Chapter 89: Cael’s Pain And Neve’s Forgiveness!
Neve woke up to a sound that nearly stopped his heart.
A growl. Loud and angry and full of pain. It was so powerful that it shook through the entire cave and rattled the walls around him. He swore that he could have died just from hearing that noise. His body jolted awake so fast that he almost fell off the bed.
But it was not just the sound that woke him.
It was the bond mark on his wrist. The one that Cael had given him. It was pulsing. Actively pulsing like a heartbeat that was not his own.
’Was that from Cael? Is he in trouble?’
Neve’s mind was still foggy from the sleeping powder that Popi had blown into his face. The drowsiness was still there, weighing on his eyelids, making his movements slow and sluggish. He wanted to go back to sleep. His body was screaming for more rest.
But he could not ignore the pulsing bond mark. He could not ignore the growls and sounds coming from the main cave. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
He threw his legs off the bed and staggered toward the main cave, holding onto the cave walls as he moved. His balance was off from the sleeping powder. His legs felt heavy like they were made of stone instead of flesh.
His eyes were blurry even though he blinked repeatedly, trying to see what was happening in front of him. He rubbed his eyes with both hands, hoping the motion would clear his vision faster.
He was still rubbing when someone held his hand gently.
"Who is it?" he asked, his voice still heavy with sleep.
"It’s Sif," a young voice replied.
Neve managed to squat down to her level even though his legs were shaking. He touched her face carefully, recognizing the bear girl’s features.
"You came back," he said, surprised that she had returned to the cave.
"I wanted to return the..." Sif stopped, clearly not knowing the word for what she was holding. She was clutching the Winnie the Pooh blanket tightly. "I wanted to bring this back to you."
"Thank you, Sif," Neve said, taking the blanket from her. "Can you tell me who is shouting? What is happening out there?"
"I think the leopard wants to attack everyone because of pain," Sif said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "He keeps growling and struggling."
"Leopard? You mean Cael?" Neve asked, his eyes widening in shock and concern.
Sif nodded.
Neve had confirmed that it was Cael. He stood up immediately, wrapping the Winnie the Pooh blanket around his shoulders so he would not misplace it. He started walking toward the main cave as his eyes began to clear. The dizziness was still there but it was fading. His mind was becoming more alert.
"Neve," he heard Sorin’s voice from the main cave. "Shouldn’t you be asleep?"
"That sleeping powder should have made you sleep for over six hours," Popi added, walking toward him with concern in her expression. "You woke up only after two."
Neve scowled at Popi. He definitely had a score to settle with her for what she had done to him. For drugging him without his consent. For forcing him to sleep when he did not want to. But he would deal with it later. Right now, Cael needed him.
"What’s happening with Cael?" Neve asked, stepping forward.
Sorin blocked his path immediately, his body creating a barrier between Neve and whatever was happening in the main cave.
Neve stretched his neck and tried to look over Sorin’s shoulder. He could see Gideon, Soren, and Ryker holding something down. It took him a moment to realize what they were holding.
Cael. In his leopard form. His eyes were glowing with pain and fury. He was trying to overpower all three of them at once. Neve could tell immediately that Cael was more powerful than his brothers. That if Cael truly wanted to break free, none of them would be able to stop him.
But they were holding him anyway. Trying to keep him contained.
"Why aren’t you letting me meet him?" Neve asked Sorin, desperation creeping into his voice.
"He could hurt you," Sorin said, his tone gentle but firm. "Just stay here, please. Let us handle this."
"But," Neve stuttered, his eyes never leaving Cael’s glowing form. "I want to be with Cael."
The moment those words left his mouth, Cael’s growl transformed.
It softened and changed from a sound of rage into a soft whimper. Like Cael had just heard the most important thing in the world. Like Neve’s words had penetrated through the pain and the wildness and reached something essential inside him.
Even Sorin and Popi felt the shift in Cael’s energy. They exchanged looks, both of them realizing that something had just changed fundamentally.
Neve pushed forward while they were distracted.
He walked closer to Cael’s large leopard form without hesitation and fear. He reached out and placed a hand on Cael’s head, his small hand looking tiny against the massive predator’s skull.
Cael whimpered and growled low, a sound that was almost purring. His glowing eyes softened as he looked at Neve. The wildness was still there but it was contained now.
Gideon exhaled deeply and looked at Ryker and Soren.
"You mean, all we had to do was get Neve to take care of this chaos?" Gideon asked, his tone suggesting he was genuinely amazed at how simple the solution had been.
"Who knew it was this easy?" Ryker mumbled from where he was watching. There was something in his voice that sounded like jealousy. Like he was jealous that Neve could calm Cael with just a touch and a few words when Ryker himself could not.
Neve kept his hand on Cael’s head, ruffling the fur gently. He looked at Cael’s leg, trying to see the poison wound. But Cael was in his animal form and his fur covered most of the damage.
"Can you shift back to your human form for me?" Neve asked softly.
Cael replied with a small whimper.
Then his body began to shift. The massive leopard form contracted and reformed and became human. He ended up laying naked on the ground with his head resting on Neve’s lap.
Neve looked down at him with tenderness in his eyes. He tilted his head to look at Cael’s leg where the snake had bitten him.
The spot was already red. Very red. The skin was inflamed and angry looking. Neve touched it gently, checking the temperature, checking the progression of the poison.
"I already got rid of the poison," Neve said, confused about what could be causing Cael this much pain. "What else is needed?"
"I’m sure the pain is what made him go wild," Gideon said, stepping forward. "The poison is gone, but the damage to his flesh is still there. The pain from the wound itself is what’s causing him to lose control."
Neve could not agree more. He kept his hand on Cael’s head, stroking his hair gently. The touch seemed to calm the leopard prince. His breathing was becoming steadier. His body was becoming less tense.
Soren walked closer to Neve.
"Just so you know, Neve," he said, making Neve look up at him. "Bella is kneeling outside, waiting for you to forgive her. Do I call her in?"
Neve smiled, a small expression that was both tired and amused.
"Forgive her?" he asked, tilting his head as he considered the question. His hand never stopped stroking Cael’s hair. "I will forgive her if she kneels there for six more hours."
The words were delivered calmly. Not with anger. Not with cruelty. Just with the calm understanding of someone who understood consequences and justice and the need for sincere apology.
"Six more hours?" Soren repeated, his eyebrows raising slightly.
"Yes," Neve confirmed. "She tried to kill me. She tried to frame me for murder. She caused chaos and pain to many people. Six hours kneeling in the snow is a small price for her to understand the weight of what she did."
Cael’s hand came up and wrapped around Neve’s waist, pulling him closer even though Cael was lying down. It was a gesture of possessiveness and comfort mixed together. A way of saying thank you for being here. A way of saying I need you close.
Neve adjusted his position slightly so he could be more comfortable while still maintaining contact with Cael. The Winnie the Pooh blanket fell from his shoulders but he did not bother to pick it up.
Ryker was still watching with that complicated expression on his face. Jealousy and admiration and something else that Neve could not quite identify.
"Six hours," Soren said, nodding slowly. "So she stays outside until the sun starts to set."
"Yes," Neve confirmed. "And Soren, make sure she understands that this is just the beginning. After six hours, we’ll have a real conversation about what happens to her next."