Kavi's POV
Akhilan reached here within minutes and entered the room with a blank face and stood far away from the bed. His hair was dishevelled and his eyes had bags under them and his ever-vibrant grey eyes were surrounded my redness from his exhaustion. Vijay stood by the door and glared at Akhilan. I was getting annoyed with his behaviour. Akhilan looked at my neck and his aura turned painful which I could feel from the bond too.
"Vijay! Remember he is your Alpha. Give us some privacy."
I demanded him in a calm but warning tone. He left with a conflicted face. I pulled the IV and gathered my strength to move near my mate. I was too weak even to raise my hand. I just slid his way and he caught me in panic and made me sit down properly. I sighed softly at his touch. I caught his shirt and mind linked him to sit near me. He hesitated for a second but compiled to me. I leaned my head over his chest
"What happened that night?"
I asked him with a contented sigh at his closeness in a hoarse voice. I could feel his touch was helping me to gain energy.
"It was my mistake to mark you without asking you. Sorry. I thought you accepted me as my mate..."
He spoke in a bitter tone.
"What are you talking? I accept you as my mate, Akhilan. I... Why did you say that I didn't accept you? I really don't know what came over me that night. It was so ecstatic when you marked me. I even saw our souls intertwining with each other. But I felt a sharp pain in my heart suddenly and I pushed you away. After that, all I felt is a pain. And I passed out. Then I saw mom and Sezhiyan here. I asked for you to them but fainted immediately. Then I woke up just now."
I explained to him everything and now his face was filled with confusion.
"You mean you accept me?"
He asked with confusion.
"I do! I can't even think about a life without you, Akhilan. It was hurting me that you didn't understand me enough."
I said and looked away.
"Then why my mark turned into bruise? It means dissent of a mate. And it was still the same as the day I marked."
He thought aloud. I frowned.
"What do you mean 'it was still the same as the day you marked'? You marked me last night. Didn't you?"
I asked him.
"It has been three days since I marked you. You were unconscious all this time. And Blood warriors didn't allow me near you as I marked their Alpha forcefully. Sezhiyan was called and he commanded me to leave here until things get cleared. I was waiting at the border for the past three days. I started losing hope but I knew you weren't awake because expect the pain in your neck I didn't feel anything from our bond. And just a few minutes ago, I felt your sadness. I believed you would call me and you did. Because that day you didn't stop me from marking you. I don't know what to do when you were in pain. Everyone came and they thought I forced you and your Beta restricted me from meeting you. If Sezhiyan wasn't called, Vijay would be resting inside the earth for separating me from you. You have no idea how much I was worried and how much I missed you."
He confessed and tightened his grip around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him with a growl. I suppressed the hiss of pain in my neck and circled my arm around his waist. A knock made us pull away.
My mom came in and checked my vitals. She told I was getting better and smiled at us. I told her everything and she has no idea about why it has bruised. I explained Vijayan and he was too oblivious of what was happening between us as he never heard of something like this. He apologised Akhilan after knowing the truth. Akhilan didn't expect that and instantly his anger melted away.
I asked for my mobile to call Manohar. He picked the call in a hurry and it seems he knew what had happened. He asked me to visit there directly to the council as the case hearing for the inquiry was postponed due to my absence. He wanted me to come there as soon as I recover and also promised he would research about why it had happened. I thanked him and felt myself in need of rest. I yawned and looked at my handsome mate.
"Don't go anywhere. Stay with me."
I looked at him for his response.
"Hmm... But let me freshen up a bit."
He smiled and I nodded as I could smell he hadn't taken bath for the past three days. Yet his scent is intoxicating as ever. He helped me to lay down and went to my room to freshen up. Vijayan knocked and came in. He took the seat near me and he smiled on seeing my face clear.
"I did a mistake by separating you from your mate. If he was here, you would have got better earlier. I could see you getting some colour to your paled face already. Sorry for acting in haste, Alpha."
He said in a sincere tone. His apology calmed me down.
"It's okay. The situation forced us to jump into conclusion. But let this be last time, your loyalty blinded your rational thinking. You should trust Akhilan and he would never hurt me. By the way, I think your son had returned."
I questioned him. He squirmed in his seat uncomfortably.
"Actually, he didn't even know me. I was speaking to my mate on phone and Akhilan panicked when he heard your son and he had a pretty mouth which ignited the over-protectiveness in my mate. That's how Akhilan came here that night."
I said in a funny tone but his mood didn't lighten up.
"I am not forcing you. I know something wasn't right with him. You can tell me whenever you want. I trust you, Vijayan."
I said and extended my hand to pat his hand. He looked up at me with welled up eyes. My eyes widened in surprise as he had always maintained his Beta composure in all situations. After all, this was a mask he wears for others, deep inside everyone has a heart which always beat for the love of our loved ones.
"My son, Ashwin was the most dedicated member of this pack. He trained very hard and even he had once overpowered, Ilamaran. Everyone was happy about his skills and helping tendency. But Alpha and Ilamaran didn't like him. An Alpha and a Beta should have the most understanding relationship. But Ilamaran didn't like my son because he was stronger than him. But Ashwin would submit to Alphas whole-heartedly and always showed his loyalty to them. He is smart and made me proud at every chance he got. In his life, he loved two things the most. One this pack; second his mate, Thaara.
Before a year he found her and they were so much in love and lived their life happily. Soon the news of her pregnancy made us all happy. He was so protective of her and loved them so much. But the destiny was so cruel to him. All his happiness were wiped away from him one fateful day. A rogue attack changed everything. They did some strategy and entered the territory and attacked the packhouse. They were ruthless killers. Alpha, Luna and I went to council for a meeting. The warriors tried to protect the pack but they used wolfbane laced weapons. They started gathering children to hold hostage. Thaara was brave female. She never liked the fact that females weren't allowed to train here and even voiced out her opinion to Alpha and got punished for the same.
When males fought against the rogues, she sneaked out to save those children. But the leader who was hiding behind had found her. Ashwin tried to go near her but they found it as fun and injected him with wolfbane. Ilamaran was there but he was so busy to show off his cunningness by attacking the rogues with Silver but he failed to notice his future beta and his family's life was at stake. They stabbed him several times with wolfbane laced dagger and made him look when they slit her throat and stabbed her stomach with the same dagger. He went into coma as the broken bond made him weak. The warriors managed to chase away the remaining rogues. He didn't even have the chance to attend their funeral.
When he woke up after three months, he locked himself alone from everyone. He was blaming himself. He didn't even visit their grave and never shed a drop of tear. I heard he was searching for those rogues and killing them brutally. He was still searching for the leader who killed her. He was never his old self again. He will come here whenever he likes and will go back whenever he wants. No one knows where he was staying. I talked to him so many times but he never listened to my words. My wife cried and begged him to pay a visit there. But he wouldn't reply. I don't know what to do with him. I lost my hope long back. After me, Nakul will step up to Beta and some other capable warrior should get the third in command."
He started sobbing. I couldn't control my tears as my mind took me to my Teddy. I could feel his emotion. Teddy was not my mate but it gives me pain every time to think it happened because of me. Here Ashwin had lived the life filled with the love from his mate and he lost her before his eyes and the worst part, he couldn't do anything. I didn't have a chance to kill the rogues took my Teddy away from me because the warriors already killed them while rescuing us. But I could help him to avenge his mate's death. Yeah! That's what exactly I am going to do.
"Don't worry, Vijay. I promise you that I will give your son back. Is he here right now?"
I wanted to help him. I wiped my tears and told him in a determined voice.
"Thank you very much, Alpha. But he wasn't here. He left before three days and no one knew where he was."
I nodded my head thinking the way to track him. Yeah! I could track him. All I want is his mobile number. My mate came in with a plate of food and a glass of juice. How sweet! He halted on his steps, on seeing Vijayan wiping his tears.
"Is everything okay?"
Akhilan asked unsure whether to come in or now.
"Yeah. Now I leave you two alone. Get well soon, Alpha."
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