Fate’s Curse, Hate’s Kiss

Chapter 5

I look at Niall and his face darkens as he takes in the scene. His eyes focus on where Joel touches my bare back and his upper lip curls in a slight sneer. “You are dismissed, Guardian,” he snaps.

“The Alpha instructed me to remain by the Princess's side and escort her home,” Joel responds. His tone is respectful but I detect a hint of disdain there too.

“Well the Alpha isn't here and as Alpha Heir, I am telling you that you are dismissed, I can take it from here,” Niall commands, staring down Joel with his alpha power.

Joel’s Beta strength is no match for Niall and he quickly submits.

“Of course, I wish you a speedy recovery, Princess,” Joel bows to me and then to Niall before leaving the room.

I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from calling him back to me. I don’t want him to leave, it was nice to be in his company but I also don’t want to make him a target for Niall so I let him go, acting unbothered.

Nanny Gwen appears in the doorway moments later and I feel instant relief to see her kind face. “Freya, you had me so worried,” she gushes as she rushes to my bedside.

“Ah, there you are,” my mother enters the room holding a large bunch of flowers.

“Mum, I thought you were on vacation?” I say in surprise. I'm not sure if her presence is a good thing or a bad one.

“Yes, well we had to cut it short when we heard there was a rogue attack,” she sighs and places the flowers on the bed next to me before leaning in and giving me a one-armed hug.

“Thank you these are…” a sudden sneeze cuts off my words, causing the injuries on my back to sting painfully. I sneeze twice more before Niall quickly snatches up the flowers and heads out of the room with them. I notice the bouquet contains lilies as he takes them away.

Why would my mum bring me lilies? How could she forget I am allergic to them? I look up at her in question but she is too busy scowling at Niall’s retreating back.

“The doctor said we can take you home, I'm going to go and find you a wheelchair,” Gwen brushes a hand over my hair affectionately and kisses the top of my head before going in search of a chair.

“What on earth were you doing out so close to the border?” my mum chastises and I lower my gaze.

“I was looking for clues about Dad,” I admit, leaving out the part where Niall had upset me.

“Freya, you need to let your father's disappearance go. I know it is hard to accept but he was a traitor and we have a new family now, one that is about to grow,” she says with a tender hand on her stomach.

“But it doesn't make sense, Mum, he loved us and he loved his pack,” I try to reason with her.

“Let's talk about your father's misdeeds another time, I don’t want his memory sullying this time for celebration,” she dismisses.

I’m reaching a point where I’m ready to stop trying to talk to her about my father. Every time I bring it up, she brushes me off, claiming it’s not the right time or that I wouldn’t understand. I can’t shake the feeling that she might be hiding something, whether to protect me or for some other reason.

After a brief moment of awkward silence, my mother left.

She claimed Alpha James needed her to manage pack affairs, insisting as Luna, her presence was needed to reassure the pack about the rogue attack and their safety. Niall hadn’t returned after taking away the flowers, and I had a feeling he was here for the same reasons.

Neither of them seemed truly concerned for me as the actual victim. They seemed more focused on upholding their self-image and reputations as Luna and Alpha Heir.

“Look what I found,” Nanny Gwen says as she enters my room, pushing a clunky blue wheelchair. Her presence instantly lightens my mood.

At least I can trust Gwen’s motives, she is the only person who truly cares for me, and maybe that guardian, Joel. The memory of his words and tender touch heat my cheeks with a blush again.

“You’re the best, Gwen,” I smile at her, hoping she doesn't notice my flushed state.

After the nurse has been to remove my IV line, Nanny Gwen helps me dress into the borrowed clothes. They are some kind of workout set. A small cropped top that only just covers my breasts and shorts that are not much bigger than my usual panties. I have seen a lot of the girls at school wear this same outfit for gym classes but it's really not my style. I feel uncomfortable at how revealing it is, I'm not used to having so much skin on show.

“Oh dear,” Gwen chuckles when she looks at my attire and notices how uncomfortable I am. She takes the blanket from the bed, wrapping it around me like a large towel. It's not perfect but it's better than the outfit that would be better suited as underwear.

“Thank you,” I smile at her and hobble into the wheelchair.

Gwen pushes me out of the hospital and helps me into her waiting car before driving us home. I hobble on the crutches, unable to use them well due to my injured arm but I manage to get into the house and make my way up the stairs as Nanny Gwen rushes off to the kitchen to cook dinner for the family.

I push open my bedroom door and I'm instantly hit with an overwhelming scent of lavender and sweat, what the hell is that? Is there something lurking in my room?

I try to see into the pitch-black of my room. I feel myself begin to panic.