Chapter 23 23

Chapter 23 23
Lacey’s POV

“Free me…” I baked as I gasped for air, throwing my eyes open. The white ceiling spinned above me and my vision was a blur before slowly it came into focus.

My chest rose heavily as I lay still on my back looking around slowly. I recognized my chambers, but there was something odd about the air, it smelled like smoke, herbs, and incense. It was as if a whole ritual had been done here.

It was then that I felt a shadow of someone so tall towering over me, just standing by my bed.

I blinked twice trying to make out the face because it was sort of dark and my vision wasn’t sharp enough, but with time I recognized his face.
“My husband ...Henry?”I croaked, tears threatening to spill, never did I think I’d ever see him again.
He stared down at him, his jaw clenched as if he wasn’t excited, I was awake.
Then his smile transitioned into a false smile as he crouched beside my bed.
“My queen, I’m so glad you’re awake, thank you, moon goddess, I know you’d answer my prayers!” He muttered clasping his hands together in a prayer gesture.

Immediately, the medicine man, old Atari, rushed into the room, he was holding a bowl of herbs in his hands, he stopped short his eyes wide with shock as he stared at me like he’d just seen a ghost.
“Praise be to the Moon goddess, she returned you to us safely, Luna !” He cheered almost breaking down in tears, I couldn’t understand why they were so excited about my return.
Even though the word ‘ return ‘ sounded strange to my ears, I never went anywhere. To me, it was like a dream. One minute I’m speaking to my sister, another minute I feel this intense ache in my chest and that’s all I remember.

I looked around trying to sit up but the pain restricted me, making me wince hard. Immediately Henry rushed to my side, his strong hands steadying me so I could sit properly. “Be careful, Lacey, you’re not quite strong yet, you shouldn’t try to do things.”

“I’m fine… You don’t need to treat me like a baby.”
“Well you are my baby,” he smiled at me wrapping his arms around me and for the first time I felt loved by him.
“Oh! That’s new.” I teased.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, “ he began as he mumbled only to my ears. “I should have been more present, you are right, I’ve been a terrible husband to you and a terrible father to Eloise.”
“Shhh,” I cut him off smiling, “it wasn’t your fault.”
Of course it wasn’t, I killed Theodore out of my own selfish interest so yeah Henry had nothing to do with this.
“I'm still sorry about everything,” he whispered and I nodded, I had no words, I was too weak to say anything more.
Andrea strode into the room and in her arms she carried Eloise, she placed her in my arms and my heart fluttered.
“Heyyy….” I cheered, smiling down at my baby girl. She still had those same icy blue eyes like mine, but she looked bigger now, her cheeks were fuller, her face rounder, and her grasp was stronger than the last time I held her.

“How is she so big?” I asked looking up at both Henry and Andrea.

“I guess we have been feeding her well,” Andrea chortled but I wasn’t satisfied with that answer, I knew something wasn’t adding up.
“How long have I been gone?” I asked the medic and he went silent for almost a minute. “Say something!”
He glanced at Henry as if asking for approval, Henry nodded and his gaze returned to me. “You’ve been gone for a month and a half, Luna.”
“What?”
How could I be gone for that long?

I shut my eyes so tight that the flashes of that night I stabbed Theodore with a knife flashed in my head. So it’s been over a month now?

I remember feeling this endless pain as I lay on the grass praying to the moon begging for mercy,

But now the pain was gone, yet I still felt drained and empty.

I forced a smile on chapped lips as I pressed a kiss to Eloise's cheek. “I’m just glad this is all over.”
“Ye, you are indeed healed, you must drink these herbs every night for seven days and it is possible you and your husband must perform a ritual, this seems deeper than the eyes.”
I no md watching him place the clay bowl on the wooden table, he bowed at Henry and me before leaving.
“I’d take Eloise to her cradle, Luna,” Andrea chipped in and I didn’t hesitate to hand Eloise over, she was too heavy to carry for long.

As soon as Andrea left, I fixed my gaze on Henry. “Now you can cut the trap and stop pretending you care about me!”
“I do.” He said sipping a glass of wine.
“Of course you do,” I said with sarcasm laced in my tone. “What’s been going on these past few months?”
“We defeated the witches!”

“And?”

“That’s all, we took over their land and some of the witches belong to us as well, Alpha Cain was truly grateful for my assistance.” he chortled, staring into the blank space dreamily.
I scrunched my nose in disgust, frowning hard. “Is that all? He didn’t reward you with anything? Not even a portion of the land he bamboozled from the witches?”
His smile disappeared instantly and he rubbed his temple slowly as if calming a migraine.
“You should be focused on getting better, not interrogating me? You see why we always fight? This is the reason.”
“No! Do not gaslight me! I’m only trying to understand what’s been going on since my absence. I'm Luna, and I have every right to be updated.”
He rolled his eyes as if he was bored with my words. “We won, that’s all you need to know, Lacey, get some rest.”
Then he arched his brow as if an idea just entered his head. “Tell me the truth, Lacey, what truly happened to you?”
“Why do you care?”
“Of course I do, I watch over you every night, I see how you suffer and fight in your sleep, I see slashes of whip tear into your skin from the inside and you won’t heal…” he paused, “I prayed to the moonlight goddess to heal you because your daughter missed you.”

“It was an attack by the enemies.” I lied.

He raised another brow as if he knew I was lying. “If you say so, wife.”
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed slowly holding on to the wooden pillar, but I trembled as my feet touched the cold ground.

“Be careful,” Henry rose instantly, holding my arm.
“I’m not a baby!” I retorted.

“Of course you aren’t.”
I caught a sight of myself in the mirror at the corner of the room and I nearly burst into tears.
I looked so impoverished, I’d lost a great deal of weight and my skin was as pale as the snow. My collarbone was sharp and my face had slimmed down. I could barely recognize myself.
I rubbed my face in shock, “Why do I look so lean?”I muttered, still in shock.
“I’m sorry, you were unable to eat during that period, we tried to feed you even through liquid but your body never accepted it, even your wolf couldn’t help you,” he said, his shoulder slumped.
“I’m thirsty…. And famished."
“Of course, please sit, let me fetch you some food and water,” he said, forcing a smile.

He filled my goblet with water and handed it to me. I drank greedily like a camel that hasn’t seen water for years. The cold liquid was the only thing that soothed my soul and throat. Shortly after, he brought in some bread and roasted meat. I devoured it too.
“I feel like I haven’t eaten in centuries,” I mumbled, my mouth full of food as he laughed at me.
He helped me bathe and dress, then arm in arm we walked to the hall, where I’d seen my people for the first time in months.

As soon as we stepped in, the crowd erupted in laughter and cheers.
“Welcome back, Luna!”
I smiled weakly as Henry guided me to the throne, he took his seat right beside me kissing the back of my hands before turning to face his pack members.

“Cheers to my wife, for the moon goddess has returned the true Luna to us, to the Luna,” he chortled, raising his goblet high.

“To Luna!” The hall echoed.
“To our queen!”
Music began to play and everyone began to Kerry.
I tried to enjoy my time here but everyone seemed like they were talking about my appearance.

As I sat beside Henry I noticed how happy he was, even happier than I was. It was weird. It was like these past months changed him.

That’s when I saw her.
A young maid, red-haired, perhaps nineteen, slender yet curvy in the right places, she appealed her our table ignoring me her cheeks flashed as she leaned close to my husband as she refilled his wine goblet, I watched as his eyes lingered on her just a little too long.
She left but he wouldn’t stop smith and staring at her.
I turned to him slowly. “Found my replacement so soon, huh?”