Shelly gasped. “But she probably wouldn’t have because she is so weak.”
I nodded. “Exactly.” I rubbed her head. “So I pushed my magic into her. It took a bit, but eventually she perked up. She was still too small, too young to speak to us, but she opened her eyes and stood on her own legs.”
Abby smiled widely. “She was amazing.”
I winked. “I bought them a week.” I looked at Rick and Shelly, and they both gasped.
“No, it's too soon.” Shelly grabbed Abby to her chest and started crying.
“A week?” Rick's fractured whisper almost broke me.
I nodded. “Then you guys will have to come back, and I will have to do this again.” Shelly snapped her head at me.
“Do this again? Save her again?”
I nodded. “I’m not buying you a couple days just so you can say goodbye.” Shelly looked at Rick and, for the first time since we started talking about Nala, hope started to grow.
“What are you buying a couple of days for then?” Ternen, who I forgot was even there because he was so quiet, asked.
“I’m buying time to get us closer to our deadline. I’m going to drag Abby and Nala as far as I can so I can get the supplies to free them. I’m also going to see if there is any way I can save the other kids, because I refuse to allow Vince to control these parents by poisoning their children.” I looked around the room. “Because it isn’t just Abby…it's every pup with that brand.” I allowed thewords to settle in. Before I stood. “Now, before we go down to dinner, I have somewhere I want to show you, but I have to get a vow from Shelly, and then I have to add you to the spell.”
Shelly nodded. “If you will save my girl, I will follow you into hell.” She bowed.
I stood and held out my hand to Shelly to help her up. “I doubt we are going to hell, but war, we are definitely going to war.”
We all stood, and I turned to Shelly. “Are you ready to take the vow?”
She took a breath and then nodded. “I am.”
“Good. Repeat after me.” I walked her through the vow. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. “I, Shelly Clark, vow to keep your words from everyone except the Goddess. I swear that nothing you say that could be used against you to cause harm will leave my mouth. Only the Goddess will know our secrets and I beg her to keep them for us.” We all watched as her eyes widened. She turned to Rick. “That’s what you meant.” I lifted a brow. But she just laughed. “When he came home, he said that when you were out for lunch, you had a moment that filled him with an amazing sense of belonging.” She blushed as she rubbed her chest. “I was a little jealous, as I thought he meant you, but he meant the vow, the acceptance from the Goddess.”
Rick smiled and nodded. “Amy is great, but nothing came close to that feeling.” He turned to Shelly. “Except the day I mated you.” Then he turned to Abby. “And the day you were born.” He winked at her.
I smiled and then gathered the cups. “Okay.” I walked back into my room and put them on the bed-side table. “I’m going to check in with my mom and then I can go add you to the shield.” Everyone nodded as I stepped to the door. I opened it to absolute mayhem.
“What the hell do you mean, get out of your house?” Morgan bellowed.
“Exactly what I just fucking said. Amy bought this house for me. Not you and not fucking Shannon. You fucking lied, and don’t deny it. I talked to Vince.” There was the sound of glass shattering, and I was out of my room and down the stairs faster than I could blink.
“You and your fucking daughter think you’re fucking better than us!” Shannon screamed.
I stepped into the room, and I released my aura a little. “That’s because we are.” My words were soft. I wasn’t trying to escalate, just stating a fact. “But that isn’t anything against you. We are just Alphas.” I said it like I was placating a child and everyone froze. “Now, I don’t know what this is about.” I played stupid. “But I think it best if you and Shannon went and stayed at the pack house, Morgan. Just for a few days. So my mom can calm down.”
Morgan snarled before he could stop it. “Are you kicking me out of my own house?”
I shook my head. “I would never do that to you. Especially now, after Shannon and I spent these past few months rebuilding our relationship. I just think, for all parties, this is the best move. It will give you and my mom time to cool down and figure things out. Shannon will actually be closer to Brandon to help with the finishing touches of the mating ceremony. And I’ll be able to have my friends leave my bedroom without shaming our family.”
Morgan’s eyes tighten. There was nothing he loved more than family standing. Being embarrassed like this wouldn’t sit right with him. “There are people here? Who?”
I rubbed my face. “Alannah and Ternen, the Omegas from our office.” He scoffed. He wouldn’t care if it was just Omegas. “Rick,Shelly and their daughter Abby, are also upstairs. I was just showing her my stuffed animals when we heard the screaming.”
Morgan paled. “Rick is here?” I nodded.
“I’m going to go back upstairs and let you guys handle this. Mom, come get me when this is settled.” I waved and then went back upstairs. This will give me a decent amount of time while they finished their bullshit, packed, and gone.
I locked my bedroom door and turned back to everyone. Abby was playing with my stuffies with Rick and Shelly while Ternen and Alannah talked around the corner. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” I walked over and grabbed the cups before heading to my closet.
