Chapter169 Nikolai, you’re her father
Aliya POV
The silence stretched between us like a taut wire. Nikolai's eyes were locked on mine, waiting.
"Why?" he asked quietly. "Why can't I donate blood to her?"
I took a deep breath, knowing that once I said the words, everything would change forever.
"Because you're Nova's real biological father," I said. "You can't give blood to your own daughter."
If a powerful Alpha King were to donate blood to his own biological child, it could very likely trigger a severe rejection reaction.
The words hung in the air like a bomb that had just exploded. Everyone in the waiting area went completely silent. Nikolai froze completely in place, and even the nurses nearby stopped what they were doing to stare at us.
"What did you just say?" he whispered.
"You heard me. Nova is your daughter. She's always been your daughter."
Patrick was the first to recover from the shock. He cleared his throat and stepped forward.
"I'll do it," he said firmly. "I'll give the blood. Nova needs it now."
I nodded gratefully at Patrick. "Thank you. We need to move fast."
As Patrick and I headed toward the medical wing, I could feel Nikolai's eyes burning into my back. But there wasn't time to deal with his reaction right now. Nova needed blood, and Patrick was the only other compatible donor.
The transfusion took several hours. I stayed with Nova throughout the procedure, holding her small hand and continuously using my healing abilities to help her, while Patrick lay on the bed next to her, giving her the blood that would save her life.
"Is she going to be okay?" Patrick asked weakly, his face pale from the blood loss.
"She's strong," I said, squeezing Nova's fingers gently. "She's going to make it."
When we finally came out of the medical wing, dawn was breaking through the hospital windows. Nova had been moved to a private room, and her vital signs were stable.
Nikolai was still in the waiting area, exactly where I'd left him hours earlier. He looked like he hadn't moved an inch. But the moment he saw us coming, he jumped to his feet.
"How is she?" he demanded.
"The transfusion worked," I said. "She's stable now. The doctors say she should make a full recovery."
Relief flooded Nikolai's face. "Can I see her?"
"She's sleeping, but you can look in on her."
As we walked toward Nova's room, I noticed Patrick trailing behind us, looking lost and dejected. The man who had just saved my daughter's life was being treated like an outsider now that the truth was out.
I turned to Patrick, guilt weighing heavily on my chest. "Patrick, you should go home and rest. You've done more than enough today."
"Aliya," he started, but I shook my head.
"I'll talk to you later, okay? I'll explain everything properly, and I'll thank you the way you deserve to be thanked. But right now..."
"Right now you need to deal with him," Patrick said, glancing at Nikolai. "I get it."
Patrick started to walk away, but Nikolai's voice stopped him.
"Hey," Nikolai called out. Patrick turned around reluctantly. "Thank you. For saving her."
Patrick nodded once, then continued toward the exit.
Before I could dwell on it further, Nikolai grabbed my arm and pulled me against his chest. His strong arms wrapped around me possessively, and I could feel the tension radiating from his body.
“Listen, you can thank Patrick, but you’re not allowed to be alone with him again, understood?”
I could see Patrick disappearing around the corner, so I didn't bother to argue.
Once we were alone, Nikolai gripped my chin with his fingers, tilting my face up to meet his intense gaze. There was something commanding and almost intimidating in the way he looked at me.
"What else have you been lying to me about?" he asked.
I tried to pull back, but his grip tightened. "I haven't been lying about anything else."
"Really?" His eyes narrowed. "So you just happened to forget to mention that the child you've been raising for the past three years is mine?"
"Look," I said, trying to sound defiant even though my heart was pounding. "Even if you are Nova's biological father, that doesn't change anything. She's nothing to do with you. I'm the one who carried her, gave birth to her, and raised her all by myself."
Nikolai's expression became even more intense. "You raised my child by yourself," he repeated slowly. "How thoughtful of you. Tell me, what made you decide to keep my daughter and raise her on your own? Was it because you still love me?"
The question hit too close to home. I felt my cheeks flush, and I knew he could see right through me.
"That's ridiculous," I said quickly. "When I was pregnant, I had no idea whose child Nova was. It could have been anyone's."
Nikolai's face went cold at my words. The warmth that had been creeping into his expression disappeared completely.
"Anyone's," he repeated in a flat voice.
I thought those words would drive Nikolai away, but he didn’t leave.
He settled into the chair next to Nova's hospital bed and called one of his men.
"I want you to go to the children's store downtown," he said into his phone. "Buy clothes for a three-year-old girl. Dresses, pajamas, everything a little girl might need. And toys. Lots of toys."
I stared at him. "What are you doing?"
"Taking care of my daughter," he said simply.
"Nikolai, you can't just..."
"Can't what? Can't provide for my own child?" He looked at me with those piercing blue eyes. "You've had three years to be her only parent. Now it's my turn."
I couldn't argue with that, so I remained silent.
Around midday, Nova's eyes fluttered open. The first person she saw was Nikolai, sitting in the chair next to her bed.
"Mommy?" she called weakly, looking around the room.
"I'm here, baby," I said, moving to her side. "How are you feeling?"
"My arms hurt," she said, looking at the bandages covering her cuts. "And I'm thirsty."
Nikolai immediately reached for the cup of water on the bedside table. "Here, sweetheart. Drink slowly."
Nova looked at him with curious eyes. "Why is the Alpha King here, Mommy?"
I felt my throat close up. How do you explain something like this to a three-year-old?
Nikolai saved me from having to answer. He leaned closer to Nova's bed, his expression gentler than I'd ever seen it.
"Baby," he said softly, "if you want to, you can call me daddy now."