LUCIAN POV
"You can put me down," Amber whispers, and I accidentally growl.
She flinches, and I sigh as I reach our room.
"Sorry," I mumble, and she stiffens even more.
"It's okay," she whispers, and I barely manage to hold back my grin.
Her voice is so light now. Not like it was downstairs when she was defending that whore of a wolf.
I get the door open easily since Amber weighs even less than when she first arrived. I set her on my bed and head for my closet without saying a word. I need to get on clothes before I try to sort through the mess going on in my head.
First, I need to decide what I'm going to say to Amber, and then I need to decide what I'm going to do with Jolene. Her injuries are extension, but since I didn't reach her heart, she should recover.
AMBER POV"How you doing," Kohn asks as he sits down next to my spot on the floor.I shrug. I don't really know how to feel. It's been a few days since Lucian choked me so hard he had to bring in a real doctor. For the most part, he has been MIA, so my fear has dropped a little. But I can't seem to erase the wild look in his eyes from my mind. I see it when I sleep. I see it when I shower. I even see it when I try to drink the cold soup the servants now serve me."That's understandable. I...well, I came by to check on you and see if you were up to finishing your tour. Jolene and Tabitha are gone, so no one should bother you," Kohn says, and my eyes widen as I remember the conversation that led to my swollen vocal cords."D..id you cut...them," I manage to rasp out, and he nods."I know it doesn't make sense in modern times, but when that tradition started, there weren't ce
KOHN POVSeeing a pup mate-claim, Amber is pretty funny. I know he is doing it because his pack needs higher members, but Amber. She can't even be deemed fit by human standards. Her body is extremely weak from lack of food and the abuse she has suffered at the hands of Lucian.I didn't even put two and two together. I thought they were claiming her due to their protective natures. I mean, she is bruised, skinny, and just giving out an overall sad aura. But mate-claim...Lucian growls louder, and Malcolm roars. Both begin to size each other up, and the rest of the pack moves to protect their Alpha's mate. As the atmosphere grows tenser and tenser, my attention shifts to Amber.She looks terrified and helpless as she watches Lucian and Malcolm begin to circle one another. And I second her emotions. If Malcolm keeps pushing, Lucian will have no choice but fight him...and their size difference
LUCIAN POV "NO," I scream as Amber's chest goes silent and the pups howl. Gavin frantically takes towels away from a female servant and gently moves my hands out of the way before pressing the towels against Amber's back. He turns her over, and my eyes search her face for signs of life. Almost as if they think my ears are lying. Her blue eyes are closed, and her face is drained of color. My mind immediately begins to engrave her features into my memory as Gavin begins chest compressions. Her pixie-like nose, her pouty lips, her blonde roots growing out from under the fake brunette box dye.....the bruises around her neck from where my hands squeezed. "He said ten minutes," Kohn announces as soon as he comes back outside at a sprint. He freezes at the backdoor, and I force my gold eyes to look at him.
LUCIAN POV "Lucian, the doctor would like to talk to you," Kohn says through my door after knocking, and I grunt loud enough for him to hear. Last night was awful. I slept for about an hour, but I was too scared to sleep for longer than that. Anxiety has all but taken over my senses. Any slight change, whether it be her heart rate or her breathing, I panic. "Come in," I answer, and Kohn opens my door. I glance over to look at the doctor that saved my mate and give him a nod. I owe him, but I don't like him. "Mr. Bishop, how is our patient," he asks, striding in as if my bedroom is his personal office. I bite back my growl and glance down towards Amber's peaceful face. "She is alive. Her heartbeat is strong," I reply, and he nods while taking a listen for himself.
LUCIAN POV "Lucian, there's an issue," Kohn says as he and Ruben slowly walk into my office. "I will deal with it when I get back. I'm about to go sit with Amber," I reply as I finish typing out the latest petition I am sending the SNCA. Since I discover Agent Tran helped hide my mate three months ago, I have filed every suit I can think of. And the latest is a doozy. "Alpha, this can't wait... Umm, Senator Gavens....he uh...he outed werewolves today....him and the loner from Alaska.....He shifted on live TV," Ruben stutters, and the blood drains from my face. "What," I growl so low it sounds like a whisper. Kohn steps towards me as Ruben takes a step back, and my eyes shift to him."It happened three hours ago....humans are already starting to panic. Qu
AMBER POV Oh no. He is going to kill me for sure this time. I made him so angry he has literal tears coming from his deep brown eyes. I didn't consciously choose to wake up because he mentioned Thatcher. It just jolted my brain. Now I'm going to die because of something else I couldn't control. "Why him," Lucian whispers, and my eyebrows shoot up. Shock takes over my mind at the vulnerability clearly written in Lucian's eyes. My fear disappears as I realize what is actually taking place. Lucian isn't angry. He is hurt. He is crying because he is hurt. But why? I open my mouth to respond, but my throat is so dry nothing comes out. Lucian observes my discomfort and gets up. He walks across the small room and grabs a white styrofoam cup from a counter against the wall. He walks back to me, looking different than I remember him. Al
AMBER POV Watching Lucian while the doctor examines me and checks my vitals is almost comical but also scary. Every time the doctor touches me, Lucian tenses. He squeezes his fists so tight his knuckles go completely white, and his jaw clenches so loud I can hear his teeth grind together. I know at any moment Lucian can explode. At any moment, he can end this man trying to do his job. I silently pray for the doctor's exam to be over every second for his safety and mine. "You will be weak, Amber. Your muscles haven't been used in a while, but you weigh more than when you first arrived," the doctor says while flashing me a wide smile. I grin back, but before I can thank him, Lucian moves so close to the doctor his breath moves the hair on the poor man's neck. My breath catches as I prepare for the worst...oh no.
LUCIAN POV As I wheel Amber's wheelchair inside the packhouse, I scent to air to figure out where my Beta is. I need an update on the packs, and I need it immediately. "Kohn," I yell since his scent is faint on the bottom level of the house.Amber flinches, and I instinctively place my hand on her shoulder. "Shhh, little mouse. You are safe," I soothe, and her body relaxes under my touch as Kohn and Ruben come flying down the stairs. Both males seem shocked to see Amber awake, but they both keep their comments to themselves. They know my patience is extra thin today, and I don't want Amber being subjected to my anger. "Bad news, Alpha," Ruben says, and I nod to give him the go-ahead."A few packs weren't able to pull in their pup packs fast enough. Thirty-two lives have been lost so far