Since I have already written half of the last chapter...I am giving one extra update today, plus, I love this chapter.
Enjoy!

The sound of crying woke me up and groaning I got up and rubbing my eyes I walked to Alaric's nursery. I checked the time and realised it was already nine in the morning.

I changed his diapers and went into the bathroom to get freshened up myself.

When I walked into the kitchen with Alaric in my arms, I saw Zale present there, cooking something, shirtless with only a pair of gray sweatpants.

Why do boys always cook shirtless? Don't they know it's damn distracting?

His back flexed as he cooked and moved around the kitchen and I walked up to the counter and started to warm up some water while standing beside him as he continued to cook an omelette.

I really regret what I did yesterday, I mean even I don't know what I was doing and why...I just wanted to have some fun, irritate him but I guess it went too far.

Alaric made some weird sounds and I looked down at him and gently flicked his nose. "Yeah, I know you are hungry. Have some patience."

Zale glanced towards his son and then focusing on his omelette, said to me, "Keep him away from the stove."

"Someone seems to finally care." I commented.

His grip around the spatula tightened and he didn't say anything.

I finished making the milk for him at the same time Zale finished making those omelettes. He took those plates and placed them on the table.

How can he be so cold towards him? He hardly even looks at him.

Sighing, I went to him as he was setting the table and I placed the bottle infront of him and said, "Oh, I forgot something upstairs. Feed him for sometime, will you?"

And before he could say something, I forcefully shoved Alaric in his arms and ran upstairs.

Oh, that was close. I didn't forget anything, I just wanted him to hold his son for sometime, maybe that would make him soft for him.

I stayed at the top of the stairs, away from his view and a minute later, I heard Alaric cry.

Aargh, I swear if he made him cry I'll make him cry too then.

But then a few seconds later, he stopped crying and I smiled to myself.

I stayed there for a while before walking back down and found Zale sitting on the chair with Alaric in his arms and he was feeding him, his eyes on him and he looked quite curious despite the fact he was frowning.

I felt surprised to see him holding him perfectly, as if he knew how to handle a baby. Well, Maverick is his younger brother, maybe he held him when he was small. Makes sense.

When he heard me walking towards him, he lifted his head and removed the now empty bottle from Alaric's mouth and clearing his throat handed him back to me immediately.

I couldn't help but grin at his actions, he acts like he doesn't care but he does. It's his son after all. When I, who doesn't have anything to do with him, cares so much about him then he is the father, of course he cares.

He once again fell asleep and I sat down to have breakfast with him in my arms. "I am thinking of taking him away with me when I leave, don't you think? I mean you don't really care about him..."

He paused eating and stared at his plate. "No."

"No?"

"No one's leaving." He stated finally looking up, shooting me a glare.

"Please, you are not going to keep me here forever. I am leaving very soon. And as for Alaric I am taking him with me, I have become attached to him."

"Don't get attached to him, you are not his mother."

"Just giving birth doesn't make you a mother. The one who brings up the child, whether that person gave birth to them or not, becomes the mother. And in this case, I am the one changing his diapers, feeding him, cradling him so yeah, I guess that makes me his mother."

He gripped the edge of the table. "You are not taking him away from me. That's my son."

"Then start treating him like one." I shot back, giving him a glare.

We kept glaring at each other until he lowered his gaze and resumed eating saying, "Just finish your breakfast."

"I'm not hungry anymore." And pushing back the chair, I got up.

"Sit down and finish your breakfast."

Ignoring him, I walked upstairs.

Since Alaric was two-three days old now, I decided to give him a bath and once I was done I placed him on my bed and laying down next to him watched him sleep. My finger gently traced his nose.

I can't believe I love this kid already, I can't think about leaving him now. But I have to leave, he captured me and I can't stay here forever.

I will have to leave eventually.

I felt myself getting exhausted, my body aching. God, what's wrong now? I just finished with my period.

And slowly, I drifted off to sleep.

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I whimpered softly as my whole body was aching and I felt someone's hand over my forehead and my eyes snapped opened despite the fact I was feeling very sleepy and tired.

I stopped myself from gasping when I saw Zale bending over me, frowning, his palm over my forehead.

When he saw I was awake, he retreated his hand. "You have a fever."

"Why are you here?" I asked in a hoarse voice as he straightened.

He looked down at me with certain softness in his eyes. "I heard you whimpering and groaning."

"Oh..."

I realised I was curled up in a ball because I was feeling cold so, he draped the duvet over me, tucking it under my chin, covering my whole body.

"Stay there." He ordered as he moved out of the room.

Where does he think I will go? I don't have the energy to move at all.

He came back a minute later with a glass of water and some tablet in his hand which he handed to me. "Have this."

"How do I know you are not poisoning me?"

He sighed but there was no trace of anger on his face. "Just have this, you will feel better. I am not poisoning you."

Obeying him, I lifted myself off the bed enough to eat the medicine and then laid back down.

He hummed softly and giving me one last look, left the room and I found myself falling asleep again.

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I felt my hair being brushed away from my face and then a thumb gently caressing my cheek. "Jezebel?" He whispered.

Groaning, I opened my eyes and saw him sitting next to me on the stool with a bowl in his hands.

"What?"

He stirred whatever was there in the bowl with a spoon as he spoke, "You didn't even have breakfast. Drink this soup."

He...he made me a soup? My heart skipped at that.

"Get up."

My body registered his command before my mind could and I got up, holding the duvet to my chest.

He held out the bowl for me and with trembling fingers, I held it but I didn't seem to have the energy to hold it properly, I was too tired.

He noticed that and took the bowl from me and then scooping up some soup with the spoon he blowed at it and held it to my mouth.

I stared at him in shock. "I...I-I...can drink it... myself..."

"You will drop it. Let me." The gentleness in his tone shocked me to the core. Where is the man that kidnapped me? That didn't give a shit about me? Involuntarily my mouth opened and I drank the soup.

"Why are you talking to me like that?" I asked him not able to contain my curiosity.

He raised a brow. "Like what?"

"So nicely."

"You want me to shout at you when you are sick?"

Um...no. I wouldn't like that but...
I shook my head and he hummed.

Why the hell is he taking care of me? Then I realised because if something happens to me then he loses his chance of getting Alaska (which he doesn't have anyway) and dad will kill him.

Yeah, that's the only reason. I felt relieved on realising that and at the same time, I felt kinda disappointed.

He again scooped some more soup, blowed on it and fed me again. "Is it too hot?" I shook my head not trusting my voice.

He again fed me and a drop of it fell down on my chin and he wiped it away with his thumb.

Nope. Something's wrong, he is definitely drunk.

Once he was done feeding me, he wiped my lips with his thumb making my heart skip a beat once again. And picking up the bowl, he took it away leaving me alone.

Maybe I am dreaming...maybe nothing would have happened when I will wake up. Hmm... that's better and I laid down once again to sleep with the hope of dreaming all this.

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I gasped when I felt something cold touch my face and jolting I woke up, breathing heavily.

Zale stroked my hair gently. "Shh...go back to sleep."

With half opened eyes I stared at him as he sat on the stool and held a wet cloth in his hand with which he was wiping my face.

"W-what are you doing?"

"You are burning up. The medicine didn't bring down the fever. The doctor came to see you and he suggested to wipe your body with a wet cloth to bring down the fever." He explained casually and continued to wipe my face gently with the cloth as if I was a small child.

When he was done wiping my face he moved to my arms and wiped them too, his eyes focused on the task.

My heart beat quickened at his actions. He didn't need to do this, I won't be dying from the fever. And even if he was taking care of me just because he needs me alive, this wasn't necessary which means he is not doing all this just to keep me alive.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him, a thousand questions swirling like a storm inside me.

He kept his focus on wiping my arms and neck. "Just returning the favour, princess."

"We were already even."

"Oh, were we? I thought we weren't."

"Now we are not." I stated the obvious, watching him instensely as he once again wet the cloth with the water in the bowl lying on the nightstand.

"Then if one day I come back home injured then you can see to my wound. Then we will be even."

He removed the duvet from over me, goosebumps covering my body because I was feeling cold.

He held the hem of my t shirt and looked at me. "Can I?"

I realised he wanted to wipe my stomach too, I kept staring at him for a few seconds before I nodded.

He lifted the t shirt and slipped his hand inside and started to wipe my stomach. He didn't lift the t shirt fully to expose my stomach, he just lifted it enough to wipe it without exposing any skin as the t shirt hid it.

When he was done, he pulled the duvet over me once again and placed the cloth in the bowl and faced me.

"Why?" I whispered once again.

"I think I told you the answer already."

"That's not true."

A tiniest of smile graced his lips. "Then what do you think is true?"

I searched for an answer. "I think...maybe you are growing soft for me...?" I repeated his words, the ones he said to me when I stitched his wound.

That tiny smile converted into a full blown smile, a genuine one. For the first time I saw him smile like this, genuinely with his teeths on display and he slightly shook his head.

He got up and leaning down, brushed away the hair from my forehead. "Go to sleep, princess. You need rest."

And then he left the room.

When I woke up again, it was because Alaric was crying and groaning I turned to him realising I made him sleep in my room.

I didn't have any energy to get up and tend to him but I had to. Just as I was about to get up, the door opened and Zale walked in and much to my surprise, he went over to Alaric and picked him up in his arms.

He then looked at me. "Keep resting. I'll take care of him."

Baffled, I looked at him not believing him. Seeing that expression on my face he said, "I do know how to handle babies. I helped mom in bringing up Maverick."

And holding him carefully in his arms, he exited the room.

Too many shocks today. Too many.

Chapter completion on: 15/6/22
Published on: 26/6/22