Chapter 136

She was headed to the door but someone had appeared in front of her.

Ah, by by the Moon, Nicholas again.

"What are you doing?"

"Ensuring you are safe."

"What," her voice was laced with dry humour and annoyance, "like a bodyguard?"

He cringed, refusing to answer that.

"Aren't you just a doctor?"

"Tell that to your mate."

Zezi frowned.

"Once he gets back, I'll gladly make myself scarce. I don't really fancy your presence."

"And I don't fancy yours."

He shrugged, sipping from his glass of wine.

It smelt like wine this time.

"Good."

Great, now there was no way she would be able to go after the trio. It didn't seem like any excuse would work on Nicholas, so she didn't even try. What kind of relationship did Valerick have with Nicholas that made him trust this doctor with her safety anyway?

Although, it was a good thing he had left someone to look after her, especially with how most of the Lords were unhappy to have her as their Queen, what Zezi found puzzling was that he trusted Nicholas to be capable of protecting her.

He must be more than just a doctor then.

Maybe he was part of his army.

Whatever.

She hated him. This was against her rule of survival which stated that, she had to always be friends with the doctors but she had been making exceptions tonight, so she might as well make an exception with this one.

She wished to get rid of his presence as soon as possible and from the looks of things, Nicholas wishes for the same.

Luck was really on Zezi's side tonight, because soon enough, she heard one of those voices she had been waiting for the entire night.

"Mama!"

Time stilled to a stop and there she was, her daughter, running to her with her arms open.

"Mira..." She whispered, a tremble coursing through her veins as the emotions overwhelmed her. "My daughter."

She slipped to her knees, throwing her arms open, as her daughter rushed into her embrace.

"Mama, I miss you."

"I missed you too. I missed you so much, my baby." She was breathing heavily, tears welling up in her eyes, as her arms tightened around her daughter who sounded out of breath.

"You didn't come back," her daughter repeated and a tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't care if the vampires could see her, didn't care what they would say about her and her family after this, she didn't care about anything.

She had missed her family so much, that the hall faded away in her mind soon enough, and it was only them.

To miss someone felt like the cold without its comfort, felt like heaviness without its promised relief, felt like reaching out with outstretched hands with the fingertips only some distance away from the other person.

It felt like misery.

It felt like a void.

Like a heartbreak, until they appear to take the pain away.

It felt incomplete.

"I'm sorry. Oh, Mira, I'm so sorry."

Days could go by and it would be perfect here with her baby.

Then she stood up, pulling her baby up with her in one arm, not caring that the dirty soles of her shoes stained her white dress.

"Will you come with us when we leave?" Mira asked cupping her mother's face. "Daddy said we came to take you."

Oh, by the moon. George shouldn't be saying that to her.

"I'm going to spend all my time with you and give you cake---"

"And follow us home." She added enthusiastically. "So we can decorate the house for Scardy."

She meant the Scare Season.

Zezi's eyes welled up with more tears. How would she be able to tell her that she wasn't going back with her?

Not now.

Not now.

Mira looked better than she had before, but it was obvious that she was still sick. She was thin, in a way that looked unhealthy, her eyes were too deep in their sockets for a six-year-old child and she was starting to look pale.

"My daughter," Aunt Alice - a short woman with slightly chubby features, and short black curly hair - pulled her into an embrace. Her eyes were filled with worry and she looked around the hall wearily.

It seemed they were all going about their business but they knew that the vampires were looking at them, casting them curious glances, while some were wondering how many more werewolves they would have to entertain in Lavida because their King happened to be cursed with one of them as a mate.

"Are they hurting you?" She whispered, going around her to check her, out of the blue, her hand shot up and she brushed her fingers over Zezi's neck.

She had sprinkled something on her fingers beforehand and one swipe was enough to reveal the secret beneath.

"Is he forcing himself on you?" It was a hushed whisper, a horrified one, a powerless one. One look past her was enough to know that she wasn't the only one feeling horrified and powerless.

George was standing silently behind her, looking leaner than she remembered him being. His lips were pressed together like he had no intention of ever speaking to her, and a quest of murder raged in his eyes.

Zezi looked away, her focus on her mother who looked at her like her world had just crashed... again.

"No, Aunt Alice."

Aunt Alice frowned. Zezi could see the screws turning in her head as she doubted that she had willingly engaged in such actions.

"Mother, don't worry so much. Tell me, how have you been?"

"Worrying about you. Ever since that talk, I've been trying to connect with you again but it was useless. Oh, Zezi," she cupped her face. "You are okay, alive---" tears made her almost choke on her words. "You are alive."

"I'm happy to see you fine too." Zezi brushed her hand over Aunt Alice's hand. She was going to cry a lot tonight, that was certain.

Their time together was so short, and already, she could feel them running out of it.

"We have a lot to discuss. Let's do it privately." Zezi turned away, smiling up at Mira who smiled back at her, as she started heading to the door with the intention to lead her family out of the hall.

"You have finally arrived. My mate has been absolutely worried about you." The King joined them, and already, he was slipping his hand around Zezi's waist.

Where did he even come from? When did he get here?

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and Zezi jumped a little, startled.

This wasn't something she wanted her family to see.

"Val--" she started to say before he cut her off.

"I've missed you." He whispered, then turned to them, catching George frowning and clenching his fists.

Perfect.

"I hope your journey here wasn't stressful at all?"

Drama.

Oh, goody.

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((Valerick wants payback for all those times Zezi said George's name instead of his. Awwn, my petty King. Lol.))