Chapter 42: Chapter 42

Mink’s P.O.V

I woke up with a start, the warmth that had been beside me in bed suddenly absent, leaving the sheets cold and empty. My heart raced as I glanced around the room, panic starting to bubble up within me. Where had he gone? Why would Abhay leave without a word? The worry gnawed at my insides, twisting and turning until I couldn't bear it any longer.

Frantically, I reached out with my senses, searching for that familiar connection that bound us together. Relief flooded through me as I felt the gentle tug of the mating bond, a comforting reassurance that he was nearby. But where? And why had he left me alone in bed?

Throwing on a coat over my pajamas, I hurried outside, the chill of the early morning air biting at my skin. The sky was still dark, but hints of light were beginning to filter through the horizon, painting the world in shades of blue and gray. I followed the pull of the bond, my steps quickening with each passing moment.

As I neared the edge of the Jharna, I saw him standing there, silhouetted against the faint light of dawn. His back was to me, his gaze fixed downward, and my heart clenched in my chest at the sight of him so close to the precipice.

"Abhay," I called out, my voice a mixture of relief and concern. "What are you doing out here? You scared me half to death!"

He turned to look at me, his expression unreadable in the dim light. "I couldn't sleep," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I needed some air."

I stepped closer, the cool breeze ruffling my hair as I moved to stand beside him. "You could have woken me," I chided gently, reaching out to take his hand in mine. "I would have come with you."

He squeezed my hand, his touch grounding me in the moment. "I didn't want to disturb you," he said softly. "You looked so peaceful; I didn't want to take that away from you."

But even as his words reassured me, there was something in his voice…something that I couldn’t quite place, but it rubbed me the wrong way, almost like he was…

“You’re hiding something.”

Abhay turned his face away from the captivating waters of the Jharna and looked down into my eyes. “Hiding what?”

I sighed. “You’ve been coming here every single day for the past week, exactly at this hour and then you just stand here staring at the Jharna, lost in thought.” I told him. “Abhay, if you’re missing your family-”

“I’m not; I spoke with them just last night.” Abhay gave my hand another reassuring squeeze, his smile bright as he answered me. “I’m not hiding anything, so don’t worry about it.”

“Usually, women should be worried when men say stuff like that.” I told him before snuggling up to his side for warmth, and just because my wolf wanted cuddles. “But I’ll let it pass since you’re my mate.”

“It’s an honor, your trust in me.”

And as we stood there together, the first light of dawn painting the sky in hues of pink and gold, I knew that no matter where life took us, we would always have each other. And that was all that mattered.

Abhay wrapped his arm around my waist before pointing towards the Jharna. “Do you know what lies down there?”

“Why? Are you planning on jumping or something?” I asked incredulously. “It’s a melting glacier that dives underground, most possibly into some rocky surface. I highly doubt anyone will survive the fall, if they don’t get torn apart by the falling waters first.”

“You seem to know a lot about those waters for someone who says she’s not interested.”

I shrugged. “I call this place my home, so it’s only fair that I know every nook and cranny of it.”

We stood in peaceful silence for a while, just watching the waters of the Jharna. Absentmindedly, I placed my hand on my stomach, feeling the slight bump that was forming.

A baby! I still couldn’t believe that not only was my pack growing in numbers, but there was now a tiny life growing inside of me.

I never thought that this day would come when I’d be free of the nightmares that had held me prisoner for almost a century, that I would have a life beyond the guilt and the fear. But now I did and I owed it all to one person.

“How did you know?” I asked him, fingers still caressing my stomach over the heavy coat I was wearing. “That I could be an Alpha?”

“I knew it the day you fought a hundred falcons to save Kashmira and Kushal’s life.” He said instantly. “You have such a big heart, Mikalya. It’s meant to love many, to love and care for a pack. It’ll be selfish of me to keep it all to myself.”

“And what makes you think you have my heart?” I asked haughtily to which, Abhay only smiled.

Damn that smile! It gets me in the heart, every damn time.

“Oh, I’ve known it since the first time I saw you, my little Firangi.” He brought up his hand to flick my nose lightly and then simply laughed off my glare. “Come now, we better get back inside before this poor little human freezes to his death.”

Later on, as we strolled back towards the house, the crisp evening air filled with the sounds of nature, Abhay suddenly turned to me with a curious expression on his face.

"Mikalya," he began, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty, "do you ever wonder if our child will be born as a wolf or a human?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at the randomness of his question. "What?" I exclaimed, stopping in my tracks to look at him, amusement dancing in my eyes. "Are you seriously expecting a little wolf pup to pop out of me?"

Abhay scratched the back of his head sheepishly, his cheeks tinged with embarrassment. "Well, not exactly..." he trailed off, his gaze dropping to the ground momentarily before meeting mine again.

"I mean, I guess I hadn't really thought it through, but I suppose I was imagining something like that."

I couldn't help but laugh at his candid admission. "Oh, Abhay," I said affectionately, reaching out to squeeze his hand reassuringly, "you do have quite the imagination. But trust me, I won't be giving birth to a wolf. Our child will be as human as you and I are right at this moment."

Relief washed over Abhay's features as he let out a sigh, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Good to know," he replied, his voice laced with gratitude. "I guess I let my imagination run a little wild there."

I nodded in understanding, squeezing his hand once more before we resumed our leisurely stroll back home. The warmth of his hand in mine and the knowledge that we were embarking on this journey together filled me with a sense of contentment and excitement for the future. And as we walked side by side, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the bond we shared and the love that would soon welcome our little one into the world.

"You see, Abhay," I began, thinking about putting him out of his misery and educating him about Werewolf 101, "wolves only get to turn once they reach eighteen. Sometimes, if they're particularly powerful or have Alpha blood, they might turn a bit earlier. Like me, I turned at fourteen."

Abhay nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "So, since our child will be half-human, their transformation might occur later rather than earlier?"

I nodded in confirmation, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Exactly. It's all a bit uncertain, but that's the nature of our kind."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Firangi."

I frowned, puzzled by his sudden apology. "Sorry? For what, Abhay?"

He looked away, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "I just... sometimes I feel useless. I mean, you ended up with a human mate who can't really protect you the way another wolf could."

My heart clenched at his words, understanding dawning upon me. I reached out and gently took his hand in mine, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Abhay, don't ever think that way. You may not be a wolf, but you're strong in your own way. You protect me in ways that no one else can."

He met my gaze, his eyes softening with emotion. "Do you really mean that, Firangi?"

I nodded, a tender smile playing on my lips. Even though his term of endearment meant ‘foreigner’, it left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling that my mate had a pet name for me. Maybe I should come up with something for him as well?

But I loved calling him Abhay, my fearless mate with a tender heart that had managed to tame a wild one like me.

"Of course I do. You may not have claws and fangs, but you have a heart of gold too, Abhay. And that's more than enough to keep me safe."

Tears shimmered in his eyes as he pulled me into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Mikalya. I needed to hear that."

As we continued our stroll through the winter wonderland, Abhay glanced around at the pristine landscape, a thoughtful look crossing his features.

"You know," he began, "I've never been a fan of all this cold weather. Do you think maybe we could go somewhere warm for a little while?"

The suggestion caught me off guard, but the excitement bubbled up within me at the thought of exploring new places with him.

"Actually, there's a valley not too far from here," I replied, a grin spreading across my face. "It doesn't have snow, just beautiful pastures and sunshine. How about we go there on a date?"

Abhay's eyes lit up with delight, his smile matching mine in its sheer exuberance. "That sounds perfect, Firangi. I can't wait to spend more time with you, wherever we go."

And in that moment, surrounded by nature's splendor and wrapped in Abhay's warmth, I knew that no matter where life took us, as long as we were together, everything would be just fine.