The Alpha King's Last Wish

9: Sorrow in tears

Mia didn't know how long she stayed on the ground, sobbing before the medical unit arrived with a moveable bed. They carried the king onto it and took him into the medical unit of the warrior's institute.

Mia turned to Commodore Ian. "I will much appreciate it if the king's state of health is kept here and not spread."

He bowed his head to her, showing her the respect she didn't deserve after what she had done. "Yes, my queen, the warriors are sworn to keep the secret of the king; you have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you," she said, and she followed those who had come to take the king with them.

She stood at the door and watched as the head of the unit attended to Xavier, trying to stabilise his heartbeat. They stayed a while to achieve their goal, and once they attained it, they departed the room, leaving the king to get enough rest.

"The king shows extreme signs of fatigue; a few hours' rest is all he will need to help himself. That would be the best time to return to the capital and not wear him out, my queen." The chief physician at the institute explained before walking away with her helpers.

With the physicians gone, Mia was left with Xavier, whose eyes stayed shut on the bed. She didn't go near him; she stood at the door, watching him and wiping the tears that creeped out of her eyes.

She was a mess, but she would stay here for as long as he needed to wake up.

"You cry as though I am dead," Xavier said, and his lashes fluttered slowly in bed.

She shook her head and whimpered. "I am sorry."

"For what?"

More tears ran down her face, and her trembling hands did a poor job of wiping them off. "Everything."

He chuckled. "I know it feels like the right thing to do, but don't be sorry. You didn't give me the shadow sickness, my love." He joked.

She couldn't believe he found the energy to joke about this, but then that was the man she married. It still didn't make her feel better; it made her feel worse.

"I am your mate; I should have known." Her voice faded towards the end of her words.

"You knew about the blonde lady in white." He pointed it out.

She did, but she had interpreted the signs in the wrong way. Xavier never acknowledged her and got so furious with her when she called the blonde lady his mistress and whore.

What was she to think?

She felt a change before then, and seeing the blonde lady in white became the reason she had been looking for. She knew what she saw and believed it; the blonde lady in white had Xavier under her mercy in the study.

Interpreting it this way made her understand she had him under her mercy like a slave.

That was what the shadow sickness did.

She was also with him longer today, and it meant her presence in Xavier's life had gotten stronger.

Interpreting it this way now makes her feel so miserable. She should have known there wasn't anyone for him but her, but she was hurt and believed the wrongest thing ever.

"How long has it been?" she asked.

He didn't hesitate: "Six months ago. I felt it, but I thought it was just something that would pass in time. It wasn't, and it didn't pass. Four months ago, after my return from Jade, I had a bleeding nose. That was the confirmation. I had the sickness that took my mother from me. I began seeking help, but it worsened two months ago."