Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1327 - 82 : Noah’s Breaking Point

*Noah*

Outside of the healer’s room, I stood there, leaning on the door. Zara had been escorted to a separate room, still in range of the baby, should she want to get up and check on her.

She’d fallen asleep, the stress far too much for her. I felt a heavy weight on me, exhaustion and bone-deep worry radiating from my body.

Eventually, I took a trip to the bathroom, needing to splash some water on my face before returning to my bleak vigil. When I fastened my eyes on myself, I realized just how many harsh lines were carved into my face.

The stress was clearly getting to me too, no matter how much I tried to keep it together. Any shifter bombarded like this would feel the same way, though.

“Stay awake, stay attentive,” I whispered to myself. “She needs to make it. My baby girl needs to make it.” I clenched my jaw, tears starting to stream down my face.

Could she make it?

Calvin seemed so doubtful, the tone of his voice providing no comfort whatsoever. Zara was a complete wreck, something I understood from the bottom of my heart.

I thought about the fight we’d had prior to her intense labor. If anything, it was my fault, but focusing on that right at that moment wouldn’t do either of us any well, I knew.

My thoughts returned to our baby, and the fact that I couldn’t do a damn thing to help her. I let out a frustrated grunt, covering my face with my hands for a moment and shaking.

After a moment of getting ahold of myself, I returned to waiting outside of the room, sliding down into a sitting position and putting a hand on my forehead.

Hours passed, the time feeling extremely short and like an eternity at the same time. I hated being so helpless in this situation. There was nothing I could do.

Calvin exited the room often. “She is getting better in very tiny increments,” he told me, causing me to let out a breath.

I needed that good news, but at my outward sign of relief, Calvin shook his head. “There is still no guarantee she will make it. She is fighting a very hard battle. She is strong, but—”

He hung his head.

“Keep my expectations tempered,” I whispered, and he nodded.

My heart shattered at that, but I tried to keep strong.

I often stopped in to visit Zara, checking up on her. “Hey, beautiful,” I said, my tone strained and exhausted. Her hopeless emerald-green eyes fell on me, and she forced a smile.

“Hi, Noah,” she greeted.

“How are you?”

“Not well.”

“Yeah, me neither,” I said. “Calvin said the baby is getting better, very... very slowly.”

“I heard. And there’s still a high chance she will not make it.”

“I still have faith,” I said softly, leaning over to take her into a hug.

Calvin then entered the room, giving us our moment until I turned to face him.

“Updates?” I asked.

“I will keep giving them as they come up,” he said with a reassuring smile. Then, he shook his head. “Not this time. Some members of the pack want to see you. They have gifts.”

I nodded, then looked at Zara. “Would you like to see them?” I asked softly.

She shook her head. “I c-can’t.” Her voice broke then, and she covered her face, breaking down into sobs.

I rubbed her back, gently leaning down to kiss her on the top of the head. “It’s okay. I can stay with you here and see them later.”

“No, please,” she insisted. “Go s-see them. I just can’t. I... I need to stay here.”

I nodded, understanding entirely. My heart lurched at the tone of her voice, which dripped with despair. A strand of her hair fell into her face, and I tilted my head.

Gently, I reached over and brushed it behind her ear as she stared down at her hands. “You let me know if there is anything I can do, Zara. Okay?”

She gave a very faint smile at this tender gesture and dipped her head. “I will,” she whispered.

With that, I exited the room to stand outside again and face some pack members. What greeted me was members of Drogomor with faces creased with concern.

“Hey Noah, best wishes for the baby and her mother.”

“The Moon Goddess has gotten many prayers from us and will get many still.”

“We’re rooting for your family, Noah!”

“Hey, you’re not alone.”

My heart dripped with a light bit of hope and happiness at the love and support from my pack members. I thanked them softly, accepting little gifts for my little girl.

There were tiny, baby-safe plushies and rattles, some pacifiers of various designs for her, and plenty of very soft, warm blankets, and pillows, too.

It was a menagerie of sweet little gifts, each one sending a surge of warmth through me.

The next few days passed in a blur as my daughter fought for her life. Everyone was worried about the baby, and about Zara, too.

My concern for Zara was a tidal wave of worried emotions, and I often found myself standing there, staring at my hands, waiting for some way I could help.

I couldn’t run from the guilt, my heart lurching at the memory of our argument. My mind fixated on it. My tone had been so bitter, so mean, when Zara suggested going to investigate her strange markings.

She had been so desperate, and what had I done? I’d just... callously dismissed her. I even had the fucking nerve to say I didn’t care about the mate bond!

I did. I cared about it deeply because she did, but I wanted her to understand that there were other things that needed to come first.

Instead of voicing that properly, like someone with half a brain, there I’d been, snapping at her like such a cruel, mean person.

I shook my head, self-hate rearing its ugly head within me. But that wouldn’t be of any help, to mull over it and skulk. No, I needed to make a real change.

Just like my aunts had mentioned, with me putting in the effort for our mate bond, I needed to find that same vigor I had when I’d hosted that picnic.

I needed to be more understanding. If our daughter beat the odds altogether, I needed to be a better partner. I vowed inwardly to do so, intent on being a proper, loving mate for Zara.

After a few more minutes of clearing my head, I entered the healer’s room, peering in and checking in with Calvin. “How is she?” I asked, motioning to the incubator.

“Still fighting,” he said, his tone distant. “No new updates since the last time I told you. She hasn’t lost the battle yet.”

I nodded, feeling a pang of sheer despair at how he worded that.

‘Yet.’

The possibility of losing her was still so strong, and my heart clenched at that. I took a deep breath and nodded, thanking him before turning to enter the room Zara was staying in.

“Zara?” I whispered, approaching her bed. I hoped she was awake so I could try to discern how she was doing.

The good news was that she looked up at me, her eyes open and somewhat attentive. The bad news was how little spark they had in them, and how her shoulders hung in sheer exhaustion.

She was like a ghost possessing a body, lying there.

“Hi, Noah,” she whispered. Her tone was incredibly hollow, which caused increasing worry to swirl in my gut.

“Hi. I’m here for you, beautiful. How are you feeling?”

She just shrugged, forcing a fake smile toward me before letting it fade. My words of comfort did nothing right then. She hadn’t spoken much at all the past couple of days.

Such a response was the usual now. I couldn’t get her to say anything, just... give that lifeless shrug. Depression radiated off her in waves, and the light in her eyes had dimmed to a listless gloom.

I heard someone clear their throat softly behind me. I turned, looking at my father and Estella, standing there with light frowns. Their faces were etched with sympathy and concern.

“How is the baby?” my father asked. Then, he looked toward the bed. “How is Zara?” he added. He studied her, swallowing.

Estella did the same, placing her hand over her heart and shaking her head. “Zara?” she asked.

Zara didn’t acknowledge them. She avoided their gaze and just closed her eyes, pulling the blanket up to cover her head. I heard her let out a breath and saw her shudder beneath the blankets.

“Neither are doing well,” I whispered, hanging my head.

Estella came over to give me a hug, which I returned without much feeling.

Would my baby survive this? What about my mate?

Despair sank its jaws into my heart because I just wasn’t sure.

****

On the third night of the same, gut-wrenching concern, I was called to meet privately with a delegation of pack Elders. That didn’t bode well at all.

It never had, really. It seemed like every time the Elders were involved, something was going wrong.

My jaw clenched at that thought, knowing it just wasn’t going to go well at all. I went into that meeting expecting it to go to hell.

My wolf was tense as well. I could feel his wariness radiating through him, something that reflected within me, too. Taking a deep breath, I sat down before them.

The first to speak was Marriott, among the oldest of the Elders there. She dipped her head, and said grimly, “Thank you for meeting with us, Noah.”

“Of course,” I muttered, furrowing my brow. “What is this about?”

“Well,” she muttered, locking eyes with me. Her tone was solemn, and she had an air of despair surrounding her. “This traumatic early birth may be a sign that Zara was never meant to be your Luna.”

I widened my eyes, feeling rage billow within me, my jaw tightening even further. She couldn’t fucking be serious. I almost didn’t believe my ears.

In a dangerous tone, I growled, “Come again?”

She wasn’t swayed, and she lifted her chin. “I am quite sure you heard me. Perhaps her kidnapping and very questionable origins of her pregnancy prove she brought a curse upon us.”

She looked toward another Elder, giving the floor to him. All the while, I was barely on the edge of snapping, disbelief flowing through me.

How dare they suggest Zara was a curse? I was practically shaking, but I turned my head, fixing my stare on the Elder who’d stood up.

“We believe you should reject her and the child, who likely carries bad blood,” he said in a strong tone. “This curse on Drogomor endangers us, and we need to–”

I didn’t let him finish.

A ferocious, guttural growl erupted from the pit of my throat as the words sank in, and boy, I was not going to fucking let this go.

Rage flowed through every vein in my body as I clenched my fists, my muscles swelling and coiling. I couldn’t control my fury now, not at all.

Not that I fucking should... those assholes dared to suggest I should abandon my family, and after everything they’d gone through?

Hell no.

Red—that was all I could see... red, and soon, their blood, everywhere. That was my goal.

Without pause, I shifted, lunging at the elders. I would rip their throats out, all of them, for that. I was done playing these stupid fucking games.

My claws were unsheathed and my teeth were glistening, ready to end this once and for all.

I felt a slam as my father’s guards intercepted me before my teeth could sink into their necks, which was highly unfortunate. I let out furious snarls, thrashing to no avail.

They’d stopped me before I could accomplish my goal.

Unable to get anywhere in this form now, I shifted back and shouted out, “I will tear you limb from fucking limb if you utter one more word suggesting that I should abandon my family. You hear me?!”

The guards—it took all of them—began to drag me out, and I thrashed again, snapping my teeth as my wolf pulled at me to shift again, to go right for this threat to my family.

Chest heaving, I let out a furious shout, my eyes alight with more fury than they ever had before.

“I vow death before I would ever abandon my family, be it me or you. Mark my fucking words!”