Why My Mate Cries
Chapter 86

REID’S POV

I felt terrible, and I didn’t know why.

As we drove home, Aliyah was silent. I hoped I could read what was on his mind to help me figure out what she was thinking all this time, but I couldn’t.

“Aliyah, a penny for your thoughts?” I tried to ask her, but she didn’t answer me.

Instead, she kept her eyes on the road. I could feel my heart thumping harder inside my chest as we got closer to our territory. I drove even faster than usual, hoping that once she got to see her friends, she’d feel somehow better.

As I looked back at what had occurred in the Silver Moon land, a pang of sadness caught me off guard. I never understood what Aliyah was feeling until just now, and I finally became aware that she might have thought I was so cruel for leaving the pack in that state. But I would do what I promised her. I would deploy people to help the innocent families and Jaxon rebuild the pack, though I knew it would take time to fix everything.

It was afternoon when we arrived in front of the pack house. I scooped her up and carried her into my arms. She glanced up and noticed me looking down at her. My heart rate picked up when she was about to say something, but my shoulders sagged when no words came out of her mouth. Instead, she shook her head and gave me one thin smile.

The pack house was quiet when we came in, as this was the usual time where teenage members go into school, while the adults were working in their chosen field of work. I thought it might be a good thing. With Aliyah’s physical state, I don’t think she could entertain our pack mates who badly missed her.

“Meet with the elders. Tell them we have to deploy people who will deliver food and other necessities to the Silver Moon members, and then Lucas could lead them, especially in helping Jaxon,” I commanded Klaus, who was walking behind us. “We will stay in our room. Do not try to disturb us.”

“Copy, Reid.”

We walked the rest of the way to our private place, and as soon as we entered, I took Aliyah into our bedroom and placed her on the bed. Silence engulfed the two of us.

I stood up, watching her every movement, how her entire body trembled while looking around the bedroom, where our happiness was captured perfectly, and the only place that I’d say was a constant witness of how great things were between us before the annual assembly happened; before she was taken away from me.

She was quiet the entire time she was surveying our bedroom, and when our eyes met, I felt the mate pull coursing through me like a wild fire.

“Did I miss anything while I was away?” she asked softly.

“Nothing except the fact that I was goddamn miserable while you were gone,” I said, and joined her, sitting so close that my hand brushed against her legs. “Your turn to answer the same question.”

Aliyah looked at me with a heavy amount of emotion in her eyes. I recalled what the witch had told me last night. She killed our baby. She stole the life of our little wolf. I could not imagine how she dealt with the fatal pain of losing the life of our child, but I understood what it felt like.

Whenever it crossed my mind, I could feel my chest tightening… mourning, and I would struggle to breathe to even think that a big part of my life was taken away and I wasn’t able to do anything to thwart it.

Aliyah nodded in response to the same question she asked. She took a deep breath, and as I waited for her to begin speaking, I could feel myself dying inside at our painful loss.

“I want to take a hot bath,” she said suddenly. Her voice was weak, seemingly on the verge of tearing up but still fighting it.

I nodded and caressed her hair. “I will prepare the tub so we can bathe together.”

“That sounds perfect…” she replied, and then embraced her knees.

All I did was stare at her for a brief moment. I wanted to talk and came up with a response that could make her smile, but something within me couldn’t compose a single sentence. Now that we were alone, the loss accompanied by a great deal of grief hit me, and I knew a big part of me was ripping apart, just like her.

I prepared the bath tub by filling it up with hot water and pouring in her usual body wash. I stared at the water for a while, contemplating whether or not I should bring up the topic regarding our baby, but then I decided not to push it, for I knew it would be difficult for her to talk about.

“Come here, little wolf…” I said when I returned to the bed and scooped her up.

She looked at me, half-smiling. “I missed you calling me that way…”

“I miss you too,” I replied, and pressed my lips to the side of her head.

I took her into the bathroom and slowly put her down in the tub. She gasped as soon as she felt the water, yet I could feel that her body relaxed with its warmth.

“Join me.” She glanced up at me, her eyes pleadingly.

“You don’t need to tell me, ‘cause I definitely will,” I replied as I removed my pants until I was completely naked in front of him.

She sucked in a breath, her cheeks flushed while staring at my body. However, she did not say anything, but rather only moved aside to give me enough space right behind her.

“Were they worried about me?” she asked in her soft voice as I stepped into the tub and settled behind her.

I pulled her closer to me, gently lifting her up so she could sit on my lap and pressing my body against her soft, fragile back. She leaned her head against my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around her thin waist.

“Yes, they were.” I pressed my lips to her shoulder. “And so was I…”

“I was worried about you too…”

“I know, I know, my little wolf,” I said and kissed her on the neck.

She then tilted her head, giving me enough access to take advantage of this moment of peace. We fell into a brief period of silence. I kept embracing her while my eyes were shut, feeling the warmth of her presence. She was only breathing heavily on top of me, brushing her hand against my arm, and letting out a sigh of relief.

“I haven’t apologized to you…” I said as I buried my face in her neck. “I’m sorry for all I did, Aliyah. I know I’ve caused a lot of trouble.”

She drew in a long breath, and seconds later, her shoulders started to tremble—an indication that she had already burst into tears. I caressed her lower abdomen and hugged her tight as if I didn’t want to lose her at all.

No, I’d never want to lose her again…

“I have to apologize to you too, Reid…” she said after a while and then paused to take a few deep breaths before she continued.

“…I lost our baby.”