In the next few days, I helped the new werewolves in Nate's territory settle in. I make sure they have everything they need. They're mostly women and kids, so they're still shaken from what they faced.
Nate and I are traveling to the most recently attacked pack in his private jet. It's the Silver Moon Pack. Nate wants to see find out if anyone else survived. We're going in his jet so it'll be easier to move additional survivors. The place they came from is far from Nate's territory. I can't imagine how long they walked to get to us. It must've been an exhausting journey.
"What're you thinking about?" Nate asks, lacing our fingers together.
"I'm thinking about how far the women and children from the Silver Moon Pack walked," I say, looking out the plane windows. Nate nods his head in understanding.
"Did I tell you how great you've been handling everything?" he asked.
"Handling which things?"
"The Silver Moon Pack."
"Oh, that. I wouldn't call what I did amazing."
"I would. The way you took charge and gave Dan orders that night was amazing. It made me realize that if I'm not available one day to rule our kingdom, I know you would do an excellent job."
"I wouldn't say I'm a good leader based solely on what I did that night."
"I would. The way you handled it, how you embraced them responded to them, tells me you'll be a wonderful Queen by my side forever. Our people will always be safe in your hands. I can't wait for this to be over so we can have your coronation."
"You want to make me Queen?" I ask, shocked.
"Why so surprised? Who else would I make my Queen?" Nate asks, and I'm lost for words. We haven't completed the mating process, so I didn't think I'd become Queen any time soon. I assumed maybe later, if at all, but not now. "You'll make an amazing Queen," Nate says, smiling.
When we landed, the situation we walked into was heart-wrenching. So many werewolves were killed. We're with the pack closest to the Silver Moon Pack. I feel guilty for what's happening. I've been thinking about offering myself to the vampire king before he manages to wipe out more than half of my kind. I come back from my thoughts when I feel someone pulling on my pants. I look down and see a child with blood all over her.
"How can I help you, pup?" I ask, lifting her onto my hip. I use my shirt to wipe the blood off her face. She can't be more than five years old. I can't imagine the horrors this child has faced at the hands of vampires.
"My Mom, she's injured," the pup says, pointing straight ahead. We arrived at this pack an hour ago. There are a lot of injured werewolves we haven't found yet.
"Take me to her," I say, dropping the kid back on the ground so she can lead the way.
"This way," she says, pulling my hand.
We don't walk far before we reach her Mom. She's bleeding from her stomach. I quickly mind link Nate to send a doctor as I put pressure on her bleeding belly.
'All the doctors are busy.'
'Shit, not even a single one can leave what they are doing? The woman here is bleeding badly from her stomach.'
'No, if they leave the wolves they are treating, they will die,' Nate mind links back.
'Okay, I understand. I'll think of a way to help her on my own.'
'Good luck, be safe.'
I start thinking of ways to save her. I can't let her die. Who would raise her child?
"Please, save me," she coughs out blood as she speaks to me.
I'm not a doctor, but I've watched enough movies to know how to stop a bleeding wound. I quickly run to where the doctors keep their supplies and get everything I need. I run back to the woman to try and save her life.
I release a breath of relief once I'm done closing her wound and manage to stop her bleeding.
'Nate, please send a few warriors to come and move the woman to the makeshift clinic.'
'I'll send them right away. You were amazing.'
'How am I amazing?'
'You saved a woman's life with skills you learned from a TV series. How are you not amazing?'
'I'm happy I was able to save her life.'
'Me too. I'll never tease you again for watching Survivor.'
***
"Thank you," my patient says from the stretcher before she's taken away to the makeshift hospital.
"You're welcome," I say, patting her hand.
I'm resting on a rock when I hear Nate mind link everyone, asking for extra hands. I stand up and wait for him to tell me where to find him. I run to where I last knew he was, wiping the sweat off my forehead as I go. I have bad a feeling this is going to be a long night.
"Elizabeth, you should take a break," Nate says to me as I'm helping a werewolf walk to the hospital.
"I will soon," I say, handing over the injured werewolf to a nurse.
Once I'm free of the other werewolf's weight, I feel myself about to fall down. Nate catches me before that can happen.
"When last did you eat?" Nate asks as he holds me.
"I don't remember," I say, leaning on him so I won't fall.
"You need to eat something. You're exhausted, and your body needs food."
"I'll eat once everyone is attended to," I say and try to stand on my own only to lose my balance again.
"You can't help anyone like this. You're useless if you don't take care of yourself. Let's find something to put in your stomach."
"Okay," I say and try to move forward. Before I can take more than two steps, Nate lifts me off the ground.
"Put me down, Nate," I say, my cheeks turning beet red as everyone starts staring at us.
"Why? You're exhausted. You can't walk on your own."
"I can walk fine. Please drop me. Everyone is staring!"
"You can't walk, and so what if everyone is staring. They know you're my mate."
"I know they know, but we don't have to show them that we're mates," I say, burying my head into Nate's chest as we pass people. Everyone we pass is either giggling or smiling as they watch Nate carry me.
"I think we do since you don't have my mark. If everyone sees us like this, they'll know we're mates."
"There are other ways, Nate! Please, put me down."
"Okay," Nate says, surprising me. Then I feel my butt on a chair, I know why. I look at him shaking my head as he smiles at me. We've reached our tent, that's why he put me down. We're staying in a tent because there's blood everywhere at the packhouse and we don't have the time right now to clean.
***
"Here you go," I say, handing a bottle of water to an injured werewolf.
We're at another pack that was attacked recently. This time the attack was worse because they came during day-time. Witches created a spell allowing non-Originals to walk in the sun. The witches also helped them to kill most of the pack.
"Hello, Luna," a voice I never wanted to hear says behind me.
I turn around to see Scarlett standing behind me with a smirk on her face.
"Hello, Scarlett," I wonder what she's doing here.
"How are you, my Queen?" she asks, walking closer to me.
"I'm doing okay considering the circumstances, and you?"
"Same."
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to help. I brought some supplies, and I also plan to take some of the displaced werewolves back with me. I have space to accommodate new pack members."
"That's very kind of you, but you didn't have to come all the way here for that. You could've sent your Beta." I don't know why, but I have a feeling she didn't just come to help. She has ulterior motives.
"I know, but I had to see if the rumors were true."
"Which rumors?"
"That the Alpha King and his Queen are the best werewolf couple the kingdom has ever seen. Even though the Queen doesn't bear his mark," Scarlett doesn't bother sugar coating her words because she clearly wants to hurt my feelings. I won't let her know how sad it makes me that Nate hasn't marked me. I know it's because he cares deeply about me and doesn't want me to die. Ironically, he can't show the world he wants me with his mark, despite caring as deeply for me as he does.
"Where did you hear such a rumor?"
"Where I heard it doesn't matter. What matters is that they're true. After almost a year together, the Alpha King hasn't marked or rejected you," she says, smiling.
Before I can defend myself, Nate interrupts us.
"Scarlett, you made it. I'm so happy you're here. There's so much you can help us with," Nate says. I look at him, shocked. He asked her to come. How could he ask her to come here? Does he not know how much I hate her?
Nate looks at me, confused when he feels my emotions through our bond. He can feel it because he's in front of me. I'm hurt and betrayed by him.
"What's wrong?" he asks, rushing to my side.
'Did you ask Scarlett to come?' I mind link him. I don't want her to hear our conversation.
'Yes, I did. Do you have a problem with her been here?' Nate asks, and I look at him with my brows arched. How can he ask me such a question?
'Of course, I have a problem with her being here. Why are you asking me as if you don't know I don't like her?'
'Why don't you like her?' he asks, confused.
'Are you serious?'
'Scarlett is an amazing female Alpha. Why don't you like her?'
'I don't like her because she wants to take my place?'
'Take your place, where?' Nate asks, not understanding what I'm saying.
'She wants to be with you.'
'Scarlett? You think Scarlett wants to be with me? I don't think so.'
'Are you dense? The woman was all over you when she came to your birthday party. She even threatened to take my place the next time I saw her.'
'She did what?' Nate growls. I can already feel him getting angry. I'm sure he thinks she meant she'd kill me.
'Calm down,' I say, placing my hand on his chest. 'When I said she threatened me, I didn't mean my life.'
'Are you sure?' he asks, calming down.
'Yes.'
'Okay. I'm telingl her to go back to her pack since you don't want her here.'
'No. She's already here, and she could be useful.'
'I'll send for another Alpha.'
'You don't have to do that.'
' Yes, I do. No woman who thinks she can threaten my mate is allowed near her, no matter how she threatens you,' Nate says and blocks our connection so I can't continue to argue with him.
***
I take off my clothes and walk into the hidden river I found. It's hard to take a shower in the packhouse because it's filled with blood and people everywhere. I was taking a night stroll to clear my head. Seeing so much blood every day isn't easy. Feeling responsible for it doesn't help. I dip my whole body into the water and try to clean off the blood and sweat. I helped the doctors treat a lot of werewolves, so I'm covered in blood and grime. Luckily, the water and the weather aren't too cold tonight.
As I bring my head back up, I feel a pair of hands go around my waist. Nate's smell envelops me, calming me after the grueling day.
"Nate," I say, turning around to face him.
"Hello, mate," he says, with his arms around me. Nate's seen me naked many times by now, and we still haven't mated. I watch as Nate's eyes caress my body under the moonlight. The moon is shining bright tonight, so he can see me clearly.
I think this is the first time he's seeing me naked and taking his time to look. I'm not just leaving the shower or changing clothes. As his eyes continue to ogle me, I cover my sensitive areas with my hands. I feel shy in front of him as I watch his lust-filled eyes stare at me.
"You're beautiful," Nate says, pulling my hands away from upper body. Suddenly, I realize I'm not the only one naked. Nate is also naked. Without thinking, I start tracing his abs with my hands.
Nate releases a deep growl from within his chest as I continue to run my fingers around his stomach. Nate pulls me to him, capturing my lips in a heated kiss. I feel his hands cup my butt under the water. He lifts me off the ground, and I wrap my legs around his waist. I feel him hard and pulsing against my stomach. I'd do anything to have him inside me. Nate pulls away from my lips and releases a frustrated growl.
"Fuck!" Nate growls and throws his head back in frustration. "I want to fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk for days," Nate says.
"I know. I want you, too," I say, resting my head against his chest.