The Crown's Entrapment

Clara was getting worried about her mate's well-being. It had been two days since any of them had last seen him, and while they honored his request to remain undisturbed, it was worrying to see that he had not even eaten the food that they were bringing him.

'This has to end,' she worriedly thought.

[Of course, it should,] Sheba worriedly added. [We can't have our mate starve himself to death!]

She could only grit her teeth as she stood by the door to Gilas's bedchamber. It was still closed with a tray of food laying untouched beside it, but she was seriously considering barging right in without any sort of warning just to check on him. There needed to be an intervention now, and she was more than eager to be the one to do so. And yet...

'Still... I'd be violating his word...' Clara hesitantly thought as her hand hovered over the doorknob. 'I'd be making him even more upset...'

[As if that would even matter now,] Sheba huffed, her wolf's worries seeping through despite her tough tone. [Even Mother-in-law is considering going in herself.]

It was true. Shila had been worried sick alongside her ever since even before Pinra's funeral rights were over. There were just so many things that could go wrong with leaving Gilas alone with his own thoughts. That, and the older woman just wanted to see if her son was alright.

[I'd be breaking my word though,] Clara reasoned, her anxieties flaring up the more she hovered over the door. [I can't just break his trust like that...]

[You didn't promise him anything, remember?] Sheba reasoned. [You told him he can call for you if he wanted to and that's it. He hasn't called for you so far, but that doesn't mean you can't check up on him.]

Clara's lips trembled as she thought about what to do. However, the more she did, the more her urge to simply come inside and comfort him won out. The fact that her Bond with Gilas also didn't work as intended only added fuel for her reasons to go and visit him.

'Right... I'm just checking to see if he needs anything,' she reasoned with herself. 'I'm not breaking any promises. I'm just here to make sure that he's alright...'

With a shaky nod, Clara psyched herself up to open the door. Pushing forward, the sight of the room before her did little to comfort her fears.

"Gilas?"

While the room wasn't a mess, the fact that her mate was still on the bed was worrying. Even more so, it almost looked like he hadn't moved an inch ever since she left him. He remained motionless staring out onto the window, his eyes seemingly unblinking as he just... did nothing...

"Gilas? Can you hear me?"

Cautiously walking towards him, Clara almost wanted to sob as he refused to answer her. It was almost like she was talking to a statue, unmoving and undisturbed despite everything that she was saying.

"Come on, Gilas... Please speak to me..."

Sitting down beside him, Clara felt like she was being far too cautious even for herself. It was like Gilas was made of glass, and one wrong push would have her breaking him, perhaps even irreparably.

"Gilas, please..."

Her eyes welled up as he refused to speak. Running out of options, she went in and gave him the warmest and most desperate hug she had ever given him. She hoped that her feelings would reach him despite their broken Bond. Even though that connection they had had been all but severed, her actions would speak louder than her words ever could.

"I... I know I can't even imagine the feeling of losing my inner wolf, but I'm sure Ham will be back," she weakly soothed him. "I can feel it, Gilas... He's still with us..."

Gilas didn't respond, but Clara was at least starting to find her bearings again.

"I heard him, you know... On that day," she recounted. "He said that he'd do everything so that he can return you to me... To give you back to me..."

A small twitch. Gilas had turned to face her, but his eyes were still empty.

"Come back to me, Gilas. You've been always reaching out to me, so let me reach out to you now..." she firmly whispered, her love shining through her with each breath as she tightened her embrace. "Let me guide you... I'll show you the way if need be... Just return to us... Please..."

Seconds ticked by as silence settled within the bedchamber. Still, Clara never gave up as she tightened her hug around him even further. Somehow, she could feel that what she was doing was working and that he was going to come back to her sooner rather than later.

They stayed like that for minutes on end. Until... Eventually...

"C-Clara?"

She perked up. Gilas?! "A-Are you alright?"

Looking up to him, Clara felt her heart swell as she saw life return to his eyes. Gilas was truly back with them. Perhaps not completely, but he had returned!

"S-Somewhat," he weakly nodded, his voice hoarse from lack of speaking. "I-I heard everything, Clara... Sorry for worrying you..."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she shook her head with a smile. Burying her face into his shoulder, she sobbed as she grabbed onto him like her life depended on it.

"I-It's fine, alright?" she sobbed. "Just... Don't do that again..."

"I'll try," Gilas weakly chuckled. "It's just... I guess it's been a long two days..."

"It has, yes," Clara chuckled back.

"I'm sure Mother's worried," he sighed. "And I'm sure you are too..."

"Of course, we are," she rolled her eyes, her cheer coming back as she nuzzled into his shoulder. "You have a lot of catching up to do."

"That, I do..." he sighed. "Starting with you..."

Clara let out a small chuckle. Really, even with him being weak and starving, he could still tease around as soon as it came to her. "You should eat first. You should at least be able to walk before you quote unquote 'catch up with me.'"