Tangled Hearts - The Alpha's Baby Mama
Chapter 133: Loves you unconditionally and not just for a reason...

Chapter 133: Loves you unconditionally and not just for a reason...

Selene POV

I could feel life slowly ebbing away from Xavier.

The girls were sitting beside him, their brows scrunched up in confusion as they watched tremors rack his body. Xavier was trying to put on a brave face for the children, I also noticed he was trying to keep his eyes wide open. My heart surged with pity as I stared at him again, I could not cheat on Noah. At least, if I should help Xavier in any form, it should be with his permission.

Especially, as I was far from the pack and possibly any sign of life. Occasionally, my gaze will sweep to the entrance of the house, I was looking out for Kragen hoping he would come before things get too late for Xavier. I continued pacing the floor, staring blankly at my phone. There was no signal to call there was no way I could go back on my own.

I resumed my pacing in the cramped living room of the house, my arms wrapped tightly around my body. Each second felt like a thousand years. Across the room, Xavier’s breathing became laboured, filling the entire room...I knew I should be by his side... I wanted to but Noah had to come first. I have to think first of him

"Mommy," Maeve suddenly cried out, tears filling up her eyes "Is there nothing you can do for Dad... he’s dying,".

My heart broke as I knelt and hugged her to me. If the girls knew I could heal their father, they would never speak to me but it was fine, they’re too young to understand how life works. "Don’t worry peach, your dad will be fine. As soon as Kragen returns, he’ll help him out,".

Vina walked up to me and rested her head on my shoulders. I held the girls trying to shove errant thoughts of Xavier dying on me. I was no Bastian of mercy neither was I a monster to abandon Xavier now that he needed me. He’s been a good father to the girls and maybe...in another life, if we were just normal couples, he would have made a good husband. If I wait for Kragen a little while and he doesn’t show up, I’d have to help him out.

While me and the girls were huddled on each other’s bodies in silence, the sharp creak of the gate of the house finally broke the silence. I whirled around jumping to my feet, hoping it was Kragen and not some of our pursuers. I sighed with relief when I saw Kragen slipping inside in his usual silent demeanour. I craned my neck hoping to see Brenda and Faustina behind him but he was carrying along a sack filled with herbs.

"Where are the girls, Nannies?" I demanded without preamble. "You said you were bringing them to come help me here?"

Kragen barely arched a brow as he brushed past me into the house, his features as blank as ever. "That proved... unnecessary," he went towards the kitchen and started removing the herbs from the bag he had them in "Conrad is dead... he was defeated. The crisis has ended, soon Kurtis will come to pick you and the girl and take you back to the pack house,".

Despite the reassurance in his words, unease seeped through my spine as I stared at him. He had told me in the beginning that we might be here for a few days so why the sudden change? There was something he wasn’t saying and it was so obvious. Anyway, I couldn’t ask him a lot of questions because the girls were hovering around us.

After picking out the herbs he wanted, he went into the living room where Xavier was and crouched beside him with a small pestle and mortar. He began crushing and mixing them with such precision that you’d know he’d done this before.

"What are you doing?" I asked watching him with fascination. There were a lot of sides of Kragen that I haven’t seen yet. All the stories and folktales that painted him as a big, black wolf lord were false. He was such an amazing Lord except of course for his occasional coldness but I liked him for that.

"This will stabilise him and draw out some of the lingering toxins in his system from that night," Kragen murmured, not looking up from what he was doing "But it’ll only be temporary. He’s so weak and his wolf is hibernating for the meantime until he gets his strength back. So, it’s left for you to help him or not but after a few days, it’ll worsen... he’s lucky he’s still alive up until now,".

"I am married, Kragen... asking me to sleep with..." I paused when I saw the girls peeping from the doorway. So, I lowered my voice "Asking me to do it is not right and there is no way in hell that Noah would agree to such a thing. Is there no way for me to help him?"

"You could lie beside him," Kragen said flippantly still pounding "But it has to be constant at least for a few weeks, it’ll help him build his energy just enough to get him through his daily activities but it won’t heal him completely. Mating with his true mate..." his tone pitched "Is all he needs and he’ll be fine. I just hope that Noah is worth all of these sacrifices you’re making,".

"Of course, he is!" a smile played on my lips "Noah is kind, selfless, family-oriented, tolerant... he’s everything Xavier wasn’t and all the qualities I want in a man. I promise you only have to know him to understand the kind of person he is. He’s amazing,".

"Really?" Kragen scoffed as he poured out the juice he had extracted from the herbs into a small paper cup "Have you forgotten that I am a god and I can see almost through any Wolf? Noah is a decent man no doubt but he loves only when there’s something he sees in a woman and feels that it’s worth loving her for. As a woman, you should be with a man who loves you unconditionally and not just for a reason,".

"What... what are you talking about?" I asked flustered "Noah is not that kind of person, I promise..."

"Hurry now!" Kragen suddenly interrupted me "Get him to swallow this while I prepare the rest," he instructed handing me the paper cup.

I hesitated only for a fraction of a second before I collected the cup to do as he told me. I gathered Xavier’s head into my lap, then positioned the cup above his mouth as I gently tried to pry his jaw open to allow the potion to trickle down his throat.

As the liquid entered his mouth, almost instantly, some of the terrible greyish pallor started brightening. His breathing which was labored began to even out slightly. I stared, dumbfounded by the instantaneous effects of Kragen’s medicine.

"It’s working," I said excitedly "The colour is slowing seeping back into his skin,".

Kragen didn’t say anything. Suddenly, a low groan from the man lying on my lap snapped my attention back to him. His eyes fluttered open and he scanned the room unfocused. Suddenly, he landed on me and I washed as recognition flickered in his eyes.

"Se...lene..." he rasped out, lifting one trembling hand to brush my cheek "You’re safe... I’m glad," he managed a smile and let his hands fall to his side as he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he asked again "How about the girls? And the pack and my uncle? Did everything work out?"

Tears welled up in my eyes at his words. He just came back from a near-death experience and he was bothered about everyone else but himself. Has he always been this selfless? Covering his hand with my own, I managed a watery smile.

"Because of you, we were able to go through that night. You sacrificed everything for us,".

A ghost smile appeared on his lips as he shook his head "I did it for you and the girls, Selene. Just because you live in the pack... that’s the only reason and I don’t regret a single thing. I would do it over and over again. I’m so glad everything worked out in the end,".

"Drink this!" Kragen said suddenly stretching another cup towards him.

Xavier hesitated before he took the cup, his eyes searched mine seeking for explanation. "Sorry I forgot to introduce you, this is Kragen and he’s a friend. Kragen this is Xavier... Alpha to Greyhound Pack and the girls father,".

"Nice to meet you!" Xavier nodded politely stretching his hand towards Kragen who took it. Xavier swallowed the other liquid and it seemed to me that his color returned more with it. Before I could excuse myself to go and check up on the girls and tell them their father was fine now, the distant roar of an engine reached my ears. Turning towards the entrance of the house, I saw a sleek, black van rolled to a stop outside and Kurtis came down from the driver’s side while Lucius exited the passenger’s side, determination on his face.

As soon as they saw me, they both sprinted to where I was standing "Are you alright?" Kurtis asked.

"Yes, I am fine," since Xavier was just lying behind me, it was easy for Kurtis to spot him.

Relief flooded through him as he entered the house and went towards Xavier. Lucius murmured something unintelligible as he followed Kurtis towards Xavier. They both sat down close to him, I could see the pure joy in their eyes.

"I can’t believe it’s you. When you left the pack house, you were so different that I prayed to the moon that you’d be fine. But I’m so glad you’re doing okay now," Kurtis said.