CHAPTER 8: Between Blood and Mate
Morgan’s POV
“What’s the hurry?” I asked Harry immediately when we left the room.
He averted my gaze and kept walking.
“Harry!” I snapped, halting midstep.
He turned to me and gave a long sigh.
“Alpha, I'm afraid your brother, Jones, is badly injured, and we have yet to find the culprit.
My heart dropped, and my face contorted in pain at his words. Jones was my blood brother and the only family I had left in this world after a tragic accident and I would kill anyone who tried to harm him.
I could feel myself getting angry and my claws digging into my palms as I clenched my fist.
“Who”? I thundered.
“We are still trying to find out, but please come with me, your brother needs you”. Harry said. I gulped and pushed past him.
As I opened the visitor’s room, I froze. He sprawled on the floor groaning in pain. My chest constricted with pain as I dropped on the floor beside him and pulled him in for a hug.
He leaned into me, resting his head on my shoulder, wrapping his neck around mine, his nose running along my skin and hair. We were very affectionate in my family, before it all went to hell.
“Hey Jones, I am so sorry I was not there for you. I am so sorry "I whimpered, running my hands all over his back to soothe him. His eyes watered and he looked up at me.
I looked him over to see the damage done to him. Deep claw marks rake along his forearm, shallow enough to bleed but not tear through muscles. The skin was torn into jagged strips, red and raw.
Three long claw marks slashed across his ribs, close enough to sting the lungs with every breath but not deep enough to puncture them. The wound was swollen and the skin around the wound darkened to an ugly purplish-black. The fever burning off his skin would aid his healing, but it would be hours before he was whole again.
Anger roared through me. I was determined to find who did this to my brother and make them suffer. One name flashed in my mind, and my wolf growled its agreement.
Xavier.
My eyes hardened, and my claws dug into my palms, drawing blood.
Sensing my rage, Jones weakly touched my shoulder.
"Mo... take it easy," he croaked.
I nodded stiffly and turned to the doctor who was closing up the deep wounds in his chest with bandages.
"How long?" I asked.
“In a few hours” he replied.
“He will never go scot-free. I promise you he will pay for this” I growled, gritting my teeth.
"Be careful," Jones rasped. "He's not alone." He's... working with a shifter."
“Shhhh…you need to rest. I will check up on you later.”
He nodded faintly. As I was about to leave, he held my wrist. I turned to him.
“Something happened,” he said.
I furrowed my brows. “What do you mean”?
“You smell different,” he noted, looking me straight in the eyes.
I gulped. How the hell did I think I was going to keep that away from him? Of course, he will smell her on my skin.
“Is she the one”? He asked
I paused. “I am not sure… I will check up on you much later okay"?
He nodded
My mind whirls back to the tiny little figure waiting in the room close to mine. My mind was in turmoil but all I could think of at that point was the wolf who Ragnar thought was our mate.
I needed to be near her, I needed to see her. I kissed my brother on the forehead and stepped out of the room, with Harry following behind. When we got to the door of her room, I stopped and turned to Harry.
“I want to be alone”
He stared at me long and hard before he nodded. “Do you believe her”?
I gritted my teeth. “I don't know what to believe, Harry”, I admitted.
There was no need to hide anything from Harry. He was my best friend and beta. I would not be wrong if I said he had come to become an extension of myself.
“What if she is telling the truth? He said thoughtfully. “I can feel your connection to her through our bond. Whatever she is... your meeting wasn’t an accident," he observed.
I kept quiet, thinking about his words.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but one thing I’m sure of is that she is not a threat to you and I can feel her spirit calling out to you. Perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye”? He phrased it in a question.
What if Ragnar was right?
What if she really was my mate?
Why would the moon goddess give me, the Alpha King of the Bloodfang Pack, a weak mate?
Of what use is a weak mate to me?
“What do you suggest I do”? I muttered.
"Give her a chance," Harry advised. Listen to her again. This time, with an open mind. Trust your instincts."
I nodded slowly, feeling a pull toward her so strong it was almost painful.
I could feel my wolf getting excited at the thought of seeing her again. I gave a small smile and pulled Harry in for a hug.
“Thank you, Harry,” I murmured. He nodded before handing me a small key.
I furrowed my brows in confusion.
“Violet” was all he said before turning around and walking away.
I shook my head and pushed the door open, but there was no sound whatsoever. I walked in and closed the door gently behind me.
The room was dark and the only light coming in was from the bathroom door, which was left open. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw her curled up on the reading table close to the window.
She looked very delicate, breathtakingly innocent, and sweet. My wolf purred and whined, aching to be closer.
"Mate," he murmured, her scent hitting me hard, stirring every primal instinct within me.
Blood rushed south, and I imagined waking her up with a smoldering kiss that matched the fire in my belly and pressing myself towards her back so she could feel exactly what she was doing to me.
She looked delicious sitting there with her head on the table, but she didn't look comfortable. Before I knew what I was doing, I scooped her up in my arms and took her to bed.
As I deposited her on the bed, she stirred in her sleep, and her short top shifted to expose her flawless white skin and her tiny belly button and the bulge in my pants strained painfully against my trousers and I stifled a low moan.
I needed to leave at that moment before I lost control. With a new resolve, I stood up to leave, but she grabbed my hand in her sleep, her soft whimper sending shockwaves through me. I inhaled sharply and cussed.
My body tensed as she clung to me, her tiny fingers wrapped around mine.
I carefully pried her hand off, stepping toward the door.
But then she whimpered again, thrashing in her sleep.
I froze.
My wolf growled low in concern.
I stared at her thrashing form, torn between leaving and staying.