I clench my jaw tight while Dr. Lh is doing her check-up. I''ve not said a word since I''ve been in her


    office, and she’s asked me more than once if I''m okay.


    Ever since Star has returned, I''m starting to see more of what I couldn''t back then. For starters, I''m


    still apprehensive about Maxim, but I know I can trust him. Dr. Lh on the other hand...there''s


    something majorly off about her.


    "Well, everything seems to be in order, Alpha. Her vitals look good, and the baby is healthy; the only


    thing I am not too happy about is theck of sleep,” she says while looking at Nikos and me from


    across the desk.


    “It''s getting better,” I say, wringing my dress in myp. “It''s been really difficult to stay asleeptely.”


    Dr. Lh nods while Nikos takes my hand in his and gives it a little squeeze. Whenever I go to


    sleep now, I see Mikhail''s face looming over me, raising a knife above his head and stabbing me


    repeatedly. I usually wake up screaming and thrashing around until Nikos manages to calm me


    down.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It''s been days now, but I think it''s getting better.


    "Hmm, okay, I will take your word for it. However, if it doesn’t change by the next time I see you, I


    will have to prescribe you something to sleep better, okay?” she says while sitting forward and


    steepling her fingers together under her chin.


    “Whatever you think is best, Doctor Lh,” I say with a tight smile, hoping she doesn''t see through


    my fake positivity.


    She nods again, and we leave her office, with Nikos being suspiciously quiet. In fact, he''s been


    quiet most of the morning when I''m used to him taking charge when ites to me.


    “Is everything okay?" I finally ask him when we''re in the kitchen fixing something to eat. He looks at


    me while taking a few things from the refrigerator, then he sighs and it immediately tells me


    something is not right.


    “I haven''t heard from Maxim''s group in over two weeks; they left just before you woke up,” he says


    with concern stered clearly on his face. “If he’s gone for another week, I''ll have to lead the search


    party to find him.”


    My eyes widen and trepidation sets in my heart; Nikos would have to go into Mikhail''s territory.


    These brothers grew up with nothing but pain; one suffered trauma through his childhood, while


    the other suffered it in his adult years. How are they both so strong? I managed to hold on for a few


    years, but I was close to giving up a few times.


    Not only that, but I was Bastien’s mate! The one chosen for him specifically, only to have her


    ripped away in the worst possible way. There is no way a wound like that could ever heal.


    “So the Popov Alphas have a history with your family, then?” I say in a low voice. “Bastien didn''t look


    tortured at all.”


    Nikos sighs. “He hides it well, but he’s still not over it all. I mean, I am theplete opposite; if


    something like that had to happen to you, I would rampage. But that''s why he’s the heir and I''m the


    spare. I allow my emotions to control me, whereas Bastien always has a clear head.”


    I cup his face and shoot him a re. “You are not a spare! You''re both equally important to your


    packs, so don''t speak about yourself like that!”


    He ces his hands over mine and smiles at me. “Thank you, but being born a few minutes after


    him kind of put thatbel on me. It doesn’t bother me as much as it used to, though. But I am going


    off topic now; this is supposed to be about Maxim.”


    Oh, that''s true. I ce my hands on my thighs and motion for him to continue.


    “Maxim and I grew up together - the spare and the tarnished heir - so we know how it feels to be


    left at the bottom of the barrel. When my mother’s abuse started, I saw less and less of him until I


    was “sent away to boarding school’ and never saw him until I crawled into my bedroom that night.”


    “Before he told Bastien about me, he cared for me and nursed me to health. He didn''t poke or prod,


    didn''t look down at me in disgust, or revel in the fact that something bad had happened to me. He


    stayed by my side in silence, and when I eventually spoke up, he vowed to find them and bring me


    their heads.”


    My eyes grow wide at this revtion; I never knew Maxim was this devoted to Nikos! I mean, it


    would be a shock to anyone; what with the rumors going around about Maxim secretly wanting the


    title of Alpha.


    Then again, Nikos did mention before that they use the above rumor to their advantage when


    weeding out untrustworthy alliances.


    “Maxim sounds like he was more of a brother to you than Bastien,” I say, but he shakes his head.


    “They''re both my brothers, both loyal to me in their own ways. Bastien tried to be there for me


    before, but our father didn''t want him mixing with me. None of us had proper childhoods if you


    think about it,” he says, then he takes my hands in his and kisses my fingers.


    "You don''t ever have to worry about me pushing Ares into the role of Alpha. Being born under my


    father''s thumb, I know what not to do when ites to raising a child the right way. Well, I suppose


    there''s no correct way, but I''ll try my best.”


    I throw my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me. “I know, and so will I.”


    As much as I try to believe this about myself, I don’t know if I''ll ever be a good mother. It''s not like I


    had a very admirable parent figure growing up. But as Nikos said, there''s no correct way; even


    so, I don''t want to do the wrong thing.


    "So that''s why I''ll need to rescue Maxim if he does not return. It has to be me,” he says with finality


    and takes a step back from me. “He would do the same if it were me.”


    It pains me to hear it, but I know nothing I say will change his mind. If Maxim is in trouble, Nikos


    does need to be the one to rescue him.


    I jump from the counter and get on my tiptoes to kiss him. “I understand; hurry back so I don''t have


    to worry about you so much.”


    “Well, I''m not leaving you here alone after what happenedst time. I''m asking Bastien if you can


    stay with him while I''m under,” he says after smiling against my lips. “You''ll be safe with him.”


    I can''t protest or argue, because I can see he''s made up his mind about this already. So I simply nod


    and allow him to make us some lunch...without telling him about this uneasy coiling in my stomach.