Chapter 175 From Pain to Love

Chapter 175 From Pain to Love
Riley
 
I drifted toward consciousness like swimming up from the depths of a dark lake. Before I even opened my eyes, my medical training kicked in as I catalogued my injuries: head trauma based on the throbbing behind my temples, lacerations burning across my abdomen, bruising that made even breathing painful.
 
Nia was silent. Not just quiet, but completely absent from the place in my consciousness where she should have been a constant, reassuring presence.
 
Panic flared through me. Nia?
 
No response came from my wolf.
 
I felt the mattress shift beneath me. With effort, I forced my eyes open, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights of the medical center. Kairos's face swam into focus, his features haggard with exhaustion. His normally vibrant eyes were bloodshot, dark circles shadowing beneath them. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.
 
"You're awake," he repeated aloud, his voice rough with emotion.
 
I tried to speak, but my throat felt raw and parched. Kairos quickly reached for a cup of water with a straw, gently lifting my head to help me drink.
 
"Nia," I whispered when I could speak. "I can't feel her." The fear in my voice was palpable.
 
Kairos's expression softened.
 
"Kieran, your family, and the entire Pack are supporting Nia right now. She's incredibly weak, but she's fighting. Your mother says Nia completely depleted herself," he replied.

I relaxed slightly at his words.
 
"Don't try to move too much. You've been through a lot." Kairos looked so wrecked; he'd probably been by my side the entire time. "You scared me, little wolf..."
 
His mouth twitched slightly, but his eyes remained serious. "But I can't call you that, can I? You've been keeping secrets from me."
 
My brow furrowed in confusion. What secrets? I searched my memory, trying to understand what he meant, when suddenly it hit me—the pregnancy test. I hadn't had a chance to tell Kairos.
 
My hands instinctively moved to my stomach, panic rising again. "Are they okay? Is our little wolf pup okay?"
 
Kairos's expression softened. "Your mother has been working overtime to save the three most important beings in my life—you, Nia, and our wolf pup. And you're in big trouble for hiding this from me."
 
"I wasn't hiding it," I protested weakly. "I only found out right before everything happened. I was going to tell you that night—the night we were supposed to talk. I took the test and then Troy's mate went into labor, and then..." I trailed off, the memories of what happened after still hazy and frightening.
 
I studied his face, reading the emotions there. He wasn't truly angry about the pregnancy—he was terrified. Not because I'd kept it from him, but because he'd almost lost us both.
 
"I would never keep something like that from you," I assured him, my voice stronger now. "I know we've had our issues, but I would never hide your child from you. I would never leave you. You're my mate, my love, my life."
 
"Thank you," he whispered, and I was startled to feel him completely open the mind link between us.
 
This was never about not accepting you, little mate, his voice flowed through my mind. It was about protecting you.
 
I could feel the truth of his words through our connection. "From what?"
 
"From my darkness," he said aloud. "From the parts of me I thought would scare you away." A pause. "I spoke with your father."
 
I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
 
He nodded. "It was... enlightening."
 
I gently explored our open mind link, moving cautiously through Kairos's thoughts. I sensed his love for me, his fear during my captivity, his relief at my survival, and then—deeper—a dark, painful memory.
 
The pain in that memory was so raw, so overwhelming that I instinctively reached out with my mind, embracing that terrified child in Kairos's consciousness, wrapping him in warmth and love. You were just a boy. You didn't deserve that pain. I'm so sorry.
 
I poured my love into the connection between us, letting it flow into every dark, wounded corner of his mind. I love you, all of you—even the parts you think are too dark to love.
 
Kairos's body jerked slightly.
 
I love you so much, he responded through our mind link.
 
"Do you know when I fell in love with you?" Kairos asked softly.
 
I shook my head slightly.
 
"At Hayden's birthday party," he said, his voice taking on a reminiscent quality. "You were in the garden. You marched right up to me and told me I looked sad and offered me a flower to cheer me up."
 
I smiled at the memory. "I remember that. You scowled at me, but you took the flower."
 
"You were so small," he continued, "but so confident. And fearless. You've always been brave."
 
"I wouldn't say fearless," I murmured. "I've just never been afraid of you, Kairos."
 
His arms tightened around me slightly, careful not to hurt me.
 
"What happened with Jett? And the other Alpha—Lucian?" I asked .
 
Kairos's expression darkened. "Jett is dead. I killed him for hurting you and trying to take you from me. No one takes you from me, little mate..."
 
His possessiveness should have bothered me, but in that moment, it felt like a shield. A protection.
 
"The other Alpha—Lucian—is dead too. Hayden killed him." Kairos continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "Jett found you through Ryder. We think Troy didn't secure the cell properly, and Ryder escaped. We have warriors searching for Ryder now."
 
I frowned, worry creeping in. "The pack already doesn't like me. Now they'll hate me even more because they have to search for Ryder."
 
Kairos shook his head firmly. "They're volunteering, Riley. The entire pack has been worried about you." His voice softened. "You don't understand—they've fallen in love with you, just like I have. They want to please you, make you happy. We all want to be a pack you're proud of."
 
His words stunned me. I hadn't realized I'd made such an impact on the pack members. All this time, I'd felt like an outsider, unwelcome and unwanted. The idea that they might actually care about me was overwhelming.
 
"You will help me, won't you?" Kairos asked, his voice uncharacteristically vulnerable. "Help our pack become something you can proudly call your pack? Your family?"
 
My heart swelled with love for this complex, difficult man who was trying so hard to change, to be better. "I love you so much," I whispered. "Of course I'll help our pack become the family it's meant to be."
 
Kairos's face relaxed into a rare, genuine smile. "Good. Now rest. You need to get stronger so Nia can come back. I'll be right here when you wake up."
 
I was already feeling drowsy, the conversation having depleted my limited energy. As my eyes began to close, Kairos spoke again.
 
"I'm surprised you didn't ask how I knew you were pregnant."
 
I smiled sleepily. "Oh, I know how you found out. My mom let it slip, didn't she?"
 
Kairos chuckled, the sound rumbling pleasantly in his chest. "She didn't even realize she'd said it."