Disquietude of My Heart

Chapter 22

                       "Why the hell didn't you tell me it was maiden flower?", Mehek yelled at Shaurya while curled up in a corner far away from him. He was annoyed and fatigued. He was healing but attack had made him weak. Mehek's rants were adding to his agony. He knew she was in pain but all he could do was to stay away from her. "Why??", she screamed again. "Because you wouldn't have trusted me", he shouted back. Mehek whimpered in pain. She knew he was speaking the truth. She wouldn't have believed him and avoided consuming it. It made sense that he tried to put maiden flower into her system without her knowledge. But then she deduced the worst and her heat hit with vengeance due to her folly.

"Shaurya, please come close to me", Mehek begged tearfully, "I need you". She didn't want to have s*x with him but heat was forcing her to do the unthinkable. Shaurya who knew her condition perfectly well maintained distance and didn't move an inch. He wanted the same and could feel her pain but exploiting her vulnerability will kill their relationship. His last chance to win Mehek will be destroyed. "Stay strong, Mehek. You can get through it", he motivated her. She whimpered again and begged, "Let's just cuddle. The way we used to do earlier". Shaurya shook his head in dismay. He failed to make her understand that it is no longer possible just to remain close to her when her heat is so strong. He was glad that his wolf is tired and got injured after fighting rogues. Else he would have taken over Shaurya and ravished his mate. Mehek slowly tried to stand up but Shaurya yelled at her using his Alpha tone, "Stay where you are and don't you dare to take another step". She sobbed and laid down obediently. She curled into a ball, trying hard to curb her pain.

It's been many hours or just few minutes. Shaurya couldn't say for sure how long it had been since he dozed off. His wounds healed, leaving behind few scars and slight numbness. "Mehek", he voiced her name but got no response. He looked around frantically while his wolf assured her presence sensing her scent. He followed his instincts and reached the farther corner of the barn, only to find her lying unconscious. The dilapidated window near her body was forced open, leading to its full damage. Thus allowing the cold breeze enter and fall on her delicate body. Shaurya understood that Mehek had taken the desperate measure to overcome heat. But she risked to be killed by cold.

NEXT DAY    "Where am I?", Mehek battled to keep her eyes open. "A private clinic", a familiar feeble female voice answered. Mehek looked around to find Bulbul beside her. "How is Shaurya?", Mehek looked around and asked again, "where is he? Is he okay?". Bulbul placed her palm on her shoulders to calm her, "He is fine. No need to worry", she informed her, "It took some time for Vivaan and others to track you both. Shaurya was weak but he had healed by then but you were unconscious". Mehek started to breath hard but was aghast when she heard her mother's voice, "Mehek". She looked up and found Meera beside her.

"Ma", she cried out but was unable to move due to weakness. Meera pushed her wheel chair towards her bed and Bulbul helped her to reach Mehek. The daughter-mother duo shed tears yet both were happy to see one another. Once their initial burst of emotions were over, Mehek turned to Bulbul, "Can I borrow your phone?". Bulbul stood quiet, gazing at Mehek helplessly. Mehek understood that she will not do anything against Shaurya. Honestly Mehek too didn't want to disturb her newly found relationship with Vivaan. 

Mehek gave a weak smile but Bulbul surprised her. "Talk to your mother, Mehek. Try to understand the unsettling situation you have fallen into. If you still wish then I will lend you my phone". Bulbul quietly walked away and Mehek quickly grabbed her mother's arms frantically, "Ma, we need to escape. Shaurya is dangerous. We have to contact father. He will be able to help us". Mehek look around, searching for anything that could help her. Meera covered her face in her palms and forced her to look into her eyes, "Mehek, listen to me. It isn't Shaurya whom we should fear but your father".

Meera had zilch expectation from DK once he married his mate, leaving her helpless, alone and pregnant. She never wanted her daughter to be denied of her father's affection. That remained her sole reason to allow DK back in their life. Still he proved to be an utter failure as father not only for Mehek but also for his other children. When Mehek went missing after Ajay's murder, Meera was worried sick. She didn't think twice when DK summoned her to search for Mehek. It was a trap and she fell for it. Meera was kept as a prisoner in one of his safe houses. It wasn't until Bulbul and Vivaan rescued her that Meera felt safe.

"Your father used humans to kidnap Meera Aunty. Probably he wanted to avoid suspicion but it made it easy for us to track their location & manipulate them. When more money was offered they agreed to be on our side. If you contact DK now, he will know that your mother had escaped", Bulbul spoke to her timidly while giving the phone. Mehek appeared to be perplexed by sudden turn of events and found it hard to pick a side. "I know what you are going through", Bulbul told her. "No you don't", Mehek spat her. "Yes, I do", Bulbul responded vehemently. "I too was under the influence to spell", Bulbul's words confused Mehek

Bulbul went on, "Vivaan knew for long that I am his mate. Being human, I could never comprehend the attraction as mate bond. But he was reluctant to accept me. So he used a spell to weaken our bond and expected it to wither off. It helped him to keep me at bay and even misbehave with me. Although painful, I started to hate him and kept my distance from him". Mehek was still at loss. She unable to relate both stories. Bulbul talked again, "While he voluntarily sought help from witches to break our bond, Shaurya Sir...I mean Alpha Shaurya was tricked into the spell".

Bulbul's words were not enough for Mehek to have clarity. She demanded to meet Vivaan and asked him to explan. Although Shaurya had forbid him, Vivaan came clean before Mehek. Vivaan knew that he owes it to his Luna."Shruti was a powerful female wolf in our pack. She was brave, strong and talented. Since our pack never discriminated female warriors, she climbed the ladder very fast", Vivaan explained to Mehek.  "None remembered that her father was mated to a witch who died giving birth to Shruti. Only very few knew that Shruti had inherited her powers", Vivaan continued the story, "She approached me with her offer to help me. She assured to break my mate bond with Bulbul. In return, she asked to be promoted as one of the royal warriors of Alpha. It seemed like a reasonable trade. She helped me with the spell and I promoted her as first female royal guard of Shaurya. It was a huge mistake". Vivaan sighed and looked down in guilt,"Shruti appeared to be extremely loyal to Shaurya. None suspected that she was enamoured with him. She would have succeeded to lure him if not he had found his mate. Since you both mated, she couldn't succeed. Then her aim was to separate you from Shaurya. None suspected her until it was too late. Slowly she casted her spell on Shaurya whereas on the other side Ajay manipulated you".