Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 1184 - 95 : Tears of Hope

Chapter 1184: Chapter 95 : Tears of Hope

*Daphne*

A desperate scream burst from my lips as I watched helplessly as Rion was once again dragged beneath the surface of the water. My body twitched, automatically preparing to go after him, but I needed to protect our girls.

I pulled myself away from the river’s shore, hauling my little ones to safety. A couple of our guards called out to one another and dove in after their Alpha.

Ayla and Selene were crying hysterically and I did my best to shush them, searching over their heads for anyone I could give them to so I could go after Rion as well. I couldn’t leave them after they’d just nearly been kidnapped, but I had to save Rion.

I just had to....

“Daphne!”

I looked up to see Eva and Jasper sprinting toward us, their eyes wide and urgent.

I almost passed out with relief as they approached. “Rion got dragged under!” I cried out, my voice cracking.

Eva cursed and turned to Jasper. “Protect them,” she commanded, gesturing to me and the girls.

Jasper opened his mouth to protest but Eva was already gone, diving neatly into the river.

I watched my sister-in-law disappear below the dark, unforgiving depths, unease twisting in my gut.

I thought I heard Jasper mutter something about his woman being reckless before he lowered himself down beside me, his eyes shining with concern. He reached out and gripped my shoulder. “Are you alright, Daphne?”

I knew he was asking if I had been physically harmed, so I just nodded numbly, although it felt like my stomach might rip itself right out of my body. I hugged Ayla and Selene close to me, murmuring quietly to them as they wailed. Jasper put his arms around us, but I could feel how stiff with tension he was.

We turned at the unmistakable sound of someone bursting through the water. I cried out and ran toward Eva, who was pulling an unconscious Rion out of the river.

“He’s alive,” Eva said, panting hard. “But we’ve got to get him back to the mansion. Now.”

***

I felt as if my soul had been separated from my body as I sat by Rion’s side at the healer’s. It didn’t matter that the room was dimly lit, the harsh bruises and cuts all over Rion’s body were still a stark contrast to his tanned skin. Eva had her arm around me, which I appreciated, but she was also shaking as we stared down at her brother.

His wounds didn’t seem to be healing, which was a really bad sign considering his usually quick self-healing ability.

Something was very wrong.

“Your daughters are going to be just fine, Luna Daphne,” Althea said, walking back in with both girls cradled in her arms.

Eva and I stood from Rion’s bedside and rushed over, each of us taking a twin and sighing with relief as we cuddled them close. They had clearly been exhausted since they were both fast asleep.

“Thank you,” I said to Althea, who smiled gently at me.

The healer frowned as she hurried to Rion’s side and began to clean his wounds with a quick precision that only slightly comforted me. I knew he was in capable hands at least.

She pulled out a syringe with a clear fluid inside. “This will help fight any infections that he might be harboring from the river,” she said, giving Rion the shot swiftly.

Eva and I sat back down by Rion’s side, shifting the twins in our arms as we watched the healer work. She noted the way that the wounds didn’t seem to be clotting or closing and made sure to put some thick bandages on with a couple of layers.

Her withered face looked grim, which didn’t help calm me any. I tried to focus on Selene’s deep, even breathing and the gentle thrumming of her heart. That helped a little bit.

“When do you think he’ll wake up?” Eva asked, breaking the long silence that had stretched out over the room.

Althea didn’t answer for a long moment, continuing to tend to Rion’s many wounds. When she finally looked up at us, her light blue eyes were serious but also compassionate.

“I’m afraid that I won’t be able to answer that with any kind of certainty,” she said gently. “His even breathing is encouraging, but there is no way for me to tell how well his brain is functioning. It is possible that he was underwater for far too long, even for a shifter.”

Eva and I digested that in silence. It wasn’t difficult to understand what the old healer was saying. Even if Rion did wake up, it was possible that he wouldn’t be the same, perhaps even unable to communicate or comprehend the world around him.

I drew in a sharp breath as panic and despair flowed through me. I clutched Selene to me, feeling lost.

I gritted my teeth and scooted myself closer to the bed, reaching out to grip Rion’s hand firmly. I shut my eyes, trying to communicate with him as I had done in the past. I took a deep breath in, pushing outward with my mind, imagining the sound of Rion’s deep, soothing voice as I called out his name in my head.

Silence.

I tried a few more times, my internal calls growing more and more desperate, but I was met with the same eerie silence.

That wasn’t good. When Rion had previously been in a coma after being badly poisoned, I was still able to communicate with him this way. The fact that I wasn’t getting anything right now was extremely frightening. I gripped Rion’s hand tighter, feeling the steady pulse in his wrist.

Althea stepped away from Rion and approached Eva and me, causing me to look up. Her eyes were kind but solemn as she gripped our shoulders. “Maybe it would be best if you prepared to say goodbye,” she murmured softly.

I gritted my teeth hard as Eva met my gaze with wide, panicked eyes.

“No,” I said firmly. I tightened my hold on Selene and reached out to take Eva’s hand, giving her a determined look. “We’re not giving up on him yet.”

What was it about tragedy and difficult times that made me want to run to my mother? Here I was with young daughters of my own and when faced with hardship, I sought her comfort.

It wasn’t just that, I thought, as I waited for her to pick up my call. I knew that my parents’ resources were vast and that they had access to the best healers in the world. If there was a way to save Rion, my mother would have the answer.

She was concerned to be hearing from me in the middle of the night, which was to be expected. She grew even more worried as I described what had occurred that night. After assuring her that her granddaughters and I were safe, I described Rion’s current condition and all that the healer had told Eva and me.

“I can’t reach him,” I told her, my voice breaking. “When he was unconscious in the past, I could. This is different. This is something much worse. I don’t know what to do.”

“We’re going to do everything we can, Daphne,” my mother soothed in the way that I desperately needed at that moment. “I will coordinate for a transport to come to Thorn Forest. They will take Rion to a state-of-the-art hospital in Breles.”

“Breles,” I echoed with recognition.

“Yes,” my mother said calmly but still gently. “Their technology and care are the best in the entire realm. They can keep Rion stable and comfortable. I will send for the best healers to go there as well so they can help.”

For the first time since we arrived at the healer’s home, I felt my body relax slightly at the plan. The helplessness I had felt was rising off my shoulders a little bit as well. I swallowed hard, tears of gratitude and hope coming to my eyes. “Thank you, Mother.”

“Of course, Daphne,” she said in a way that made me feel like a young child again. Her voice hardened then with conviction. “Rion is our son. We will do what we can to protect him.”

I thanked her again and she assured me that she would see to it that the transport arrived by dawn. I ended the call and rushed around to get ready.

As I packed some clothes and other necessities I thought I would need while I stayed with Rion at the hospital, I couldn’t help but think about our small, intimate wedding. I remembered Jasper’s speech in particular, how he described that Rion and I had made it through several storms together and always managed to make it safely to the other side.

This was just another bad storm, I told myself as I pulled some simple and comfortable outfits from my closet.

As promised, the transport arrived just a few hours later as the sun began to rise. The driver of the sleek-looking vehicle grabbed my bags for me and stowed them in the back. Rion was already on board, and I would be at his bedside during the long ride to Breles.

“Thank you for doing this,” I said, turning to face Eva and Jasper.

“Of course,” Eva said at once, her voice hard. Despite the situation, she smirked at me. “Pummel my brother good for worrying us when he wakes up.”

I smiled at my sister-in-law, but I could tell that it didn’t reach my eyes.

“Give him a good punch for me too,” Jasper added, putting an arm around Eva’s waist.

I nodded to Jasper. I took a moment to study my husband’s best friend and probably soon-to-be brother-in-law. Jasper was on the quieter side a lot of the time unless he and Rion were together. I was thankful for their friendship. Jasper looked as if he hadn’t slept very much either. His eyes had dark circles beneath them.

They each held one of my girls, who were gazing at me with rising panic in their wide gray eyes. I knew the look and winced as they began to cry. They were extremely observant for their age and could tell that I was leaving. They both reached for me, their chubby arms waving around wildly.

Tears blurred my vision as I stepped forward to embrace my daughters. “Everything is going to be fine,” I told them both. They stared up at me with way more understanding than I thought was possible. I locked gazes with each of them. “I’ll be home soon and I’ll bring your father back too.”

Ayla and Selene pouted, their large gray eyes filling with tears as well. I smoothed their hair out fondly and gave them each a kiss on the forehead before I turned to hug Eva and Jasper.

“I couldn’t leave like this if I didn’t know for certain that these two were in good hands,” I said, holding them both close, needing the proximity and the warmth.

“You have to go,” Eva said simply but she squeezed me tightly. “Let me know if you need anything else. I’m thankful that my brother has you. I’m counting on you to bring him back.”

I nodded seriously, smiled gratefully at Jasper, clutched the strap of my small bag tightly in my hands, and turned to go.