Chapter 25
“Drink this,” Kayla whispered.
Zayron looked at the vial in her hand, then at her face.
He shook his head.
“I’m not drinking anything,” he said.
Kayla sighed and sat beside him.
She didn’t push the vial into his hand again.
Instead, she placed her palm gently on his forehead.
His skin was warm, his body still strong, but there was something missing, something lost in the fog that clouded Zayron's mind.
“Zayron,” Kayla murmured, “do you really want to understand what’s going on? To come out of whatever this is?”
“What do you mean?”
“You feel lost, don’t you? Like something isn’t right, but you can’t quite grasp what it is.”
“Trust me, I know what it’s like to feel stuck. To feel like something has a hold on you, keeping you from seeing the truth.”
She lifted the vial again but didn’t force it into his hand.
“People have been in your place before, Zayron. They didn’t just sit back and wait for things to change. They did something about it.”
Zayron looked at the vial again.
His fingers twitched, but he didn’t reach for it.
“Just this once,” Kayla whispered, “trust me.”
Without another word, Zayron took the vial from her hand, uncorked it, and poured the contents into his mouth.
He swallowed in one go, then stared at the empty bottle in his hand.
Kayla released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Zayron handed the bottle back to her.
“Since you tried to help me,” he said, his voice flat, “I’ll show my appreciation.”
He leaned back against the headboard, arms crossed.
“I’ll have my Beta escort you out of the pack. Wherever you come from, he’ll take you there safely.”
Kayla’s chest tightened, but she refused to let the words sting.
She set the bottle aside and folded her hands in her lap.
“I appreciate your appreciation, Alpha Zayron,” she said.
Zayron arched his brow.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
She tilted her head slightly.
“But before I leave, I need to do one more thing.”
“What do you want to do?”
Kayla stood up.
“I need to make you a real meal for you.”
“I’m not hungry,” Zayron said with a dismissive tone.
“You will be,” Kayla responded. “You just drank that potion on an empty stomach. That’s not good for you.”
“Now you’re concerned about my health? What do you want? To be my Luna? The only woman who was ever meant for me is gone. I won’t betray her memory, not even for a second.”
“Then let me honor her too. Let me stand by your side, not as your Luna, but as someone who still believes in you.”
Kayla stepped closer and whispered into his ear.
“Would she want you to waste away like this?”
“No,” Zayron muttered.
“I'll be right back,” Kayla whispered again, straightened up and headed out.
As soon as Kayla stepped out of Zayron’s chamber, Ana threw herself at her in excitement, momentarily forgetting she was pregnant.
“Be careful, Ana!” Kayla gasped, steadying her.
Ana quickly stepped back, realizing her mistake.
“Sorry,” she said with an embarrassed smile.
But her joy was undeniable, her face glowing with happiness.
“I knew it,” Ana said eagerly. “I knew only you could make Zayron drink the potion.”
Kayla sighed.
“I just hope it works.”
“It will,” Ana reassured her. “Seraphina said you’re the only one who can save him. If she believes it, I believe it.”
Kayla let out another sigh, this one heavier.
“Honestly, after talking to Zayron and seeing what he’s going through, I regret organizing the Continental Healing.”
Ana’s smile faded slightly, but she gave Kayla’s hand a small squeeze.
“I blamed you too,” she admitted, “but now’s not the time for blame. Zayron needs help, and we’re the only ones who can give it.”
Kayla nodded.
There was no point in regrets now.
Since Zayron had asked for real food, Ana clapped her hands together.
“Then let’s go make him a real meal,” she said.
As they hurried toward the kitchen, Mia stepped out from behind a pillar, a smug laugh escaping her lips.
Kayla halted and turned.
“Don't even bother trying to find a solution to his problem,” Mia sneered. “We've lost our Alpha. He’s nothing more than a vegetable now. My mate will take over the pack soon enough, and I will be Luna.”
She folded her arms, tilting her head mockingly.
“I suppose you haven’t heard? The Great Southern Council has set March 9 for the decennial meeting, and we’re already making preparations.”
Kayla sighed and continued heading towards the kitchen.
Mia kept talking, her voice dripping with arrogance, but Kayla and Ana didn’t stop walking.
They continued toward the kitchen door, leaving Mia behind as she took another path.
Ana hesitated before speaking, her brows furrowed in concern.
“Do you think she’s telling the truth? Will the council really hand the pack over to her mate?”
Kayla lifted a hand, silencing her.
Ana shut her mouth and said nothing more.
Thirty minutes later, the meal was ready.
Kayla had taken extra care to make it just the way Zayron liked it, roasted venison, herb-infused mashed potatoes, and a light broth.
A meal fit for an Alpha.
She placed everything on a tray and carefully pushed the trolley down the long corridor leading to Zayron’s chamber.
The hallway was quiet, the flickering torches casting long shadows against the walls.
As Kayla entered the room, she immediately noticed that Zayron had fallen asleep.
She paused.
Zayron had told her he hadn’t slept in seven days.
She could see it now, his breathing was deep and steady, his expression relaxed.
The tension that usually hardened his face was gone, replaced by a rare peace.
Kayla couldn’t wake him up.
He needed sleep.
If sleep could help him recover even a little, then she wouldn’t take that from him.
She quietly set the food on the table, making sure everything was within his reach for when he woke up.
Then, instead of leaving, she walked over to the bed and sat down.
She watched him sleep.
Zayron had always been strong and unshakable.
But now, he was vulnerable, lost in a world where he couldn’t even recognize reality.
Kayla wanted him to wake up refreshed, to open his eyes and see things clearly.
She wanted him to look at her and know she was here, alive, and that he wasn’t lost in the realm of the Vyrekins.
Kayla reached out to touch Zayron, but stopped herself.
All she could do was wait.
So she stayed there, watching over him, hoping that when he woke up, the strong Alpha she knew would still be there.