SWNOVELS Chapter 39 - Mia
Two days and nothing.
I have been pacing this room so much, I am certain there are trenches under my feet. Bastien leaves early in the morning and comes home late at night so I'm not even able to speak with him about his brother.
I've felt nothing through Nikolaos’ mark, either. No heightened senses, no fear, no anger - just dead calm. Should I be worried about it? No, I suppose not...Nikolaos is not just an Alpha, he’s a literal weapon.
Sighing, I walk downstairs to grab myself something to eat, when I see Bastien pacing his foyer with a cell phone to his ear.
“No, for fuck sake. This needs to be perfect, we have important people arriving today!” he exclaims and I take a step back with a hand to my chest. “Do your fucking jobs or I swear to Goddess, I am ripping out your lungs and force-feeding them to you!”
Oh, that's new.
He pockets his cell phone, rakes his fingers through his hair, and gives a frustrated growl before he spins around and eventually sees me. His eyes widen slightly and I chuckle, waving him off.
“I've heard worse threats coming out of Niko,” I say and take a tentative step toward him. “Is this about your auction?”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he lets out a sigh and nods. “It's my fifth annual auction and my biggest yet. Nothing can go wrong and yet everything has,” he says, then looks up at me with a plastered smile. “Come, join me for lunch; it feels like I haven't spoken to you once.”
He hasn't, but I'm not about to say that.
We walk into a lunch spread in his dining room area and my stomach grumbles from all the different aromas hitting me. I've been eating more than usual, and it definitely has something to do with both Star and Ares.
"Oh, boy, looks like my nephew has spoken,” he says with a chuckle as we take our seats.
I amble down the stairs, knowing I shouldn't be talking to her, but the frightened look in her eyes reminds me of myself when Mikhail had me locked up. She sees me approaching and her eyes grow wide when she looks at my belly.
“Hi...?" I say while standing at the one-seater. “Are you okay? Who are you?”
The tears falling down her cheeks cause her mascara to bleed as well as wash away the heavy makeup. I see now why the makeup was needed...to hide a black eye. It's then that I see the bruises on her arms and legs, as if she was grabbed by someone stronger.
“l..I'm Anika... there was an auction-"
“Mia,” Bastien's voice causes me to yelp and I nearly jump out of my skin. I turn around to face him, noticing Andrej behind Bastien and both of them looking pissed off about something. “Andrej, take the girl to her room.”
Anika's eyes grow even wider, and she looks defeated when Andrej pulls her to her feet. But as she walks away, she shoots me a pleading look, and her split bottom lip trembles.
I turn around to face Bastien, but he has his hands up in surrender. “Before you even think the worst of me, know that I saved that girl from a fate worse than death,” he says with his jaw tightened.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What does that mean?”
He looks like he’s about to roar, but he holds back. “Someone snuck her into my fucking auction and was about to sell her. I have to find out who she is so I can send her back to where they took her from. No sale of any human or supernatural being is permitted!”
"Oh!" I say with a hand over my mouth. “Sex trafficking... that's something Mikhail peddled in.” Bastien nods. “I know and I'm starting to wonder if this is his doing,” he says, then a frown furrows his brow. “It's after 1 am. What are you doing up? Ares knocking about too much?”
I blink, trying to remember why I came down here when a flash of pain simmers at Nikos mark. Doubling over, I hold a hand to it, only to feel the spot burning and hot to the touch.
“There are some odd emotions coming from... Niko’s mark. His anger woke me up, now all I feel is pain.” I explain and Bastien walks towards me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“That's because Niko was fighting Mikhail and won; he’s on his way as we speak. A bit knocked around, but alive along with Maxim,” he says with a proud look in his eyes.
This news causes me to squeal, and I jump into Bastien’s arms. Nikolaos is alive, and he killed Mikhail! And Maxim is okay, too! Oh, I am going to see him again!
“Thank you for telling me!” I sob as he chuckles and pats my back. “I was so worried! I was so scared!”
“I know, little one,” he says. “But fret not, my little brother has finally killed the bane of his existence and the blight on our pack - well, his pack.”
Does this mean it's over? Will we finally be happy without worry and fear of an attack? Probably not, but the biggest enemy has been taken out, and that's something to celebrate!
Bastien breaks off the embrace and places his hands on my shoulders. “You can go rest before he gets here tomorrow and stop worrying, little one. I have to go and deal with... that little problem in my guest room.”
I chuckle and nod. “Please find her family. I am sure they're looking for her,” I say. “And if you need me to speak to her-"
“No need, it will be sorted,” he says with a tight smile and kisses my forehead before going in the direction where Andrej took Anika.
It's so odd to have someone who looks exactly like Nikolaos kiss my forehead and yet I feel nothing. I blink a few times before going back upstairs with hope restored in my heart once more.
Nikolaos is coming home!