Nicholas's POVA smile grew on my lips as Emma walked out of the room. She thought she had put me in my place and had gained some small victory in our battle of wills. Little did she know, I wasn’t going to give up that easy. Not because I wanted to control her, but because messing around with her gave me some joy, making me forget, if only for short moments, that I was stuck in this chair and may never walk again.Later that day, the sun hung high in the sky, casting long shadows through the mansion’s grand windows. I found myself lost in thought in my office, the weight of the day pressing down on me. The accident, Lena’s betrayal, the keeping the secret that Emma is my mate—it was all getting to me. But I was an alpha; I couldn’t let any of it break me.Reaching for the intercom, I pressed the button. "Emma, can you come to my office?"The static crackled for a moment before her voice responded, firm but polite. "I'll be there in a minute."True to her word, moments later, Emma app
Emma's POVThe tension between Nicholas and me was clear. Each day, as I navigated the mansion, I found myself tiptoeing around his moods, trying to anticipate the next challenge he would throw my way. Despite everything, a part of me couldn’t help but feel a deep empathy for him. His strength, his command—they were a shadow of who he used to be, and it pained me to see him struggle so much.As the week progressed, I found myself searching for any opportunity to lighten the tension between us. The mansion, grand as it was, felt suffocating with its constant undercurrent of unspoken emotions. I needed to find a way to break through the walls Nicholas had built around himself.Nicholas refused to leave the house, which meant I never got to leave the house. This was something I really struggled with, and every time I brought it up, it would send Nicholas into a fit of rage.One evening, as I was preparing his medication, an idea struck me. It was simple yet bold, something that could eit
Nicholas’s POVThe rage that had fuelled my outburst began to simmer into a cold wave of regret. I stared at the shattered pieces of the mug I'd thrown, the fragments reflecting my emotional state—broken, scattered, irreparable. The silence that followed Emma's departure was excruciating, a poignant reminder of the hollowness that plagued my every waking moment.After what felt like an eternity, I wheeled myself back to the window, staring out into the endless stretch of the land that seemed to mock my confinement. The outside world felt unreachable, a distant memory of a life where I was powerful, untamed, and free. Now, I was nothing but a prisoner in my own home, my own body.For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine stepping outside, feeling the earth beneath my feet, the wind rustling through my fur when I shifted. But it was just a fantasy, a cruel game my mind played, reminding me of what I had lost.I closed my eyes, trying to push away the dark clouds of despair that loomed o
Emma's POV I spent the entire night after our dinner replaying our conversation in my head. "It's a date," I had said, and immediately, embarrassment washed over me like a tidal wave. Why had I uttered those words? They carried a weight of meaning far too intimate for what Nicholas had proposed. He wanted me there as a form of support and his nurse, clearly not as a date. After a night of fitful sleep, I awoke with a deep sense of nervousness. Tonight, I will accompany Nicholas to the packed event. The thought of the upcoming night loomed over me as I made my way to the kitchen, determined to get a head start on breakfast. I hoped that a well-prepared meal might keep him in a good mood. As I stepped into the brightly lit kitchen, the comforting scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling bacon greeted me. But to my surprise, the maid Susan was already bustling about, placing the finishing touches on an elaborate breakfast spread. "Oh, good morning, Miss Emma," Susan greeted warmly.
Nicholas's POVThe day had been a long stretch of anticipation. While Emma was out preparing for the evening, I found myself engulfed in a hurricane of thoughts and emotions. I didn’t know if I was ready to face my pack yet, but it was too late to turn back now. If I did, they would see it as a weakness, and I would disappoint Emma. I could see how excited she was to finally be leaving the house.By the time evening rolled around, I was dressed in my formal attire, a tailored suit that Lena used to adore. The irony wasn't lost on me. Emma was the one accompanying me tonight, not Lena. In many ways, it felt like the closing of one chapter and the uncertain beginning of another. My heart raced with a hint of trepidation. I had to be strong for my people, but how could I be strong when my legs failed me?A knock on the door snapped me out of my reverie. In walked Beta James clad in a suit that mirrored the respectability of the event we were about to attend."Alpha Nicholas," James said,
Emma's POVAt that moment, seeing the vulnerability in Nicholas’s eyes broke my heart. His confession hung in the air, heavy and raw, and all I wanted was to take his pain away. Without thinking, I knelt down in front of him, placing my hands gently on his legs. “Nicholas,” I whispered, hoping my words would pierce through his torment. “You're not alone. You don’t have to do this alone.”He looked away from me, his jaw clenched tightly, the muscles in his neck taut with the effort of keeping his emotions in check. I could feel the heat radiating off him as I reached up to touch his cheek. His skin was warm, almost feverishly so."Nicholas, are you feeling okay?" I asked, concern lacing my voice.“Fine,” he replied bluntly, but the word sounded hollow, a futile attempt to mask whatever was truly going on inside him.Gently, I brought his face back to mine, forcing him to look into my eyes. “I need you to tell me the truth. Are you feeling okay?”His eyes darted away again, and I could
Emma's POVThe minutes felt like hours as we waited for the ambulance to arrive. I clung to Nicholas's hand, feeling the heat radiate off his fevered skin, desperately praying to the Moon Goddess for mercy. “Please, let him be okay. Please.”James and Susan hovered nearby, their faces reflecting my anxiety. It was a shared burden, but I felt the weight of it most acutely. I was the nurse. I should have seen this coming. I should have done more.Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was really only a few minutes, the wail of the ambulance siren pierced the tense silence. Relief washed over me, but it was tinged with the harsh bite of reality. This wasn’t over yet.Two paramedics rushed into the room, their expressions professional but urgent. I stepped back, giving them space to work, my heart pounding in my chest. “What happened?” one of them asked, laying a hand on Nicholas's head to check his vitals."He's been running a high fever," I explained quickly. "We think he might b
Emma's POVThe day dragged on, each minute ticking by like an eternity. My eyes flicked repeatedly to the clock on the wall, and my heart felt as though it might break free from my chest. I didn't leave the waiting room; I needed to be here. The door creaked open, and, with a mix of dread and hope, I turned to see who it was. Dr. Carter stepped in, clipboard in hand. Relief started to seep into my bones; he had always been an excellent doctor, even if he was a bit of a flirt.Dr Carter's eyes softened when they landed on me. “Emma,” he said, moving towards me and taking a seat beside me. His hand found its way to my arm, a supportive gesture. “It looks like what we’re doing is working. His fever is going down.”I felt a wave of relief so powerful that I had to close my eyes for a moment to keep from tearing up. “Can I see him?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.Dr Carter nodded and stood, gesturing for me to follow him. As we began walking out of the room, he spoke again,