When he arrived back inside his chambers. Sylvie was in bed. She was surrounded by pillows. She was fast asleep. He sat down beside her on the bed and gently brushed the wisps of hair from her forehead.
She didn't stir. He was glad for that. When she was asleep he could look at her without her thinking he was a weirdo for staring at her. His Sylvie, he thought. Today had been a day.
She was the positive highlight of it. He was still shocked by how caring and considerate she was. Someone like her, who had the life she had, one would think they would be all about themselves. All about self-preservation motives, but not his Sylvie. She asked for grace for the attacker.
And old Bouvier was turning out to not be such an evil woman after all. Maybe he could talk to her about what she knew about the Lycans since she and Sylvie were becoming so close. He knew he was one step closer to finding the final Lycan nest and wiping them out. He just needed help. That would have to wait.
Randolf had to leave in a few days, but considering what just happened, he knew he had to postpone his plans and deal with matters here. He also didn't want anyone around Sylvie now. He was even more concerned for her safety. He would protect her with his last breath if he had to. She was his, and he was her wolf...
There was a knock on the guest door of Louve's room. She was staying in one of the many guest rooms in the large home of King Alpha Adolf and Randolf. She knew who it was. She quickly opened the door and let him in.
"They are discussing your punishment as we speak, my lady," Whitley confessed to her in a hushed tone.
Louve was fuming about that tidbit of information. "Why would they punish me for something that isn't punishable. That whore spoke out of turn, and I taught her a lesson. Whitley, thank you for your support in this endeavor. It's just not fair the way he is letting humans trample all over our bloodline. He has another thing coming if he thinks he can punish me, and my family stand idly by..."
The next several days were not only agonizing for Sylvie but for Madame Bouvier as well. Madam Bouvier slept for two solid days, worrying Adolf and his mischievous Butler, Whitley. He sent for the Physician to give her another examination. The Physician and King Alpha grew up together and were on a friendly accord.
"Adolf, I've told you already! For the thousandth time, she is alive. Her body is healing itself. She was strangled and thrown. That caused a substantial amount of head trauma. Get out of here, and let her rest in peace. My god, man! You reek of Brandy and cigars. At least go and have a bath."
Adolf rolled his eyes at the Physician's advice.
He stayed by her side. Whenever he wasn't doing his royal duties. Adolf would look out the same window she had when she had been awake. He realized how dull and scary his yard looked with the barbed wire netting and no flowers. It looked like a warzone out there. He felt poorly for allowing his wolf ego to overrun his rational mind. He loved Alexa.
He would not let her go. When she awoke, he would be here. On the third day, she awoke. She had a slight headache, and her mouth was extremely parched. She yawned and stretched.
What had happened? She wondered. She only remembered when Louve had choked her and picked her up by her neck. She had blacked out when she couldn't get any oxygen, which was only a few seconds after the attack. She was now in bed.
She wore a nightgown, and her hair was down. She swallowed and felt like she had swallowed a lump of coal. Could she even talk? She wondered as she rubbed her throat. To touch it felt painful as well.
She looked around her room. There, she saw a man sitting in her chair. His upper half was lying on the table. He used his arms as his pillow. It was Adolf. He was asleep.
She couldn't believe he was there. He had been very clear about keeping their relationship a secret. Bouvier loved Adolf and owed him more than her life, so she went along with it. She pulled the covers back and stood up. She waited a few seconds before walking, making sure she wouldn't get dizzy.
When she felt like she wouldn't, she walked over to him. She stood over him. There he was. King Alpha Adolf. Asleep on her small breakfast table.
She wondered how long she had been here. His jacket hung on the back of the chair. He wore a navy blue vest with matching trousers and a cloud blue dress shirt with a white collar and cuff links. His Hessians were black and shone to perfection. She always thought he dressed impeccably and was extremely handsome.
When he slept, he looked peaceful. An expression Bouvier rarely saw nowadays. She gently put her hand on his right shoulder, squeezed it, and shook him until he awoke. He was annoyed and gruff.
"What the hell do you want? " Adolf shouted at Bouvier, not realizing it was her.
When his vision came into focus, he realized who it was, and out of pure instinct, he grabbed her and pulled her close to him. His head was on her abdomen.
"You are awake!" Adolf Exclaimed.
Bouvier tried to say 'Yes', but nothing came out. Adolf saw her expression turn from happy to worried. He tried to comfort her.
"The Doctor says your voice should come back in a few more days. You shouldn't be out of bed." He informed her.
He looked up at her.
Bouvier wanted to express her feelings of love and gratitude, but could not. Her voice was gone. She realized then he wasn't wearing his mask. She was able to fully see his face. It had been so long since she had.
He had made her think he would be deformed, but she saw only a man with a scar on his cheek and a blind eye. He was still her beautiful Adolf. She smiled, then reached down and touched his scar. At first, Adolf flexed when He saw where her hand was going until he realized he hadn't been wearing his mask. He had been consumed with her health and safety, he had forgotten all about it.
Her soft warm hand felt good on his cheek. He gently enclosed her wrist and let her touch it for as long as she wanted. She bent down then and replaced her hand with her lips.
Adolf hadn't been expecting that. It warmed his heart.
She wasn't afraid of him. He stood up then. Her hand rested on his shoulder now.
"I'm sorry this happened to you. You were right. I should have-"
Bouvier put her fingers to his mouth to stop him from talking and shook her head at him. She didn't want to hear if she had been right. She was just happy to be alive and, furthermore, overly ecstatic that he was here with her.
She hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her. She had always enjoyed his warm embrace. It was helping her not to feel so bad about her situation.
"Alright," he said. "I get your point. I am happy you are awake, too." He replied.
She looked up at him, smiled wide, and nodded her head in agreement. He knew her well, with or without her voice...
Sylvie
Sylvie was confined to bedrest. She was only allowed to get up and go to the restroom and her daily bath. Randolf still had work to do, and Sylvie insisted he do it. She didn't want his progress to be affected because of her. Sylvie knew he was working on important, life-changing stuff.
He had two nurses who cared for her. She never had a moment of privacy. It was strange, embarrassing, and downright uncomfortable. By day three, she wanted to scream. It would seem the only highlight of her days so far was when her husband would share meals with her. She didn't know how he managed to do it, but he did.
She would always ask him about Bouvier, and he would say the same thing. She was still asleep. Sylvie worried maybe she would not wake up again. She was eating Supper with Randolf when he told her the news."Madame Bouvier is awake."
"That is wonderful news. " Sylvie sighed a sigh of relief.
"My father says she can't use her voice yet, but the Doctor said that was to be expected, and it would heal." He explained.
"I am grateful to your Physician. He is knowledgeable and kind." She told him.
Randolf smiled as he cut her food for her.
"You don't have to do this Randolf. I can cut my food." She protested. He was making her feel completely and utterly helpless.
"Your wrist is hurt. I don't want to take any chances. I will feed you until it heals a little more. I am your husband. Let me take care of you." He insisted.