Chapter-28. On your mind
[Raven]
"Should I schedule the meeting tomorrow?" Nyssa asked.
"Well, without reports, I don't see what else we could be discussing in the meeting," I replied, strolling into my cabin in the hospital.
"We can have a private meeting, you know..." she teased. "Just us, and we don't even need to talk. We could be doing something better with our lips than just talking." "Yeah, I like your lips more when they are tightly shut-"
"Around your cock? If so, then I know just the way to make you like my lips even more," mischief played on her lips as she smirked.
"Go back to your shift, Nyssa. You aren't off duty yet."
She grunted, inviting herself into my hospital cabin, and flopped flat face-down on the couch.
Taking off my healer coat, I flung it on her.
"How many times do I need to tell you? Go home if you want to rest. My cabin is not your bedroom," I said, sitting on the chair behind my desk.
"And how many times do I need to tell you I like it here? It's filled with your scent. It helps me reeel-laaax," Nyssa stretched her body, turning to face me.
She grabbed my coat and used it like a blanket before burying her face in the cushion.
I switched on the computer and turned on the camera planted in Xanthea's room. Camera was better at monitoring her than the guardian butterflies. Her overexcitement and excessive cheerfulness, like a kid on seeing the butterflies, just ticked me off.
"The research tells that a female werewolf always finds comfort in her male partner's presence and scent, especially during her heats..."
"Don't give me that crap," I said in an impassive tone.
She sat up with a jump, frowning with an angry pout.
"I had a long day, Raven, and it became worse because of that omega. The least you can do is help me relax a little. I have a forty-eight-hour shift," she protested. "The couch is all yours."
"I want you to be mine as well. On this couch with me," Nyssa said. I glanced at her and let out a sigh.
"Come here." I said, zooming on Xanthea who coaxed Nesryn to not worry and go back to her work.
I knew Nesryn would try to help her.
Nyssa smiled and strode to me. She landed a quick glare at the monitor before climbing up on the chair. Sitting on my lap, she wrapped her arms around my neck.
"Why are you in the hospital? Why do you come here daily?" she asked.
"Didn't know you were having short-term memory loss. What did the healer say? Have you lost it, losing it or will lose soon?"Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.
She hit my biceps, and I chuckled softly.
"I know you are in the hospital only until the High lady recovers, but why don't you return to the hospital permanently? We can work together like we used to. I miss those days so badly. Us on the couch, on the desk, running out of time," she said dreamily. "Your research is over already. You destroyed the last carvera with your hands. Now return to me."
"It's too soon to say the research's over," I said, my eyes fixed on the computer monitor.
Nyssa placed her hand on my cheek and made me look in her eyes.
"It's been three years already..."
"So what? You are telling me to give up?" I cocked a brow.
"Give up and you?" she chuckled. "Have we met yesterday? I know you won't give up, but do you really think it's going to work?"
"That's what research is for, to know if something will or won't work. And if it doesn't work, then I'll have to make it work. I neither have a choice nor much time."
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Nyssa leaned closer to my face.
"You know what I mean. If you can't return to the hospital, then let me help you with your research. I know it's dangerous and all, but I want to stay close to you," she whispered against my lips.
"Where is this coming from? Don't tell me you feel threatened," I scoffed. "By that omega?"
Rage flushed across her face as she got up from my lap and stood before me with her waist leaning against the edge of my desk.
"Threatened? By her? Never. But..." she looked at the monitor. "Jealous? Yes, I am. Not just her, but every woman that comes close to you. All I want to do is burn them alive. And she? Xanthea. She is getting on my nerves more than your other brides did."
"Is that so? What an honor for her!" I held back a teasing smirk. "May I know why?"
"Because she has piqued your interest," Nyssa said, folding her arms. "You didn't monitor your other brides like you spy on her. Recently, all your free time is all about her and it's not even been a month since she got here."
I tilted my head with a dismissive laugh.
"You are misunderstanding, Nyssa."
"Am I, Raven? You gave her a chance to save that nurse-"
"-knowing very well that she couldn't. Come on, Nyssa. Rewriting those reports with utter precision without magic is next to impossible. Just analyzing it precisely is a headache. What are you even expecting?"
"It's not about what I am expecting, it's about what you are expecting from her. And you..." she laughed, pointing her index finger at me. "You are definitely expecting something from her. And it's not just offspring." "Oh..." I leaned forward in my chair. "Now your demon wolf can read my mind, huh? Then enlighten me. What am I expecting from her?"
00000
"I don't know. But you gave her a chance. A chance, Raven. You don't give people chances! You never gave people chances before."
I ran my fingers through my hair, holding back my laughter.
"What can I say?" I skimmed my eyes from Nyssa to Xanthea.
"It's not easy to date your best friend. You understand them way too much and sometimes all you want to do is misunderstand them," she said, narrowing her eyes. "But you can't because they are your best friend. Like damn!" "Maybe you understand your best friend. Yet you fail to understand your alpha," I said, holding her gaze.
She peered at me blankly for a while and then said.
"She's on your mind, and I don't like that," she used a threatening tone.
"Not for the reasons you are thinking, but yeah... she is on my mind-"
Nyssa turned around in a jerk and was about to stride out when I held her wrist and pulled her back. Her back collided with my chest as I hugged her from behind.
"But she shouldn't be on your mind. You know it better than anyone else, Nyssa. I want you as the luna of this pack because you are rational, practical, strong, independent and intelligent. You have a vision and the spine to rule the demons. Like they say, you are the perfect luna, beauty with a brain..."
"It doesn't work when you are..." she hesitated, but said it anyway "...in love-"
"You said that to piss me off, didn't you?"
"I want your attention. I demand it. So yeah. What do you have to say about that? What if I am falling in love with you? What will you do?"
"Then I will get that love out of your system because it shouldn't be happening. Not to the future luna of our pack. Demons don't fall in love, darling. It's either lust or..." I let her go and looked at Xanthea through the monitor "...greed. In the mortal world, love might not be one of the seven deadly sins, but in this hell, it's the only sin. The only curse that can kill. The only disease that has no cure. So, don't let it infect you."
Nyssa took a deep breath and nodded.
"Of course! I know, ok! I am just not ok with her! She's the problem! If the nurse doesn't die tomorrow, I'll kill this omega!" she grunted.
"Don't touch her!" A growl rumbled in my chest as my eyes locked with Nyssa. I smiled. "Or Asher will never let you become the luna. He has found some fondness for this omega. Just a heads up. But you can bully her all you want." "Asher? That stone? What did he see in her?"
"Ask him if you have the courage."
"Nah, I'm good. I don't wanna deal with that man. No thanks. Plus, I have no time to waste on someone as insignificant as her."
I shrugged. "And now the luna inside you is back into action!"
"I already have a surgery scheduled in fifteen minutes," she said, looking at her wrist and she wasn't even wearing a wristwatch. Women. "I gotta go."
"All the best with the surgery."
"You won't come to it? It'll be interesting to see your future Luna cut the people of your pack."
I broke into a laugh.
"Quite a picture you just painted in my mind."
She chuckled, opening the door.
"I can cut their alpha, too. Into tiny pieces. Chop. Chop. Chop. And eat him up. Nom. Nom. Nom," she gestured like she was cutting invisible vegetables with her hand. I shook my head at her childish gesture.
"An assassination attempt is always welcomed. Reminds me of Cedric. He hasn't tried to kill us lately. That's odd," I mumbled. "He must be planning something big this time."
"Such heart-touching brotherly relations, I am gonna throw up if I stay here a second more," she said before closing the door behind her.
My chuckles faltered as soon as my eyes returned to Xanthea. Frowning, I zoomed in even more.
She was mumbling to herself, writing in the air with her finger.
"What is she doing now?"
She hastily scrambled to the parchments in her maid's hands. For the next one hour, she kept talking to herself before scribbling down on the parchment. Leaning closer to the parchment, squinting her eyes. My frown deepened, and I finally turned the camera off.
"Well... she can try all she wants..."
***
Early in the morning, I had Xanthea's handwritten reports on my desk. By afternoon, the official reports came.
I went through Xanthea's reports and then the official reports.
I placed the reports on my desk and turned on the camera. She wasn't in her room. Through my guardian butterfly, I looked into all corners of her room.
I tensed my brows slightly, trying to comprehend the emptiness of her room and the blankness of her existence. Clenching and unclenching my jaws, I felt an uncanny urgency drug through my veins.
I slammed my hand on the desk, getting up from my chair as it rolled backwards, hitting the wall.
"Where is she?"
I restlessly paced near my desk as the butterflies searched for her. It hadn't even been a minute and my patience gave up.
I picked up the reports, pocketed my phone and left my cabin to look for her myself.