The Princess's Revenge Chapter 61

Valencia’s POV

"I will," I promised.

I watched her hurry out the door, then turned back to Nestor and Kael. "Thank you for everything. For the food and encouragement."

"Don't mention it," Kael said with a warm smile. "Just stay strong."

I left the kitchen and headed toward the stairs, my heart feeling lighter. Their faith in me rekindled my hope.

I approached Alpha Logan’s chambers and could hear low voices coming from inside. Taking a deep breath, I knocked softly on the wooden door.

"Come in," Dr. Vance's familiar voice called out.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside. Alpha Logan lay on the bed, his face pale and drawn even in unconsciousness. My chest tighten with concern. Dr. Vance sat in a chair beside the bed, his weathered face creased with worry. Leif and Finch stood near the window, their expressions serious.

"How is he?" I asked quietly, moving closer to the bed.

Dr. Vance looked up at me, his eyes tired. "Still unconscious," he replied. "The wolfsbane is mostly out of his system now, but his body needs time to recover. The trauma he experienced..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

I studied Alpha Logan's face, noting how his brow was furrowed. His head turned slightly on the pillow, and a low moan escaped his lips.

"He's still having nightmares," I whispered, my heart aching at the sight.

"Yes," Dr. Vance confirmed sadly. "Whatever he went through out there, it's haunting his dreams."

Leif shifted uncomfortably near the window, and when I glanced at him, his eyes immediately looked away. He kept opening his mouth as if to speak, then closing it again.

I ignored his strange behavior and focused on Alpha Logan. Another soft groan came from his lips, and his hands clenched into fists against the bedsheets.

"Valencia," Leif's voice came from behind me, hesitant and uncertain. "Could I... could I speak with you for a moment? Outside?"

I turned to stare at him in complete shock. "Outside?" I repeated, confused by his request.

Leif's face was flushed with discomfort, and he wouldn't meet my eyes. "Please. It's important."

I looked toward Dr. Vance, seeking guidance. He gave me a small nod, his expression understanding.

"Go ahead," Dr. Vance said gently. "I'll stay with Alpha Logan."

Still confused but curious, I followed Leif out into the hallway. He closed the door behind us and leaned against the stone wall, running his hands through his hair. For a long moment, he said nothing, just stared at the floor.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked finally.

Leif's jaw worked as if he was struggling to find the words. When he finally looked up at me, his eyes were filled with regret.

"I..." he started, then stopped. He took a deep breath and tried again. "I owe you an apology."

My mouth fell open in shock. "What?"

"The antidote," he said, his voice thick with shame. "When you tried to give Alpha Logan the antidote, I knocked it from your hands. I called you terrible names. I treated you like..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

I stared at him, unable to process what I was hearing.

"I was wrong," he continued, his voice growing stronger. "Dr. Vance told me everything. How you saved people during the attack. How you distributed antidotes. How you fight the flames." He looked directly at me now, his eyes sincere. "You're not what I thought you were."

I remained silent, still too shocked to respond.

"I let my prejudices cloud my judgment," Leif said. "I saw the collar around your neck and assumed... I assumed you were worthless. I was a fool."

He straightened up, his posture formal. "I'm asking for your forgiveness, Valencia. I know I don't deserve it, but I'm asking anyway."

The genuine remorse in his eyes was overwhelming. Of all the things I had expected today, Leif apologizing was not one of them.

"I..." I started, then stopped. Part of me wanted to stay angry and hold onto the humiliation he had caused me. But looking at his face, seeing the genuine regret there, I found I couldn't.

"I accept your apology," I said quietly.

Relief flooded across Leif's features. "Thank you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you."

We stood there in awkward silence for a moment, both of us processing this unexpected turn of events.

"We should go back inside," I said finally.

Leif nodded.

Dr. Vance looked up as we entered, a small smile playing at his lips. He had probably guessed what the conversation was about.

I moved back to Alpha Logan's bedside, settling into another chair.

"AH!"

The sudden cry from Alpha Logan made everyone in the room jump. His eyes flew open, wild and unfocused, staring at the ceiling. His chest heaved as if he couldn't catch his breath.

"Alpha!" I gasped, immediately reaching for his hand.

His gray eyes darted around the room frantically before finally focusing on my face. For a moment, he just stared at me as if he couldn't believe I was real.

"Alpha," without thinking, I reached for his hand, wanting to comfort him, my heart breaking at the fear and confusion in his eyes. "You're home."

He looked around the room, taking in Dr. Vance, Leif, and Finch watching him with concerned expressions. Then his gaze returned to me, and I saw some of the panic leave his face.

"Valencia," he breathed, his voice hoarse.

I wanted nothing more than to throw myself into his arms, to hold him close and never let go. But it wouldn't be appropriate for a slave to embrace an Alpha so intimately.

I tried to pull my hand back, to put some proper distance between us.

But Logan's grip tightened around my fingers, refusing to let me go. Before I could protest, he sat up and pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me in a fierce embrace.

"Alpha," I whispered, shocked by his public display of affection.

His arms tightened around me, and I could feel his heart hammering against his ribs. "I thought..." he started, his voice muffled against my hair. "I would never see you again."

Behind us, I heard Leif's sharp intake of breath. And Alpha Logan held me tighter.

"I'm here," I whispered, my own arms coming up to wrap around his shoulders. "I'm safe."

Dr. Vance cleared his throat diplomatically. "Alpha Logan," he said gently, "you're recovering well. The wolfsbane is out of your system. You just need rest and nourishment now."

Logan loosened his grip on me slightly but didn't let go completely. "Food," he said, his voice still rough. "I could eat."

"I'll have the kitchen prepare something immediately," Dr. Vance gestured to Leif and Finch. "Come with me."

The three men filed out of the room, leaving Logan and me alone. I remained in his arms, feeling the warmth of his embrace.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked softly, pulling back slightly to look at his face.

"Better now," he said, his gray eyes studying my features as if memorizing them.

I wanted to ask him about what had happened, about the ambush and Clarence's death and the severed head in his saddlebag. But something held me back. The haunted look in his eyes warned me that he wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

"Alpha," I said carefully, "were you having nightmares?"

His jaw tightened, and for a moment he didn't answer. Then he looked away, his arms still around me but his gaze distant.