“Take her to your room. Focus on her needs, and try to put it behind you. She knows why you did it, and she’s no fainting flower. Don’t insult her by acting like she can’t handle it.”
I nodded, finally letting myself turn back around so I could see my mate, huddled in conversation with Olivia, Savannah, and Dakota. The rest of the room had pretty much cleared out when my wolf made his appearance, so there was one silver lining, at least.
Lucien slapped me on the shoulder, and I stalked toward Elodie.
Chapter 49
Elodie
“I’m so sorry. I should have known not to come. Youtoldme to be careful, and when Savannah said she wanted to go, I let my own boredom win out over my better judgment.”
Dakota’s head hung in shame, but honestly, I couldn’t be mad at her. She was in her very early twenties, had spent most of her formative years cloistered, and was out on her first real assignment ever.
That on its own would have been enough to lead to some rookie mistakes, but add in that this was possibly the only time in her life she’d ever attend a pack gathering like this one? With an army gathering, preparing to wipe us off the face of the planet?
No, I couldn’t be mad. She’d cried uncle and asked for backup. I’dalwaysrather she call for backup.
“Don’t beat yourself up. You’re allowed to have leave, you weren’t on duty, and… frankly, I’m glad you were there to keep an eye on Savannah. Valens would have been beside himself if things had gone any further.”
Dakota winced at the reminder of how I’d found them. “I tried to get her to slow down, I did. But the more drunk shegot, the more she kept going on about how now she was a real orphan? I didn’t know what that meant, but she was really trying to drownsomething. For the record… I don’t think it worked.”
I nodded, pulling her into my side for a hug. I didn’t really want one, but wolves needed touch. I was Dakota’s sister, and she needed it. So, I gave it, even as my skin burned and I wanted to crawl out of it.
She wrapped both arms around me and squeezed right as Olivia marched over with a still-swaying Savannah.
“Brielle’s taking him to the clinic. Savannah is going to be fine. I looked her over and pushed a little healing power into her to help work some of the alcohol out of her system. We also had a chat about not getting so drunk as to endanger ourselves, but I don’t think she needed that.” Olivia, the usually gentle healer, frowned at Valens’s sister as if she were disappointed.
Thankfully, she didn’t push the issue further, as would have been her right as Alpha mate of the Hungarian pack.
“Thank you, Oli. You’re the best as always.” She leaned in for a hug of her own, frowning as she pulled back. “You’re burning, Elodie. My Goddess.”
I felt the gentle brush of her own flavor of healing magic, a trickle of cool relief flooding from her hands where she held them up to my flushed face, the center of my chest, but it felt like a squirt gun against an inferno.
I really was miserable.
“Did you feel this bad before?”
I scrunched up my face, trying to remember, but I didn’t think so. “No? I was sound asleep, and the meds had helped. I felt fine when we started running over here, and V didn’t mention me being too hot. I think…” I realized then when it shifted. “Oh, shit. I felt fine until the douchebag grabbed me. My wolf lost her shit when he kissed me.”
Savannah’s eyes went wide as she leaned heavily on Dakota’s shoulder. “Is that why Valens snapped? Figures.” Her words were a little slurred, the s on figures coming out likeshh.
Something was obviously up with Savvy, and we’d need to address it soon, but I had a feeling she’d have to wait.
“Elodie, traumatic incidents with your hormones already as high as they were…” Olivia grimaced, as if she was unable to finish her thought without apologizing. “I think he threw you into the heat early. We need to get you out of here to somewhere quiet. Maybe some close contact with your alpha can pull it back if you really rest, but?—”
“Pull what back?” Valens’s low, rumbling voice over my shoulder sent a frisson of need through me so intense, a desperate sound ripped itself from my throat and my knees began to shake.
“Oh Goddess. This is it, I don’t think there’s any turning back. Okay, you’re going to be fine, El, remember that. Do what feels right, but don’t push it. And don’t worry about the pack. Everything will still be standing when it’s passed, I promise.” Olivia’s face swam before my watery eyes, tears flooding my lower lids at the fact that my alpha was so close but nottouching me. Why wasn’t he touching me?
Frantic conversation washed over me like a wave of garbled nonsense, and then I felt his hands, soft and careful on my arms, like he thought I might be breakable.
His lips brushed my ear as he spoke. “It’s going to be all right, Firecracker. I’ve got you now. I know what you need.”
And then I was in his arms and blessedly cool everywhere his skin touched mine.
Mindlessly, I dragged at my clothing, wanting more skin and less interference. More skin contact, more relief, more touch. More, more, more. I was a being of need and pain and burning hot desire like nothing I’d ever experienced before.
He put his hand over the back of my head, guiding my nose into the crook of his neck as he carried me out of the stables as if I were his own personal koala.
