Chapter 41

***Pauline POV***

I made my way through the hospital, until I reached the bay ward where Julia was. I didn’t need to be told which one it was, the large frame that was outlined by the curtain, told me all I needed to know.

“Alpha, I have it.” I said, meekly. I really hoped he would be calmer than before. I knew my Alpha would never hurt me. That towards his pack members, his bark was far worse than his bite. It didn’t stop the nerves from kicking in though.

So many thoughts were running through my head as I emptied the tea into a small cup. It had cooled down to the perfect temperature, but what if I had made a mistake. What if I had the ratio of the herbs wrong. Would I just be making Julia feel worse?

‘Stop it!’ I scolded myself. Thankfully, the Alpha took the cup from my shaking hands and brought Julia’s lips to the thin rim.

Although Julia was unconscious, she was still able to take the cool liquid and swallowed the whole thing.

Alpha looked at me and asked that question I had been asking myself since I had began mixing the herbs.

“Do you know how long it will take, Nurse Walter’s?”

All I could do was shake my head. He nodded, dejectedly, then turned back to the beautiful woman laying peacefully on the bed.

Nothing happened.

Not a flicker.

Not a twinge.

It was just stillness. And so very quiet. It seemed like the whole hospital was collectively holding its breath.

All of us waiting to see if I had made the potion correctly. Alpha sat next to the gurney. His head bowed in a silent prayer. I was about to turn and leave, when I heard a very faint, “thank you, Pauline.”

The alpha’s head shot up, as I spun around to see a pair of eyes that seemed to hold the galaxy within them.

I felt my breath rush out of my body as I quickly knelt on the cold linoleum floor, my head bowed. It was my turn to say a prayer now. But one of thanks. To the goddess herself. For the return of Our Lady Onyx.

“Julia? Julia?” Alpha asked again. Concern for our lady written all over his face. And in the tension he held in his powerful muscles. It felt like a very private moment, so I slipped out of the bay, and walked straight to the nurses station. My heart was twanging like an old guitar. A few of the nurses and even a junior doctor fire questions at me.

I could not answer any of them. I was still too dazed. Her eyes. They were almost hypnotic in the way they held your gaze. And, although I knew she had looked at me for mere seconds. It had felt like hours. Days, even.

Onyx POV

“Julia is not able to speak right now, Alpha Reece. Perhaps you could make do with my company for a bit.”  I asked the handsome man, who leaned over me. My man, but not quite yet.

I listened to Reece splutter for a few seconds, with my brows raised. A low chuckle left my throat. My goddess it felt good to laugh again.

It felt good to do anything again.

I placed my hand over the hand that held my other. The warmth that spread from that simple touch was most welcome.

“I cannot stay, but for a minute, Alpha. Julia has the right to introduce herself to you, as a full wolf. I just wanted to assure you that our girl is fine. I am keeping her unconscious, for the time being.

We have a lot of catching up to do. And we need privacy to do it. Just know, that when the tea has finished working its way through my system, Julia will awaken.”

I looked up into Reece’s wonderful green eyes. Just like the most perfect emerald.

Reece raised our hands to his mouth and gave them a kiss. The minute his lips touched our skin, heat sizzled its way up my arm. I had not been touched like this in many centuries. It felt so good.

“Rest my love.” He whispered into out clasp hands.

I closed my eyes, ready to get back to my soul-sharer and make a proper introduction. A soft smile playing on my lips.

“His love, he had said. He would soon find out just how true that was.

Reece POV

“She’s’ back, gentlemen. Onyx is back, with her rightful vessel, and soul-sharer. We just have to be patient before we get to see her. Onyx told me that, her and Julia need to become reacquainted. That is fine by me. Steven, I want four warriors stationed around Our Lady, at all times. No one, except thrusted members of your staff, Jeremy, are allowed within 20m’s of her. Do I make myself clear?”

A chorus of “Yes Alpha.” Rang around my office. I nodded my head to dismiss the head warrior, Angelo. Steven and Jeremy remained with me. I rubbed my hand down my face. I was exhausted. But I would not leave Our Lady. I would be here when Julia woke up.

Julia would be so confused, and upset. The thought of my beautiful girl being anything but happy, brought Raven to the surface. He was so excited. I mean, really excited to know he was right all along. Onyx was alive. And she had now returned to her fated pack.

“Raven, I know you are buzzed to have the lady Onyx back, but there is no need to be just under the surface. You have scared three omega’s and two nurses already.”

I scoffed at Jeremy for saying such a stupid thing. Like I even wanted to control my wolf, right now. It seemed Steven thought the same.

“Jeremy, I am sure Raven feels awful about scaring his pack mates. You know he would never do anything like that, on purpose. Look at him, he’s practically prancing around like a pup!”

That made Raven let out a long, low growl. We all laughed.

My wolf maybe many things, but a pup? I rolled my eye’s at Steven. “It would be your fault if Raven came forward and kicked your ass, man.”

We all laughed again. I could feel some of the tension leave my body.

It had been two days since Onyx had spoken to me.

Two days of sitting next to Julia’s bed. Waiting for her to wake up. I didn’t care how long it took. Unfortunately for Jeremy, I had taken possession of his office. He was now relegated to the staff break room.

I knew he didn’t mind. Both my Beta and my Gamma knew how important it was for me to stay close. In fact, that was why we were having this meeting.

After hearing what Nurse Pauline had to say the other day. We could only conclude one thing.

Witches. They had returned.