SHE RESURRECTED

Kovu POV

My heart pounded as I watched the coffin's lid burst open and Kaliyah emerging from within. The last time I laid eyes on her, she was on the brink of death. Our pack's best warrior was torn apart in the last war against the Eldrath pack. I wasn't able to make it back to the palace in time and I knew she died in my arms.

“Catch her!” I ordered when I noticed her falling to the ground. Two of my men rushed forward and caught Kaliyah just before she collapsed to the ground. I marched towards them as they laid her gently on the ground and checked her pulse.

“Is she..” my voice trailed off.

“Yes…she's alive.” One of them confirmed with a look of disbelief. “She's still breathing, she just passed out.”

I clenched my fists, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. Her body wasn't riddled with claw marks, bites and the huge hole in her heart was fully healed. Heck it looked like her skin was glowing in fact. What the hell was going on? How could she still be alive?

The wounds she received were fatal. Even a Lycam’s healing factor couldn't close up such wounds, especially the one in her heart and yet here she was, alive and breathing. It was impossible.

Questions raced through my mind. How did she come back to life and most importantly, what was that connection I felt when she stared at me? It was as if a force was pulling me towards her and it didn't take me long to find out why.

“Mate.” My Lycan, Kyrax declared in my head.

“What?” I asked, dumbfounded by the news.

“Mate! She is out mate.” Kyrax repeated himself.

What sort of madness is this? I gritted my teeth, refusing to accept this. Today had just been one hell of a day and now I had to deal with the realization that my biggest rival, who somehow managed to come back from the dead, was my mate? Bullshit. Utter bullshit.

“Impossible.” I muttered under my breath, trying to push the thought away.

“She is our mate. We belong to each other.” Kyrax insisted with a snarl.

“No.” I snapped at him before zoning him out. “She is not my mate.”

I turned to my warriors who all had shocked expressions on their faces. I couldn't blame them. This burial had turned into something….beyond our understanding.

“Get her to the healers. Make sure she's stable. I want answers when she wakes up.” I ordered them.

They nodded and carefully lifted Kaliyah, carrying her towards the healers quarters

“Kovu, listen to me. You will not reject her, she is ours.” Kyrax howled in my head but I shut him off again real quick. I was so not in the mood for this. I needed answers. I needed to find my father.

I turned around and walked towards the Alpha pack mansion. Kyrax’s rage was palpable as he howled in my subconscious but I ignored him, he could be really cranky most times.

“How dare you deny our mate? She is ours, Kovu! You cannot ignore this!” Kyrax roared, but I shur him out and walked briskly through the corridors towards my father's throne room.

I barged in without so much as a knock and the looks of irritation from the elders and my father bore on me but I couldn't care less. They never liked me much in the first place anyway.

“Father, I need to speak to you now!” I demanded , not even batting an eye at the elders.

“This is no time for interruptions, boy. Leave at once.” Elder Jarek rose from his seat and glowered at me.

“Last time I checked, you weren't my father Jarek. I'd advise you to shut up.” I clapped back at him, enjoying the expression of rage on his face.

“Enough, both of you.” My father, Alpha Torino, raised a hand. “Everyone, leave us. We will continue later.”

The elders grumbled with dissatisfaction but they complied and filled the room one by one. Once they were gone, my father turned his full attention towards me.

“What is it, Kovu? Have you finished the burial rites for our warriors?”

“Oh, the burial happened, alright. But there's a slight complication.” My lips curled in a sarcastic smile. “Kaliyah has come back to life.”

His eyes widened in shock. He marched towards me and grabbed me by the shoulder with an agitated look on his face.

“What are you talking about? How is that possible?” 

“First of all, let go of me.” I hit his hands away. “I don't know, father. She was supposed to be dead. Her wounds were too severe, no healer could save her and her body had no life when we placed her in the coffin. But she broke out, her wounds healed and alive.”

My father frowned, his hands scratching his thick beard as he processed this development. “This is…unprecedented. Are you certain it's her?”

“There's no doubt it's her.” I nodded .

My father suddenly became excited. His eye's regained their shimmer which got me very irritated.

“Where is she?” he asked eagerly, like a kid going to the playground.

“She's in the healers quarters.” I replied through gritted teeth.

Without another word, he strode out of the room, heading straight towards the healer's chambers. I clenched my fists and followed suit.

As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of jealousy and resentment. My father had always favored Kaliyah, always saw her as the better warrior. Heck if he had his way, I was sure he would have preferred for Kaliyah to be his daughter than I, his son. This fact irked me to end.

I felt a sense of relief when she died but now, with her miraculous resurrection and coupled with the fact that Kyrax had identified her as my mate. It felt like she was once again stealing my spotlight.

“This is more than rivalry, Kovu. She is our mate. Embrace it.” Kyrax snarled in my head.

“Shut up, Kyrax.” I growled inwardly as we entered the healer's chambers. I wasn't ready to accept this bond. Not now, not ever.