Chapter 18 YOU CAME BACK TO ME
Kael’s POV
The first thing I felt when Adam stirred wasn’t relief.
It was terror so sharp it nearly stopped my heart.
For three days; three excruciating, sleepless days; I sat beside his bed, watching the rise and fall of his chest, counting each breath like it was the only thing anchoring me to the world. My wolf was restless, pacing, whining, clawing inside me, refusing to let me leave Adam’s side for longer than a few minutes.
I’d fought wars.
I’d lost pack members.
I’d clawed my way through battles that would make even seasoned Alphas tremble.
But nothing — nothing — had ever scared me as much as watching Adam’s unconscious body lie lifeless against my sheets.
So when his eyelashes fluttered, when his fingers twitched weakly against the blanket, my breath caught in my throat.
Then his eyes opened… hazy, unfocused, confused; and he whispered, voice hoarse and cracked,
“…Kael?”
That was it.
My restraint shattered.
I leaned forward and pulled him into my arms before I could stop myself. My heart slammed painfully against my ribs as I buried my face in his shoulder.
“Thank you for waking up,” I muttered, the words falling out like a prayer I didn’t know I was holding onto.
My voice cracked. I didn’t even care.
He trembled slightly in my arms, and when I pulled back, his expression was dazed, baffled… but alive.
“How long…?” His voice was whisper-soft. He blinked up at me like the light hurt his eyes. “How long was I out?”
“Three days.”
My throat burned as I said it.
Three days that felt like a lifetime.
He stared at me as if he couldn’t comprehend that kind of time. “…I had dreams. Strange dreams. Confusing. They kept looping and mixing and—”
“It’s over,” I murmured, brushing a thumb gently across his cheek. “You’re safe now. I’m right here.”
And I wasn’t letting him out of my sight again.
When he tried to sit up, he winced; every muscle stiff. Without thinking, I slipped an arm behind his back and lifted him carefully. His head lolled briefly against my shoulder.
“You need a warm bath,” I said quietly. “Your body’s been under too much strain.”
He didn’t argue.
Maybe he couldn’t.
I carried him into the adjoining bath chamber, a smaller one inside my suite reserved only for me. The steam from the heated water filled the air, warm and soothing. Adam shivered slightly as I helped peel off the clothes he’d worn for days.
I kept my eyes respectful, gentle, never lingering too long. This wasn’t about desire. This was about care… something deeper than I’d ever felt for anyone.
When I lowered him into the water, he exhaled shakily, as if the warmth finally loosened the tightness in his muscles. I stayed beside the tub, sleeves rolled up, using a soft cloth to clean his skin.
He watched me with sleepy eyes.
Almost trusting.
Something inside my chest ached painfully.
Afterwards, I wrapped him in a thick towel and carried him back to my room. I dressed him in one of my softest shirts — it hung loosely on him — and helped him settle into bed.
His stomach growled faintly.
I almost smiled. Almost.
“I’ll feed you,” I said.
He didn’t protest.
I brought a tray of soup, soft bread, and fruit. Things easy on a weak stomach. I fed him spoon by spoon until color slowly returned to his cheeks.
When he’d eaten enough, he rested back against the pillows, looking exhausted but steadier.
I pulled my chair closer to the bed.
He looked up at me, eyes searching.
“Kael… what happened to me?”
I exhaled slowly.
This part… this part made anger simmer under my skin again.
“I brought in physicians to examine you,” I said. “Every healer I trust. They ran every test they could.”
His fingers twisted nervously in the sheets.
“And?”
“They found… suppressant overdose.”
The words left a sour taste in my mouth.
Adam paled. “Suppressant…?”
“Yes.” I clenched my jaw. “The kind used to weaken wolves or keep unstable ones from shifting. But your body shouldn’t even react to it — you don’t have a wolf, Adam. There isn’t a single trace of one. The healers confirmed it. And I'm your mate, if you had a wolf, I'd sense it.”
He swallowed hard. “Then… why… why would they give me that? I always thought the pills were for my mental problems.”
“That’s what I don’t understand.”
My wolf growled low beneath my skin; angry, restless, protective.
“Adam,” I continued, voice gentler, “those pills they gave you… they weren’t for ‘mental problems.’ There’s nothing wrong with you.”
He blinked rapidly, like he wasn’t sure whether to believe me. “I… I’ve been taking them since I was a kid. They always said I’d lose control without them. That I’d… hurt someone.”
My chest tightened.
“You’re not dangerous,” I said firmly. “You never have been. They lied to you.”
Adam’s gaze dropped, and his voice trembled. “Then why did they chain me up? Why did they—”
I reached for his hand.
His fingers flinched, then relaxed into mine.
“I don’t know,” I whispered. “But I swear on my life, Adam — I’ll find out.”
His breath hitched. “So what do I do now?”
“Stay with me,” I answered instantly.
Too quickly.
Too desperately.
But it was the truth. I didn't want him anywhere else but by my side.
He looked up at me, confusion and something softer swirling in his eyes.
“Don’t go back to them. Not until I figure out what they’ve been doing to you. Not until I know you’re safe.”
After a long moment, he nodded weakly. “…Okay.”
Relief rushed through me so intensely my hands shook.
Then he frowned suddenly, worry flickering over his face. “Kael… you—before I passed out, you got hit. Really hard. Are you okay?”
Ah.
Even half-dead, he worried about me.
I managed a small smile; the first in days.
“I’m alright. Werewolves heal fast. I barely felt it.”
“Liar,” he murmured, voice soft but certain.
I laughed quietly under my breath. “Maybe it stunned me for a second but I healed before midnight.”
The truth was, the only pain I’d truly felt these past days was watching him motionless and pale in my bed.
As Adam’s eyes grew heavy again, I brushed his hair gently away from his forehead.
My heart whispered the truth my lips weren’t ready to speak:
I can’t lose you.
Not now.
Not ever.
“Sleep, but not too deeply.” I murmured. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
His lips curved faintly, as though the promise soothed something deep inside him. Within minutes, he drifted into a peaceful sleep… finally free from the nightmare that had held him.
I remained beside him, my fingers loosely interlaced with his, my wolf finally settling after days of panic.
And for the first time since I carried his unconscious body into my room…
I felt like I could breathe again.