Page 61 of The Wolf's Prince
“He’s at the bottom of the mountain by now,” he said gently. “Ready to go.”
“How long will you be gone?” Soren asked.
Nikolai swallowed and hastily blinked back tears.
“I don’t know.”
Soren tried to school his expression, but judging by the look on Nikolai’s face, he didn’t do a very good job of it.
“Soren—you were going to tell me why I should stay but I don’t think I can leave him to heal on his own. I want to get him to a doctor as quickly as possible. I’ll start with the nearest village and then once he can travel further, I will take him home.”
Soren bit back the reply on the tip of his tongue.
Nikolai was telling him that nothing could make him stay and he understood.
“Go,” he said. “Take care of your brother.”
Nikolai frowned, suddenly unable to hold the tears at bay.
“Won't you come with me?” he suddenly asked, voice shaking as tears spilled down his cheeks.
Soren shut his eyes, unable to meet the pained expression on Nikolai’s face.
“Iwould, if it wasn’t for Alpha Jin… He’s not well Nikolai. He doesn’t have long and if he—”
He stopped and had to swallow before carrying on.
“If he passes away when I’m not here, then the position of pack alpha will go to the next strongest alpha… that’sKamon, Nikolai. I can’t allow that to happen.”
When he opened his eyes, Nikolai was looking up at him, his lips pursed.
“Kamon is chained up, isn’t he? And Alpha Jin is fine for now.”
Soren shook his head.
“I really don’t think he is Nik—”
“I saw him at the party yesterday,” Nikolai argued. “He was a bit tired, but not exactly on death’s door.”
“Nikolai—”
“Soren.Please. I don’t want to do this alone. I’m scared.”
Soren stared at him, countless emotions warring within him. Not least of which was irritation at being continuously interrupted. He wanted to explain that Jin was going fast, but Nikolai was not used to being toldnoand didn’t seem interested in hearing that part. Of course not, he was afraid.
And Soren hated that he really could do nothing about it.
“I cannot leave,” he said firmly.
Just like that, Nikolai’s pleading gaze hardened.
He pulled back, shaking Soren’s hands off him.
“Wait, Nikolai, when will you return?”
“I came out here to findyoulast time,” he snapped. “Maybe you should come to my home next and beg formefor a change.”
He turned toward the path, ready to stomp out of Soren’s life, but spun back around to face him.
