148
Tony
I was going in and out of consciousness. The only thing I was sure of was that Matt was still carrying me, and we had been walking for hours. The moon had fallen. The rain had stopped and the sun was starting to rise in the distance. I looked over at our beta who had found a large branch to use as a walking stick. The dragon shifter still hadn’t introduced himself. He didn’t seem like he wanted too either.
I had a lot of questions, but he didn’t seem to be forthcoming with information.
What clan was he with? What territory were we in? What sort of debt had we incurred?
My mind was foggy, and I struggled to stay conscious and quiet as my wounds were jostled with every step. Suddenly, he stopped.
“This is the border,” he said. “You said you were of Blue Moon.”
“Alpha Matt and my brother, Alpha Tony. This is our beta.”
I turned my head looking at the dragon shifter. He looked at Matt with a curious look before lifting his shoulder.
“My chief will be in touch.”
I heard him shift and got tearing through the forest.
As I was carried across the border by Matt, my mind was still reeling from the encounter with the humans. The pain that was wracking my body had grown and turned me numb. I was grateful that he hadn’t burned us to crisp too, but what would be the price?
Just as we crossed into Blue Moon territory, our beta started to speed ahead of us, probably searching for some sign of the patrol. Matt hurried after him, jostling me as he jogged.
“Hey!” Our beta called.
I could hear the sound of an engine, one of the golf carts that were used by the gardeners. My body felt heavy and battered, and I fought the urge to black out from the pain.
“Take it easy, Tony, we’ll get back to the Estate soon.”
He put me in cart and climbed in next to me. I heard someone on the radio telling the people at the house to get ready to receive us with the healer in tow. I couldn’t understand why I felt so terrible, why I wasn’t healing at all. Even if I had been hit with silver and wolfsbane, I usually healed a little. More than that, what had that surge of power been about?
I knew it had come from Matt, but how?
I turned my head to look at him. He was shirtless and wet from the rain, but his wounds were gone. I blinked, thinking my mind had been playing tricks on me, but the skin around where I was sure he’d been hit with bullets looked red and freshly healed.
How was that possible? Had the dragon done that, or had something else been behind it? My mind was swirling with questions, but there was little time for answers as we rushed to the estate for medical treatment.
I was surprised when the healer was actually there with several others of the pack to help get me inside and onto a gurney. I wanted to snarl at her, but the urge, the power, and the general anger felt so out of reach. I was in so much pain, I wasn’t paying attention to anything that was happening to me. I felt hands on me, the prick of a needle sewing me up. I smelled potions and I felt someone’s hand on my head.
“It’s going to be okay,” Matt said softly. “You’re going to be all right.”
Slowly, everything started to fade away.
When I woke up, I was in my bed alone. I couldn’t even smell Lucy’s scent lingering in the room any longer or anywhere in the Estate. My chest still hurt, but it was better. Asleep and grasping my hand like a lifeline was Matt.
“You almost didn’t make it,” our nanny said as she entered the room. “He hasn’t left your side.”
I blinked and struggled to sit up. The surge of pain sent sparks through my eyes.
“Easy,” she said, offering me a potion. “Here.”
I took it and drank it. The pain dialed back enough for me to focus. I lay back down. “How long have I been out?”
“A few hours.” She swallowed and looked away. “You have… visitors.”
I blinked at him and nodded. “Get someone to put him in a bed, hm? I’ll head down in a minute.”
She nodded. Her smile was tense, but she left me to find someone to get Matt.
As I lay there, my thoughts were still jumbled from the recent attack, and I assumed it must be someone from the Council, coming to talk about Lucy or our father. Maybe our liaison was actually doing his job and had reported the attack.
I got out of bed carefully, and went to look for something clean to wear. It was probably someone from the Council. I preferred to be fully dressed, but a suit would have been impossible. I settled on jeans and a button-up shirt before carefully heading downstairs. There was a murmur going through the building. The pack looked at me with wide eyes before scurrying away and murmuring things I couldn’t make out. I headed to the front foyer and pushed open the door.
Instead of a Council representative, it was a woman, holding a small child seated in the room. Another Council representative was there along with Dagon, who was taking notes and speaking with the representative.
She looked up at me. Her lips pursed as our gazes met. I cocked an eyebrow at her. She didn’t move like a werewolf, and my sense of smell didn’t tell me anything.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “You don’t even remember me, do you?”
I tilted my head. “Should I?”
Dagon’s lips twitched as he looked at me. “I see you’re in a good mood. Come join us. I don’t think you’re going to be able to have this conversation standing.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I thought I asked for you to be replaced.”
“Oh, as soon as they can find a new liaison and healer, we’re gone. Don’t worry. Until then, you’re stuck with me.”
His eyes twinkled with how much he was enjoying this. I looked back at her and sank into a seat gently.
“Before you get on your high horse,” she said. “I had no intention of ever coming to find you. I don’t chase what doesn’t want me.”
I couldn't care less about why she was here; all I wanted was for her to leave. My mind was still reeling from the recent events, and I had no energy left to deal with unexpected visitors and their problems.
“Then, why waste my time?”
She scoffed. “You honestly think I’m choosing to be here? You’re as arrogant as ever. Quillan here—”
I snorted. What a dumb name.
“Had an incident at school.” She shot a glare at the Council representative. “This guy and a bunch of goons had me picked up from work like a criminal, costing me my job. I’ve been interrogated, separated from my child, terrorize and now I’ve been brought here to deal with a man I sincerely hoped to never ever see again.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and looked at the representative who was looking more uncomfortable by the second. A sinking feeling settled in me as I met Dagon’s smug smile.
“What kind of incident?”
The representative cleared his throat. “He… sprouted claws after a group of children were bullying him on the playground and nearly killed them.”
I snorted again. “So, you stole a werewolf child and let them play with humans? And what? You’ve decided to put her in our care?”
The woman paled, staring at me, clutching the child closer to her chest. The child stirred and turned with a sleepy groan. He pulled back, rubbing his eyes, and looked behind her. He took a deep breath then turned around, and my blood went cold.
My eyes stared back at me from within his face with curiosity and knowing. Panic washed through me. It was impossible. I stood up.
“Get her out of my house—”
“Not an option,” Dagon said, sliding a stack of parchment toward me. That smug mocking smile was as broad as it had been a few moments ago. His words cut through me like a knife. “We’ve had it verified three different times while getting him registered. Given the circumstances, you’re required to take him and his mother in.”
I looked down at the paper. My hands trembled. My world started to spin as I tried to get my head around this. This wasn’t possible. Werewolves only had children with their mates.
“Bet you’re regretting refusing that supernatural education requirement, hm?” Dagon asked. “I wonder how many other young women are out there with ticking time bombs on their hands.”
“Who are you?” The child asked and turned back to the woman. “Mommy, where are we?”
Her lips trembled as she pressed his head to her chest. “Well, honey… we’re at your father’s house.”
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