Chapter 50 Fifty
DANIKA
"Kaziel? Please look at me," I say, and he shakes his head weakly, his shoulders slumped. It breaks my heart to see him like this.
"Tell me, please," I beg, and his body tenses.
"The hollow curse is not as simple as you think it is. It's been in the Lakewood bloodline for years. My mother...died because of it," his voice cracks.
I can feel his hands shaking. So, I wrap my arms tighter around him.
"Are you afraid that knowing the truth is going to make me run from you?" I ask, and he nods.
"Let me guess, the hollow curse wants me dead," I say, and his entire body freezes.
I gulp, my chest tightening. "Tell me more."
"One of the alphas in my bloodline was a tyrant. He wanted more power to destroy and control other packs, so he decided to summon an ancient god. They call him 'the destroyer.' That alpha accepted the power that was offered to him but failed to negotiate what he would give in return. The god asked him to sacrifice his mate as payment."
My stomach churns with revulsion.
"Let me guess, he refused?" I utter, and Kaziel sighs.
"He did. Instead, he played a trick and had the god sealed off. However, before the sealing was complete, the god cursed his lineage. The pack grew weak, and most of the warriors were struck with strange illnesses. And every time an Alpha completes his bond with his mate, the hollow curse kicks in, killing her."
The curse is deeper than I thought, I realize.
"The hollow feels like a living entity," I point out.
"It is. Most alphas tried to reject their mates or stay away from them, but it was useless. The burning pain triggered from being apart is unbearable."
A terrifying thought suddenly hits me.
"Kaziel, if the pain is usually that bad, what exactly happened when we were separated for six months?" I ask, and he chuckles softly.
"Well, it was...quite the experience. I...I...was searching for the vessel, desperately. Besides, you hated my guts. I think I flatlined so many times whenever the episodes hit. I remember being in so much pain I couldn't eat or sleep. I had to depend on nerve blocks. Even those didn't take the pain away entirely."
Tears pricked my eyes, a lump forming in my throat.
"I'm so sorry," I croak, and he entwines his fingers with mine.
"I'm the one who should apologize for doing this to you," he whispers, his voice trembling.
I slide one hand under his chin and gently tilt his head back until I can see his face. His eyes are glossy and reddened, his lashes wet.
"Dani," he whispers hoarsely, "I'm losing myself. If something happens to you...if I hurt you—"
"Stop." My voice cracks. "Stop talking like you're a danger instead of a person who needs help."
His jaw clenches, and a tear slips down his cheek. I catch it with my thumb.
"Do you think I'm not scared?" I breathe. "You think watching you shake yourself half to death while pretending you're fine doesn't terrify me? You think I don't see how hard you're fighting every second?"
Kaziel squeezes his eyes shut, but I keep holding his face.
"This isn't just the Hollow," I whisper. "You're exhausted. You're overwhelmed. You're... you're breaking under the weight of all of this, and you won't let yourself admit it."
He swallows hard.
"Kaziel," I say softly, "you're hurting. Not just physically. Up here." I tap his temple gently. "And in here." My palm presses over his heart beneath the warm water. "Don't think I don't see it."
He finally turns his head, resting his forehead against my shoulder. His hands clutch my thighs under the water as if anchoring himself.
"I'm supposed to protect you," he whispers. "Not fall apart on you."
"You are protecting me," I murmur into his hair. "Because you're telling me the truth. Because you're trusting me enough to fall apart."
A soft, broken sound slips from his lips.
"You're allowed to not be okay," I say. "You're allowed to be scared. You're allowed to need help. And please, Kaziel... you're allowed to cry."
He trembles, and I feel him finally stop holding the tension in.
"I don't know what to do anymore," he whispers. "The eclipse is still too far away. I'm terrified, Dani."
I cradle his face, forcing him to look at me even with his eyes filled with the vulnerability he clearly hates showing.
"We'll figure it out," I promise. "Together. You're not facing this alone. Not again."
...
"Hi, we haven't met before. I'm Doctor Callen, the pack's doctor," a tall young man with a brilliant smile says to me later that night while Kaziel lies in bed curled up in my arms.
His gaze sweeps over Kaziel and the blankets wrapped around us both.
"How is he?" he murmurs.
"Warm," I say, brushing a strand of hair from Kaziel's forehead. "He's still weak, but he's not shaking anymore."
Callen nods, relief flickering across his face. "Good. That means the worst of the dysregulation has passed."
He glances at the chart in his hand, probably the readings he took earlier.
"But I won't lie to you," he adds, keeping his tone gentle so he doesn't wake Kaziel. "His vitals were concerning this morning. Lower than I've ever seen on him."
My stomach tightens. "Because of the Hollow?"
"That’s right," Callen says. "But something is different this time. The Hollow's symptoms used to be inflammatory, especially in the form of elevated blood pressure, fever, heart rate spikes..."
He looks at Kaziel again, frowning thoughtfully.
"This time, his entire system dropped. It's like the Hollow shifted tactics. Instead of burning through him... it drained him."
I hold Kaziel tighter without meaning to.
"So what does that mean?" I whisper.
"That his body needs rest. Real rest," Callen answers. "No triggering stress. No pushing himself. No isolation from you." He hesitates. "You saw the way he stabilized when you held him, it wasn't just comfort. It is deeper than that."
I bite my lip. "Do you mean like... the mate bond?"
"Partly." Callen scratches his chin. "Mate bonds can regulate nerves, hormones, and even pain. But whatever entity is tied to this curse, it clearly responds to proximity with you."
He meets my eyes, his expression serious.
"He needs you close for the next few days. Literally close. Skin-to-skin if his temperature drops again."
My cheeks grow warm, but I nod. "Anything he needs."
I look down at Kaziel, brushing my fingers across the fading blue at his lips.
"He needs to eat," I murmur. "He tried earlier, but—"
"I know." Callen nods. "Start slow. Liquids. Soft foods. Small amounts every few hours."
His gaze softens.
"And keep holding him," he says gently. "It's calming his nervous system more effectively than any sedative."
Kaziel shifts again, nuzzling instinctively into my collarbone, his fingers twitching towards me even in sleep.
Callen smiles faintly. "See? His body knows where safety is."
I swallow past the knot in my throat. "What about the Hollow? Can it attack again?"
"Yes," he admits. "But not today. Maybe not tomorrow. It overexerted itself, and Kaziel is quite the fighter. It'll need time to recover its strength."
"And when it does?" I whisper.
"That," Callen sighs, "is something we'll have to plan around. But for now? Just keep him warm. Keep him hydrated. Keep him close."
I nod, running my nails softly along Kaziel's scalp until he relaxes again.
"Thank you, Callen."
"Of course." The doctor gives me a small, warm smile. "And Danika?"
I look up.
"You did good," he says softly. "Better than any treatment I could've given him."
When he leaves, I exhale shakily and pull Kaziel into my chest, burying my face in his hair.
"You're safe," I whisper. "I've got you, and I won't let this thing take you away from me."
Kaziel sighs softly in his sleep, his hand weakly curling in the blanket near my waist.
Gently, I brush his hair away from his face, pressing a kiss to his head. My phone vibrates on the bed, and I smile when I see that it’s a message from Cora. She must be worried about the way I’d left her birthday party.
Unlocking my phone, I tap her message open, only to frown as unease sinks in.
CORA: Remember that guy who danced with you at the club? He’s a terrible person.
I quickly send her a reply.
ME: What do you mean?
CORA: I saw him just now with a redhead bitch. They were talking about you. I recorded their conversation. I’m so sorry, Dani. That guy approached you for a diabolical reason. I attached the recording. Listen to it.
Swallowing hard, I stare at the audio file she’d sent me, my heart racing in my chest.
Steeling my resolve, I lower the volume. Then I tap the play icon, bringing my phone closer to my ear.
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Ty,’ a familiar voice spoke. It was Hera.
‘Can we not do this here?’ Tyler asked, his voice laced with exasperation.
‘You claim to love me, but why haven’t you gotten her to trust you yet? She’s the vessel, do you not understand? Why haven’t you brought her heart to me yet?’ Hera said.
My heart skips a beat, ugly emotions clogging my throat.
Is this…a dream?