HIS ROYAL LOVE CHILD (Book Two of the LOVE CHILD series)

Chapter Twenty "Family"

Picture above Tristan after surgery.

"How could I have missed it?"

"How could I have not noticed that there was something very wrong with my son?"

"Was I so blinded by my rage and hate that I failed to notice?"

"Was I so focused on Liam that I didn't take notice of what was truly going on with Tristan?"

These were among the myriad of thoughts reverberating over and over inside Nicholai's mind. It had been hours since Tristan was taken in to have emergency brain surgery to remove a tumour and an Aneurism that was found in his head. The entire family was sitting, waiting anxiously for news on the little boy who's well being was of vital importance to them all. They didn't talk, there didn't seem to be anything to say. So they waited, each of them lost in their own thoughts, of worry and fear for Tristan.

Nicholai watched as Liam got up from his seat for the umpteenth time to pace up and down the sterile hallway. Nick watched as Liam paced and cursed silently to himself. Now that they were both back in such close proximity to each other, the mate bond was allowing Nick to feel all the emotions reverberating inside of his mate. Nick could feel every emotion that was coursing through Liam. Nick felt all of Liam's fears for their son, Liam's deepest sorrows and regrets for what his actions had done to both Nick and Tristan. Nicholai could feel Liam's deep seated need for Nick to forgive him, his fears that Nick never would forgive him for what he had done. Also Nick felt Liam's fears of losing his mate and son to his brother.

Nicholai saw it all, he felt it all and his dragon yearned within him to go to Liam and comfort their mate. But with supreme effort Nicholai resisted the call, he resisted the pull. He wasn't ready yet to embrace Liam, he wasn't ready to forgive him. Even though it was Liam that had noticed that there was something seriously wrong with Tristan. It was Liam's intuition that had saved their son's life.

For Blake, he tried to offer whatever comfort he could to Nick, the man he loved and feared that he was about to lose. He wasn't stupid and he wasn't blind either. He could already see the effects of the mate bond between Nick and Liam. But Blake was determined, he wasn't about to give Nick up without a fight. So he tried to comfort him, but every time Blake so much as touched Nicholai, Liam would erupt into quiet threatening growls and snarls, his eyes would flash golden and start glowing as he bared his teeth a Blake. Blake's wolf would respond in kind. All of it was getting on Nick's nerves and he just couldn't stand it any more.

Suddenly Nicholai surged up from his seat beside Blake and fast walked out of the waiting area. He needed to get away. He needed to get away from all his conflicting thoughts and emotions. They all watched him as he walked away. Blake made to get up and go after his boyfriend, but his father, Hunter held him back, luckily so as at that moment Liam's wolf surfaced and he emitted a deep threatening growl at Blake. His wolf was spoiling for a fight.

"No Blake. Let Liam go after Nick." Hunter said to his son.

Hunter then turned to face Liam and said in a quiet yet insistent voice, "Go after your mate. He needs you." Liam flashed his glowing eyes at Blake one last time before turning and doing as Hunter had said.

As Blake watched Liam walk away, going in search of Nick, he looked at Hunter and said, "Why?! Why do you always choose his side?! After every fucked up thing that he has done, that he has put this family through, you still choose him over me. Why?!"

Hunter looked at Blake, his heart aching for his son knowing that he couldn't protect him from the pain that he was about to experience. Knowing that he couldn't save him from a broken heart. "I'm not choosing Liam over you Blake. I have never done so. But I warned you about getting involved with Nick, because I knew this would happen. But you did anyway and now Liam is back. They are true mates Blake. They belong together. Nothing that you and Nick have together can ever override the mate bond." Hunter's voice was filled with the sorrow he felt for the heartache that Blake was about to go through.