Chapter Eighty-Five Chapter Eighty-Five
Jason groaned. His head felt like it was splitting in two and his mouth seemed full of cotton. Was this what a hangover felt like? He wasn’t sure
Gentle fingers laid a cold compress on his forehead and he sighed catching the soothing scent of lilac and sage
“...Phoebe.”
“Pm here.”
Her fingers caressed his cheeks and he risked opening his eyes
Strangely they didn’t seem overly sensitive to light. He lay on the office couch while Phoebe perched on the edge watching him with concern
“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself,” Phoebe forced a strained smile
“Something wrong? Why do I feel like I’ve been on a three-day bender? ” Jason asked slowly taking stock of his condition. “And why am I naked?”
Phoebe bit her lip trying to stifle a chuckle before asking, “What do you remember?”
Jason frowned at her attempt to evade his query before considering hers. His frown deepened as he struggled to recall recent events, “I—I was working at my desk. And someone from the kitchen brought me tea. And it tasted awful. And then...”
He struggled to recall the face surrounded by red hair. She was dressed in a uniform similar to the kitchen staff but it wasn’t quite right. It was faded and an older style. In fact the she-wolf was also older. She had to
be close to Myra’s age so it was strange she would be given a menial task
Chapter Eighty-Five =i
like delivering tea. She leaned over him but he couldn’t recall what she said. Then, she kissed him. And then..
Jason’s eyes widened as he recalled fragmented memories of kisses and caresses. No. It couldn’t be. He didn’t
“Phoebe, I didn’t...”
“I know,” Phoebe nodded as he tried to sit up. She gently pushed him down. “You didn’t.”
“I didn’t?”
“No,” Phoebe assured him before reaching for a bag containing waterlogged herbs. “This is the tea she gave you. It’s hard to tell all the ingredients but it definitely has jasmine, passion flower and mandrake in it
“Which means?”
“Jasmine and passion flower are aphrodisiacs and mandrake is a poison that would put you in an alternate state.”
“So, I was drugged, with tea? Why?”
“So that you would betray our bond,” Phoebe nodded setting the bag on the coffee table
“But, I didn’t, right?”
“I felt something was wrong,” Phoebe said. “I got really dizzy and Mani said you were in trouble. I was halfway here when I felt the pain.”
“Phoebe...”
She held up a hand, “It’s probably when she kissed you. When I got here she was working on undressing you.”
“But you got here before...”
Phoebe nodded seeing relief ease his expression as he let out a slow breath. She could only imagine the guilt that would have consumed him if
Chapter Eighty-Five —
she hadn’t managed to interrupt them. Even now she felt it gnawing on his conscience trying to figure out how he should have prevented it
“If you stopped her, why am I naked?” Jason suddenly asked
“., The tea was pretty potent and you started getting feverish as it triggered a rut and there really isn’t an antidote for herbs. And Mani thought some activity would help you burn off the effects sooner.”
“Are you saying you took advantage of me?” Jason asked smirking at her rambling answer
“Maybe, a little,” Phoebe admitted fighting a blush. In truth it was mostly a rather fevered make-out session but her scent and contact did keep him calm
‘Mate was glorious,’ Lobo suddenly piped up
‘Oh? So you are alive? What do you remember?’
‘Everything,’ Lobo huffed, ‘/couldn’t communicate but I was aware of everything.’
‘So when that she-wolf kissed me...’ ‘!wanted to rip her throat out! But I couldn’t come forward.’
“Something wrong?”
“My wolf,” Jason sighed. “He says our connection was cut off. He was aware of everything happening but he couldn’t come forward. Must be an effect of the herbs.”
Phoebe nodded, “Mani said she was having trouble linking with him
too
Jason ran a hand through his hair. There was a deep frown on his face as he refused to look her in the eye. She felt his guilt slowly gnawing at him
“Jason,” Phoebe gently turned his face toward hers and waiting for
Chapter Eighty-Five =
him to finally meet her gaze. “When I got here you were waving your hand like you were trying to fend her off and you kept calling my name.”
“I did?”
“Angel. You kept repeating it, over and over. You were getting agitated and you didn’t calm down until you felt the mate bond when I held you and when you smelled me. That was the only thing that calmed you.”
“Really?”
Phoebe nodded stroking his cheek. She leaned forward brushing her lips against his as light as a butterfly, “Even drugged and disorientated you only wanted me.”
His arms settled around her holding her close. He breathed deep filling his lungs with her scent saying, “There is no one in this world who can compare to you. Why would I wish for anyone else when I have perfection?”
Phoebe snuggled against him. She had been ready to sink into despair when she felt the pains of betrayal. If not for Mani’s urging she might have succumbed but her wolf had been right. Jason would never betray her. He kissed the top of her head
“l love you, Phoebe.”
“I love you, Jason.”
He sighed savoring her words. No one would come between them. No one would steal her away from him, which led his thoughts back to the she-wolf. There was little doubt in his mind who sent her...but who was she? How did she even get close to him?
He frowned trying to recall when she was close before the tea took effect. There hadn’t been anything strange about her scent, nothing that alerted him she didn’t belong there
Chapter Eighty-Five “Jason?” “That she-wolf...where is she?” Jason couldn’t keep the growl out of
his voice
“Maximum security,” Phoebe said. “I ordered no one to go near her until you recovered. Luke and Ben were trying to figure out how she got into the territory without raising alarms.”
“Right. Then I need to go and wring my answers out of her before I snap her neck,” his eyes swirled amber as Lobo strained against the edges of his mind, ‘Yes! That b***h will pay for hurting Mate!’
“Allright,” Phoebe slowly pulled away, “do you think you want to get dressed first?”
Jason glanced down and felt his face heat up at her statement. He looked at her and found her fighting a smile, “You are enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Instead of answering she turned and picked up a pile of folded clothes. Jason raised an eyebrow as he accepted it. His memory was fragmented but he was certain these were not the same ones he had before. Phoebe patted his cheek as she stood giving him space to change
She didn’t have the fortitude to tell him she shredded his other clothes enraged by the other she-wolf’s scent on them
Jason quickly changed wondering at her subdued attitude. Did something happen while he was still out of it? Even his wolf seemed uncertain or, at least, uncomfortable. What happened?
Lobo softly whimpered, ‘Clothes smelled like she-wolf Mate not like it’
‘Oh’
That made sense. Wolves were very territorial especially over their
mates and most especially when they were high-ranked. Considering
a”
Chapter Eighty-Five recent events he could understand if she felt threatened by the she-wolf’s scent and wanted to erase it. If their roles had been reversed any male scent near her would have driven him insane
Pulling on his shirt he approached her. His arms encircled her and he pulled her against his chest letting his hands settle naturally on her stomach where their pup was growing. Bowing his head he nuzzled her growling possessively and felt her relax
“I belong to you, angel. Only you.”
Her hands moved to his entwining their fingers, “It’s only been a few days, not even a week, but Mani is almost positive I’m pregnant.”
Jason shuddered catching his breath. He always heard she-wolves usually knew very early if they were pregnant sensing the changes their body went through to accommodate the growing embryo. His heart hammered in his chest and Lobo howled for joy
A pup. Their pup
He would protect them no matter what. Kissing the top of her head he finally stepped away, “Stay here. I'll be right back.”
“No,” Phoebe shook her head. “If you are going to see that she-wolf I’m going too.”
“I don’t’ want you anywhere near her.”
“And I don’t want you anywhere near her,” Phoebe retorted her eyes shimmering
Jason couldn’t help the swell of pride in his chest at her possessiveness. She could take charge any time she wanted. He couldn’t tell her no, “All right, we'll go together.”
He took her hand and led her out of the office with one destination in
mind. However as he stepped into the hall he was immediately embraced
Chapter Eighty-Five A familiar scent invaded his nose as his mother hugged him close
“Mom.”
“Mom? Just mom?” Norah exclaimed. “You've been out for four hours and all you can say is mom?”
“Four hours?” Jason repeated glancing Phoebe. “Did you forget to add something?”
“I didn’t want to overwhelm you,” Phoebe said with a mischievous smirk
“Overwhelm? So you left out the fact I was out for four hours but you'll drop a bomb that we're having a pup?”
Before she answered Norah suddenly exclaimed, “A pup? Really? You know for certain?”
“My wolf is pretty sure,” Phoebe nodded
“Oh my goddess!” Norah clapped her hands
Lucille standing next to her mother exclaimed, “I’m going to be an aunt!”
Phoebe found herself enveloped in a double hug by the two she-wolves. Jason growled reminding them to be careful with is mate, his very pregnant mate
“Oh, would you stop?” Lucille rolled her eyes. “She’s not made of glass!”
“Not the point,” Jason said through gritted teeth
“We must celebrate!” Norah decreed. Given all the tension it was important to celebrate these milestones. The pack waited a long time for their alpha to have pups
“Later,” Jason gently extracted Phoebe from his mother. “We have other business.”
Chapter Eighty-Five
“Other business?” Norah repeated
“The she-wolf who infiltrated the pack and drugged him,” Phoebe said, “we’re going to see her.”
“!’m coming too,” Norah declared without hesitation. Though they were keeping the details of the breech quiet, she had been given a full report of the incident
Jason sighed didn’t dare argue considering how well the last one went. This confrontation was quickly becoming more complicated
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