Author POV:
In a vast meadow of flowers such as lavenders, roses, daisies, peonies and many more, there stood a man in awe of the beauty in front of him. He looked around but still could not believe how he has come to be in this vast meadow. He took a few steps forward when he heard a soft growl and that was enough to stopped him from taking another step. He stand there for a few minutes, waiting for a chance or for whatever beast he heard would walk away but to his disappointment, the beast could still be heard. Therefore, he heaved a deep breath and bravely took another step forward before come to the present of so-called beast that appears to be a beautiful white wolf with streaked of grey on it making the fur look as if it was shining like little pearl. The wolf was big than the one he normally knows. It stared at him without moving an inch from where it was sitting. The man feel relief to see the wolf only stared and did not move. He plucked another courage to walked closer to the wolf until he was just one step away in front of it. The wolf still with its eyes glued to the man let out another soft growl but still did not move from its place. The man somehow feels brave and finds the wolf intriguing as he extended his hand on its nose as the wolf nudge it gently in return. The man smiled as he patted the wolf and embracing it in his arms.
"We finally meet in person, Raphael. I must have given you quite the fright seeing that you're here." A voice resonate around the meadow and tears fell on the man cheeks.
"Kyle? Why didn't you talk to me? What is this place? Are we dead?" The man tighten his embrace on the wolf as the fear slowly creep in his heart.
"Yes. I couldn't talk to you and we are not dead." Kyle chuckled as he nudged Raphael to follow him as he got up from his seat.
"This is where all wolf go when their human died but my case are different since my human was supposed to die but another human replaced him by inhabited his body. Come with me. There's someone I want you to meet."
Raphael nodded as he listened and followed Kyle. It feels surreal to be walking side by side with Kyle. Hearing his words, Raphael could not help but wonder if Nikolai would also be here as well. They walked together for a while before stop at the beautiful and blooming roses meadow where stood majestically a pure white wolf and a man with dark brown hair, bluest eyes and tan skin. Raphael stared as they walked towards them but it does not feel they wrre getting any closer to them even though it does feel like they have been walking for a while.
"Kyle, we're not getting any closer are we?" He asked the wolf as he started to feel tired of walking endlessly.
"We are. I guess this is their way of saying 'it's not the time yet'." The wolf answered as they finally stopped walking.
"It's time to go, Raph. He's calling you. You need to go back." He heard a voice in his head. A familiar voice that he miss so much.
"Nikolai? Niko! What do you mean?!" He screamed in his head asking for answers.
"It's not the time yet. You need to go back now. He's calling you, Raph. Can't you hear his voice?" He closed his eyes and focused his ears before hearing a voice calling his name. The voice feels familiar too.
"Who is calling me?" He wondered.
"Your mate. So, time to go. Kyle is gonna be fine. He just need some time only. He will be back with you soon. Now, go back to him." With that said, a gush of wind suddenly hit him gently and pushing him further away from Kyle.
"No! Not yet! No! Please don't send me back yet! Niko! Nikolai! Niko!" He screamed at the top of his lungs before darkness consumed him.
Mikael POV:
I woke up with a start. I could not open my eyes as the bright light feels blinding to me. I could sense people around me. I heard a voice calling my name and a hand holding mine tightly. A familiar scent came into my nose and it calms me. Slowly, I tried to open my eyes again and finally, I saw a face that seems familiar but unfamiliar to me as he looks different. He stared at me for a few moments before pulling me in his embrace. When he let go, I could not help but notice tears rolling down his cheeks. I wiped it off his face and give a faint smile as I still feel disoriented.
"Who are you?" I asked as I keep on thinking that he look familiar, smell familiar but he looks different. He looks haggard and unkempt actually with beard covering his face and hair long enough to cover his eyes.
"You don't know me? It's Caleb." He answered and that confirmed my thought of how he seems familiar.
"You can't be. Caleb doesn't look like this. Who are you?" Seeing how he reacts to my words earlier, it makes me wants to tease him a little.
"It's really Caleb. Please don't tell me you lost your memories." He whined as he holding my hands tight.
"He probably just didn't recognize you with all that beard and hair. You look like a caveman." I turned to my left and saw Blake standing next to Dr Isla who is staring at me intensely.
"What? Is that true? Give me a minute. I will be right back." Looking confused and disbelief, he left as soon as said that.
I chuckled at his antics. He is adorable is what I thought. I have come to realized that I might actually have romantic feelings for him that I was not aware of before.
"You do recognized him don't you, Mikael?" I turned to my attention to Blake and nodded my head weakly with smile.
"Of course I would recognize him. I can still recognize him with my eyes close. His scent is a dead giveaway to me." I laughed and somehow, I feel lighter than I was before I fainted. I wonder how long I was unconscious.
"Kyle? Are you there?" I mind link him as soon as I remembered why I fainted before.
"I'm here, Mikael. Don't worry. I'm fine now. I just need a little more time to recuperate myself back. You can talk to me from time to time. So, cheer up." His words reassuring me and makes me feel relieved. I guess I will have to just wait for him to get fully health first because he does not sound so good. The wolfsbane that the real Mikael took must have taken great toll on him.
"Mikael, how are you feeling?" I heard Dr Isla voice and turned to her with smile and nodded my head.
"Why do you look so worried? I'm really okay. I just feel thirsty only." I said as I realized how dry my throat feels.
"Here. Drink it. You got everyone here worried about you." She said as she hand me a glasses of water. There is clear concern in her eyes. Maybe because I am her patient.
"I'm sorry but I'm really okay. But can I ask something?" I hesitantly asked as I am not sure if it is okay for me to ask it.
"What is it?" I took a deep breath and plucked the courage to ask her.
"How long have I been unconscious? Caleb look too haggard for it to be just few hours." She stared at me and turned to Blake as if she is asking permission from him. When he nodded his head, she turned back to me and took a deep breath and hold my hand gently.
"Mikael, try to stay as calm as possible okay? To be very honest, it's true you are perfectly healthy. There's nothing wrong with your body either. But somehow, something happened that day and you've in a coma like sleep for 3 months already. Caleb look that way because he refused to leave your side. He practically leave all his works in the pack and at the company to Beta Blake to do. He hardly eat nor sleep too. He's too worried and too scared of losing you. There are moments where your scent suddenly gone completely. When that happened, he would panicked and run amuck around the mansion. The mansion is in complete mess. It was hard for Mrs Gomez. So, I told her not to come for a while until you're awake. Even just earlier, it happened again. He was destroying Goddess knows what when I called him as I noticed movement on your hands before you woke up." I was stunned to hear her answer and explanation of what happened. Now, I understand why Caleb look that way.
"Caleb---"
"Mikael! Are you okay? What's wrong?" I was shocked to see him ran into my room and pulled me into his arms.
"I'm okay. Nothing's wrong. Calm down." I chuckled as I patted his back gently.
"Don't scared me like that. Don't use that tone of voice." He hold me tightly as he nagged.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I was just thinking of you only. That's all. Please calm down." I patted his back and apologize. "Could you let me go? Dr Isla and Blake are looking at us. It's embarrassing." I whispered in his ears as I tried to pulled away from him.
"Are you shy? You don't seem shy when you did a lot more than this before." I swiftly closed his mouth when I heard the words he said as I do not want to remember that night again. He laughed in my hands and let go of me with laughter still left in him.
"I have something to ask you right now." I cleared my throat as I said that.
"Anything, love. You can ask me anything." He smiled as he answered and look straight into my eyes.
"Is it true you almost destroyed the mansion while I was asleep?" He nodded and look guilty about it.
"Is it true you pushed all your responsibilities and duties to Beta Blake because you don't want to leave my side?" He nodded again with a big smile this time. As soon as I saw him nodded, I grabbed his left ear and twisted it a little. He winced a bit and I continued.
"Who told you to do that? Dr Isla must have told you that I'm perfectly healthy and just asleep right? So, why did you do that? Why must you neglected your duties and responsibilities for the company you owned and for the pack? How am I supposed to be happy with that fact? You should never do that. You're an Alpha. You're the King too. You have big responsibilities that you shouldn't neglect. I don't like you do that just because of me. How am I gonna face everyone if you did that? How am I gonna proudly said I'm your mate if they think you've become irresponsible because of me. Never ever do that again. Never ever neglect your people because me. I don't want you to do that. Also, stop thrashing around the mansion when you lost your temper. Think about Mrs Gomez. Think of how hard it is gonna be for her to clean it all up. Do you understand me? Do you promise not to do this again?" I nagged at him without letting go of his ear and he nodded as he glanced around to see Blake trying very hard to suppress his laugh and Dr Isla turned her back on us to hide probably a big smile on her face.
"Could you let go of my ear? This is kinda hurt my pride as Alpha since you did it in front of them." He glanced at me as he asked me to let go. I let his ear go and glared at him and turned my attention towards Blake.
"Beta Blake, is there more work that still not done?" I asked with stern voice that made Blake standing straight and put a serious face.
"Yes. There's few meetings that required Alpha Caleb to be present that have been postponed for few times. There's some documents that needed his approval too." I glared again towards Caleb and pinch his arm a little and he winced from the pain it caused.
"Go to work. Go do your work. Finish all your work that you have been postponed. Don't come back until you're done. I don't care how long it takes. Now, go." I pushed him gently. He pouted as he hold my arm.
"Can't I do that tomorrow? I want to be with you today. Please I will do all my work properly tomorrow." He begged me with a cute pout on his face that inviting a snicker from Blake.
"No! Go do your work today. It's still morning right now. If you do your work quickly, you will get to come home early. If you finish your all your work today, I will give you a reward. How's that sound?" I tried to coaxed him to listen to me. Unfortunately, he shook his head and would not let go of my arm.
"Beta Blake, please do drag this big guy to the company to do his work." I asked for Blake to help me and he do it with pleasure as he pulled Caleb's hand from my arm and dragged him out of the room with a big smile on his face while Caleb looks like he was send to a death sentence.
"You did that on purpose aren't you, Mikael?" Dr Isla asked as soon as those two were out of the room and mansion.
I took a deep breath and let out a breath of relief as I nodded with a faint smile on my face.
"I expected you to have some questions since you have been staring at me, Dr Isla." I said politely as I adjusted my seat on the bed and leaned back at the hardwood of the bed.
"I do. I have so many questions that I know only you have the answers to it but I'm not quite sure if I should ask any of it for the fear of how it might affect Caleb." She hesitantly said with her eyes filled with genuine concerns.
"Then, I think it's best if you ask me what you have in mind. I will try to answer all of your questions. We have all day. I doubt Caleb will be back any time soon." I said with a bright smile as I realized the time has come for me to tell someone the truth. Well, not the whole truth though. She need to know considering she is the doctor of the pack and the one that monitoring my health since the day I woke up at the forest before.
"Very well. Let's do this." She smiled as she took a seat on a chair next to the bed.