The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast novel Chapter 35

I clench my jaw tight while Dr. Lilah is doing her check-up. I’ve not said a word since I’ve been in her office, and she’s asked me more than once if I’m okay.

Ever since Star has returned, I’m starting to see more of what I couldn’t back then. For starters, I’m still apprehensive about Maxim, but I know I can trust him. Dr. Lilah on the other hand…there’s something majorly off about her.

“Well, everything seems to be in order, Alpha. Her vitals look good, and the baby is healthy; the only thing I am not too happy about is the lack of sleep,” she says while looking at Nikolaos and me from across the desk.

“It’s getting better,” I say, wringing my dress in my lap. “It’s been really difficult to stay asleep lately.”

Dr. Lilah nods while Nikolaos takes my hand in his and gives it a little squeeze. Whenever I go to sleep now, I see Mikhail’s face looming over me, raising a knife above his head and stabbing me repeatedly. I usually wake up screaming and thrashing around until Nikolaos manages to calm me down.

It’s been days now, but I think it’s getting better.

“Hmm, okay, I will take your word for it. However, if it doesn’t change by the next time I see you, I will have to prescribe you something to sleep better, okay?” she says while sitting forward and steepling her fingers together under her chin.

“Whatever you think is best, Doctor Lilah,” I say with a tight smile, hoping she doesn’t see through my fake positivity.

She nods again, and we leave her office, with Nikolaos being suspiciously quiet. In fact, he’s been quiet most of the morning when I’m used to him taking charge when it comes to me.

“Is everything okay?” I finally ask him when we’re in the kitchen fixing something to eat. He looks at me while taking a few things from the refrigerator, then he sighs and it immediately tells me something is not right.

“I haven’t heard from Maxim’s group in over two weeks; they left just before you woke up,” he says with concern plastered clearly on his face. “If he’s gone for another week, I’ll have to lead the search party to find him.”

My eyes widen and trepidation sets in my heart; Nikolaos would have to go into Mikhail’s territory.

“Has Maxim stayed away this long before? He’s infiltrating, isn’t he?” I ask, stumbling over my words.

“He’s infiltrating, yes, and maybe it’s just my paranoia setting in. But if that asshole has Maxim, and I had a hunch all this time…” he trails off with a growl. “I don’t care about treaties or agreements; I am killing the fucker for what he’s done.”

I walk over to him and slip my arms around his broad waist. “You really care about Maxim, don’t you?”

Maxim always gave me an odd feeling. I could never fully trust him even after the whole ruse with me running away. He apologized to me, but it never felt authentic.

Nikolaos puts down the knife and places his hands on the marble countertop before breathing out a sigh. “Maxim is the reason I got out of the pit of despair my mother left me in; he saved my life, Mia,” he says, shaking his head.

“What do you mean?” I ask with a frown, not understanding. Then he turns around, picks me up, and puts me on the counter.

Standing in between my legs, he places his hands on my thighs and peers up at me with a pained look in his eyes.

“I found my way home after my mother and aunt left me to die and snuck into my bedroom. But the second I laid down on my bed to rest, Maxim walked out of the bathroom after just showering. He looked at me and, without saying a word, he nodded and left the room. Normal warriors would tell their Alpha, but Maxim remained quiet and only alerted Bastien.”

He swallows deeply before he continues. “It took them both three weeks to eventually get me to talk, and when I told them…let’s just say Bastien became an Alpha at seventeen.”

My eyes widened. “He killed your father?”

“Ripped out his heart and ate it in front of the council,” he says with a sad chuckle. “Apparently my father wanted to kill me so I would die with the shame and embarrassment my ordeal would bring to the pack if the secret ever came out. Bastien challenged our father for his title, requested a fight to the death and…he won.”

Bastien, the other Alpha twin who came to see me and attempted to frighten me. He defended his brother like that? I might have misjudged his loyalty to his brother, then.

“That’s amazing,” I say incredulously. “He killed your father, and he was just seventeen?”

Nikolaos nods. “He did, since he was more powerful than the old asshole, anyway. After our father’s demise, everyone was terrified of him and no one dared to cross our pack. He forced me to get stronger physically as well as mentally through rigorous training, then he made me his Beta.”

“But you’re an Alpha, though?” I say with a frown.

“Before he told Bastien about me, he cared for me and nursed me to health. He didn’t poke or prod, didn’t look down at me in disgust, or revel in the fact that something bad had happened to me. He stayed by my side in silence, and when I eventually spoke up, he vowed to find them and bring me their heads.”

My eyes grow wide at this revelation; I never knew Maxim was this devoted to Nikolaos! I mean, it would be a shock to anyone; what with the rumors going around about Maxim secretly wanting the title of Alpha.

Then again, Nikolaos did mention before that they use the above rumor to their advantage when weeding out untrustworthy alliances.

“Maxim sounds like he was more of a brother to you than Bastien,” I say, but he shakes his head.

“They’re both my brothers, both loyal to me in their own ways. Bastien tried to be there for me before, but our father didn’t want him mixing with me. None of us had proper childhoods if you think about it,” he says, then he takes my hands in his and kisses my fingers.

“You don’t ever have to worry about me pushing Ares into the role of Alpha. Being born under my father’s thumb, I know what not to do when it comes to raising a child the right way. Well, I suppose there’s no correct way, but I’ll try my best.”

I throw my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me. “I know, and so will I.”

As much as I try to believe this about myself, I don’t know if I’ll ever be a good mother. It’s not like I had a very admirable parent figure growing up. But as Nikolaos said, there’s no correct way; even so, I don’t want to do the wrong thing.

“So that’s why I’ll need to rescue Maxim if he does not return. It has to be me,” he says with finality and takes a step back from me. “He would do the same if it were me.”

It pains me to hear it, but I know nothing I say will change his mind. If Maxim is in trouble, Nikolaos does need to be the one to rescue him.

I jump from the counter and get on my tiptoes to kiss him. “I understand; hurry back so I don’t have to worry about you so much.”

“Well, I’m not leaving you here alone after what happened last time. I’m asking Bastien if you can stay with him while I’m under,” he says after smiling against my lips. “You’ll be safe with him.”

I can’t protest or argue, because I can see he’s made up his mind about this already. So I simply nod and allow him to make us some lunch…without telling him about this uneasy coiling in my stomach.