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Chapter 26
Last Updated:
2023-07-10 02:49:11
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A Time for Strength Chapter 27
“Milo?” A voice brings me back to Earth. “Huh?” I blink hard and look around. My heart is pounding and my cheeks are wet with tears. “How do you feel, son?” Doctor Nolan is sitting on the coffee table in front of me. Doctor Stanton is in the chair behind him looking at me with concern. “I-I must have gotten distracted.” I wipe the tears away and clear my throat. “Sorry, w-what were we talking about?” “It’s okay, Milo.” Doctor Nolan pats my knee and looks at his watch. “You’re done for today. You were distracted for about an hour, son.” “What? No, that doesn’t sound right.” I try to stand, but he gently pulls me back down. “Milo, we’re going to recommend you stay here for a little longer. We want to meet with you and the Luna to explain why. If you don’t want us to discuss your medical information with her, we won’t, but it will help her understand our concerns.” “N-no, that’s okay. You can tell her whatever.” I grind the heels of my palms into my pants legs and blink back the
Last Updated : 2023-07-11A Time for Strength Chapter 28
Lenora’s POV Best. Kiss. Ever. Until it isn’t. Milo sits back suddenly, making me open my eyes to see what’s wrong. His panic and fear hit me like a tidal wave. He’s hyperventilating. He looks… terrified? What happened? What did I do? “M-Milo?” I reach out to touch his arm. “What’s wrong? What happened? Milo?” He scrambles back and falls off the bed, hitting the floor hard. “SOMEONE HELP!” I scream through a mindlink and jump down to help him. “Something’s wrong with the Beta!” Milo’s handsome features become distorted as Ghost comes forward. He snarls and snaps at me as if he’s never seen me before. Maybe because I was too excited to see him and came in smelling like a rogue instead of getting a shower first? It doesn’t matter now. I have to help him. “Ghost, it’s me! It’s Lenora! It's Leni, your mate!” I grab his shoulders. His sharp claws reach out and painfully dig into my arms, ripping holes through the sleeves of my sweatshirt. I can’t pull away or the gouges will become
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I think back to what Milo was just saying to me. Worried that he was too broken and that I might not care about him. Thinking that he fucked up his meeting with Doctor Stanton. “Is this setback going to discourage him?” I look at Bronx for an answer. “Uh, if it does, we would never know. It’s the tracker in him. He blends into any scenario pretty seamlessly. It helps him find details any of us would miss. It’s instinct for him to hide how he really feels.” He shrugs. “Milo is one of the least violent werewolves I’ve ever met. I don’t know what happened after I came home, but I can tell you one thing, the day of that attack… probably one of the worst days of all of our lives. For Milo, it will weigh down heavier and for longer. Ghost has a tendency to let things linger. He doesn’t let go like other wolves do. That gets to Milo.” “From what we could discern just now, he didn’t recognize you, and he thought the nurses and orderlies were witches during his episode." Doctor Stanton step
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I stand up, roll my shoulders, and clear my throat to shake the doubts from my mind. A nurse in the hallway looks up from her medicine cart to bow to me. I nod my head to her, but don’t stop walking until I get to Milo’s door. They’ve turned most of the lights off in his room. He’s laying on his side, facing away from me. “Um, Milo?” I whisper. “Are you awake?” He doesn’t answer, so I quietly swing the door shut. I can come back tomorrow. The doctor said this isn’t my fault, but if I hadn’t let him kiss me, maybe he wouldn’t have had to be sedated. It’s a weird sense of guilt. I didn’t cause his trauma, but it sure feels like I’m to blame for his current situation. “Leni, don’t leave.” Milo’s voice is groggy in my mind. “Please don’t leave.” I look back in the room as he rolls over and looks at me sleepily. His steel-gray eyes are hazy and unfocused, but his lopsided smile makes my heart jump. Is it selfish to be relieved that he’s awake instead of getting rest? I approach t
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Milo’s POV It’s after one a.m., but I can’t sleep. Ghost is antsy too. It’s a good thing for once, though. Maybe a walk around the ward will help him calm down. I put on my slides and shuffle out into the hallway. It’s really quiet this late at night. Ghost feels like he’s on alert and it’s making me anxious. “Bro, remember what Doctor Stanton said.” I remind him. “It’s okay to be at sixty percent. Hundred percent is only when we’re working in the field.” “It’s okay to pay attention. We’re safe in the packhouse.” He parrots the mantra the doctor taught him. “Good. So let’s relax. Enjoy our walk. Calm down. Practice being normal.” “Fine.” He grumbles. I feel my muscles relax and it’s easier to breathe. “Just think about it, bro. We get to go home in the morning.” “We are home.” “Stuck in the hospital wing for a week.” “We went to the weight room with Bronx to workout and dinner service with the pack every evening.” He reminds me. “Yeah, that’s true. Did you feel weird sitting
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“How about this? Let me mindlink Ashley. Maybe I can wake her up and ask her to come out to the hall without waking the other two up.” He looks at the door with a shrug. “Unless you have a better idea?”“Uhh… no. I’ve only mindlinked Leni a few times. If I mindlink her out of a dead sleep, she might freak out.”He puts his hands on his hips and taps his foot while he thinks. “Alright. I’ll tell Ashley I have a surprise for her and to meet me in the hall.” “Cool. Let’s go stand by the front door so we don’t look like creepers outside the bedroom door.” I wave him back to the foyer.A minute later, Ashley peeks her head out from the bedroom hallway. When she sees Reggie, her face brightens up. She runs down the hall with a blanket wrapped around her and throws herself at him. I feel like I should look away when he gives her a deep kiss. Especially after what we just saw.“Awww Reggie, what are you doing here?” She squeals between kisses.“We wanted to surprise you, Honey, but um, we we
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Leni tilts her head and looks at me like I’m insane. “That I was crying. What else would I want to hide from my brother?” Did I hear her right? No way I heard her right. “Is she for real?” Ghost whispers. “This has to be a trap.” “I don’t know if it is, but I think anything I say right now could set her off like a grenade.” She clears her throat and sets her shoulders. “Don’t tell him. I don’t want him to worry about me. He needs to focus on himself right now.” “Uh… Okay. Yeah. I promise.” A huge weight lifts off my shoulders, but another one takes its place. She doesn’t know Bronx already pulled us into his suite to show us exactly what he’s been working on. Now probably isn’t a good time to mention it to her. “Thank you.” She smoothes the hair in her ponytail, suddenly unbothered. “Why did they let you leave early?” She isn’t holding a gun at me, but the level of danger in the room is right up there. She was just sobbing. Now she’s fine? I kinda feel like I have whiplash. Som
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Lenora’s POV 3 MONTHS LATER “Hey, Lenora.” Ashley’s voice rings in my mind. “Hey, what’s up?” “Just checking to see if you are still on the phone.” “Nope. Signing invoices.” “Good.” She says as she opens the door. Carly is behind her holding a plate of cupcakes. There are lit candles on each one. “Happy birthday tooooooo yooouuuu….” They sing with shit-eating grins on their faces. “Oh, you bitches.” I roll my eyes. Ashley grabs my chair and rolls it to the sitting area with me still in it, as my best friends continue to serenade me. They sit on the floor, watching me expectantly when they finish. “Make a wiiiiiiiish, neeerrrd.” Ashley says in her sing-song voice. “I wish something to go right. Just one thing, because a couple hours to relax would be sublime.” I close my eyes and blow out the candles. I leave my eyes closed for a moment. What if I open them and the world goes to shit? It wouldn’t surprise me, actually. “Is it your birthday too, Justice?” “No. Time was d
Last Updated : 2023-07-19
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Lenora’s POV“You see?” Musu puts her hands on her knees and pants. “A few hard workouts every week are all you need. No?”I lower myself to the floor with a groan and roll onto my back. “I don’t know about that, but I’m definitely too tired to worry anymore. I guess now that my back doesn’t hurt, I have to make up for lost time.”It’s been over a month since I tried to explain to Milo why Randall criticizing me was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Between Justice trying to stop me and Ghost… Well, I don’t know if Ghost was trying to protect our secret from Milo or if he truly doesn’t understand the gravity of the continuation of my life, but I failed miserably at trying to explain. Justice has even resorted to ignoring me unless she absolutely has to engage with me.When I got back from checking on Musu, Milo began to treat me differently. It’s like he was actually noticing me for the first time in a long time. He has been extra sweet and thoughtful. More than usual, I mean. He
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Milo’s POV“I expect better from you, Bronx.” I let Ghost snarl at him. “Fuck off.” He murmurs with glazed eyes from the gurney.I don’t care that we had to drag him down to the hospital wing to be sedated. He’s gonna get an earful from me. He hasn’t been taking care of himself. He’s gotten angry with MasonCo employees for no reason and handing down unnecessary write ups to directors for various departments in the pack. The past few weeks, he has been more and more irritable. I know for a fact he’s been making excuses and dodging his therapy appointments. I bet he hasn’t been taking his medications either.He even left Codi’s birthday party early when his mom mentioned she was looking forward to Bronx and Kas giving Codi cousins to be best friends with. Kas laughed it off about it not being the right time for them to start a family because Bronx is so busy he couldn’t even stay for the entire party, but you could see how much it upset her that he walked out. I’ve also seen him brush
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“As you know, the Goddess Project is funded with Council historical research funds and a MasonCo private client project. From a business aspect, what we have found so far, we consider a success. From a personal aspect, I cannot begin to express my disappointment in what we have found.” Bronx lowers his chin and looks around the room.“Disappointment?” Elder Karthik picks up his folder. “What do you mean?”“When you see the footage, you’ll understand.” I make eye contact with as many Elders that will look at me. I make a mental note that the ones who won’t make eye contact also happen to be on one of Randall’s ledgers.“We’ve included dossiers on the women we have confirmed in your folders. The details that we cannot confirm are from new individuals or the women we have found already are on a separate punch list. We are working on either matching them up to one of our suspects or identifying a new one.” Bronx looks around the room at the Council and motions to Elder Henri. “My Betas an
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Lenora’s POV“Milo, get the camera!” I gasp. “Hurry! Come on, Codi. You can do it, my big girl!”“Mamamama mmmama!” She squeals and lets go of the side of the sofa.I want to reach out and grab her before she falls, but her pediatrician says to let her try to do things on her own.Doctor Berra told me she understands why it’s so hard to let our children become independent, but I don’t think she understands at all. She says bumps and bruises are a part of our pups growing up. I thought I wouldn’t be around to kiss every one of them.Ghost, Justice, and I are the only ones who know that I shouldn’t even be here to watch my baby girl wobbling next to the coffee table. He doesn’t seem to understand the significance of my presence after her birth, though. He’s just grateful that I didn’t die. I’m not supposed to be alive to watch her gripping onto the tiger rattle and flailing her arms with a huge smile while her daddy cheers her on as she takes her first step… and her next… and her next…
A Time for Strength Chapter 158
Musu’s POV“If you have photos or videos-” I tap my fingers on the keyboard.His muffled voice sounds like he’s speaking to someone else.“Ilya, I will hang up and remove you from my call list if you don’t take this seriously.”“My apologies, Miss Goba.” His gruff voice is thick with phlegm. The sound of it makes my stomach churn. “I just got another tip for you.”I roll my eyes in frustration. I hate this part of my job. Greedy, underhanded, low life creatures. That’s who I have to work with to get what I need. I suppose it could be because he’s part warthog, but I believe it is more because he’s a chauvinist pig. If Marco ever found out the things Ilya had proposed to me, he would find himself squealing, not me. That much I am certain of.“This man is a fraud, Musu.” My wolf Mercy is ready to hang up. “Move on.”“I need to know you are good for the money.” Ilya snorts.“I’m done with these games, Ilya. You already know my employer has deep pockets for useful information.” I let my a
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Kas turns on the nightstand lights in my bedroom and turns off the overhead light while I wait impatiently for her to be ready. Her movements remind me of a bird who can’t decide which branch to sit on. When the lighting is just right, she looks around the room and breathes a sigh of relief.“Okay, Lenora. I’m just going to place one hand by your tailbone and the other on the middle of your back. All you need to do is close your eyes and clear your mind.” She smiles at me with shining violet eyes as she mimics the placement of her hands in the air. “It won’t take long. Fifteen minutes tops.”I take a deep breath and shake my hands out. “Okay. So, just sit cross-legged on the floor?”“If that’s the most comfortable position for you. I just need to put my hands on your back.” Kas gently pulls me down. “This won’t be like when I helped you and Codi. It should feel… relaxing. Some people say they feel a warmth spread out from my hands, so that’s not unusual, but if you feel any pain say s
A Time for Strength Chapter 156
“Oh! That must be my mom. She’s bringing snacks.” Carly hops up to open the door.I roll my eyes, but deep down I appreciate the effort she’s put into making me feel comfortable while Milo is out of town. I groan as I stand up, feeling the strain on my lower back. Justice slipped when we were conducting perimeter inspections earlier in the day. Even with as fast as she can heal me, aggravating the old injury takes longer for the pain to subside.“Sorry, child.” Justice frowns. “I should have been more careful.”“It’s alright, Justice. Neither of us could have known how easily that bit of river bank would give way.” I secure Codi in her bouncy chair and let her kick her legs happily so I can greet people.“Hello Beta!” Mrs. Miller comes in with one of her employees, carrying several giant platters covered with lids. “I put a little of everything for you ladies. Hot wings, salami, cheese, crackers, fruit and dip, chips, salsa, guacamole… Oh, popcorn. Extra butter, salt, and garlic. Just
A Time for Strength Chapter 155
“I think I cracked it, Sugar!” Milo bursts into my office with his arms raised in victory.Musu turns to look at him and tilts her head. “Good morning, Beta.”“Oh. Sorry.” He drops his arms. “I didn’t realize you ladies were meeting right now.”“It’s alright, Milo. We were just talking about Paars. Musu is going to look through Bronx’s library and see if she can find anything helpful.”“Look for Paars in the history books?” He stops short and tilts his head. “You think she has something to do with the Menae?”“I think a female wolf who makes people sick just by being around them is something to consider. Oh, Alpha Lowe left me a voicemail. She skipped town like she said she would. Gone with the wind.” I sit back in my seat and fold my arms over myself. Having to keep everything Justice has told me a secret is so frustrating. “Musu, I think we’re done for the day. If you come up with anything, please let me know.”“Of course, Beta.” She stands and bows. “Beta Milo, it was good to see y
A Time for Strength Chapter 154
“Hi Alpha Lowe!” I wave to him from under the beach umbrella.“Beta Lenora!” He waves and makes his way across the pebble beach.“Please sit with us.” I motion to the spot next to me in the shade.He lowers himself to the ground with a groan and props his arms on his knees. “Beta Milo is at my sister-in-law’s house looking around Brianna’s room now. It was making me too nervous. I had to show myself out.”“Yeah. A lot of our clients feel that way. It’s a necessary intrusion, unfortunately.” I frown. “We’re going to do everything we can to find her. I can’t think of better trackers than Milo and our Gamma Reggie. We’ll find her. We’ll bring her home to you.”“Thank you.” He looks out into the calm ocean. “She has the most beautiful blue eyes. They’re so full of hope and innocence and her smile lights up the room. It’s been so hard on everyone to not know what happened to her.”I nod silently and look out into the distance with him. “Alpha, are you aware of my past with Elder Randall?”
