Tangled Hearts - The Alpha's Baby Mama
Chapter 111: Strange forest...

Chapter 111: Strange forest...

Kurtis POV

Slowly, I came to consciousness as my eyelids fluttered open, squinting against the harsh blinding light that seemed to be coming from the ceiling. Where was I? Did Conrad finally get me? Have I left the forest I was in seconds ago? I wondered in my heart.

My vision swam as my eyes searched the room, trying to remember where I was... who I am? After a few seconds, I blinked rapidly, willing my eyes to adjust to the whiteness of the wall and the peach contrast facing me. Finally, everything came into focus and I found myself staring right into a woman’s face looming over mine with concern.

Who was she? I wondered as I stared at her, noting how beautiful she was and how adorable she looked right now with the frown in between her brows. Then like lightning, it struck me. The woman above me was Selene and... I turned to my left, and as expected, Xavier was kneeling beside me too giving me a concerned stare. There were a ton of people in the room and they were all look at me.

What had happened? Why do I have a lot of people in here? This was my office no doubt. So why were they here? Did something happen? I willed my brain to try to remember as I closed my eyes again.

"Is he going to pass out on us again?" Xavier murmured and shook my hand "Hey Kurtis, if you can hear us, you better open your eyes and tell us how you feel so that the doctor can help you recover faster plus I hate to sound like a taskmaster butlly need you now. Your men won’t take instructions from anymore and as we speak, the Kings..." he trailed off as his eyes shifted to the other people in the room.

Yes! The king! I remember that. I was going to come into my office for a bottle of water because I had an overwhelming, maddening thirst and had been so desperate to find some water to quench it. I had come into my office and headed to the table that had the jar of water from the mountains that I only drink and then... nothing!

"Kurtis!" Selene’s voice reached me again, much warmer than Xavier’s "Are you alright? Please say something, you’re scaring us?"

Wait! Another memory flitted into my mind. I was in a strange forest filled with one kind of plant it seemed and I was running wildly as if I was looking for something or someone was after me. Then, I stopped at a big tree with branches high up to the sky. Somehow, as I stood there wondering at the tree, I found myself at the branch and then when I looked down at its base, I saw Conrad beckoning to me with a warm smile on his face.

I didn’t want to go and meet him but yet I felt an inexplicable pull, a desire to leave the branches and meet him at the base of the tree despite my instincts screaming at me not to and that didn’t look like a dream. It made no sense since I hadn’t met with Conrad since he cor nor crossed his path and I was sure that I didn’t dream all of that. It felt too real to be a dream. Honestly!

I jolted upright, my brows furrowed in confusion as I tried to ignore the pairs of eyes staring at me curiously. The room was too crowded – from the people present I recognized the Pack doctor and nurses, and even a maid hovering by the door with a bowl and towel.

"Kurtis?" Selene’s voice broke through my thoughts again "Can you tell us what happened? But first, how do you feel?"

I turned to her, bewilderment evident on my face as I opened my mouth severally to speak but no words would come out. "Wh-What happened? I echoed dumbly "Why are you asking me that? Did something happen?"

"Yes!" she nodded letting go of my hand. I wish she had held on for a few more seconds though. "I found you lying on the couch when I came in and assumed you were sleeping so I didn’t want to disturb you not until Xavier came and we discovered you were unconscious,".

"Unconscious?" I blurted staring at her with unbelief as fear began to curl in my stomach. That wasn’t a good sign but I didn’t want to dwell on it especially now and with all of these strange and unfamiliar faces in the room. So, I decided to change the topic. "How about you, why were you in my office?" I fired.

Her eyes widened with shock at my words but after a few seconds, she sighed and responded "I was going to return the purse like you requested and...".

"Okay guys," Xavier suddenly interrupted as he turned to face the other people in the room "I think Alpha Kurtis is fine, you can now go. All of you, thank you, we’ll reach out if there’s any problem," he said clapping his hand as he shooed all of them out of the room. As soon as they left and we were alone, he moved close to me, his eyes boring straight into mine with a suspicious intensity that I’d never seen before.

"You very nearly died just now, Kurtis," he stated bluntly. "Thanks to Selene’s quick thinking, she gave you just the thing you needed to recuperate. Now that you’re up, I hate to rush you but you need to talk to your men at the borders. They’re just there lying around idle, not doing anything and have refused to take instructions,".

A chill ran down my spine. Died? Maybe that strange forest I was in was the underworld? A thousand questions was running through my mind but for now, I had to attend to other important duties.

"I’ll go see them now," I murmured as I planted my feet firmly on the floor, and then levered myself to stand, shaking off their concerned hands when they moved to assist me. My legs felt strange as if they didn’t belong to me but I managed to remain standing fighting the urge to sway.

"I’m fine guys," I said firmly glaring at them "Truly, there was no need for all the fuss. You even called the doctors... gush!" I hissed "I’m fine,".

It was a lie. Despite the brave face I had on, I didn’t feel fine at all. My mind still whirled with confusion over what I saw and my body felt strange as if there was something else in it. And then, there was this gut feeling somewhere at the back of my mind, a nagging sense of dread that warned me that whatever had happened, was only just the beginning.

My eyes flitted to Selene and I noticed she looked at me strangely. I also noticed that the purse I had given her the other night was on my desk.

"Thank you for bringing it back," I nodded "I’ll check it when I have the time, just leave it on the table,".

She gave me another long hard stare and then crossed her arms "I’ll see you guys around later," she murmured and walked out of the room leaving me puzzled.

I wanted to ask Xavier if I had offended her or something but I was too tired for that. Together, we left my office and headed towards Xavier’s car.

A moment later, we arrived at the dock. True to what Xavier said, they were all lounging around the docks in their quiet, imposing manner. As soon as they saw me approaching, they came towards me and assembled.

"I’m sorry for the delay," I started quickly "Can someone give me a scout on the current positions of the ship?" I asked.

"The winds are favorable. They’ll be arriving in the next five minutes max," one of them said.

"Okay," I nodded "Just as I briefed you all earlier. I want you to make thorough searches specifically on things that look less like a disguise or more like it and remember, no royal is expected to come in with more than 5 hands excluding their Betas and Gammas. We’re not doing anyone any favor. So, it’s either they stick to it or they go back home,".

"Yes sir!" they all chorused.

"And, ten of you should head back to the pack house and help the maids with moving things for the guest’s quarters. Remember, search thoroughly and do no favors. I and Alpha Xavier would be here in case things get ugly but prepare yourself for the worst and just like how we’ve trained, be ready to fight at any time.

"Yes sir!" they chorused again and everyone went to take their positions.

I was feeling exhausted from this little speech I did, so I decided to go to the bench at the corner of the dock to rest. Xavier followed up with his men, instructed them to assist mine, and then put his Beta, Lucius, in charge before he came to join me at the bench bringing food with him.

"Are you sure you’re alright? You look tired," he said as he handed me one wrap of sandwich and coffee.

"I am!" I said collecting the food "I’ll be fine,".

I really hope so.