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Chapter 129
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A Time for Strength Chapter 130
“We can agree that was the cheesiest movie ever, right?” Leni rolls her eyes as we leave the theater room. “I mean, like, talking dogs and cats?”“Well, it was a cartoon for families. Not the most romantic date night, but Elle and my sister and her mate seemed to like it.” I nudge her, then slide my hand to the small of her back as we walk. “I saw you snickering, too.” “Hmm.” Leni twists her mouth at the accusation, trying not to smile. “I guess it wasn’t that bad.” As we climb the staircase, I see her scrunch her nose and make an annoyed sound under her breath. I take her hand and wait for her to tell me what the problem is. She hates when I try to guess . Especially now that she’s pregnant.“I probably shouldn’t have eaten those jalapenos.” She grimaces. “I still have heartburn.”“Want to try some milk? It helped last week.” I kiss her hand and unlock our apartment. “You put your feet up. I can get it for you.”“You’re the best, Babe.” She steps inside and gives me a kiss that mak
A Time for Strength Chapter 131
Lenora’s POVMilo takes off like a bullet out of the apartment.“Beta, sorry, but you need to stay here. We’re bringing the Gamma and Carly here so we can prep for lockdown.” I guard steps in front of me when I try to chase him.“What about the Luna?!” I try to push my way past him.The loudest wolf’s howl I have ever heard brings me to my knees, forcing me to expose my neck. A wave of rage flows over me from the hallway. Glass shatters in the distance. “Oh Goddess! It’s Elexis!” Justice howls. I sense her trying to shield me from the powerful emotion. “Run, child!”“Wh-what?” I look up and see the guards also bowing. “Kas! We have to help her!”“Elexis broke through the fourth-floor window!” James yells in the mindlink. “Alpha, Beta, Gamma are in pursuit.”“Block everything south and east of the packhouse!” Bronx growls in our minds. “We aren’t able to outrun Elexis. Let Dagger catch her scent. Push her toward the northwest. Corner him against the cliff of the Blood River gorge.”“B
A Time for Strength Chapter 132
Marco’s POV “Lenora!” I catch her as her knees give out and lower her to the ground. “Leni, you okay?” Leni looks like she’s screaming, but there ain’t no sound comin’ out of her mouth. She leans heavy on my arm and grabs my sleeve. Her wolf claws cut into my skin. I can’t pull away or else my arm will be shredded to ribbons. “Breathe, Leni.” I grit my teeth. “What’s goin’ on?” She shakes her head and tries to suck in a breath, but she can’t. I open a mindlink. “Beta Lenora needs medical assis- AHHHRR!!!” A hot poker burrows into my chest. Well, not really, but that’s what it feels like. Clash rolls around in my head and howls in pain. “Shit.” I want to grab my chest, but there ain’t no way I’m letting Leni go. I feel it building in my guts. The roar. I throw my head back and squeeze my eyes shut. Every muscle in my body fights to stop it. “Clash, no!” I growl at him. “Don’t do it, ese.” Clash and I agreed a long time ago we wouldn’t never roar. Most wolves can do it and i
A Time for Strength Chapter 133
Lenora’s POV“Elder Randall Smith’s office.” His assistant sounds so pleasant even though she has probably the worst job in the world.“Beta Regent Lenora and Milo Stone of the Blood River pack calling for Elder Randall.” Milo laces his fingers together and sets his hands on his desk. “We’re calling to report the death of a former member of the Silver Moon pack. The last time Lenora spoke with Elder Randall, he told her the guy was under his charge.”“Elder Randall is in a meeting, Beta Milo.” The girl says apologetically.“He was in meetings when our Gammas called three times yesterday and twice when we called this morning.” Milo smiles wide and uses his friendliest tone. “If you can’t pull him out of one of these critically important meetings to take our call, we’ll be happy to contact Elder Karthik to handle the matter.”“Oh, uh, no no!” Her voice goes up an octave. “Give me just a moment. P-please don’t hang up, Beta Milo.”“I’ll hold as long as I need to.” Milo says and puts the
A Time for Strength Chapter 134
“Hey Sugar, whatcha doin’?” Milo’s voice floats down the hallway.“I’m just thinking?” I hear myself say. I mean, it’s my voice, so I must have said it. “You wouldn’t believe what just happened, Babe.”“Lenora, you okay?!” He kneels in front of me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”“I-I felt the Moon Goddess.” My heart pounds in my chest, but I feel a little disconnected from it. “When Kas tried on her wedding dress. The Goddess was with us. I felt her. We all did. I think even Codi felt her.”“Leni, you’re not making sense.” He slides his hands onto my cheeks and looks at me with concern. “Holy shit. You’re burning up.”“Huh?” I lean into his hands while he presses them against my forehead and back of my neck. “Leni, you have a fever.” He sounds worried. I don’t know why, though. The Moon Goddess is with me. She’s still with me. “I’m calling Doctor Nolan to check on you and Codi.”“No, Milo, I’m fine. Really.” I look into his gray eyes and smile. “I don’t know how to explain it.
A Time for Strength Chapter 135
Justice’s POV My head throbs so hard that it wakes me up. Lenora feels like she’s still sleeping after the fever. The energy it took for her to fight it off was intense, especially with how difficult it was to protect Cordelia. It affected me as well. It was so powerful that I couldn’t block her from seeing my memories. I hope I can convince her it was a dream from the fever. Poor girl. I wish so badly I could tell her that the fever is the first sign. It doesn’t get easier from here. Cordelia will be born soon and our time together will be over. I will miss her tenacious spirit. I sit up with a groan and look around. I’m in the hospital wing. There are cool ice packs under my knees and the back of my neck. I run my hands over my belly. There’s a strap around my midsection. I assume it’s monitoring Cordelia. Technology still amazes me. Codi kicks one of my kidneys, trying to make room for herself. “Ah, take it easy there, Cordelia.” I rub my belly and smile. “We’ll be reunited soon
A Time for Strength Chapter 136
***TRIGGER WARNING - The next two chapters contain content related to pregnancy complications that could be upsetting to some readers. *** As a personal note, for those who have been personally affected by pregnancy compilations and/or loss of a child, I send my love to you and all of our angel babies. ’s POV “Leni, come on. Doctor Nolan said bed rest.” I turn her around to go back to the bedroom before she gets to the kitchen in our apartment. “That means you have to stay in bed unless someone is with you to help you get where you need to go.” “Milo, I feel fine.” She whines at me while she holds her belly as I lead her back to the bed. “I’m just a little achy. That’s all. I want a snack and I need to stretch my legs or something.” “If you need anything, I can get it for you. Including snacks.” I pull back the linens and help her back into the bed. “We can get Jorge up here to help you stretch while you stay in bed where you belong.” “This is so dumb.” She huffs and cro
A Time for Strength Chapter 137
“Milo! Oh my Goddess! Oh MY GODDESS!”Ghost jumps forward, swiping the air to defend us. Someone screams. There’s no one there. It’s just Leni and me and the thick metallic scent of liquid death.Blood? Why is there blood? I’m hallucinating. I grab my head to shake the feeling away. My hands are wet. What the fuck? I yank Ghost back and stumble forward, disoriented from the transition. “MILO! Help me!” Lenora screams.I turn on the light and look at Lenora. She’s covered in blood. I look down. I’m covered in blood, too. Oh Goddess. Did I do this?“MEDICAL TO THE BETA RESIDENCE!” I yell into a mindlink. “EMERGENCY MEDICAL EVAC!”“On the way, Beta!” A chorus of voices reply. “Leni, what happened?” I rip the covers off if her. The linens under Lenora are soaked through with deep red blood. I secure my arms to carry her while she writhes in pain.“Codi is dying!” She wails and grabs her stomach. “I can’t feel her! Justice is fading away! Milo! Help me, please!!”“Beta! Medical team is
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A Time for Strength Chapter 151
“Good Morning, Beta.” Sondi Eklund pokes her head into my office. “Would you be able to review these retirement package updates I’m proposing to the Alpha?”I look up from my spreadsheet and try to smile at her. “Of course, Sondi. Please come in.”“I already highlighted the sections in question.” Sondi comes in with her staccato, bird-like movements. “Oh, Beta Lenora, are you ill? Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but you look exhausted.”“I’m alright, Sondi. Being a new mom is exhausting.” I’m careful not to go into too much detail. Sondi and Scott still haven’t found their daughter. I don’t want to be insensitive. I quickly change the subject. “That and I feel like I’m running in circles trying to decipher some of the information on this spreadsheet. They’re supposed to be client names, but I can’t figure out how they’re coded.”“Would you like a fresh set of eyes?” She looks eternally hopeful. “I’m happy to help.”“Um, sure.” I turn the laptop to her. “I’ll look at these updates whil
A Time for Strength Chapter 150
“Kaaas?! Are you sure you and Codi will be okay?” I yell into the living room. “I can call the daycare and see if they have someone who can come up.”“No, we’re fine.” Kas’s voice sounds strangled.Milo peeks his head into the living room and pulls back quickly. He doubles over in a silent laugh, pointing to the living room. I look out to see Codi had a handful of Kas’s hair in a death grip. Kas’s mouth is open in a restrained cry of pain, trying to untangle the chubby fingers from her sparkly locks of hair. I nudge Milo who’s on the floor in tears with his hand over his mouth. “Knock it off, Milo. She’s trying her best.” I pull him off the floor. “Kas, give her the rattle that’s on the coffee table. The one that looks like a tiger's face. She’ll let go in a heartbeat.”After a pause, Kas calls back. “Oh my Goddess, it worked! Thank you!”“Okay. We won’t be gone long. Mindlink if you need ANYTHING.” I walk to the living room and kiss Codi on her chubby cheek, then kiss Kas on her for
A Time for Strength Chapter 149
“And this is the Alpha’s private archival library.” I hold up a slip of paper for Musu to read. “Memorize this number. It’s your personal access code and don’t share it. Understand?”“Yes, Beta.” She stares at the paper. “I got it.”“Good.” I punch in my code and let the door slide open. I step inside, motioning for Musu to follow. She steps in and looks around in awe.“The Goddess has truly blessed our Alpha.” She takes a few more steps trying to take in the library's beauty. “I’ve never seen a private collection this large.”“Well, he’s been collecting them since he was a child, and it has proved useful.” I clasp my hands behind my back and look around, then point to a book on a pedestal covered with a glass case. The page is open to the painting of The Moon Goddess with the Menae. “This is how we found out Kas is a goddess.”Musu looks down on the image and chuckles. “Is it inappropriate to say The Moon Goddess and Endymion were more like rabbits than wolves?”Justice lets out a wh
A Time for Strength Chapter 148
Lenora’s POV“Delilah, if anyone asks, your family is from France. You went to culinary school there. That’s how you met James. Bronx gifted Kas private lessons. James was a security guard for Kas while she attended the school. You’re twenty-three-”“But, no, Carly Ann Miller, I am one hundred and-”“You. Are. Twenty-THREE. Delilah.” Ashley interrupts. “No arguing.”“You expect me to just LIE?!” Delilah holds her hands to her chest and looks mortified at the thought.“Yes.” Ashley, Carly, and I all say in unison.Delilah falls back in her seat, distraught.“It’s not that we want you to be dishonest, Delilah.” Ashley softens her tone. “It’s a matter of self preservation. For all of us. You included. Whatever technique you’ve used in the past to deflect attention won’t cut it anymore. You and Kas are going to be approached by paparazzi all the time now. They need to believe you’re human. We’ve given both of you believable, respectable human profiles. The fewer people trying to dig into
A Time for Strength Chapter 147
“Alright, Big Guy.” I toss the plastic gun on the arcade game. “You win. I’ll never beat you at Duck Hunt. I’m out of cash to feed the machine anyway.”“I mean, you tried. I’ll give you some props, man.” Marco blows into the barrel of the plastic gun and looks at his watch. “It’s been two hours. That’s gotta be a good sign. Right? Musu woulda called me if Lenora chased her out.”“Yeah.” I pout my lip. “No mindlinks either. Down your beer. Let’s check on them.”Marco raises his pint glass and chugs the remaining beer. “Rita! Thanks, darlin’!” I hold up more than enough cash for our tab and toss it on the table. She gives me a thumbs up from across the restaurant. “Don’t be strangers!”“Ah man, that fresh air.” Marco takes a deep breath when we step outside. “Nothing beats summer in Montana except maybe spring in the Coven’s realm.”“Did you hear that?” Ghost gasps, suddenly at attention.“Huh? Hear what?” I shorten my stride and look around.“A warbler.”“Okay… and?”“They leave afte
A Time for Strength Chapter 146
There’s a quiet knock on my office door. Instinctively, I look down at Codi. She’s still fast asleep. I set down the report explaining there were absolutely zero useful bits of information on Randall’s tape recorder other than rambling about a trip to Portland to see a warehouse or something.We still haven’t been able to determine the identities of the girls in the photos other than Evie. There was no rhyme or reason to the codes associated with each one. The unusual names don’t exist anywhere either. The team is still looking into it, but I’m not very hopeful. Randall sneaks under the radar on everything.“Come in.” I say in a hoarse whisper.Milo peeks his head in with a huge smile on his face. I put a finger to my lips and point to the travel bassinet next to my desk. He tiptoes in and silently closes the door behind him.“Hey Sugar.” Milo whispers. “Is this a bad time? Are you busy?”“I always have a minute for you, Milo.” I blush when he hands me a bouquet of wildflowers. “They’
A Time for Strength Chapter 145
“Tyree, have you finished the sweep of Randall’s suite?” Milo paces behind his desk.“Just about Beta.” Tyree’s voice comes through the speakerphone. “He took most of his stuff, but there were a few things left on the kitchenette counter. A folder with some paperwork, an envelope, like one of those ones you mail photos in. Ya know? Feels like there’s something inside. And a voice recorder.”“A voice recorder?” Milo asks, confused.“Yeah. I don’t want to open anything or push play in case it’s booby trapped.” Tyree replies. “Fool me once.”“Good call. Bring everything to my office.” Milo pushes his finger into the desk. “I’ll get a forensics team to take it off our hands.”“Yes, Beta.”“Don’t let anyone in that room until they get a deeper sweep.”“Yes, Beta. Marco will stand guard. I’ll be up in ten minutes.” Tyree confirms and hangs up.“Milo, what do you think he was up to?” I bounce Codi gently in my arms. It’s not because she needs it. I have too much nervous energy to hold still.
A Time for Strength Chapter 144
“An apartment in Paris? Who would have ever pegged your brother as a hopeless romantic?” Mom swipes through images of the apartment Bronx bought for Kas as a wedding present. “It’s absolutely gorgeous!”“Yep. She needs to sign some paperwork, but I don’t think she understands enough about real est-” I bite my lip and point at Dad who’s making wolf faces at Codi on the other end of the sofa. Mace tests out a growl to see if it will startle her. She makes a sound that could be a growl back at him.“So sweet.” Mom places a hand on her heart. “Meeting codi is all he’s talked about since we got the news that you were pregnant. So what's next? Have you thought about a little brother for Codi, maybe?”My heart squeezes. “Justice, what do I say?”“As much of the truth as you can.” She sounds unsettled. “We don’t really know anymore. Do we?”“You know how hard it was for me to get pregnant, Mom. Let alone survive Codi’s pregnancy. We haven’t really talked about having more yet. If the Goddess
A Time for Strength Chapter 143
It’s been two days. Kas has isolated herself in her apartment, still convinced that she needs to hide herself away. I brought Codi up so she could snuggle with her niece in hopes it would lift her spirits. I let her take Codi to the bedroom while I go talk to Marco.“Hey, Beta. Everything okay?” He salutes me.“She’s not handling it well. Maybe I should invite her to go to the meadow?”“I wasn’t talkin’ about the Luna.” He lowers his chin. “You been avoiding me?”I immediately feel my face flush. “Wh-what? I-”“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like that. I know you’re busy with your pup.” His tone softens. “I need to stay in my lane.”“I mean, I-I guess I kinda thought, um, your mate wouldn’t want me talking to you.” I confess. “So… yeah. I guess I have been avoiding you?”“Ah, Leni, come on. I’m fuckin with you… kinda.” He looks sheepish. “Me and Musu was talking about our ranked members. I didn’t tell her about US, but I told her you and me grew up together and that we still close frie
