The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 157: A Month Later... ()

"My King?" Dechlan called, his voice drawing Askel out of his thoughts.

Askel glanced up at Dechlan, his brows furrowed in confusion. He was not certain when Dechlan had stepped into his office,

Askel had found himself lost in his own thoughts more often than not recently, so much so that it was difficult for him to pay attention to his own surrounding.

And so, it did not come as a surprise to him that Dechlan’s arrival had gone unnoticed, Askel did miss even more significant details in these days.

"You were going to reassign the patrol schedule...you summoned me." Dechlan reminded in a concerned tone.

Askel thought over it for a moment before he recalled he did summon Dechlan a short time ago.

The days and events were all jumbled up in Askel’s head, he could no longer tell one from the other or what came before what.

Try as Askel might, he could not even be bothered by his increasingly absentminded state, he already had enough to bother about that his own well being was secondary.

"Right, I did." Askel agreed, pulling open his drawer to retrieve the file.

Askel was relieved that he could still execute his duties even with his state of mind, but he was not certain for how long he could pretend that everything was fine with him when nothing was fine at all.

A month...it had been an entire month since the Winter Woods and Zariah still showed no improvements.

Askel had done all that was within his power and even what was not. He had summoned the greatest healers across the realm, yet they all had the very same report.

Zariah would only awaken at her own will, it could not be forced or induced by any form of magic.

The Creator’s flame had fed on Zariah’s life force to last as long as it did...there was no one who walked the realm that truly understood the workings of the Creator’s flame.

And so, there was no one that truly understood Zariah’s condition and how to restore her consciousness, their only solution was dependent on Zariah’s wolf.

Each day that had passed has been more difficult than the last, at some point, Askel had stopped counting the days because it only left him feeling a greater despair.

But of course, taking count or not did not change the fact that a month had already rolled back and still...

"Here it is, I will leave the rest to you." Askel said to Dechlan, handing over the file.

Dechlan took it and lowered his head to a bow. His worried gaze lingered on Askel for a moment but Dechlan knew there was nothing he or anyone could say to ease Askel’s pain.

Knowing this, Dechlan took his leave without a word.

Left to himself, Askel leaned back against his chair, glancing over the files on the table.

There had been heaps of them when Askel first awakened, as the newly crowned Ethereal Alpha King, there were many affairs that required Askel’s attention each day.

There were hundreds of Ethereal wolf packs under his care and dozens of territories to keep a track off.

The rogues had been quiet these past month and there was no presence of dark forces or demon spirits too.

Yet there were still hundreds of troublesome matters that required Askel’s decision and judgement everyday and Askel was glad for it.

As always, he awakened each morning to bury himself in work and hope to forget his pains if only for a short moment.

It was only that as always, Askel would eventually run out of files as it had happened again today and he could only face reality when there was no more distraction available.

Askel sighed quietly, his office was a hideous sight, with files scattered everywhere, blankets and change of clothings.

There were times Askel would hole himself up here in his office for days at a stretch, simply because stepping out meant he had to face the sympathetic stares of his pack wolves and Askel was in no mood for that.

Askel’s wolf was already on edge and his beast was always at the surface, ready to seize control at the slightest confrontation.

Askel knew isolating himself from the rest of the world was what was best for him and everyone else.

Though Askel was not certain everyone agreed with him. Askel knew his mother completely disapproved, she had tried repeatedly to convince Askel to shake off his despair and return to himself.

"Shake off?" Askel murmured to himself with a scoff.

Sometimes, Askel wondered just what kind of bond existed between his parents.

Both claimed to love one another, but Askel knew for certain his father had never respected or regarded his mother as an equal or a mate.

In the same coin, his mother had found it quite easy to shake off his father’s death and move on with her life, placing all her hopes and thoughts on Askel.

Was that how a mate bond was meant to be? Askel could not tell, all he knew was that he most certainly could not shake Zariah off.

Zariah was engraved in his heart, his mind, his every thought... asking him to shake her off was asking Askel to cut out his own heart.

And Askel knew even if he did... Zariah would still be right there, on his mind, in his thoughts and whatever else he would have left without a heart.

To Askel, Zariah had already become the center of his entire world and without her, Askel felt as though he had been tossed right into a dark abyss and he just kept falling.

Askel’s beast growled low in his head, pacing restlessly and Askel heaved a shaky sigh.

His beast was always on edge in this past month and only Zariah’s presence and her scent could restore his calm.

Askel rose to his feet knowing he would not be at ease till he was by her side.