CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Taylor got up and took the food away from the room as Dante was too dumbfounded to move. The ardent effort to kill him was overwhelming. How could they not see he's their best option?

“Baby, don't overthink it okay? I'm here now. No one will be able to poison you. I literally have a herb diary in my head. I was going to become a doctor, remember?” Taylor told him, climbing into bed with a yawn.

Dante had to snap out of it with a resolute mind to purge the pack tomorrow. But before that, he ensured he went around the house, securing their house. He double checked that the door was locked and there were no broken windows.

When he got back to the room, Taylor was already asleep, and by the looks of it, was having a nightmare.

She kept trashing on the bed and he had to go to her. He carried her in his arms and she quieted down.

“I'm so sorry baby. I'll never forgive myself for this.” He said quietly, tears brimming in his eyes.

“Don't worry, she'll get better eventually. We just have to be there for her at all times. She doesn't move an inch without us” Black told him.

He nodded and he lay her down then properly got into the bed, spooning her as he watched her sleep.

***

In the morning, the pack was looking less gloomy than it had the previous years. Everyone had started feeling the effects of Seth reducing in the pack and even children were seen playing around.

Unlike before, the pack members began organizing themselves in anticipation of Dante's strict regimen for a great pack. They knew what he liked and they wanted to make him happy.

Dante woke up before Taylor and he went into the garden to get some fruits for her as it was a healthy hazard asking anyone to bring them food.

He took it to the kitchen sink and washed them, making plans to go hunting later in the day. If it meant feeding her himself, he would, but no one would hurt his mate anymore, he vowed.

He got back to the room and Taylor was stretching like a little kitten. This made him smile and he took the plate to her.

“You have the cutest morning smile. I love seeing you in a fluffy bed, looking so soft. I hated that bed in the Blood Stone Pack. Too stiff” he told her, giving her the fruits.

Taylor took the plate from her mate, her face blushing red.

“Thanks love. Have you tried contacting them again? Also, the other soldiers that went that way when we were escaping?” She said, before biting into an apple.

“The last I spoke to Eddy, they were chased for a very long time but I guess they came across one of your blood waters and stopped suddenly. I'll check again to see if they've gotten to the pack.”

“Let Black do it. See if the poisoning had any adverse effects.”

“That makes sense. Black, wake up you sleepyhead”

“I'm a bit overwhelmed by the mate bond. It's been a while since I slept that deeply. What do you need?”

“I understand. Don't mind Dante, he doesn't get it as much as you do. I can't wait for Celia to come back. We need to find out if Eddy and the other guys got to Blood Stone Pack”

“Alright. I'll let you know when I get access.” She nodded and fed her mate some of the fruit she was eating.

Dante was eating a strawberry in one second and in the next, his vision darkened, his senses overwhelmed by the seemingly endless tunnel he was spiraling through.

“Black! What's going on?” He screamed out in their bond.

There was no response.

“ALPHA! PLEASE HELP US” a cacophony of voices screamed but Dante couldn't see where it was coming from.

“Who are you and how will I help you if I don't know you?” He asked in confusion.

There was silence, then an intense but eerily familiar voice laughed hard and long and everything went blank.

He blinked and he was back to the physical, the strawberry he was trying to chew dropping from his hand.

“Baby? Are you okay? You zoned out for a second there.” Taylor enquired, noticing his fat away looks.

“I think something is happening in the Blood Stone Pack. Something really horrifying. I need to get this pack in form so you can stay back while I go sort it out alright? Let's freshen up and go deal with it”

Taylor was looking at him like he had two heads.

“What are you talking about? Black is supposed to have been back with a response and even if he's not, I was thinking we discuss the past few weeks, like, who's the lady I saw you with and how on earth did you convince those elders to let you out of the Battle of Wills without having the fight to death? I need to make sense of things.”

“Okay, something happened right now. I don't know how but I just heard screaming and crying for help and we can't go together because you are pregnant. And the girl? She was the daughter of an Alpha my father was friends with. She suddenly came here because she heard I was back. I thought she just wanted to hug me. We've been friends since childhood but then she twisted it into something else. Well, something made her do it as she couldn't even remember how she got here” Dante explained while getting clothes out for them to wear.

“Jethro mentioned having a hand in it. That's why I wasn't too upset when I saw you. I just needed to wrap my head around it.”

“I'm really sorry for everything that happened as a result of that. Once all of this is over, there's a cottage on the other side of the pack, close to the most beautiful fountain you'll ever see. My dad always takes my mom when she is having a bad day. We have not had proper bonding time.”

“Okay baby. I'll like that. I can't believe we're about to be separated again, the last time, I almost went crazy. The bond was making my mind dizzy”

Dante came and carried her to the bathroom.

“Well, this time, you won't be in ropes and we will keep talking no matter how far. I'll keep the connection open.”

“We can't do that, you'll get tired. Once we're done with the meeting, I'll go meet Damian so we can find herbs to help bring my wolf back. Celia and Black can keep in touch without so much effort. I'll talk to you once every day and if there's an emergency, our wolves will let us know” she explained.

“That is a brilliant idea” Dante replied while helping her wash her hair.

“I thought we had raised a perfect pack. What could be the problem?” Taylor wondered out loud.

“I'm going to find out. I'll only leave when your wolf is back and strong. Also, I didn't want to say anything till everything was set but we will be having the Luna Ceremony tonight. Is that okay? Or are you too tired for festivities?”

“Oh my gosh I'll love that! And no, I'm not tired one bit. I wish I had a girlfriend though, who will I go dress shopping with?”

“Oh, I saw Tessa in the crowd today. She is our former beta's daughter and she's a good girl. I'll tell her to accompany you okay?”

“You have everything figured out. Have I told you I love you?” She said to him, loving how he was paying attention to her. She could feel her energy returning from their proximity.

“Well, not today, you haven't” Dante replied in a cheeky way, making them both laugh.

“Well, I do really love you. These are crazy times and being pregnant during it is really driving me nuts but with you, I really don't think I need to panic. You've got me and I will always love you” she said to him, her eyes watering up.

“Oh darling, I love you so much. You don't know the joy you pour into my soul. I really don't deserve you but I'm not letting you go” he said, kissing her deeply.

“Oh baby, you're doing things to my body. We better get out of this bathroom before I'll lose the ability to let you leave this house today” he told her, making her laugh while quickly rinsing her body and sending her to the room to get dressed.

They got ready for the big day ahead. It was time to claim his pack in every sense of the word