Luca smiled at Randal, but the smile didn't last long. It slid into a frown. "Was I injured?"
"You were." And Randal would never forgive himself for allowing it to happen. "One of the guys Ralph let into his shadow clan helped them escape, remember?'
Luca nodded.
"Well, when you stuck Ralph and Raymond with those syringes, he went after you." Randal drew in a steadying breath. "He had started to shift so he had claws and he raked them up your side. From the angle of the wound, we suspect that he was trying to get to your heart, but your body turned when you dropped to the ground and he was unable to."
"How bad is it?"
"They tell me that it wasn't that bad, but..." Randal shook his head. "I'm a horrible mate. I never should have left you unprotected like that."
He never would again.
"You didn't do this, Randal."
"Yeah, but—"
"The only people responsible for this are the people that did it, and from what you've told me, they are going to pay for that mistake. Right?"
Randal nodded.
"Then stop worrying about it." Luca patted the mattress beside him. "Stretch out next to me and tell me how my nana is doing."
Randal did as Luca said simply because he wanted to be closer to his mate. He was surprised when Luca rolled onto his good side and cuddled up to him. He wrapped his arms around Luca. "We've never done this before."
"Cuddled?"
Randal nodded.
Luca chuckled as he rested his head on Randal's chest. "Well, get used to it. We'll be doing it a lot in the future."
Randal could do that. "It's nice."
"It is."
There was silence between them for a few minutes, and that was okay. They didn't need to be talking every second to enjoy the experience. Holding Luca in his arms was enough for Randal.
"How's my nana?" Luca finally asked.
Randal smiled even though Luca couldn't see it. "Ecstatic."
"Why?"
"Remember that mandatory meeting Rob planned to have?"
"Yeah."
"It was a bit eye opening, but it was epic. A council representative started the meeting by ordering everyone who had been a member of the Silver Lake Clan under Alpha Albert Kersey to step to the left. He then ordered everyone who had been a member of the King Clan under Alpha Jason King to the right. Those that had joined the clan under Alpha Rob were ordered to stand in front of the park pagoda. That left just the people who my father had let into the clan."
"How many were there?"
"About twenty people."
"So, what happened then?"
"The council representative introduced Rob as the only alpha on council record for the Silver Lake Clan and the King Clan. He went on to state that Ralph was under arrest for trying to start a shadow clan after being banished. He gave those who Ralph had let into the clan the choice to stay or leave with the understanding that Rob was alpha."
"Did any of them stay?"
