Caspian Voretti's POV
Nikolas kept his hand pressed tightly against his chest, still bleeding. I handed him a rag to help stop the bleeding. "It's okay, baby. Just breathe."
I glanced at the rearview mirror to check on Lara, my sister. She raised her thumbs up, a smirk on her face.
"Just watching the love drama between you and your mate," she teased. "It's quite interesting, you know."
I rolled my eyes, but there was no time to entertain her.
"We need to ditch the roads," I said, focusing back on the road. "Head to a cave. We'll lay low there until Ronan comes to pick us up tomorrow evening."
Nikolas, however, seemed more agitated. His eyes widened as if he realized what was happening. I softened my voice, trying to reassure him. "Hey, baby, how's your hand?"
He didn't respond, his anger and fear obvious on his face. I knew he was scared, but I had to keep moving, no matter how difficult it was.
It was getting darker as we approached the lake, and I knew the danger was closing in. We couldn't afford to stay on the roads any longer.
I pulled over and quickly got out of the car. I reached for Nikolas and pulled him out, holding him firmly. He followed me reluctantly.
"We have to pass through the lake, Nikolas," I said softly, my voice calm despite the urgency of the situation.
He hesitated, but I kept my grip on him, leading him toward the water. We moved quickly, the cold water rising up to our chests.
Nikolas froze, panic seeping into his body. "I... I can't," he tried to say, fear evident in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to turn back.
"It's okay," I reassured him, holding him tight. "I've got you. Just trust me."
When the water got to the point where we had to swim, I steadied him and said, "Breathe in, baby. We just need to dive for a few seconds. There's a hole ahead, and we'll pass through it."
Nikolas didn't respond, but I could feel his body tense as I guided him into the water. We dived down together, and I quickly found the hole I had remembered. With a firm grip, I pulled him through it.
When we surfaced on the other side, Nikolas was gasping for air, coughing violently. I immediately scooped him up, cradling him in my arms.
He weakly hit my chest. "Drop me," he muttered, his voice barely audible.
I whispered, "Relax, baby. I've got you."
I carried him through the cave, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Finally, we reached the prepared area.
My sister was sitting there, looking down at the ground. She didn't immediately meet my eyes, but I knew she was still shaken.
"How are you?" I asked gently, kneeling in front of her.
She didn't respond at first, but I could see the fear in her eyes.
"Hey, it's okay," I said softly, brushing her hair out of her face. "You're safe now. Nobody's going to hurt you again."
Nikolas remained silent, his hand still pressed to his injury, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. But for now, I just needed to keep him calm. For him, for my sister, and for the future we still had to fight for.
Nikolas held his arm to his chest, his body trembling from the cold, the river still fresh in his memory. I could see the pain and fear in his eyes, and it cut deeper than I could ever express.
"Baby, please remember," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "In my prison, you took care of me. You gave me drugs, put cream on my body... Please, baby, let me take care of you. I don't have medical supplies here, but I can heal you. Please, just stand up for me."
Nikolas hesitated for a long moment, his fear still evident, but finally, he reluctantly stood up. His eyes met mine, distrust and pain still clouding his gaze.
I reached for his arm, my hand gentle, but firm. "It's okay. Let me help you. I've got you."
His ragged breathing slowed for a moment as I carefully loosened the cloth around his swollen, red palm. His injury looked worse than I thought swollen and irritated, probably from the pressure of his earlier struggles.
He looked at his hand with a mixture of horror and pain. Before he could pull away, I grabbed his hand, holding it still, and brought it to my mouth. I didn't want to hurt him, but I knew what had to be done.
I bit into his hand, just above the wound, my fangs sinking into his skin.
Nikolas screamed, the sound breaking through the silence of the cave, as he tried desperately to pull his hand away. He jumped on one leg, the other kicking at me, trying to push me off.
But I held on, refusing to let go. I needed him to understand—he was my mate. And mates could heal each other, connect in ways that no one else could. The venom in my bite, the Alpha venom, would begin to work, helping his body mend faster, the wound closing with every passing second.
I felt the familiar, powerful surge of my Alpha energy flooding through me, flowing into him, soothing his pain, bringing him strength. Slowly, the tremors that had wracked his body began to ease. His breathing steadied. His hand, still in my grasp, felt less stiff, the swelling starting to go down.
I held on a little longer, letting the venom do its work, watching the raw redness of his skin fade, replaced by the natural healing I could provide him.
When I finally released his hand, I gently pressed it against his chest. "You're okay now," I whispered, though I knew the fear and confusion hadn't left his eyes.
Nikolas' angry words cut through the silence, but I didn't flinch. His voice was hoarse, laced with pain and fear. "You bastard," he hissed, his chest rising and falling rapidly as the adrenaline wore off.
I remained calm, my hands steady as I looked at him. "Hey, it's okay," I said softly, keeping my tone gentle. "Check, do you still feel pain?" I knew it wasn't enough to undo everything I'd done to him, but I needed him to know that I wasn't trying to hurt him anymore.
For a long moment, he said nothing. His eyes, still filled with so much anger, seemed to search my face for something anything to justify what had happened. Then, slowly, he glanced down at his hand, testing it carefully.
He froze. The pain had reduced.
His eyes widened for a moment, and I saw the tension slowly begin to ease from his body. It was subtle, but it was there. I could see him processing it, feeling the relief for the first time since I'd bitten him. He looked back at me, the anger still there, but it was clouded by exhaustion, the toll of the night weighing heavily on him.
Tears, streaked and unbidden, trailed down his face. His eyes were tired, hollow with fear and confusion. Seeing him like that made my heart ache. I knew I'd pushed him too far, but I had to remind myself that we would heal. All of us, together.
I felt pity for him in that moment. The vulnerability that he couldn't hide anymore hit me harder than any physical pain. "My baby... it's okay," I whispered, my voice softer now, full of that quiet, desperate hope.
Nikolas didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the ground, still holding his hand tightly against his chest as if trying to protect himself from everything around him. The anger still lingered, but it wasn't directed at me entirely anymore.
He sat down then, eyes never leaving mine, his expression a mix of fury and exhaustion. He was tired, but he was also too hurt to fully let go of the anger. I understood that—everything had been taken from him, and trust was a fragile thing.
I lowered my gaze, giving him space, not pushing him for more than he was willing to give.
"Take your time," I murmured, offering him the quietest comfort I could. "You don't have to say anything right now."
He didn't answer, just stared at me, still angry but now a little more defeated.