Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Safe in Their Arms

Seraphina’s POV

My consciousness returned in a rush, sharp and immediate rather than the usual gradual awakening. Every detail of what had happened before flooded back with crystal clarity.

A gentle shift of my body revealed unexpected weight pressing against both sides. My breath hitched as I looked down.

Theo lay curled against my chest, his small face nestled into my nightgown’s fabric. Elena was tucked securely against my right side, her head cradled on my arm. My precious, innocent babies.

I carefully reached out to caress Theo’s cheek, my fingertips discovering a rough, dried trail etched across his tender skin. Moving to Elena’s face, I found the same heartbreaking evidence.

My children had cried themselves to sleep, and the realization shattered something deep inside me.

Lifting my gaze, I found Julian’s intense stare waiting for me.

He occupied the armchair positioned beside our bed, leaning forward with his elbows braced on his knees. Sleep had clearly eluded him completely. He was monitoring me. His dark eyes appeared bloodshot and tormented.

The instant our gazes connected, visible relief washed over his features.

"Seraphina," he whispered, his voice hoarse and strained.

"Hello," I managed, the single word scraping against my parched throat. My attention returned to the children. "My abdomen aches. Did I frighten them terribly? Usually I’m unconscious for only a couple of hours."

They had never witnessed me lose consciousness before, nor had they known this happened to me, so today must have been traumatic for them.

Julian moved closer. He maintained his distance physically, but I sensed his overwhelming presence.

"Why?" I questioned, puzzled by the strange, restrained fury emanating from him. "Why are you staring at me with that expression?"

He swallowed visibly, his hand scrubbing across his unshaven jaw. "You’ve been absent for days, Seraphina. Multiple complete days."

The information struck me like a physical blow to my chest.

Days?

"No," I whispered, my head shaking in denial. "That’s impossible. I cannot be—"

But the proof surrounded me. The stiffness in my joints, the sudden overwhelming thirst, the profound, heavy slumber I had just emerged from. Days of silence. Days where my children questioned whether their mother would ever open her eyes again.

Panic began rising within me, but before I could voice it, my shocked movement disturbed the sleeping children.

Theo sniffled softly, then his eyes fluttered open. He blinked upon seeing my face, and his features immediately collapsed.

"Mommy!"

He propelled himself forward, his arms wrapping around my neck with surprising force. This wasn’t merely an embrace—he was desperately clinging to me, burying himself completely against me.

"Oh, darling," I murmured, holding him fiercely.

His sobs erupted instantly, raw and unrestrained.

My own throat constricted painfully.

Theo’s emotional outburst immediately roused Elena. She sat up, witnessed Theo’s tears, and comprehending the situation, released a heartbroken cry before throwing her arms around my waist.

"Don’t abandon me again," Theo sobbed against my shoulder. "Don’t disappear!"

"Shh, shh, I swear. I am here. I am right here," I whispered, rocking them both gently. "Stop weeping, my sweet boy. I’m fine. See? I’m right here."

But he continued shaking his head, repeating desperately, "Don’t leave. Don’t leave me!"

Elena was crying silently now, her small body trembling against mine. Tears began flowing down my own cheeks. It was impossible to remain composed when they were grieving like this. Their joy at seeing me was tainted by the trauma of nearly losing me permanently.

As I cradled my two devastated children, the simple clarity I had awakened with crystallized into cold, unwavering determination.

My children are so young. They don’t deserve this anguish. They didn’t deserve to live in constant fear that their mother might vanish forever simply because she used her abilities to protect them. This endless cycle of terror and danger had to end.

If Dorian survived, this grief and horror would become their inheritance.

I squeezed them tighter. "I am not going anywhere," I declared, my voice thick with suppressed tears. "I promise you both. I am not going anywhere, ever again."

Julian rose from his chair and approached the bedside. He reached out, enveloping us all in his strong embrace.

The Mate Bond between us suddenly blazed to life, overwhelmingly intense.

What I felt from him wasn’t merely concern—it was crushing, agonizing grief. He had been consumed by worry, terrorized by the possibility that I would never awaken. He had endured these days fearing his children would never see their mother again. I sensed his anger, profound and cutting, directed at me for endangering myself, for abandoning him.

Just as quickly, any lingering resentment I might have harbored against him evaporated. It seemed childish, meaningless. I was loved. Fiercely. I was needed.

I was everything to these people. And they were everything to me.

I looked up at him through tear-blurred vision.

"Don’t you ever do that to me again, Seraphina," he breathed, his voice an absolute plea. "I was terrified. You cannot. You cannot leave me like that."

My heart ached for him. "I won’t," I whispered. "I’m sorry. I didn’t realize."

After several minutes, the children finally began calming, occasionally hiccupping, but their hands remained firmly clamped onto my clothing.

"I have a suggestion," I said, attempting to make my voice cheerful despite the emotion choking me. I gently pushed them back to see their faces. "I want to clean up, but when I return, who wants to spend the entire day, just the four of us, doing exactly what you desire?"

"No work?" Theo asked, rubbing his nose.

"No work. No adult responsibilities. Only fun," I promised. "But I need a few minutes in the bathroom first. Can you be brave and wait for me?"

They exchanged glances, still hesitant.

"Promise?" Elena asked, giving me the serious expression she inherited from Julian.

"I promise."

They finally released me, though their eyes tracked my every movement as I carefully slid from bed.

I placed my feet on the floor, stretching muscles that felt stiff and unused. As I took my first step toward the door, Julian was beside me.

"I’ll assist you," he said.

I wanted to snap at him. But I observed his exhausted face and remembered the Mate Bond connection—he needed proximity to me now. He needed to confirm that I was real and safe.

So I swallowed the sharp response.

"Okay," I said simply. "Thank you."

He accompanied me to the small attached bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I saw the pale, exhausted woman who had just battled to the edge of death and back.

Julian turned on the shower for me, testing the temperature, then stood silently by the entrance.

I went through the motions of washing away days of unconscious sleep. When finished, Julian handed me a fresh towel. The gesture was small, but the tenderness in his eyes was unmistakable. He was quietly waiting for me to speak, but I knew today wasn’t the day for strategy. Today had to focus on healing.

"The children are waiting," I said, quickly drying my hair.

When we returned to the bedroom, the atmosphere had transformed. The children had dragged pillows and blankets from storage, creating a large, cozy nest on the floor. Julian must have arranged for someone to set it up while I showered—a white sheet was pinned to the wall like a makeshift screen, and a small projector sat on the dresser.

Theo and Elena cheered when they saw me, their previous fear momentarily forgotten, which was exactly what I wanted.

I didn’t hesitate. I crawled directly into the center of the soft blanket pile. Theo immediately snuggled against my side, and Elena stretched out, resting her head on my thigh. Julian settled behind me, his arm around my shoulders, securely anchoring me within our little circle.

He started the movie.

The opening credits of Frozen appeared on the sheet, snow swirling peacefully.

I closed my eyes briefly, listening to Theo giggling and Elena humming along to the music.

I was safe. I was warm. I was loved. And my family surrounded me completely.

Let it go, I thought, allowing the tension to drain from my body. For today, I would release the worry. Tomorrow, the battle would resume. But today, I was simply Mommy.