The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast novel Chapter 31

As soon as the doctor gave me the all-clear, I moved Mia back to my territory. Josef and the missing warriors are nowhere to be seen, but I know he’s already at Mikhail’s side. His father claimed not to know why he became a traitor, while Maxim thinks Mikhail fed on Josef’s insecurities.

How the fuck would he have done that, though? How long has he been placed here as a spy?

Giovanni begged to see her, to see both of us but I declined; it’s his fucking fault she’s in this position. I warned him that it wouldn’t be wise to antagonize Mikhail, but did he listen? This has now escalated the war in my territory and I know the only way to end it would be by killing Mikhail.

However, as much as I want to put all the blame on Giovanni, I know this is more my fault than his. I placed Josef with her, I trusted him to protect her, and I’m the one who made sure he was constantly at her side.

I’m the one who made her trust him.

/“He hid it all well, old friend. Don’t blame yourself,”/ Knox says, shaking his head. /“But remember, we have her to focus on now; so let’s do that instead of pointing fingers.”/

I sigh and hang my head in my hands, knowing that he’s simply trying to help. He’s right, I have to focus on her, focus on what our next step could be, and how to enact my vengeance. Giovanni has already banished Mikhail and severed their ties, so there’s no big backup from him.

“Abbot’s dead,” Maxim says as he walks into my bedroom. “So are Marjorie and Anna. Josef’s scent is all over that fucking house which means he killed his family.”

“Fuck sakes,” I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Here I thought Mikhail might have blackmailed him with the lives of his family, I guess not.”

Maxim nods. “Well, he was always hungry for his father’s approval and-”

“Hungry dogs are never loyal, they go to whoever dangles a shred of meat in front of their foaming mouths,” I growl, still fucking pissed off with myself for trusting Josef. But who can you fucking trust if not your own family?

Maxim and three of my warriors were out combing our borders, looking for intel but have come back with no news every time. There has to be a way, though; this can’t all be for naught.

“I’ll get back out there, but I might be away for longer this time; we’re going over the border,” he says and gives me a nod before he leaves.

I can do nothing but sit at her bedside and wait for her to wake up. It’s been nearly a month since the attack, and although she has healed fully and is being fed, she hasn’t woken up. Lilah isn’t sure what could be wrong, since Mia is healthy and so is the baby - in fact, her baby bump has grown.

“She might be stopping herself from returning,” Lilah had said. “Where she is right now could be better than what she has to come back to.”

I take her hand in mine and kiss it. “Things will be different this time, Mia, I promise you that. Please wake up so I can prove it to you.”

No matter how much I beg and plead, she doesn’t even stir. Her heartbeat remains steady, so she must not hear me after all. I need her to come back to me so I can show her things will change, so I can tell her that the contract has been void ever since we both first signed it.

I can’t believe I’ve become like this over someone who should never have pulled my attention, someone my enemy tried to ruin. Never in my life did I think I’d fall for a timid little rabbit who actually has the balls to sass me.

“Mia…” Sighing, I lay my head on her hand and close my eyes.

A groan echoes around my bedroom and my head whips up. Did I just dream that, or did she just groan? I peer up and my heart stills - her eyes are wide open and she looks terrified.

“Mia?” I ask stupidly and she turns her head to face me; her eyes are glossy and still wide as if the mere sight of me terrifies her.

She shifts her body and tries to sit up, only to cry out in pain. “Please…it hurts…” she murmurs with a gravelly voice and I call Lilah to come up here with something for her pain.

“Shh, it’s okay. Lilah is on her way with something to help,” I say and kiss her hand, relief pouring into me as if I’ve been starved. She’s awake, at least she’s awake now.

Her face is pale and a sheen of sweat covers her forehead, indicating that she is in a lot of pain. I reach out to touch her, but my hand jerks back, not wanting to cause any more discomfort. Has she been in pain this entire time? Why is she even in pain?!

Lilah rushes in at that exact moment and tends to Mia while I can do nothing but stand there and watch her. She administers something that makes Mia’s pinched face immediately ease up, and her racing heartbeat lowers as well. Exhaling, she swallows deeply and opens her eyes again.

Only to look straight at me with nothing behind her beautiful silver eyes. I yearned to have her open her eyes and look at me once more, but something is off. I don’t feel like this is my Mia looking at me.

“She’s ready to go, Alpha; all the tubes have been removed. The medicine will help as she heals and the pain dissipates,” Lilah says, patting Mia’s hand before she leaves the bedroom.

Now it’s just the two of us, with her looking at me as if I’m nothing.

Mia sits up in bed and leans against the headboard before she places a hand on her belly; she’s wearing a wistful smile as if she’s recalling a good memory. Her eyes suddenly fall on me again, back to their beautiful brown, and she holds out her hand. “Come,” she says.

I frown and move towards her, and she indicates for me to sit on the spot next to her. I do as she asks, then she takes my hand and places it on her stomach. The baby moves below my palm, and a warmth spreads in the middle of my chest.

“I met him,” she suddenly says with a wistful smile on her face. “I met him in the same place I met my wolf, Star. He was so worried about me, and he said you were too; he heard you.”

My mind is all over the place, confused about what she’s talking about. “What do you mean, Mia? Who did you meet?”

She chuckles and puts her hand over mine before knocking the wind out of me with three words. “Our son, Ares.”

The shattered pieces of my life fall into place at that moment, blocking out Their voices telling me I’ll be a fuck up of a father, too. Her warm hand over mine chases away my demons, and the sound of both their hearts beating anchors me to this moment.

I have a son and his name will be Ares.

Leaning down, I place a kiss on her belly before reaching out to cup her cheek. “How are you feeling?” I ask, watching as she leans into my touch and closes her eyes.

She places a finger over my lips and shakes her head. “Listen; this isn’t about how you perceive me, but how I perceive myself. This is my shame, Nikolaos, this is what I always have to live with.”

She pulls her dress over her head and stands naked in front of me, then her face reddens and she slowly turns her back to me.

I suck in a sharp breath when I see what she means. Hundreds upon hundreds of healed whip marks scar her back, running from her neck to right over the swell of her ass. The scar tissue seemed to have healed over each other, indicating that silver tips were attached to the whip itself.

This is why she always covers herself, even when she goes swimming.

Fury, ice cold burning fury, surges through my veins at the sight of her back, knowing what she’s been through at the hands of the man I want to rip limb from limb. Yes, I’ll get my fucking revenge for what he’s done, but right now Mia doesn’t need my fury.

I close the distance between us and run my fingers over the rough, raised edges before placing gentle kisses over the scars she deems her shame. She stiffens at my touch and shudders as I kiss her.

Wrapping my arms around her waist, I put my hands on her stomach and kiss the nape of her neck. “You’re still as beautiful as the day I saved you, kouneláki,” I murmur into her neck. “You may think these scars have ruined you, but all I see is what you’ve survived for so many years.”

A sob ripples through her and I turn her around, cupping her face. “You’ll always be beautiful to me, but as you said, this isn’t about what I think. I promise to spend the rest of my life showing you just how beautiful you are until you believe it.”

Her bottom lip trembles and tears cascade freely down her cheeks. “The rest of your life?” she says through her tears and I nod, smiling at her.

“The rest of my life, I told you I’m done pushing this down,” I say, wiping her tears away. “I’m ready to tell you about my past, ready to take this step with you…if you’re willing to walk this path with me.”

She shakes her head and I nearly shatter. “Why? Why do you want this with me now?”

“Mia, you died in my arms. I heard your heart stop and mine stopped that day too…It took you dying for me to realize that I don’t want to live without you.” I say, hoping it gets through to her.

She remains quiet and I sigh. “I want to spend my life with you, *vasílissa mou, but in order for me to do that, I need to tell you…about them.” I say, feeling close to throwing up just thinking about reliving my shame.

She narrows her eyes at me. “Them?”

“Them…the reason I don’t like being touched. The reason…I wanted to stay away from you,” I say, swallowing deeply and a cold sweat covers my body.

Flashes of their faces, their voices, green eyes like me, dark hair like me…It feels like I am suffocating, but I need to do this.

“I need to tell you what my mother and her sister did to me.”