Rise of the Warrior Queen (Kaia and Silver) novel Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

KAIA’S POV

Dr. Grayson moved around quietly, his expression full of worry as he checked Mia and examined her wounds. The beeping of machines filled the room, along with the sound of Mia’s pained breathing.

Silver stood silently beside me with his hands tucked into his pockets, and I sat close to Mia, holding her hand while she rested her head back against the pillow. Her eyes were closed now, though I wasn’t sure if she was asleep or just trying to block out the world due to the pain and discomfort.

Dr. Grayson looked up after checking the monitor. “She’s stable,” he said. “There’s no sign of broken bones, just bruises and some cuts. I stitched her shoulder up and gave her something for the pain. We’ll keep her for observation tonight.”

I nodded, brushing some hair away from Mia’s forehead. “Thanks, Doc”

I can’t believe she almost got killed just from going on a morning run. For goodness sake, it’s not like this was her first. Around here, we go on morning runs all the time. Everyone does it, including myself. Mia has done it countless times too, so what in the goddess name happened this time? Who were those people exactly, and what did they want?

“She’s lucky,” Dr. Grayson said softly. “Whoever did this… they weren’t trying to kill her. It looks more like a warning. She could have gotten terribly injured, perhaps something even worse than death.”

My stomach twisted at his words. That’s what it felt like too. They could have killed her if they wanted to. But they didn’t.

This was exactly what they wanted.

They wanted us confused and afraid.

I looked up at Silver, but before either of us could say anything, the hospital door burst open with a loud bang, causing Mia to wince and grab her head in pain.

We turned to see Gareth storm in, his jaw tight and his eyes blazing with anger. Laura followed right behind him, her heels clacking loudly against the tiled floor, and her glare was immediately directed at me.

“Mia! Where is she?!” Gareth shouted, his voice full of rage and panic as he looked at her on the bed. Then,

without another word, he turned on Silver.

“You bastard!” Gareth growled, charging across the room.

“Wait–what?” I gasped, my eyes wide in a mixture of shock and confusion.

Before I could move, Gareth’s fist connected with Silver’s jaw–hard. The sound echoed in the small room like

a gunshot, causing my mouth to drop, and my eyes to widen even more.

“Gareth!” I cried as I got off the bed.

Silver stumbled back a step, catching himself before he fell. He didn’t make a sound, but I saw the muscle in his jaw twitch.

“What the hell, Gareth?! What is your problem?!” I yelled in anger, pushing myself between Gareth and Silver as I shoved Gareth with both hands, forcing him back. “What is wrong with you?!”

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

“You want to know what my problem is?” Gareth spat, wiping sweat from his brow. “He is my problem, Kala! He shows up out of nowhere, no memory, no explanation–and suddenly my warriors are being attacked in the woods by goddess knows who?! Mia nearly died!”

“That doesn’t mean you just barge in here and start throwing fists without even asking questions, Gareth! That’s not how it works!” I shouted back, feeling my own anger rise at his behavior

He was acting like a child, and that was not okay.

Laura scoffed and stepped forward, her voice sharp and cold as she spoke. “You should watch your mouth, Kala. And maybe keep your ugly claws off my mate! I do not appreciate my man being touched by some cheap, classless w***e!”

spun

to face her, my eyes narrowing and my fists tightening as I tried to rein in my anger. “Maybe you should try keeping your jealousy in check sometimes, Laura. Not all of us are desperate enough to stoop that low. I’m not interested in your mate. I’m trying to stop a fight–something you clearly don’t care about.”

Laura’s lip curled in disgust. “Oh, please. You’re always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, Kaia. And just so we’re clear, just because you’re the sub–leader of the female warriors doesn’t mean you run the pack.”

“No,” I said calmly. “But it does mean I don’t have to listen to you when you’re being a brat and running your mouth all over the place. And want to know what else it means, Laura? It also means I can choose to beat your rude, disrespectful ass six ways from Sunday and you will do NOTHING about it.”

“Enough!” Dr. Grayson snapped from the other side of the bed. “This is a hospital, not a fight ring. Keep your voices down–all of you. There’s a patient here who needs rest.”

I sighed, shutting my eyes for a moment to calm myself down,

When I opened them again, I turned to face Dr. Grayson. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

And then with that, I turned back toward Silver, completely ignoring Laura and the angry smoke coming out

of her ears.

Silver hasn’t said a word since what happened with Gareth. But his fists were clenched so tightly I saw the skin around his knuckles turning white. His jaw was set hard, and his eyes–even though they were calm-

held a storm behind them.

Oh, he was angry, all right. Very angry. But he seemed to be holding it all in.

I stepped closer to him, lowering my voice. “Are you okay?”

He didn’t look at me at first. He was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke. “I’m fine,” he muttered.

His voice was tight and cold, causing me to frown.

Gareth crossed his arms, breathing hard and still glaring. This pack was doing perfectly fine, M “veil was at peace for years,” he growled. “No trouble. No rogues. No threats. Then you-” he pointed at Si.. -show

up in the woods like some ghost with no past, no family, no pack. And in less than two days, our top female

warrior is attacked in her own territory, Kidnapped. Beaten. And left for dead!”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Gareth kept going.

“You think that’s a coincidence?” he snapped. “Because I don’t.”

Silver finally spoke. His voice was quiet, but I could hear the edge in it. “So, what are you saying? That I

planned this? That Im responsible for her getting hurt?”

Gareth sneered Tdon’t know what you planned or what you didn’t. But something’s not right about you. And until we figure it out, you’re a threat to this pack I don’t care what anyone else thinks or says”

“That’s enough,” I said firmly “Stop it, Gareth. You’re making a scene when you don’t have proof of anything”

Thave Mia bleeding and barely concious in a hospital bed!” Gareth shouted, pointing at her.

“Then go figure out what exactly happened to her instead of wasting the time we don’t have punching strangers,” I snapped “Silver has been watched every second since he arrived. You really think he had time to

plan an ambush? From where, if I may ask? The hospital bed? Or from Dr. Grayson’s house?”

“Dax told me she said they wore masks,” Gareth said, his voice low and dangerous now. That they were fast and powerful Rogues with training. You think that’s just bad luck? You really want to believe that?”

I crossed my arms. “You’re angry I get it. But being angry doesn’t give you the right to accuse someone just

because he’s new?

Laura chimed in, “Or maybe Kaia just wants to defend her little pet project. How cute”

I shot her a glare. “One more word, Laura, and I swear-

“Oh, goddess! Enough!” Dr. Grayson shouted again, louder this time. “I won’t tell you again. You kids want to

argue, take it outside. This isn’t helping Mia in any way.”

Silver turned and walked toward the window, away from all of us. His back was rigid, and his entire form was tensed. I knew he was trying to calm himself down

I shot Gareth one last glare before walking towards him

“Silver-

“I didn’t ask for this,” Silver said quietly, his eyes on the trees beyond the glass. “I didn’t ask to be dumped in a forest with no memory, Kala. I didn’t want to be in anyone’s way.”

“I know,” I said softly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Behind us, Gareth let out a bitter laugh. “That’s what you think. But if you ask me, he’s either cursed–or being used by someone else as a way into this pack. Isn’t it obvious?! Do you really not see this, Kaia?! Or are you just defending him because you enjoy spiting me?!”

I turned back toward him. “You’re letting fear and stupidity cloud your judgment. You might want to be careful how you proceed from here.”

“Or maybe I’m the only one not being fooled by him,” Gareth replied coldly.

I was about to respond to him, choosing to disregard Dr. Grayson’s warnings, when Mia stirred Her voice was weak as she spoke. “Stop fighting…”

We all turned to her. She slowly sat up, wincing as she looked at us.

1 groan.

“Alpha,” she called, turning to Gareth. “They said something about testing us. About the borders. That they

weren’t done.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“They said Moonveil was next,” she whispered.

-3/5

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Gareth’s face darkened. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know,” Mia said. “But they weren’t random roques. They were organized. And they knew where to find

1. me. Where I’d be. I think I was followed”

“Which means we might have a security breach,” I said quietly, shaking my head. “This isn’t good. I don’t like this at all. Someone’s definitely responsible for this,”

“And it wasn’t Silver, Mia added, looking at Gareth

Gareth opened his mouth to speak, but Mia shook her head. “It wasn’t him, Alpha. I can assure you of that Those people are operating with high information, and there’s absolutely no way Silver already knows so much about our pack when he hasn’t even been here 48 hours. I think we’re dealing with someone else. They

know too much.”

Gareth’s jaw tensed. “I still don’t trust him.”

“You don’t have to,” I said. “But if you want to keep the pack safe, you need to stop throwing punches and

start investigating

He looked at me, then at Silver, and finally at Mia. Then he rolled his eyes in irritation. “Fine. I’ll let this slide for now. But if anything else happens–anything–I’m holding him responsible. And just so you know, it’s going to be on you both for stepping up to defend him. A man you know absolutely nothing about!”

With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

Laura gave me one last glare before following him.

The room was quiet again.

I walked over to Mia, patting her shoulder. “You did good, friend. I should buy you a drink.”

Mia chuckled softly and leaned back. “He was being unfair.”

Dr. Grayson sighed, his gaze shifting to Silver. “You okay, son?” he asked.

Silver nodded as he walked over and sat in a chair. “Yeah, I’m fine. He’s not wrong to be suspicious.”

“Maybe not,” I said, turning to him. “But that doesn’t mean he gets to treat you the way he did. He was out of

line.

“I don’t blame him,” Silver said. “I mean, he’s an asshole, but he still has a point. I can’t remember who I am, Kala. He could be right. I could be dangerous. I could be part of this somehow and not even know it.”

I frowned. “Would you stop saying stupid things?! What the hell, River?!”

Dr. Grayson sighed heavily, stepping forward. “She’s right, son. I can’t even begin to imagine he “ustrated you must be right now, not being able to remember anything about who you are. But that does mean you start thinking the worst of yourself. Allow us to get to the bottom of this first, and then we’ll see to the rest. Do you understand me?”

Silver looked at him for a long moment, then nodded once. “Yes, Sir.”

Dr. Grayson’s face softened into a smile, and he nodded. “Good. Now go put some ice on that. You don’t need any more pain added to the one you’re already dealing with.”

I’m fine, Doc,” Silver said, but he immediately shook his head.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

“No,” he said. “Go ice it, son. I insist.”

Silver was quiet for a moment before he nodded and got up, walking out of the room.

Turning toward us, Dr. Grayson spoke, “I’ll be right back, kids. Kala, you can make yourself comfortable.” And with that, he walked out of the room.

As the door shut behind him, Mia and I shared a look, and Mia arched her brow. “Are you thinking what I’m

thinking?”

I sighed, going over to take a seat beside her on the bed. “Hmm. I always am.”

Mia sighed, shaking her head. “It’s a shame, really. He would have made ori awesome dad.”

I nodded in agreement. He would have.

If only fate wasn’t so cruel.

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