Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1328 - 83 : Hope at Last

*Noah*

Pacing back and forth in the healer’s room, I anxiously awaited news about my daughter. Days had passed, and slowly, ever so slowly, Calvin had assured me that she was gaining strength.

It was a long, grueling process, and everyone involved was exhausted. The weight of it all was heavy, and I often found myself on the edge of a breakdown.

I needed to stay strong, be the anchor, though. I needed to keep my chin high for my family and have faith. It was all I could do.

Calvin turned away from the incubator as I craned my neck to try and catch sight of her again. I could see my baby’s chest rising and falling more and more as she took deeper breaths.

When Calvin looked at me, I felt a surge of hope. The expression he wore was a soft, tired smile, but his eyes had a certain positive glimmer to them.

“Status?” I asked.

“Well,” he said. “She’s been fighting. She is definitely a fighter like you, Noah. She is getting stronger. The process is slow, but she’s approaching the point of true recovery.”

My eyes widened in delight, and I let out a sigh, turning to a chair and collapsing into it. I covered my face, nearly breaking down in relieved sobs right there.

After a moment, I said in a soft tone to Calvin, “Thank you... you and all the healers. My daughter may just pull through. Thank the Goddess.”

It’d been several days since the incident with the Elders, and I’d been assured they’d drop the idea that Zara, or my daughter, was a ‘curse.’

I ignored the wary glances.

I ignored the lecture from my father.

This was my family, and I was going to protect them. It didn’t matter what the fucking Elders said. Like a miracle, my daughter was pulling through.

Curse... their asses were more cursed than either my mate or my daughter.

I shook those thoughts away, chasing the anger out of my mind to replace it with relief and, well, worry.

Zara hadn’t changed, and she had been spiraling deeper and deeper into a depression. The thought of her state right now caused me to furrow my brow and feel a heavy sense of dread settle on me.

Maybe the news about our daughter would help her see the light at the end of the tunnel, I assumed. After a brief amount of thought, I stood up and entered the room she was staying in.

“Hey, Zara,” I said softly. “Calvin says the baby is recovering. Would you like to go see her?”

“No,” Zara replied, her lifeless eyes fixing on me. She didn’t elaborate, which caused me to feel a pang of deeper worry.

“It would do well to bond with her,” I said softly. “She is so fragile, but she is making it through. She’s strong, Zara, like you.”

“Yeah,” Zara said, her voice weak and trailing off. Her eyes were distant, and she had this stare to her, like she was in some faraway land.

Her mind was fixed on something else, I could tell. A tear crawled down her cheek, and her chest heaved as she let out a low whimper. She definitely wasn’t there right then.

“What is on your mind?” I asked her, going to sit by her bed and take her hand into mine. I squeezed it, adding, “You’re not alone. I’m here for you, Zara.”

“Everything... the kidnapping, just... we’re going to lose her because of me.”

“I don’t think there is a high possibility of that anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter. She is s-suffering so much because of me.”

“Not because of you, baby,” I whispered. I brought her hand up to my mouth and left a soft kiss upon it, then furrowed my brow. “Can you do something for me?”

She focused on me, giving a deep frown. “I don’t know,” she replied.

“I want you to see counseling. We should see one together. Okay? It can help.”

“I don’t know.”

“Please think about it, Zara.”

She went silent then, and I stayed there in her room with her for hours. I wasn’t going to leave my mate’s side when she needed me the most.

***

*Zara*

Eventually, I agreed to go. I needed help. I couldn’t do this. I just couldn’t.

I felt so hollow, so tired. My baby... she wasn’t okay. Noah said it was not because of me. I didn’t believe him.

I sat on the couch in front of the pack’s therapist, my eyes distant. Words were muffled, and I didn’t pay attention much, not until the question came.

“How are you feeling, Zara? Please. Express yourself here. It is a safe place,” the therapist said gently.

I blinked once, then twice. Everything came crashing through me at once. Tears started pouring from my face as I let out a choked sob.

It was all too much.

It took me several minutes to even be able to speak, and when I did, everything came out in fragments of pure despair.

“My child is endangered because of me. I don’t deserve to be a Luna. I don’t deserve to be a mother. I don’t deserve Noah.”

Noah squeezed my hand at that, opening his mouth to say something, but I continued.

“I made so many bad decisions. Maybe I am a bad omen, a curse. Someone said that. I heard them... a curse on my daughter, a curse o-on my husband....”

Our marriage wasn’t even real. It wasn’t. We wouldn’t ever be a happy family. The fakeness of it all was just so heavy. I couldn’t handle it.

I didn’t tell the therapist that, though. That was something we needed to keep secret. But Noah could hear it in my voice. I noted the spark of despair in his gaze when I said it.

“I’m going to lose my baby, and I am going to lose him, too,” I sobbed, burying my face into my hands as everything just continued to pour out of me.

“I want you both to research postpartum depression,” the therapist said gently. “I want to use cognitive behavioral therapy to help you through this. I may also suggest medications. But—”

He looked between me and Noah, studying our expressions to ensure we were paying attention. Noah was, intently. I was... vaguely.

“Knowledge is power. And I want you to both know about this problem, and depression in general, so you will know what to expect. There is another factor to this.”

“Oh?” Noah asked, his tone dripping with wariness.

He pulled me close, though I didn’t have much of a reaction to that. He was comforting, but it just... wasn’t clicking for me.

The therapist nodded. “You and Noah need to spend time really talking to each other about what you’re feeling. I want you to look Noah in the eye and talk to him.”

I furrowed my brow, unsure if it would do any good. I turned to him, though, blinking and taking in a heaving breath. “Noah,” I whispered. “I don’t just fear losing our daughter.”

Noah dipped his head, furrowing his brow, concern brimming from his eyes. His mouth was twisted into a light frown, and he reached up to gently move a strand of hair from in my face to put it behind my ear.

“What else do you fear?”

“I am afraid of losing you. I know you don’t feel the same way I do, but–”

“Zara,” he interrupted, leaning forward and taking me into a warm, comforting hug. He held me there close, taking in a deep breath. His lips brushed up against my ear.

“I will never abandon you,” Noah whispered, “no matter what. Our relationship is very important to me. We will get through this. You are a strong, beautiful woman. You have gone through so much. I am here for you.”

“A-are... you sure?”

“I’m positive. I’m beyond positive, Zara. You are my mate. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to stay with you and be a family... with our daughter, who will survive. I know it. She is strong, just like you.”

“I ... I hope you’re right, Noah.”

“I will do all in my power to show you my feelings, and how you will not be left alone, Zara... all in my power. I am listening, and I am here for your needs.”

“The pack, though, they—”

“The pack will accept you too. They will. I know they will. We will be a wonderful Alpha and Luna together,” he said. He leaned back and reached up to cup my cheek.

I gave him a faint smile, and he tilted his head, letting out a soft sigh. “You cup my cheek like this, Zara.”

“What do you mean?”

“To comfort me,” he explained. “It sends warmth surging through me. I want this gesture to feel the same for you, even if not now... but someday. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

I felt a surge of relief and warmth at the tenderness of his tone. I reached up and put my hand over his, holding it there and gazing into his blazing blue eyes.

For the first time in a while, I felt a flicker of hope within me.

*****

“I have good news,” Calvin said.

I was in bed, and the pack’s main healer was stopping in to inform Noah and me about the health of our baby. I lifted my chin, paying close attention to his expression.

He smiled at me, his warmth clear in his features. “We can now allow skin-to-skin contact with your daughter. It’s very important for bonding. Would you like to see her now?”

I nodded, letting out a breath and watching as he exited the room. A minute later, I spotted the fragile infant in his arms, my heart surging with hope.

She looked so much stronger now, with more life in her. She was still so tiny, but... would she be okay after all?

I was handed the baby, cradling the very tiny preemie gently against my chest. Her beautiful blue eyes met mine, and I felt a smile stretching across my face.

I reached up and wiggled my fingers in front of her. The baby let out a happy gurgle and gently grasped my fingers, encircling them around my thumb trustingly.

Overwhelming emotions rushed through me, and I gasped, tears pouring from my cheeks. “She’s... okay. Here she is,” I managed to gasp.

I gave a light chuckle, relief seeping into me as I realized she was so strong. A profound rush of love came over me, sweeping away any lingering doubts.

She was my baby, and she was so, so strong. I was so proud of her for making it through, and I had confidence my daughter would finally be okay.

We would be a family.

My eyes met Noah’s as he smiled with so much warmth that my breath was taken away. He reached out and gently stroked the fuzz on our baby’s head.

As our baby nestled into my chest, I leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. Then, I looked at Noah again.

I could see the clear relief in his gaze, joy and triumph ignited in his smile. Did that reflect in the smile I gave him back, I wondered.

“We’re on the right track, beautiful,” Noah said. “I meant everything I said. Look at how strong she is, just like her mommy.”