Bloodbound to the Beastly King

"Come in, child, or how long will you continue to stand there?" Thessara's voice echoed through the corridor. The woman had been in the palace for the past week now. She'd been set up in the Far Eastern wing where her concoctions would be safe from people, and she would also get all the privacy she wanted.

Adina pulled the curtains apart, her eyes falling on the older woman who stood before the table, staring at whatever she was mixing, which glowed purple.

Thessara looked up and smiled, "How long did you plan to stay out there?" She asked.

Adina shook her head as she stepped in. "I didn't realize I had taken a long time. My mind was occupied," she replied softly, taking a seat.

Thessara hummed, pulling the gloves she wore. "It's been a very eventful time, and it isn't even a full moon yet." She glanced at Adina, her gaze falling on her stomach.

"Are you ready?"

Adina nodded, her mind still occupied by what she and Thorne had discussed concerning Freya's execution. She shook her head, willing the thoughts to leave.

Whatever Freya got, Freya deserved.

She watched as Thessara moved around the room, gathering all that she would need for the check-up.

After what seemed like minutes, Adina felt laid down on a makeshift bed, her top pulled up to her chest, stomach bare. She winced when she felt something icy cold rubbed over her stomach.

"Did you hear of Freya's execution?" She blurted out in a bid to distract herself.

Thessara glanced at her, brows quirked up. "I did, why?"

Adina shrugged, "It's just… I thought his majesty was only saying it… after everything that's happened so far, the people would be…

"The people would be nothing… this has less to do with them and more to do with you," Thessara cut her off.

Adina blinked, "Freya is going to be executed because of me."

"Freya is going to be executed because of Freya's own actions," Thessara paused, "What is this, Adina? Are you feeling guilty?"

Adina shook her head but looked away. It was clear she was feeling guilty.

Thessara sighed, "You shouldn't. Carter, Freya, Veronica… they're all getting what they deserve. Stop feeling guilty for something they brought upon themselves. Your righteousness should have its limit, Adina," the woman said firmly.

"Now keep quiet and let me work."

Adina nodded, watching the woman run her hands over her stomach, eyes shut. She paused for a second, brows furrowing for a moment.

"Is everything alright?" Adina asked, the slight dizziness she felt coming to her mind.

"Sit up, I need to check your bloodstream. Your energy core is unsettled," she replied.

Adina nodded, doing as she said. She rolled her sleeves up and watched as the woman did her work.

Thessara pressed her fingers right into her arm, almost like she was digging for something only she could understand.

Adina flinched. "Ow—what was that?"

Thessara pulled back, brows raised. "The core… it's reacting," she said. "Stronger than yesterday. Stronger than last week. If this continues," she paused, shaking her head.

The woman stared at Adina with so much intensity it scared her. "We have to remove it, Adina. It cannot stay inside of you any longer. The core is strong, stronger than any of us could ever imagine. It shouldn't be inside a pregnant woman. It's disastrous."

Adina whipped her arm back, face defiant. She felt her fingertips spark as though they were plugged into electricity. Her eyes widened as she quickly retracted her arm.

"Did you see that?" Thessara bit out.

"It's unstable. It's dangerous to have something of that magnitude inside of you. You risk your pup's life and even worse. Your life."

Adina's ears rang loudly with her words. 'You risk your pup's life and even worse, your life.'

She shook her head, pulling her top down. "No, you're wrong. It's only because I am worried. That's the only reason why the core is being—"

"Adina!"

"You must be wrong!" Adina snapped, chest heaving. She ran her fingers through her hair.

She can't do this again. Not after all that's happened. Her baby, her pup that she thought was there inside her… she's barely managed to get over the loss of what she thought she had…

Thorne's pup that was unjustly and cruelly taken from him before it could breathe life…

She shook her head. She'll carry her pup to term. She'll birth it, and it will live.

"I will carry my pup, and I will birth him," she gritted out.

Thessara shook her head. "What? I would never tell you to get rid of your pup. What I ask is that you get rid of the core eating away your life energy… it cannot be inside of you," she spat out.

Adina's legs weakened slightly. It sounded right. Get rid of the core inside of her, and her pup would be fine… she would be fine…

But how? How could she do that when that same core was the only thing stopping Khaos from awakening? The core was the only thing left for his awakening.

How could she take it out of her and place it in a position to be taken away or worse stolen by Carter or the witch?

She would not only be endangering her life and her pup's but the entire kingdom if Khaos awakens. Isn't that worse?

Adina shook her head rapidly. "No, I- I can't do that. I can't take the core out of my body."

Thessara's eyes widened. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Y-You don't understand, Thessara. Without the core, Khaos will never awaken. The core is the only thing needed, and it's in me. I can't let him awaken."

"At your expense? At your pup's expense? Do you realize what you're risking?"

"I'm a sage, Thessara. The last sage. I'll take all the risks there are to save the people of Obsidian. I'll take all the risks there are if it means Khaos will never ever surface."

Thessara stared at her incredulously. "And your mate? Have you thought what his majesty would say about this? Would he be in support of a risk as high as this?"

Adina froze for a second. Thorne would never allow her to go through with it.

She shook her head, she looked at Thessara. "Thorne doesn't have to know."

"No!"

"Thess—"

"I said no. I will bear no witness to this. Thorne is not just my king, he is my blood, and I will not sit by and watch this happen. I have seen him lose a mate and pup. I refuse to see him lose another."

Adina stiffened at the woman's words. "Give me time then, I will tell it to him myself," she said.

"You have twelve hours. I give you until then."

Adina nodded, turning to leave, but as she reached the door, Thessara's voice stopped her.

"Roseanne's death anniversary is coming up in two days. Usually, Thorne is a shell of himself, a man with so much guilt and shame. He usually is impenetrable during those times." She locked eyes with Adina.

"Watch him relive the death of Roseanne, watch him suffer the loss and tell me you will put that man through a pain as great as that."