The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 128: He’s Breathing ()

Kristen’s eyes fluttered open as he sucked in a deep breath, his gills contracting to take in enough air as he felt out of breath, as though he had been out of water for too long.

Kristen blinked in surprise realizing he could breathe normally, he felt no pain, no searing heat, no burning sensation as though his lungs had been charred and he was being burnt from inside out.

Kristen could even feel his scales across his neck and chest that had previously disappeared which showed his true form had been restored.

Kristen lifted a hand to his throat, it was no longer throbbing with pain as it had been for the past few days and Kristen realized with astonishment that he would now be able to speak.

’What had happened?’ Kristen wondered in astonishment, the last thing he recalled was staring up into a pair of enchanting violet eyes and swooning over that heart stopping smile...

"Nile!" Kristen exclaimed as he shot up from where he lay to his feet, glancing around the cave only for his gaze to meet the blank expression of the Ethereal King who leaned against the cave wall, staring over at them.

Kristen felt his heart jump as he took a cautious step back, for some reason, he always found it hard to withstand the presence and gaze of the Alpha King...he was simply too intimidating.

Kristen wondered if this was how his subordinates felt when they set eyes on him, he had always been the one intimidating others, there was hardly a time where he had been the one to be intimidated.

"I... I..." Kristen stuttered uncertainly, he was not even sure why King Askel was here, the last Kristen recalled, he was all alone with Nile in the Northern Sea Cave.

"He neutralized the poison in your body for hours and then collapsed out of exhaustion over there." King Askel spoke up when he realized Kristen would not be speaking anytime soon.

"He what?!" Kristen exclaimed as he spun around and caught sight of Nile rested against the wall unconscious.

"He fell unconscious like that?! Why didn’t you do something?!" Kristen exclaimed in panic as he was at Nile’s side in a second, holding his face tenderly with both hands.

"Funny, he asked the same thing when you spat out blood. I wonder what you both take me for." King Askel murmured in his characteristic blank tone.

"But how do we even know if he’s okay?!" Kristen exclaimed again, all his fear of the Ethereal King completely forgotten in his concern for Nile.

"He’s breathing." King Askel replied simply before he diverted his gaze to stare ahead indifferently.

Kristen passed King Askel a look of disbelief, if anything, at the very least, his mate was also a Crimson Wolf.

"Barely! Are you always this heartless or do you just hate everyone?!" Kristen hissed in annoyance.

The least King Askel could do was show concern for his mate’s kin, Nile and Lady Zariah were obviously tightly knit and relied on each other, even Kristen could see that.

"Noisy... Dramatic...Weak and susceptible to demonic possession... the flame poison kept you quiet at least." King Askel murmured as his eyes fluttered closed dismissively.

Kristen cringed at King Askel’s words, clearly King Askel had not let go of the event that happened in the Ethereal Domain and even more clear was the fact that he never would.

Kristen shook his head, he could not be bothered with what King Askel thought of him at this time, not when his mate was unconscious and it was all his fault.

Kristen’s gaze furrowed in concern as he reverted his gaze back to Nile, lifting a hand to brush his hair out of his face.

Nile’s features had reverted back to their original state, his hair which had turn pure white had also returned to their original silvery grey with red tips.

The flame marking which had appeared at the center of his forehead had also disappeared and his large muscular build had returned to the lithe and thin muscular structure he originally had.

Kristen’s gaze trailed down and realized there was a large coat draped over Nile’s shoulders, the coat was pitch black with golden embroidery along the edges and it was much larger than Nile’s thin form.

Kristen recalled Nile’s clothing had disintegrated when he had changed into that intimidating, all powerful warrior and so he must have been bare in such a cold environment.

Kristen then glanced over at King Askel and took notice of the fact that he only had on his leather breeches and a tunic, the coat draped over Nile was obviously King Askel’s which meant he had already checked on Nile’s condition.

"You moved him over here after he fell unconcious and covered him from the cold?" Kristen asked guiltily, glancing over at King Askel with a guilty look.

"Do not look at me like that, your first thought is accurate... Zariah wants him alive, so he will live." King Askel replied as he strode over to them.

"Besides, between the both of you... you are the one I do not like. If I would leave anyone for dead, it would be you." King Askel added for clarification as he gestured with his head for Kristen to move aside.

Kristen stepped to the side, unsure how to react to King Askel’s straight forward and blunt personality.

King Askel leaned down and placed a palm over Nile’s head, lingering for a moment before he rose to his feet.

"He expended too much magic wielding the Tide Trident, it was originally meant for only the merfolk...not even the Crimson Spirit guide can easily withstand it’s power." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Zariah says the flame poison is not easy to deal with, only the spirit guide can neutralize it yet it is a difficult process. He had already begun when I arrived."

"Neutralizing the poison for so long has exhausted him, his wolf will need some time to recuperate. He should awaken within the hour." King Askel concluded as he headed back to stand to the side.

"How do you know his condition so clearly? Are you an oracle or something?" Kristen asked in amazement.

"Only the mers would still rely solely on their oracle for everything including basic knowledge. Stop talking to me, I believe I was already clear on the fact that I would rather you had died." King Askel stated blankly.

Kristen was not even surprised by King Askel’s response, it seemed he was not one to appreciate a compliment or anything at all, neither was he one to be subtle about his dislike.

"You can just not answer then..." Kristen mumbled beneath his breath but swallowed audibly when King Askel’s gaze turned to him.

"Nothing... I said nothing." Kristen quickly adjusted as he took a seat beside Nile, placing a hand over his and interlocking their fingers.

Kristen was deeply worried for Nile and at the same time deeply grateful, Nile had kept to his word, he had saved Kristen’s life even when Kristen himself had already given up hope.

Kristen would have died with so much regrets, he had only just met his mate and his mate had neither recognized or acknowledged him yet,

To die at such a time, it would truly have been too unfair to Kristen who had waited an entire century to find his fated.

Nile had given him his life back, a life he could now devote to loving and protecting Nile for the rest of their lives.

It still ached Kristen’s heart to know the efforts Nile had expended to save his life and at the same time, it filled Kristen’s heart with an unfamiliar yet welcomed warmth.

"Lady Zariah had you come to us?" Kristen asked after a short moment of silence, it took a long while and Kristen was beginning to think King Askel would not respond but he did.

"For some reason... she wants you both safe and alive, I can understand for the spirit guide but you..." King Askel trailed off in genuine bafflement.

"I get it. We already established that you do not like me." Kristen huffed out, wondering if that was all King Askel had to say.

"I don’t think you get it." King Askel replied in a blank tone.

"I attacked Lady Zariah under the influence of a charmer demon spirit, I am not to be forgiven and I do not deserve to live... what do I not get?" Kristen asked with a sigh.

"You got attacked again and let yourself get poisoned and then your uncle and cousins threw my mate into the dungeons over you for seven days... there’s that too."

"You think you deserve to live after all that, but if you have heard of my name even once, you would know that many men have died at my hands for much less." King Askel reminded in a dark tone.

Kristen winced slightly, he understood how much of an eyesore he would appear to King Askel after all Lady Zariah had experienced.

"I’m sorry, it’s..." Kristen began to apologize again but King Askel cut him off.

"Your apology is wasted on me, tend to your mate and leave me be." King Askel replied dismissively