Six- Mum

Kael's POV

“He was here?” I spat angrily. This old man really wants to test my patience today.

“No Kael. He sent Meredith to speak to me.”

Of course he did, he knows better than to come here himself.

“Much better” I breathed.

After the incident, I had stopped Dad from coming anywhere near Mum. It sounded absurd when I first said it. Asking the Alpha to stay away from his mate, but I did it anyway, and Dad couldn't do much considering what he had done. He doesn’t get to be the cause of her sickness and still watch her suffer it.

“Kael” she called out softly, her tone already telling me what she wanted to say.

“Mum please, it is not even happening. Who is going to take care of you?”

“Kael, we both know I will be fine without you here. You have ensured I have the best care. You can't continue to keep your life on hold for a dying woman like me.”

“Mum please, don't say that about yourself. You are not dying” I snapped angrily, regretting my tone as she flinched a little.

“I am sorry Mum” I quickly apologized, grabbing her small hands and placing them in mine, drawing small circles on them.

“It's okay” she whispered.

“I just hate it when you talk this way. You are not going anywhere Mum, not on my watch.”

“Why do you keep denying the inevitable, my child?”

“I am not denying anything.”

“Kael, I want you to live your life. This isn't a life. I want you to go back to the academy, prepare for your role, find your mate, love her, have a family, be happy Kael.”

“I can't be happy while you lay here Mum” I argued, holding in my tears. She knew how much she meant to me, yet she kept on speaking this way like it meant nothing.

She breathed heavily, adjusting herself on the bed before speaking up.

“Kael, I have been sick for six years now and I am only getting worse. I allowed you leave the academy because I believed you were hurting and needed your space, but time isn't on our side anymore. You can't keep blaming yourself for something you had no control over.”

“That's not true Mum, I should have known” I argued, my voice breaking. The incident replaying in my head like it was just yesterday, the pain and betrayal I saw in her eyes before she fell unconscious always haunts my dreams. If I had just agreed when she asked that we stay some more.

“Kael, you were fifteen. There was no way you could have known. Your anger towards your father is justified, but I still don't see any reason why you are hurting yourself so badly” she argued.

“Mum, I just can't. I still haven't found a cure. I promised you that I would find a cure and I am not backing down.”

She just wouldn't get it. I blame myself every day, and no matter how many times she tries to talk me out of it, that feeling won't just go away.

“You know what Kael, let's not do this now. Come here” she patted the empty space on her bed, brushing off the conversation of a cure like she always does.

“Mum…”

“Kael, please” she cut me off, her voice pleading.

I sighed, knowing she had won once again. Taking off my shoes, I joined her on the bed, placing her frail body on mine, making sure she was comfortable before leaning back on the bed.

“You are going to do this for me Kael” she whispered, breaking the little silence that fell between us.

“No Mum, I can't leave you here all by yourself” I argued adamantly.

“Kael, this isn't up for debate” she snapped, breaking into coughing fits from straining her voice.

“Here” I brought the glass of water from her bedside to her lips, helping her take small gulps.

“I'm fine now” she said, her voice soft and weak, laying back on me.

“I'm sorry Mum, but this is just a lot. You and Dad can't just spring this on me all of a sudden” I apologized. Her eyes were starting to droop, she needed her hourly rest or she might get weaker, and the weaker she is the harder it will be to keep managing her condition.

“I understand Kael, but this is for the best. If the council visits again and you are still no way close to being fully prepared to take over as Alpha, there will be no second chance, and even though you are angry, you don't want that.”

She knew the right words to get me exactly where she wanted. I need to become Alpha if I am going to make the old man pay.

“I will do it Mum. I will go back” I declared, a sinking feeling filling me as I said the words.

“Thank you Kael, this means more to me than you can even imagine” she whispered, her eyes drifting closed as she fell asleep on my body.

My eyes followed the steady lift and drop of her chest as I tried so hard not to think of what life without her might even be like. I knew with the way she slept more, ate less, interacted less, her time was drawing close. Everyone knew, but I seemed to be the only one who wasn't willing to accept it.

Mum and I have always been closer. She understood me even when I didn't understand myself. Lyra was the one who seemed to get through to Dad more, but I knew she still loved them both equally, unlike me.

I promise you Mum, I will find a way for you to survive this. A cure has to exist somewhere. The academy will only be a way to get you all off my back while I focus on getting justice for you and getting you back on your feet.