AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The room behind me went quiet, but unfortunately I wasn’t silent. I retched until there was nothing in my stomach except heart ache.
When I was finally done being sick I didn’t know what to do. Carry the trash can back to the cottage and wash it?
Michael sidled up next to me, waved his hand and used his magic to make it all disappear. Gratitude swamped me.Thank you.Then he handed me a large white handkerchief without speaking, and I sighed. He was so good to me.
I lifted my face and smiled up at Michael as I wiped my eyes, then my mouth. He tugged me into his chest and put his arms around me, turning us to face the pack once more. Everyone was staring at us but now, instead of anger, I saw pity. And fear.
They were worried for me, for my baby. And now, thanks to Max, so was I.
Xander marched over to stand beside me and Kyle moved to stand beside Michael. As a foursome family, we stared at the rest of the pack. I rested my hand on my stomach, wanting to shield my developing child from all the stress.
“You’re wrong.” Xander said, his voice shaking with emotion. “Those women died because of the curse on our pack. The curse doesn’t want us marrying women who aren’t made for us. And it doesn’t want us finding another wolf shifter just for the sake of breeding.”
“What do you mean?” Someone called out from the crowd.
Xander turned to address everyone. “Monique’s a witch, just like the woman who cursed the alpha and all of us. It’s my belief that she wanted to punish him for his choice of marrying a wolf shifter who wasn’t his fated mate.”
There was a hushed silence, then, “Go on.” The alpha called from the stage, his voice booming around the room.
I cuddled closer to Michael, feeling safe and warm in his arms.
“What if the curse wants us all to have wives who are witches?” He asked, putting out a thought that I’d considered myself. “What if Monique is only the first of many?”
There was a general rumble around the room and I was happy to say that it wasn’t all terrible. More witches? More magic in the pack? I knew I’d like that, and Michael would too.
“It’s possible.” I whispered up at him, my chest aching from the tension of this moment.
“Itispossible.” He said loudly. “And don’t forget that Monique is my fated mate. And I will say that again for those who aren’t listening properly. My. Fated. Mate. When Kyle and I found her in the forest I literally fell to my knees before her. We both did. It was... the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced.”
There was another rumble and soft gasps from the people in the back.
I smiled up at Xander, proud of him for sharing the truth and revealing so much of himself to the pack. I knew he found that hard.
Xander twisted to look back at the small stage. “So don’t you ever... and I mean ever, tell my mate that she’s going to die. Our baby is going to be born in seven months’ time, healthy and strong. Just like I was, and my sister. A child of a fated mate pairing. Exactly how it is meant to be.”
Xander glared a little longer then said. “I think it’s time we left.”
None of us argued with him, because his words weren’t a question. Michael tucked me in behind Xander and as a family, we walked out of the town hall and along the road towards our new house.
I hurried to catch up with Xander. “Are you okay?”
His usually blue eyes were flashing yellow and I could feel the vibration of his wolf beneath the surface. “I... no.”
Yeah, that was obvious. And I wasn’t going to be much help here. However, there was someone who could be of assistance. I glanced back at Kyle, who then trotted ahead to join us.
“Hey man. You wanna run?”
Xander nodded and stopped walking, right there in the middle of the road.
Instead of going all the way home, he stripped there and then. I stared in wonder at the majesty of his body. His ripped muscles and strength.
He was panting with anger, his chest heaving and his hands tightening into fists.
Kyle undressed also, but unlike Xander who’d just shed his clothes like a fireman and left his clothes on the road, Kyle folded his into a pile and walked over to me. “Would you mind taking these back to the cottage for me?”
I grinned at him. “Sure. You just take care of him.”
Kyle nodded and when I glanced back at Xander, a black wolf stood in his place. Huge. Majestic.
