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I yanked at the gown, reaching behind my back to try and get the zipper down. It wasn’t easy but at last I was able to get out of the too-tight wedding dress.
Leaving it in a crumpled pile on the bathroom floor, I wet a washcloth and went back to the bedroom wearing only my bra and underwear. It was a set that Crenshella had picked out for me—delicate white lace that was no doubt meant to make me seem virginal and pure for my wedding night.
I had a moment to feel relieved that I wouldn’t have to go through the wedding night now. I wouldn’t have to let Moncrieff rape me—thanks to Gabriel.
But had my older stepbrother paid for my freedom with his life?
I didn’t want to believe that. I took the wet washcloth over to the bed and gently wiped his face and mouth.
“Gabriel?” I called softly. “Can you hear me? We’re safe now—please come back!”
Slowly, his silver eyes opened.
“Zoe?” he murmured again. “So…thirsty.”
“Hang on!”
I ran to the sink and grabbed one of the wrapped plastic cups. I filled it halfway with water and brought it back to the bed. Gabriel was too weak to lift his head or hold the cup, so I did it for him, carefully holding it to his lips as I held his head in my lap.
Gabriel drank thirstily and then asked for more just as Christopher was coming back into the room.
“How is he?” he asked, locking the door behind him. “I’ve got the Escalade pretty well hidden. Even if they find a way to get out here, they won’t see any trace of us,” he added.
“He’s awake. Here—get me some more water, please.” I handed him the cup.
He brought it back almost full and Gabriel drank the whole thing.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, looking down at him anxiously.
“Like shit.” His voice was still hoarse. “Don’t think I’ll be around for much longer, little mouse.”
“Don’t say that! You’re going to be fine.” I cradled his head in my lap, stroking his hair away from his high forehead.
“Zoe’s right.” Christopher settled on the bed beside him. “You have to hang around—you’re our Alpha. How can we form a Triad without you?”
“There’s not going to be any…Triad,” Gabriel whispered.
“Yes, there is!” I insisted. “We’re going to live together and be happy the rest of our lives!”
Gabriel shook his head.
“Don’t deserve…to be happy,” he muttered.
“Why? Because we broke the Unbreakable Laws? Because fuck that!” Christopher snapped. “There’s no blood relation between any of us—we can be together if we want!”
“Not just that…” Gabriel shook his head again. “I killed…my own sire. My Pack Master.”
“Gabriel, he beat you—he beat us both!” Christopher exclaimed. “He was a sadistic asshole!”
“He killed my father right in front of me and sold me to Moncrieff,” I said, having to force the words out. “I’m glad he’s dead—I’m glad you killed him, Gabriel! You saved me—both of you did!”
But Gabriel only sighed deeply and closed his eyes.
“Don’t…deserve…” he muttered but I couldn’t hear his last words.
I had the bad feeling that he was slipping away from us. Anxiously, I patted his cheeks again.
“Gabriel, please—come back!” I pleaded. I could feel tears stinging my eyes and I didn’t try to stop them this time. “You told me you didn’t love me enough to die for me!” I reminded him. “So you can’t die now—you can’t!”
His eyes fluttered open, dull gray this time instead of silver.
“I do love you…little mouse. Always…have.”
“I love you too! You and Christopher both—we have to find a way to be together. Please, Gabriel—you have to get well!” I looked up at Christopher who was looking anxiously at his older brother. “Isn’t there some kind of antidote for that stuff he took? Isn’t there anything that can cure him?”
“I don’t know about an antidote, but I have heard a female Were’s nectar from her first Heat Cycle helps dilute the Bane,” he said reluctantly. “Of course that doesn’t do us any good, since you’re not in your Heat Cycle and making nectar right now? Are you?”
I felt a burst of hope.
“Actually, I think I’m about to be.” I told him about the special tea Crenshella had given me to bring on my Heat Cycle and explained how my breasts had swelled.
Hope dawned on Christopher’s face as well.
“I thought they looked bigger,” he said, eyeing my breasts which were practically popping out of the white lace bra. “Are you producing any nectar?”
“I don’t know—let me see.” I fumbled with the back of the bra until I got it unfastened and took it off. As my breasts swung free, I let out a sigh of relief. The bra had really gotten much too small for me since I had put it on that morning. It felt good to be bare—and more than that, it felt right to be bare with my stepbrothers.
