Chapter 144 Didn't Tell Me-- Esme POV

Chapter 144 Didn't Tell Me-- Esme POV
Esme POV

“I don’t have much time, Leilani,” I whispered.
I slipped into my bedroom and hid in the bathroom. I received a call from Leilani and knew it was too important to pass up just to see Rina prance around in a brand-new designer dress and act the victim because her husband was leaving her.
“What’s going on?” She replied.
“The divorce ritual is happening now,” I said.
“Now?” She asked, alarmed. “Divorce rituals usually last three days.”
“Yes, after that their union will be totally dissolved.”
“Esme, do you know what happens on the third day?” Leilani asked sternly.
“No, but you’re going to tell me, right?”
“It’s the eclipse! The tenth cycle of the moon!”
I gripped my phone. “Meaning when Dana gets to use her powers on the man I love, and now Dana is in the pack?”
“Is it too late to run?” Leilani questioned.
“Zeron would never run. He’s not like that. I have to do something. I have powers too- wait, what am I saying? I can’t attack the Luna of a powerful pack. Dana’s pack would slaughter me.”
“We can’t stop the eclipse from happening, dear. Dana’s plan may not work. Her essence can’t control Zeron without something to anchor.”
“Like the tonic Rina gave him,” I whispered.
“Something like that. Without it, Zeron can fight her off.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “She hasn’t tried to give him the tonic ever since her first attempt, so I guess we’re safe. I have to convince Zeron to postpone this thing.”
“I doubt your chances, dear,” she said casually.
“Thanks for believing in me, Leilani,” I grumbled.
My bedroom door opened and slammed shut. “Esme!” Zeron called.
“Oh, oh, Leilani, I have to go,” I said.
“Be careful!” She warned.
I hung up and slipped out of the bathroom. Zeron ripped off his shirt. I gasped at the deep claw marks on his back.
“When did that happen?”
Zeron turned and grimaced. “Last night. Alexi attacked me.”
“Zeron, why didn’t you tell me?” My voice rose. “You didn’t tell me. Did you sleep like this?”
“Esme, I’m an Alpha. I can heal.”
Judging by the throbbing red flesh, he wasn’t healing.
“That doesn’t look so good, Zeron.” I’d seen bad wounds from our troops back home, but the four angry gnashes on my mate’s back made my blood run cold.
“It burns like hell. I couldn’t stand the divorce meeting. Got anything that can help?”
The only thing I have is mushrooms.
“I need to clean this first,” I mumbled. “You should have told me.”
“I didn’t want to worry you, but I think I should have come to you last night. Having you in my arms would have given me the strength to heal.”
“So, you’re a poet now?” I scowled.
He chuckled. “Don’t be mad at me, babe.”
I returned to the room with a warm cloth from the bathroom.
“I’m not mad… just worried. You should have healed on your own.”
‘Don’t get worked up, babe. Alexi just has a bad bite. I’ll be fine.”
I nodded and pressed the warm cloth on his back. He arched and growled.
“Damn! What’s on that?”
“It’s just water!”
“No, that hurts like hell.”
I bit my bottom lip. “I need a few things; wait here.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he grumbled.

I returned with a basket of the finest herbs the West End pack had to offer. Vivian gave me a few tips on how to make a power remedy. Zeron’s wounds had to be cleaned to prevent the infection from spreading. He also needed to drink something. I had a feeling that wouldn’t be easy.
“I’m back!” I announced.
Zeron was by the window, glaring out of it. The marks on his back seemed to be growing wider.
I squirmed.
“Zeron, if something else happened, you need to tell me now,” I insisted.
“I’m not lying, babe. Alexi did this.”
“A normal wolf attack shouldn’t do this! I doubt this is a normal infection.”
“Now what?” He mumbled.
Now I panic. I forced him to drink the solution I made.
“Fuck, this tastes like shit!”
“Maybe it’ll work faster,” I said. “Turn, let me apply this.”
He grabbed my wrists and made me look at him, but how could I look at him when I was panicking? The tenth cycle of the sun was literal hours away. Dana and Rina had a plan, and this wound was not natural.
“I’m not dying, Esme,” he said sternly.
“I don’t want you to. That’s why I need to attack this as early as possible.”
“Babe—”
“You’re not fighting this on your own! Don’t you see that?”
“My wolf’s fighting. I can feel it.”
Bessi whimpered. She knew better than to believe him. Tears stung my eyes. How could I find my fated mate in the most wonderful man, only to lose him like this? No, I can’t let that happen.
“Just sit. I’m going to heal you. I’ve had some of the best training in the shifter world, and it has to show up now.”
Zeron grinned. “I wouldn’t want anyone else on my case, though I’d rather you made better-tasting medicine.”
I frowned. “The worst-tasting, the more effective.”
“Zeron! Where the hell are you?” Rowan shouted in the hall.
“What the hell does he want?” Zeron mumbled.
“They must want you back at the ceremony,” I replied.
I used everything I had to clean up the wound and then bandaged it up. Zeron stood and marched to the door. Rowan was still yelling his name. I had a feeling he knew he was with me, but didn’t want to interrupt in case anything steamy was going on.
“Is there a reason you’re screaming my pack house down?” Zeron barked.
“Damn right there is,” Rowan replied. “Alexi is dead.”
I gasped. I followed Zeron into the hall.
“What happened?”
“No injuries. He’s just dead…” Rowan trailed off.
“There’s a lot not right about that, Rowan,” I said.
“You’re right, babe. There was a lot not right about the way I was attacked as well,” Zeron replied.
The room started spinning, and it all made sense now.
“Alexi had Rina’s tonic in his bloodstream when he attacked you!”
“What?”
“Yes! That’s why you’re not healing!”
Zeron grabbed my shoulders and tried to hold me still, but I wiggled out of his hold.
“A powerful eclipse is upon us, and you have Rina’s powerful tonic inside you again. This is serious.”
“Fuck!” Rowan spat. “Now what do we do? We can let him fall into a coma again. I knew you should have locked that witch under the pack house and accidentally forgotten about it! But you thought it was a bad idea. Now look what she’s done.”
“Relax, Rowan.” Zeron grabbed his right hand by the shirt and rattled him. “I have a plan.”
“What? We can’t summon the moon goddess again,” I replied.
“That’s not my plan. Go get Rina,” Zeron ordered Rowan.
Rowan blinked a few times. “Just like that? You know she won’t follow me!”
“Tell her, her husband’s asking for her in his chambers. The ceremony will be paused until tomorrow,” Zeron ordered.
He was calm, almost too calm for my liking.
Rowan stared between Zeron and me. I had no idea what he had planned, so I didn’t say anything.
“Alright,” Rowan said sceptically.
Zeron took my hand and led me to his bedroom. “We’re going to end this once and for all.”
He closed the door behind him. He marched to his desk and pulled out a chair.
“Rowan has a point. Why didn’t you banish her when you had the chance?” I asked, but asking hurt me.
Zeron paused, unable to turn and look at me.
“A part of me didn’t want to believe my judgment was so bad that I married a psychopath. I still don’t remember when she attacked me and put me in a coma. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.”
For the first time since we started our relationship, I worried that Zeron might actually have feelings for Rina. I rubbed my forehead. “She’s more than crazy. She’s determined and has an even more determined mother. Their plans are bigger than you and me.”
“You don’t have to follow me, Rowan! I’m going to my husband’s bedroom,” Rina yelled.
“Don’t move,” Zeron said.
He dragged the chair to the middle of the room before standing by the door.
“Zeron asked me to make sure you got to the room alright. I can’t defy the Alpha’s orders.”
“Ugh! You’re so annoying. Go away!” Rina threw the door open and quickly shut it behind her, closing Rowan out.
Rina’s gaze landed on me. “You!”
Zeron swooped in and picked her off the ground as if she weighed nothing.
“Zeron!” Rina yelled.
“It’s time to talk, wife,” he spat.
He threw her onto the chair and forced her to sit.
“You better start talking, sweetheart. I don’t give a damn who’s here. I’ll end you.”