steady. “Do either of you mind helping me upstairs?”
“Of course,” Reynard said, smiling. Yet, suddenly his smile faltered, and he turned his head to Brendan. “Do you mind, Brendan?”
Taken aback, his eyes widened. “What?”
“Can you take Suki upstairs while I start clearing up the mess we’ve made?”
Brendan hesitated, confused as to why Reynard would give up a moment to be alone with their mate. He swallowed thickly, not wanting him to take it back, and nodded. “Of course. Come on, love.” He wrapped his arm around her and led her upstairs.
He guided her to her bed, then walked into her wardrobe to grab her pyjamas. “Goddess, save me. Why do you have so many clothes?” he asked, concerned as he tried to work out where her pyjamas were kept.
Suki walked in slowly. “Do you need help?” She tittered when she saw him holding an evening dress and a robe. Pacing over to him, she took the clothes from his hands and placed them down. “It’s okay, I’m not totally weak. I can pick my own clothes without passing out.”
Leaning against the wall, Brendan sighed, “Sorry, I was worried sick while you were at the hospital.”
“I know.” Suki smiled sympathetically. She turned her back to him and carefully stripped her clothes.
Brendan turned his head away from the sight.
“I’ll be back to normal in a few days,” she said, pulling her t-shirt over her head and moving over to him. She held his face and made him look back at her. “I promise.”
He smiled. “Get some rest now, love.”
After Suki got comfortable in bed, Brendan planted a soft kiss on her forehead. As he exited the door, he looked back, watching her snuggle in her bed and get comfortable. “I love you, Suki.”
Her eyes were already shut, weighed down from everything that had happened over the last few hours. She hummed, “I love you too, Brendan.”
Suki may not have felt the warmth of their bond, but Brendan certainly could.
Back in the kitchen, Reynard was wiping down the kitchen island.
“Why did you do that?” Brendan asked, hastening into the room.
Reynard’s movements were slow and precise as he finished wiping the table and threw the cloth into the sink. Then he leaned against the counter and spoke calmly, “What do you mean?”
He crossed his arms. “Don’t make me repeat myself, Mr Perfect.”
Rey smiled as he scoffed. “Does it matter? Surely you’d want any excuse to have alone time with Suki.”
“Well, yes, I would, but so would you. So why didn’t you go?”