Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 142

Chapter 142: Light in a Dark Heart

"So, how are you?"

Kai’s voice was easy and casual, the way it always was, but Kira caught the look he gave her sideways as they walked. He was checking on her, not just asking.

They were alone in the hospital gardens now. Jessica had ducked off to find a restroom a few minutes ago, and the gammas were keeping their usual respectful distance, some behind them, some scanning ahead.

"I’m fine," Kira said.

She reached a bench beneath one of the trees and lowered herself onto it carefully, the cast on her leg sticking out in front of her. Kai sat down beside her, stretched his long legs out, and was quiet for a long moment.

Then he turned his head and looked at her.

"I know you’re still mad at him."

Kira shook her head. She did not bother to argue. She just looked ahead at the path and said nothing.

Kai shifted closer, nudging her gently with his shoulder. "Come on, Your Highness. You can talk to me. I know the messy dynamics of your marriage better than most."

Kira let out a long breath and stared at her cast.

"I don’t know how to feel about any of it," she said finally. "Some days I feel like I’m actually getting somewhere with him... and then other days I feel like I’m right back at the beginning, like I’m still just the outsider he married for revenge." She turned the corner of her cast over with her good foot. "It’s exhausting."

Kai winced. "That bad, huh?"

Kira gave a small, tired shrug.

Kai leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Why won’t you just hear him out?"

Kira turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. "Did he put you up to this?"

"Yes." Kai grinned, not even trying to deny it.

She let out a short laugh. "At least you’re honest about it."

"I figured lying to you would be a waste of both our time." He shrugged. "But I’m also here because I hate seeing you both like this."

"He’s been losing his mind since you woke up and refused to see him. Dr Adah keeps telling him to give you space, but the man looks like he’s about to climb the walls."

Kira looked at her hands. "I don’t want to see him," she said quietly. "I don’t want to speak to him."

Kai shifted on the bench so he was angled more toward her. "Listen to me for a minute. I’m not telling you this because I’m trying to make excuses for him. I’m telling you because you deserve to know what actually happened, so you can decide for yourself what to do with it.

"Derek is a lot of things. He’s stubborn, he’s difficult, and he has the emotional range of a brick wall on most days. But he’s a man of his word. When he promises something, he means it. He doesn’t go back on it."

Kira wrung her fingers together in her lap and did not respond.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify