Chapter 139 139
Venessa’s POV
I woke to a foggy haze, the room blurred and distant.
Memories from the woods crashed back into me all at once, sharp and terrifying. Fear clenched my chest. If Nyla hadn’t come through if she hadn’t answered when she did I would have turned my back on everything I was fighting for.
Eshera had spoken my truth. She had given voice to my deepest pain, my fears, my doubts.
Her offer had been tempting.
I would do anything to live beyond a year. Anything to carry my children, to raise them, to grow old beside Denzel. Anything to have more time with my father. I would have given the world for it.
Instead, I was paying an unbearable price my life.
I turned my head to the left and found Denzel sitting in a chair beside the bed, watching me closely. He was dressed in joggers. When I looked down at myself, I realized they had clothed me in a hospital gown.
Confusion stirred. We had both collapsed. Why had he recovered faster than I had?
“Darling,” he said softly, worry etched into his eyes.
I pushed myself up slowly. “How long was I out?”
“A day,” he answered.
My hand went instinctively to my stomach, panic flaring as I thought of the injections.
“Dr. Dwayne attended to you,” he said quickly.
Relief washed over me.
“Rohan?” I asked.
His expression hardened instantly. “He’s currently in a cell.”
Anger flickered in his eyes, and I understood it completely. That was supposed to be our time—time stolen from us by betrayal.
“How is your wolf?” he asked gently.
I reached inward for Nyla, ashamed that I hadn’t tried sooner.
“I’m awake, Venessa. Don’t bother,” she replied.
Guilt tightened my chest. “I’m sorry, Nyla.”
She didn’t respond. It had been too much for all of us but we had survived.
“How did you recover faster than me?” I asked Denzel.
He didn’t have an answer but Nyla did.
“Atabey and I are one and the same,” she explained. “Silver affects us more severely because our life force is tied directly to hers. Silver is her weakness, just as ultraviolet light is Eshera’s.”
Understanding settled into place.
The silver had nearly extinguished my life force. I was grateful to be alive and I promised myself I wouldn’t be careless again.
I sat up fully and leaned on Denzel as I slid off the bed.
At that moment, my father entered the room. Relief and joy shone openly on his face as he hurried toward me, wrapping me in his arms and pressing a kiss to my head.
“Oh, my child,” he murmured, emotion thick in his voice.
“I’ve locked the bastard up,” he added darkly. “I would’ve executed him if I didn’t think you’d want to question him first.”
I giggled and hugged him tighter.
We left the hospital soon after and returned to the palace. My father took his leave so Denzel and I could retreat to our bedroom.
“How did we not know Rohan was corrupt?” Denzel asked, frustration clear in his tone.
I stepped into his arms, hugging him until he softened, then kissed him.
Kissing Denzel was as natural as breathing. Strength flowed back into me, peace settling deep in my bones as his lips lingered against mine. We pulled apart slowly, smiling, laughing softly.
“I think Eshera was telling the truth,” I said finally. “She’s found a way to recruit followers without giving them her life force. Based on how she tried to recruit me, I believe these people willingly rejected Atabey and swore allegiance to Eshera fully aware of who she is.”
I exhaled. “If that’s what we’re dealing with, we’re in deeper trouble than before. These aren’t pawns. They’re choosing her.”
Denzel sat at the foot of the bed. “So what do we do?”
I smiled at him. “We build our army. We stick to the plan.”
I met his gaze steadily. “We comb through the Lycan kingdom ranks, have them swear allegiance to the Moon Goddess, and train them. My father will oversee the Lycan army while we return to Blood Moon Pack to build ours. We train separately, then merge forces while we search for Tremaine’s hideout.”
“When we find it,” I continued quietly, “we strike.”
He nodded. “Very well. Let’s get to it.”
I shook my head, smiling. “After we rest. And after I question Rohan.”
I climbed onto his lap, and he looked up at me, something deep and aching in his eyes.
“Rohan ruined our time together,” I said softly. “I don’t want to dwell on it. I just want to finish what we started.”
The sadness and longing in his gaze cut into me. I knew why it was there and I knew there was nothing I could say to erase it.
All I could do was love him.
I kissed him, and he returned it with every ounce of passion he had left.
This time, I took control.
And I made sure he knew it.