Chapter Twenty-Seven
Dane Blueriver was the first to enter. Very tall and broad-shouldered, his cerulean gaze scanned the group of attendees, pausing briefly at the Alpha.
His stiff nod was a gesture of equality, and it would have been insulting to Connor if he hadn't felt the power emanating from his body.
Dane wasn't just Corbin's heir; he possessed a power that surpassed some Alphas in office.
Fortunately, Connor wasn't one of those Alphas.
“Dane Blueriver. Welcome to the Sapphire Moon Pack,” he said rigidly.
“I thank you for your welcome, Alpha Connor,” he said, nodding again. Behind him was a beautiful she-wolf, with hazel eyes and long brown hair. The prominent belly indicated an advanced pregnancy, and Evelyn saw her eyes heavy with fatigue.
“My apologies for bringing you so far away, my dear. Please, sit. Tea is coming, as well as some cookies.” She gestured for the couch and Lily sat, with a grateful smile.
“Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome, dear. Twins?”
“Heavens, no.” She laughed but caressed her growing stomach. “Just one. A very athletic one that has been kicking me since morning.”
“Are the nights troubled?” asked Evelyn, curious.
“Let’s put it this way, sleep is overrated.” Lily smiled, but then her eyes diverted to the frowning twins. The smile vanished and Dane frowned, clearly annoyed.
He focused his attention on Connor and said, “You know why we’re here. We’ve only recently heard about the whereabouts of Lewis’s former mate.”
The twins growled loudly, and Dane looked at them, mildly surprised.
“Don’t tell me. You’re her second-chance mate.”
“She is ours!” snarled Ciaran, possessively. Declan, beside him, said nothing but his stance was menacing.
“How did she react?” asked Lily, curiously.
The twins exchanged a glance, and Connor, brutally honest as always, said sharply, “Tried to kill herself. She’s currently at the hospital, in isolation.”
Lily gasped in horror. Dane looked at the twins, clearly surprised, “And you’re here?”
“Reluctantly” added Connor, with a groan.
“Our place is there, by her side,” growled Ciaran. Dane nodded his head in agreement, but Connor was clearly at his limits.
“No one’s going anywhere until the doctor says so. He had to sedate her in order to treat her!”
“If I may...” interrupted Lily when what seemed like the mother of all arguments was about to break free between all wolves present in the room.
Dane helped her stand, his hand on her back for balance.
“I know what she’s going through, I also found out ...
the hard way,” she added lamely, and Dane cringed.
He’d kept her in the dark thinking he had time, only for her to be abducted and discovered that her captor wasn’t just a delusional homicidal man.
The road to healing had begun but there were still dark days.
Lily went on.
“As soon as she’s awake, I think it would do her good to talk to someone that has gone through the same thing. I also didn’t want to see Dane when I woke up. It took me a long time to ... understand and accept.”
“You’re a shifter. She isn’t,” noted Connor, calmly.
“But at the time I did not know that. Thanks to the wolfsbane I had in my blood, I thought I was as human as she is. And she is undoubtedly human, the High King’s physician said so.”
Ciaran eyed her curiously.
“They spoke freely in front of you? No offense, but like you said ... they thought you were just human...”
“They also thought I was of royal blood. And the High King is a kind man; he wouldn’t harm me even if I was human.”
“Why do I sense there’s more to that story?” sighed Connor, rubbing his hands in his face.
“There is,” said Dane briefly. “But it’s not our story to tell.”
“Bottom line, I think I can help her see things ... from my point of view,” said Lily, gently.
“I’d like to be present,” said Dane.
“So do we,” added the twins, stepping forward, but the Alpha refused.
“Next, everyone will want to be there, and the poor girl will feel even more afraid than she already is. No, we’ll let her rest. As soon as the doctor gives permission, we’ll see who’ll accompany Lily.”
If any was on the tip of the tongue, but Connor suppressed it. Lily’s eyes were heavy with fatigue, and the Alpha invited them to spend the night there, where they had plenty of room.
Somehow, Connor managed to clear the room.
Even the twins were invited to leave the office, despite being forbidden of going near the hospital.
Evelyn’s eyes were somber, dark with sorrow and lack of sleep.
But judging by her tense expression, she hadn’t yet accomplished everything she had set out to do.
Just don’t do anything stupid, Matháir ... not now.