Serina: The Alpha’s Mate - Chapter 77

I didn’t know you can be a brat sometimes.” Nicholas mumbled while walking towards the entrance of the airport.

“It’s your fault for befriending a brat like me.”

“Well, even if you are a brat, I will still spoil you beyond compare.” Nicholas whispered closely and smile.

The two of them were going back to their city because of Serina’s request. The school examination just ended few hours ago but without waiting for the result, she asked Nicholas to book their flight. And as someone who wanted to make her happy no matter what happens and no matter the request, Nicholas instantly gave in.

“Your parents will be mad if they know what we’ve done.”

“Let’s keep this a secret. Anyway, we’d be back here as soon as we could, right?”

“Hn. We’ll only stay for a day.”

“I can’t wait to see the new born pups! Ahh! And Kiro, too.”

Nicholas stiffened from her last words but before she noticed anything, he already returned his expression to normal, as if nothing happened. ‘We have to think of a way.’ Nicholas told Kiro but his wolf only smirked at her.

To Serina, the flight wasn’t that long and she enjoyed it so much. After all, it was the first flight she had with Nicholas alone. When they arrived at the airport, someone came to pick them up, bringing realization to her that in financial status alone, she was far off compared to Nicholas.

‘Is this right?’ Serina questioned out of nowhere and with so much worry swirling in her mind, she didn’t notice that she asked that question to Kiro. The wolf raised his head to look at her for few seconds before returning back to his nap.

‘Nicholas is happier when he’s with you. Don’t take this happiness from him.’ Kiro responded with his eyes closed.

Since it was his wolf who said, the pet who knows a lot of things about Nicholas, Serina dispel the doubt she was feeling. She didn’t want those negative emotions to ruin her day.

Supposedly, this trip back home was a secret but as a form of respect to Michael and Irene, Nicholas still informed them, asking permission to bring their daughter back to his family estate for a day. If Michael was to question the Vallardi family’s character, there wasn’t a single negative thing he could say about them. They were very kind and friendly. However, he couldn’t say the same thing if the family knows that the person they accepted to their home carries the spirit that ruined their Luna. This was what worried Michael the most.

“I think we should really inform her of the truth.” Irene told her husband. “Hon, she’s getting too close to that family. I know she likes Nicholas but they aren’t fated to be together. They’re fated to be enemies, if we continue to let her walk on this path blindly, our daughter will be hurt the most when the time comes. She will face the wrath of many people and that would include Nicholas.”

“How are we going to tell her? Shall we just inform her of everything with any preamble?”

“But if we don’t say anything to begin this whole confession, how are we going to end this?”

Michael sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. The situation was getting more complicated in every passing day. And the risk was too great to bare for the three of them alone. “When the semester is over, I will call Serina home. I’ll explain the situation to her.”

“That’s still two months from now.”

“The day will come in the blink of our eyes. Everything will be fine.”

On the other hand, the object of their worry was on her way to the Vallardi estate. She fell asleep on the way and Nicholas adjusted her position by leaning her head on his shoulder. In this way, she won’t bump her head on the window and he can keep her steady on a bumpy road.

The ride didn’t take long but when they arrived, Nicholas didn’t bother waking her up. He just lifted her up and carried her to the mansion.

“Niknik!” Yiran came running down the winding staircase with so much joy on her face but she halted few meters away upon seeing Serina in his arms. “The last time you brought her, you were carrying her like this because something happened to her. Don’t tell me something bad happened again? Humans are really weak.”

“She just fell asleep. She was so excited to see the wolves that she didn’t waste a single second to come here. She just finished her exam which really drained her.”

“Whatever. You always have the best excuses for her.” Yiran retorted and followed her brother upstairs. “It’s good that you are back, though. Dad had a little problem in the company and it would be great if he could use a little help from you.”

“It’s a little problem that Dad can’t handle?”

“Well, it’s not really that little. Also, something happened to mom.”

“Mom? What happened to her? She was fine when I left.”

Yiran opened the door to her brother’s room and let them in first before she got inside. She didn’t wait for her brother to get comfortable but she already found a couch to sit. She just watched him carefully and slowly placed Serina on the bed before covering her with a thick quilt. The temperature in his room was just right, not too cold or too hot.

‘The elders said that the dragon’s power was getting powerful and the curse on mom’s body was answering to that power. We didn’t know what happened to the dragon princess but as she grew stronger, mom was getting weaker. That stupid dragon was draining her!’ Yiran stated angrily through their mind link. There were tears threatening to come out of her eyes but she wiped them away before they could fall. “I hate dragons.”

Nicholas walked towards his sister and hugged her before turning his head to look back at the sleeping face of his mate. He was worried for her and his mother. ‘What should I do to protect you while also keeping my mother safe?’ This was the question that he never thought before.

Kiro didn’t say anything.

Since Serina was sleeping, Nicholas left her in his room and made sure that all precautionary barriers were in place. He made his way to the master’s bedroom with Yiran and found his mother lying on the bed. She was pale and thin and for the first time, he found wrinkles on the corner of her eyes. She looked older than the last time he saw her.

“Mom.”

“Nicholas. I’m glad to see you home. Where’s Rina? I thought she’d be coming back with you to see the pups.”

“She’s sleeping in my room.”

“In your room again? It’s not nice to directly bring a woman to your room when you don’t have any romantic relationship with her yet. And remember, she’s not even eighteen yet.”

“Mom, you make me sound like a bad person. I didn’t do anything to her and I wouldn’t do anything without her permission. I just thought she’d be safer in my room so I brought her there. Anyway, I heard from Yiran that you are not feeling well and it’s because of the curse.”

“Silly. How can you blame these weird runes and tattooed scales and feathers for my weakness? The elders kept blaming the dragon tribe but I don’t feel the same.”

“You are not blaming her because you felt guilty for what happened years ago.”

Zalia looked down on her thin hands and gave him a sad smile. “I am not regretting the fact that I am fated to your father. I was happy and still am. However, I felt a little sad that I destroyed a woman’s wish of happiness. Another part of me blamed it to the moon goddess as well. But it’s fate. It’s something I can’t win against.”

Nicholas didn’t know what to do. He had been honest to his mother, telling him how he feels and asking for advice because his mother didn’t judge anyone base on the person’s gender. In her eyes, everyone’s equal. You can show your weakness to her and she won’t mind it. She won’t even scold you for being weak. She is the best mother that anyone would wish to have.

And yet, Nicholas was torn in making the most crucial decision in his life. The stakes were his fate, Serina’s life and his mother’s health. Both women were the love of his life but he needed to choose one of them.

“Mom, I’ll find a way to get rid of that curse, I’ll find the dragon tribe and ask for their help. If I have to bow my head before them, I’d do it. No matter what, I will find a way to save you.” Nicholas told his mother because at this moment, cruel as it was, he chose Serina’s life before his mother.

“Son, even if you can’t find them and nothing could save me, I am more than happy to hear your words.”