The Pure-Hearted Princess and the Kiss of Darkness - Chapter 120: Chapter 120

~ ENRIQUE ~
When we reach the hospital, everyone is there; Liam, Ahren, two other men I’m certain I saw with Leo Rossi at the summit, including Marie, Carlos, the two alphas who flew in, and a few others, like this is a fucking party.
And I’m not about to go in there with them all standing around. So, I headed to the packhouse and showered first. Ordering the kitchen staff to serve food for the guests and the house staff to have accommodations in place for the new guests. I then return to the hospital, dressed in a pair of grey sweats and a white T-shirt.
“Accommodations are prepared for the additional guests at the packhouse. And the guests who stayed at the Villa, you have also been relocated to the packhouse as Hugo is missing, and I’m not sure how safe the Villa is,” I say clearly. “Food has been prepared, so you should all head there. I’ll stay with Kataleya for the night.”
My eyes flicking across the group, daring even one of them to defy me.
“We are hungry,” Savio, the dumb date says. “I think we should head back, it’s really late. If we head to bed after, we can get up early and help where it’s needed.”
Maybe not so dumb.
“Thank you, Alpha Savio. I appreciate it. I hope we can talk about a possible alliance before you go.”
I won’t let my pride blind me to the fact that he has fucking helped and is willing to help further.
“I would like that.” He smiles and nods in approval.
“Yeah, we’ll head there now,” Ahren says.
I glance towards the hospital room; the door is closed and I instantly realise who is missing, Skyla, Raihana, Delsanra and Kiara. I knock on the door before giving them a moment and open it.
I instantly stop in my tracks to see Kiara with her face in her hands as Raihana has her arms around her, and the other two women are kneeling beside her.
“I apologise for the intrusion… but you should all get some rest,” I say quietly.
Kiara instantly lifts her head, her heart racing. Her eyes are bloodshot as she looks at me, and it takes my all not to hang my head in shame.
I caused her this pain.
“You guys go ahead, I’ll follow soon,” she says softly.
“I’ll wait out here for you,” Liam says from behind me.
Kiara nods at him as the other three women give Kataleya a kiss before they take their leave, the door shutting behind them. Kiara stands up and I brace myself for the words I’m sure are coming.
Why I couldn’t protect her… why did I fucking hurt her… why did I fucking fail… when she trusted me with her daughter?
She cups my face, surprising me, and I almost jerk away from her touch.
“How are you?” she asks softly, giving me a smile. Despite the sadness in her eyes, there’s concern, too.
“Perfect, as you can see,” I say quietly, looking away from her eyes for a second as I swallow.
She nods, fighting back her tears. “I’m glad you’re not hurt; she’s going to be ok too. I know she is,” she says softly, yet there’s a determined confidence in her voice.
I stare down at her, confused. Confused by her reaction.
“You do know that I did that to her?” I ask, cocking a brow.
Her smile fades and she shakes her head, “The crawler did.” “He was me, so I did it.”
“No, you did not,” she replies.
I need someone to shout at me, to scream at me that I fucking don’t deserve her, to hurt me. Fuck, anything to get rid of this agonising pain that has been stabbing me all fucking night.
“Oh yeah? So why was it that when I said my father was inside his body somewhere, that it wasn’t him doing that shit… Why didn’t anyone listen to me then? Why justify my actions now!” I ask, my voice harsher than I meant.
To my shock, she replies without batting an eyelid. “Because your father’s conscience was gone. Yours is not.” I still at her reply. Not only was it instant, but it’s spoken with complete confidence.
I know that…
“But I still did this.” I can’t even bear to look at the woman on the bed, knowing I won’t be able to keep it together.
“I know you want to feel better, but in all honesty, there’s no way that I can blame you. So I’m sorry I can’t help making you feel better like that. I am sorry, but I am glad you are alright.” She pulls my head down, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
A mother’s embrace.
My eyes sting at the pain that is fucking choking me up. How many people have I fucking hurt? Aside from the cabrón Lycan, I really don’t mind hurting him.
She rubs my shoulder as if knowing I’m going through things I’d never word, and slowly I wrap my arms around her, hugging her back. My eyes now fall on Mi Reina. 3
She’s pale, yet as beautiful as she has always been…
I move back slowly, and Kiara steps back. “I’ll go eat and rest. Will you be with her for the entire night? I don’t want her to be alone.”
I want to… but what if I hurt her again?
The sudden thought makes me doubt myself again.
“Yeah, I’ll be here.”
She smiles as she adjusts her daughter’s bedsheet, kissing her cheeks and forehead before she leaves.
‘Antonio, keep watching the crawler.’ I mind-link him before mind-linking Jose. ‘Release Haala.’
‘Yes, Alpha.’
‘Elena, how is Rhea?’
‘She has not awakened.’
‘Ok, thanks.’
I’ll see her tomorrow…
The door clicks behind me and the lights dim, leaving me alone with Mi Amor.
‘Benigno, I need you to come to the hospital and watch over me. If I do anything that might hurt Kataleya, you need to stop me or get her away from me.’
‘Yes, Alpha. I am right here.’
I feel his presence outside upon his arrival and shake my head.
Creepy cabrón.
I pull the chair closer to the bed and sit down, staring down at her.
Every single thing I have done and said to hurt her flashes through my mind, right down to the way I ripped into her with these hands.
I want to touch her, to hold her, to beg for forgiveness, but I’m unable to bring myself to touch her when I am not fucking worthy of her.
But she thinks I am. She would want me to be here.
I reach out for her hand, my own shaking as I take hers in my own, and that is all it takes for the guilt and pain within me to break the dam that I’ve been fighting to keep in place.
I press her hand to my lips as I close my eyes, my entire body shaking as I silently drown in those emotions.
I kiss her hand, holding it to my chest as I place my left hand on her stomach. Instantly, I can feel the burning darkness that radiates out of her wounds. My eyes glow, my stupid tears stinging, I close them, trying to focus.
I don’t know what I’m doing, yet at the same time I feel as if I know exactly what to do. I stand up, opening my eyes, feeling the flames spread around me.
I feel the Ash Stone pulse powerfully in my pocket.
The door flies open, and I raise my hand, stopping Benigno. He seems to relax, as if sensing it is not darkness surrounding me. “Mi Rey…” he murmurs but I don’t acknowledge him, creating a cut through her medical gown so I can see the wounds, focusing on the tendrils of darkness that are embedded in her blood. There’s light exuding from her, and I realise it is because of it – that it is the only reason she’s alive.
A sliver of anger flashes through me at what I have done to her. Fire envelopes my hand and I run it along her wounds, burning the darkness that clings to her. I grit my teeth as her flesh sizzles, but it’s only the part where the darkness has poisoned her deeply.
“Hold on for me, Mi Amor,” I murmur, struggling with myself. I know it’s the right thing to do, yet at the same time it’s hard to do this to her.
She whimpers, her heart thumping, and I lean down, brushing my other hand over her forehead, combing my fingers through her hair, trying to soothe her.
The wound begins to close up and worry fills me. She’s not fully healed! Fuck, what do I do? I keep going but feel it pulling away from me, digging deeper into her.
I pull back, my heart thundering. It didn’t fully work!
Fuck!
“Ki….” she whimpers.
“Kataleya, I’m here,” I reply, speaking in Spanish, just like I know she loves. “Wake up, Mi Amor…”
She moans weakly, turning her head ever so slightly, but that little move sends my emotions into overdrive. I look at her wounds that are slowly but surely closing and try once more. Panic and urgency surround me, but even with renewed will, I’m unable to get the remaining bits of it out.
I will have to find another way… and I fucking will.
Fuck!
Closing my eyes, I try to calm myself, taking deep breaths, my heart thumping. I fucking failed again.
Assrakh, or whatever the fuck his name is, I’m going to fucking find him and rip him to fucking shreds.
I gaze down at the diosa on the bed and gently pull the sheet up around her, hearing the door shut behind me as Benigno steps out.
Sighing heavily, I sit down on the bed beside her, caressing her cheek as I hold her hand in mine as I watch her, wishing she wakes up soon.
Time passes and nothing changes.
At some point, someone comes to ask me if I want to eat but I dismiss them. I won’t eat until she wakes up.
I sit here waiting for her to wake up. Every single memory I have of her has replayed through my mind on fucking repeat. All the good and all the happiness she has brought into my life. Even if I denied it, moments with her are the best moments of my life.
She brings me tranquillity.
I slowly lean down and brush my lips lightly against hers. Even now I fear I’ll still hurt her. After all, this isn’t all over.
Is my love not enough to protect her? Because I love her far too deep to ever measure.
“You are my fucking life, Mi Amor, so please wake up so I can breathe again,” I whisper, feeling so fucking helpless. My vision blurs as a single tear splashes onto her cheek.
I have failed her.
I turn away, unable to look at her when suddenly my eyes fly open when a tender hand touches my cheek, and I turn back to Mi Reina, who is gazing back at me through those beautiful glittering eyes that remind me of a night sky.
“Enrique…”
“You’re awake. Fuck, you’re awake.”