8. Please Don't Leave Me!

When Alpha Callum arrived at the farm house, his grandfather was still wide awake, drinking coffee on the sofa. "Why are you still awake, Pops?" he asked. "I'm watching Clarice for three hours then I will wake up Lorey, so I can sleep," Grandpa Eliezer replied, yawning. "You better go to sleep now. I will watch Clarice until morning," Alpha Callum said, heading to the staircase. "Aren't you going home tonight? Your wife is waiting for you?" Grandpa Eliezer reminded him. Alpha Callum continues climbing the stairs. "All she knows is I'm having a business discussion with other Alphas at the wedding reception." "I see you are starting to develop a habit of lying to your wife..." Grandpa Eliezer said casually. "This will end soon after Clarice is free from poisoning. I just want to make sure that she is well taken care of and recovers quickly so I can finally see my son," Alpha Callum said, reaching the top of the staircase. "Fine, as you say so, I'm going to sleep now." Grandpa Eliezer went to the kitchen and put the empty mug in the sink. Meanwhile, on the second floor of the house. Alpha Callum entered Clarice's room with silent steps, careful not to awaken her. He settled on the chair near the bed and stared at her sleeping form. He's waiting for her to recover quickly so she can finally lead him to their son. Her hollow cheeks and skinny body are a hideous sight to watch. He felt like if he stared hard at her body she would disintegrate into thin air and disappear from his sight completely. He felt pity for the only woman who could make him happy. Clarice owns his heart, but she betrayed him and gave him so much pain. Unfortunately, she is also the mother of his son. It seems like they can't avoid each other from now on. They will forever be bound to each other because they had a son together. He glanced at the window. It was still open. Maybe Clarice left the window open as it is. When the chilly wind entered through the window, he closed it. He continued staring at her sleeping form. Old affection stirred feverishly deep inside his heart. He went to bed and covered Clarice's body with a blanket to avoid catching a cold. He returned to the chair and prepared himself for a sleepless night ahead. He was slowly dozing off when Clarice suddenly screamed, sending Alpha Callum to his feet as he rushed to bed to comfort her. "The shaman is going to kill me! Please help me!" Clarice cried in a terrified tone. "Shh, calm down, Clarice. You are dreaming. The evil shaman doesn't know about this place. You are safe here. I will protect you," Alpha Callum said gently, calming her, patting her hand reassuringly. Grateful for his comforting presence, Clarice hugged Alpha Callum tightly. "Thank you for saving me. I truly appreciate your help," she said, bursting into tears, crying helplessly in his arms. "Shh, stop crying. Go back to sleep. I will never leave you. I will stay by your side until the morning comes," he assured her over and over again, his voice soothing and calm. "Thank you," Clarice finally stopped crying, comforted by his imposing presence in her room. Alpha Callum tucked her back into the bed. He sat on the bed beside her, holding her hand to comfort her. "Go back to sleep, Clarice." "OK. Goodnight," she murmured and closed her eyes to sleep. Alpha Callum breathed deeply. It's not yet the right time to ask Clarice what happened to her and why the evil shaman poisoned her? Her ordeal is still blurry to him. Maybe tomorrow morning he can finally ask her the whole story about her tragic downfall. He still had to inform her that she was already considered a dead person in Alpha Bruce's mansion. He even saw her grave and epitaph with his own eyes. She would be devastated if she knew about her fake burial. Alpha Callum started yawning. He's fighting the urge to sleep on the bed beside Clarice. When she was already snoring softly, he left the bed and returned to the chair, bringing the chair closer to the bed so he could still hold Clarice's hands while she was sleeping. Unable to fight his sleepiness, he rested his head on the bed and finally closed his eyes to sleep. Hours passed by. The night finally faded. A new day has just begun. Clarice woke up and noticed Alpha Callum's head resting on the bed, facing her. Then everything that took place last night came flashing back into her mind. She smiled happily after realizing that his presence inside the room was not a figment of her imagination. Right now, seeing him holding her hand is as real as the sun shining outside the window. His kind and caring gesture touched her heart deeply. Despite breaking his heart in the past, he still cares about her safety and well-being. She was glad their paths crossed again. She can finally introduce father and son to each other soon. She misses her son so much! She must do her best to recuperate quickly so she can see her son again. She and her son will never be separated again. Never again! This time she would devote her time and attention to her son, to make it up to him. She stared at Callum's handsome, rugged face. He had aged a lot but still looked handsome and sexy as ever. Her hands were aching to touch his face just like she always did in the past. They frequently engaged in pleasurable love making without protection, resulting in her getting pregnant with their child. Callum will always be her greatest love, her fated mate. The only man she ever loved deeply. Although her ex-husband, Alpha Bruce, was kind to her during their marriage, she wasn't able to love him the way she loved Callum. Her union with Alpha Bruce was just an arranged marriage between two families who rely on each other's strength. It's just a marriage of convenience in the absence of true love. But the marriage was a peaceful one, built on trust and respect for each other. Until one day, things changed drastically when she got ill and her condition worsened by the poison that the despicable shaman mixed with the food she had eaten every day. Devastated by the tragedy that had befallen her, tears sprang from her eyes. She began crying silently, trying not to awaken Callum from his sleep. The door opened and Lorey entered. She was surprised to see Alpha Callum inside the room. She put the wooden food tray on the table, looked at Clarice and mouthed, "Hot milk and bread for you, Luna." "Later," Clarice replied as she wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. Alpha Callum stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes. "You're awake?" he asked, looking at Clarice, rubbing his eyes. "Yes," Clarice replied with a smile. "Thank you for keeping me company last night," she said gratefully. "Don't mention it," Alpha Callum replied as he rose to his feet. His gaze landed on the food tray. "Eat your breakfast," he said, moving towards the door. Clarice cleared her throat. "Um, what happened last night? How did the wedding go last night? Are the newlyweds happy?" she asked in a dispirited tone, her voice simmering with anger and bitterness. Alpha Callum sighed. "I will tell you what happened last night after you finished eating your meal," he said, and left the room. Clarice bit her lower lip in misery. Why does she still want to know what happened during the wedding ceremony between her ex-husband, Alpha Bruce, and her best friend Aurelia? Her relationship with them has been severed completely and irrevocably. No matter how painful it is, she still has to know what happened last night.