The Alphas' Daughter (Alpha Eyes: Book 2)

Chapter 35

Karina

He was gone... our son. I knew it even before Maggie confirmed it. As soon as Liesel jolted me out of my inner self, I could tell that something was wrong. There were no flutters, no heartbeat, no wolf whispers. Sometime during Amy's extraction, my baby slipped away.

I couldn't stay in the hospital, not where anyone could walk by and question why I was there. Lucas took me home as soon as Maggie had cleared me to leave; he only hesitated a moment before scooping me off the exam table and rushing home. He ignored everyone's questions and went straight inside.

I laid on my side on our bed. I had no energy left, everything being funneled into my sorrow. Liesel still hadn't woken up yet, so we hadn't heard her explanation of what went down. Some small part of me didn't want to hear whatever she would tell me, but I knew that I needed it if I was to have any kind of closure... even if it broke me.

From behind me, Lucas's quiet breaths fanned against my neck while he combed his fingers through my hair. He hadn't said a word since Maggie officially announced my miscarriage, not even a 'thank you.' The news was hitting him just as hard as me.

I rolled over to face him, blinking several times to make sure I was seeing things correctly. His eyes glittered with unshed tears, even as he put on a brave smile for me. My chest ached as he opened his side of the mind link and let me feel some of his pain.

I traced his jawline with my fingertip, watching his jaw quiver as he tried to hold it together. "You don't have to put on a brave face for me," I whispered. "I'd rather grieve with you than for you."

He blinked, and the first tear fell. I swiped it with my thumb, just like he'd done for me so many times. The role reversal was quite weird, but the simple touch was enough to break the last of his defenses. More tears fell, making little shiny trails across his cheeks. I couldn't bring myself to wipe all of them, knowing all-too-well the healing of feeling your tears.

"Lucas..."

He moved closer until his head was against my collarbone. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he cried. His tears soaked a spot on my shirt, but I didn't care. A loss was a loss no matter how you painted it. When you lost something precious, you grieved for it. Simple as that.

Sometime later, I closed my eyes and drifted into a dream where guardians didn't exist.

I physically lost my baby two days later. Lucas held me on the bathroom floor until Maggie arrived to verify that the miscarriage was complete. Once she'd cleaned up the blood on the floor and packaged the tiny person my body had rejected, she gave me a sleeping pill to help me rest. I only took it because I didn't want to face reality.

Liesel finally woke up the next day. Another witch showed up to help her recover, but I didn't see her. I couldn't stomach seeing any witches. Lucas showed her to the recovery wing and shared what he'd seen, but then he was back at my side.

At Maggie's suggestion, we buried our son and said goodbye. I was staring at the little stone memorial we'd chosen when something moved in my side vision. When I looked up, Liesel stopped her approach. The other witch was holding her up to a certain degree, and her legs wobbled a little under her.

"Luna Karina..." She dipped her head in respect.

I cast a quick glance over her: pale skin, dark circles under hollowed eyes, quivering limbs, messy hair.

"You look awful," I stated, half pity and half sarcasm.

"Yes; I've looked more presentable," she quipped. Her gaze shot to the fresh grave behind me. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were..."