Chapter 25: Chapter 25
"Can she even hear us?" Laura wondered as she touched her daughter who didn’t flinch. It was as if Maria couldn’t feel or see.
Maria’s eyes were fixed in one direction, not turning towards her mother or Mozart.
"I’d prepare medicine for her. You can take her home, or leave her here, but the main thing is that she must take the medicine to fully recover."
"I’m taking her with me." Laura interrupted, before Mozart dropped the last word.
Mozart went inside a room, and emerged seconds later with a pot. The pot was smaller than the cauldron used earlier. She began mixing several items to make a medicine.
When she was done, she emptied the content into two bottles.
"Give her one spoon everyday before midnight."
"Thank you." Laura said as she collected the bottles.
Mozart sighed and adjusted the sleeves of her gown. "My part of the deal is done. It’s left for you to fulfill yours."
"Of course. The alpha would give you the best of the land and precious stones, just as we agreed, but..." Mozart raised her brow as she heard a contradiction in Laura’s statement. "They are no buts here, we made a deal." Mozart snapped at her.
"But we’d bring the precious stones first, and after Maria has recovered, you would get your land." Laura said firmly.
"Fine. I’d wait till your daughter recovers." She said, accompanied with a murmur of something incomprehensible as though she wasn’t okay with Laura’s suggestion.
Laura alerted Reynolds about their daughter’s recovery. A carriage arrived, along with two guards. Reynolds’ face beamed with smiles as he met his daughter seated on the table, awake and alive.
"She doesn’t speak yet," Laura told him as he tried to talk to Maria.
"You have your gold, silk, emeralds and pearls." Reynolds told the witch, as he ordered the guards to bring in the bags of precious stones. "You would get the lands only after she recovers."
"Ooh. I’m so pleased." Mozart smiled gleefully as she surveyed the gold that was given to her.
Maria was supported into the carriage. She could walk by herself, although her movement was a bit slow. After everyone was settled inside, the driver took off to Alpha Reynolds’ palace.
Maria settled in her room which had been cleaned prior to now. She glanced around the room, squinting her eyes like she didn’t recognize the environment. When it was night, the maid came in with her medicine and fed it to her just like the witch had instructed.
It had been a week since Maria had been recovering. She hadn’t spoken to anyone, all she did was eat, sleep and take her medicine. Jada hadn’t come to see her the entire while because she was banned from ever communicating with Maria. Reynolds was also contemplating firing her from her job as a tutor.
Today, just before midnight, Laura brought the medicine. She was about to pour it into Maria’s mouth when Maria held her hand.
"I’d take it myself." Maria said, causing her mother to jerk with excitement.
Maria had finally spoken. Laura wrapped her firmly in an embrace. "How are you feeling?" She asked, stroking her daughter’s hair.
"I’m fine. How is dad and...Jada."
"Your father is doing well, but Jada has been fired. Another tutor is taking her place. You don’t have to train. I don’t care if you lack abilities. What matters is that you’re safe." Laura said, before hugging Maria a second time.
"I need to see Jada. You can’t just fire her."
"She risked your life."
"I went there willingly." Maria stated. "You have to bring her back. I need to ask her questions."
Laura took a deep breath. "I would bring her back if you insist, but how are you feeling? Can you see me?"
"Of course I can see you," Maria smiled.
"I have to tell your father about this," Laura said with a voice full of excitement. She kissed Maria on the forehead before leaving the room.
Maria sat erect on the bed, the candle light illuminating the room. Outside was pitch black. She reached for her wolf, but couldn’t feel anything. She wondered if her wolf was still weak from the rejection. But even after she was rejected, she still felt her wolf, but right now, she felt nothing at all.
Her gaze fell on the silhouette in front of her. She gasped and stood up from the bed. The image increased from one to three. ’Could there be people in this room with me?’ She asked herself multiple times as she looked around.
Her door opened, and the images which she saw vanished. Her mother entered the room accompanied by her father. He scooped her into his arms, stroking her hair gently.
"Your mother said you’ve begun talking."
"I have." Maria said in response.
As Maria hugged her father, she saw the dark images appearing on the wall again. It seemed like she was the only one seeing it, because her mother and father didn’t react.
"Do you see it?" She whispered to Laura who was seated by her side.
"See what?"
"Nevermind. I just feel sleepy."
"Okay dear. We’ll leave you to sleep."
As her parents left the room, Maria continued staring at the images on the wall. For some inexplicable reason, she didn’t feel fear. She only felt like there were some unanswered questions to her healing.
What could they be? One of the images had the shape of a woman while the rest looked like men. They were imprinted on the wall like shadows. She tried to sniff for any scent of someone else being in the room with her, but felt nothing.
She looked away from the wall, and when she returned her gaze, the images had disappeared.
Her mind drifted to the man who rejected her. Did he think about me? Did he hate the fact that I was his mate? Did he ever regret his actions? Maria asked herself these questions. In the process of thinking about her mate and the strange things she saw, she drifted off into sleep.