Chapter 28 - Nikolaos

I've kept my eyes on the fucker the entire evening. After Giovanni announced the engagement,

there wasn't any surprise or anything coming from him. He actually lifted his glass in a toast when

our engagement and Mia's pregnancy were announced.

Something is up, and I need to get Mia out of here.

/“I'll be up on the helipad in the next ten minutes,”/ I say over the mind link and get confirmation

that they're about to start the helicopter, then I lean in to a frightened Mia.

"We're leaving,” I whisper and drag her out of the side door. “Something isn't right, Mikhail didn't

even look surprised at all.”

She nods. “He was smirking the entire evening, it unnerved me to no end,” she says as we reach the

elevator. I see Josef running towards us with his weapon and dagger out, nodding to give us the all-

clear before he joins us.

“No one was following us, I checked all your blind spots as well as the stairways leading here,” Josef

says and I slap his shoulder in approval.

“Thank you, Josef. As soon as we're up in the air, I want you to drive back with Marrick and Beck -

they're still in the hotel room. Make sure no one sees you when you leave.” I explain while we

ascend and Josef nods.

“Yes, Alpha. It shouldn't be too hard to give them the slip,” he says and the elevator doors open.

Mia is ashen-faced and quiet the entire time, her dress blowing in the gusts the helicopter is

creating. I pull her out towards the waiting copter, while Josef takes up the rear with his weapon

drawn.

I expected more hostility from the fucker, but he kept on smiling at me as if he knew something I

don't. It can't be that he knew about the copter, because I planned that without anyone but the

pilot knowing.

“Let me get in first so I can check everything before you get in,” I tell Mia and slip in behind the

pilot. He does all the checks while I keep my eyes and ears open for anything. When everything is

done, I nod to Josef and hold out my hand for Mia.

Five long hours, that's how much time passed since I saw Mia last. I heard her heart stop, then start

again by some fucking miracle.

Maxim reported four of my warriors taking off in the dead of night and now I am certain they

planned this entire thing along with Mikhail. How did I not see this coming? I trusted my men too

much, trusted my own fucking family with the woman carrying my child, and now look at what

happened.

So here I am, sitting with my elbows braced on my knees and my head in my hands, still covered in

Mia's blood. I broke my promise, I said I would keep her safe and she ended up nearly losing her

life. This woman was better off without me, but I won't ever let her out of my sight again.

I'm done fighting this and if I have to tell her about my past so she can know me better, then that's

what I'll do. I can't lose Mia again, she’s my fucking life.

“Alpha Nikolaos?” my head snaps up and I see a doctor standing in front of me. I get to my feet as

quickly as I can and walk over to him.

"How is she? Is she okay? How is the baby-"

“Easy, now,” he says and holds up his palm, giving me a wan smile. “Luna Mia is okay; the knife

missed her vital organs as well as the womb, but she has lost a lot of blood. The knife used was a

silver Jagdkommando, so it was difficult to operate. She's in an induced coma so she can heal faster.

You can go see her, but she will be unconscious for a while.”

Relief, pure and warm, washes over me and I cover my face with both of my hands. Breathing out a

pent-up sigh, I place my hand on the doctor's shoulders and nod.

“Thank you. Thank you so much!”

He pats my hand and cocks his head towards the door. “Follow me, Alpha,” he says and leads me to

Mia's hospital room. My heart is thudding painfully against my chest because the last time I saw her

I thought I was going to lose her.

I did lose her; she died in my arms when her heart stopped.

When he opens the door, the last of my resolve shatter and I fall to my knees next to her bed. She

looks smaller than usual, and I've become so used to her shapely body. Her face is still pale, but I

can see her chest rising and falling as she breathes in and out.

“This is all my fault,” I murmur, holding her hand with my head bowed. “This wouldn't have

happened if I said no to Giovanni; I should have said no.”

All this time I pushed her away from me when I should have held her close. All this time I've chosen

the voices, my demons, and wounds, over the one person who wanted to know where my hurt lay.

My triggers made me feel like I wasn't worthy of someone as pure as her, that she would only use

me because of my title. She wanted nothing but me, she wanted nothing but for me to open up to

her, and what did I do?

I chose them. I always fucking choose them.

I breathe out a sigh and place my hand on her belly, listening to both their hearts beating and it

brings a wistful smile to my face. These two are my life and it's about time I start accepting that.

“I'll be here when you wake up, agapi mou; I'm not going anywhere.”

When she wakes up, I'm telling her everything about me; what I have been through, and where I

want to go with her. It's only fair if I want to have a life with her as my true Luna... I need to stop

being a coward and claim this woman as mine.