Page 48 of Alpha's Secret Baby
Lucy cried out as Bert’s wolfish form morphed into existence and slashed Lucy’s tanned arm, a deep wound bleeding.
Bert shifted into his human form without the need for any command. Clearly, he knew where I was going with this. He held out his hand for the vial of wolfsbane. I set it in his hand, turning my seething stare on Lucy. “Just a few drops. We need the rest for Cherry’s antidote,” I reminded Bert.
Lucy’s eyes widened, and she started to struggle against her bonds. “No. You wouldn’t. Dylan. No!”
I clamped my jaw, then bellowed. “You poisoned my Luna, the mother of my child!”
As I mastered my temper, I reminded her. “As the victorious Alpha of the war, the spoils, including the wolves of the Bloodmoon Pack, are mine. To do with, or to do away with,” I added darkly, “as I see fit.”
I nodded at Bert.
He tipped a few drops of the poison into Lucy’s open wound.
She screamed out, her eyes flashing with fury and fear as she was powerless to do anything against the poison that would now be entering her bloodstream. I checked any remorse I had as I remembered that she had used this poison on my mate. Lucy had tried to kill my Luna. She deserved no mercy.
Once again, vengeance fired through me as I commanded Lucy, “Henceforth, you are expelled from the pack. Go. I never want to lay eyes on you again.” I slashed through her bonds with my pocket knife, and the woman fled upstairs and out into the night, compelled to obey my command. I hoped that as a rogue wolf, she’d be alone and succumb to the poison within days, thus reaping her just reward.
Then, losing no time, Bert and I ran toward the doctor’s house. Clutching the vial of poison that my Beta had given back to me, I hoped and prayed that the pack doctor would soon be able to rid Cherry’s blood of the toxins as easily as I’d rid myself of Lucy.
Chapter 31 Cherry
The blurry edges receded, and with fluttering lids, I blinked my eyes open. I took in Dylan's muscular form by the bed. He was sitting in a leather armchair, and I realized we were in his house in Starsmoon. He looked tired, and deep bags rested under his eyes.
Groggily, I tried to remember how I got here, but I couldn't. Awareness prickled over me as I realized I was wearing one of Dylan’s t-shirts and PJ trousers. Where were my things? Why was I in Dylan’s house? We’d agreed to wait until our bonding ceremony for me to move in. Then a flash of the battle with Bloodmoon skittered through me, and Dylan hugging me to him in the field…
My mate must have heard a change in my breathing because his dark stare moved to me. Dylan startled. Then the next moment, he was next to me, crushing me to him. “Cherry,” he murmured.
I could barely breathe; he hugged me so tight.
As he let me go, I took a breath and said, “Dylan...” I trailed off, realizing there were tears falling down my mate’s cheeks. I touched his handsome face, wiping them away.
I frowned, looking around me. “What happened?”
“Lucy poisoned you with wolfsbane. She had it on her claws when she fought you in the battle.” His hands gripped me harder as if he worried I would disappear.
I blinked, remembering the wound on my hip that a female Bloodmoon wolf had given me. That had been Lucy.
His expression darkened. “I poisoned her and banished her. She’ll never harm you again, I promise.”
I nodded, digesting this information, still feeling heavy-headed as I wondered what else I’d missed by being out of it for so long. “How long was I unconscious?”
Dylan’s hands trailed down my arms again as if he couldn’t bear to let go of me.
“You’ve been out for a week.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “A week!” A hundred things zipped through my mind, but the one that won out was “The store! I’ve missed the launch.”
He shook his head, a tender smile on his face. “I told Maisy you weren’t well and postponed the opening.”
I nodded again, wanting to feel a little more normal, and I started to sit up. I eased back the pillows, only to find Dylan swooping in and fussing like a mother hen.
But I reveled in his closeness and decided not to tell him off for fussing. I’d take him being near me, whatever he was doing.
Catching sight of the deep concern in his eyes, I reassured him, “My wolf’s strong. She’ll heal me in no time.”
Dylan kissed my lips, and I savored the feel of his mouth on mine. “Your wolf is strong. But I swear, I’m never letting you get hurt again.” His arms enveloped me for so long that I thought this was going to be his method of protecting me from the world. Once again, I didn’t mind, savoring his grassy, woody scent and the feel of his strong arms around me, and I ached at the thought of the worry he’d gone through over the last week.But I knew too that I didn’t regret what I’d done by joining the fight, and I reminded him. “I’m your Luna, and I won’t shy away from the responsibilities I have or from a fight I need to be a part of.”
His dark stare drank me in, and I worried he’d argue with me. But, finally, he nodded. “You’re the most amazing Luna, and the pack is truly blessed to have you.”