CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:
His stare was arctic, lips stretched in a grim line that silently bespoke of a rage emanating from his gut. Keegan’s face was unreadable, it gave nothing away and it only heightened Queran’s disquiet. She hid nothing from him and there is nothing to feel guilty about. She played the hand that bordered on risqué but it was all motivated and driven to save the love of her life and their pack. She had to believe it was the best and the only solution they can all come up with given the time constraints, but seeing Keegan now, who slowly and apprehensively allowed one slow step at a time to walk toward her, she began to doubt. She was wrapped in Tanner’s comforting arm after recovering hastily from whatever drug Carter gave her. But this uncertainty and the look of disdain on Keegan’s face towards her may have felt more searing that cut deep into her soul. The lacerations that marred his flesh were audaciously making a show of fusing themselves at will. He looked feral and truly magnificent in his naked glory, Adonis put to shame.
“Leave us.” Keegan ordered, his gaze never leaving Queran. She slightly flinched as Tanner helped her to get up. But being a true Luna, she did not cower. Keegan may be mad at her but he has no right to just bark orders without even asking for an explanation. If he thinks she would balk, then he has another thing coming especially for a hormonal and very pregnant Luna.
“I don’t think Queran is in a pos…” Tanner never got to finish his entreaty as Keegan pinned him with a stare that was sharp enough to cut him to the quick. “I will just be nearby, Q.”
“I said LEAVE, Tanner. I mean no disrespect, but Queran will not need any more protection now, not even from me.”
Queran gave a faint smile towards Tanner and nodded her head. She will be more than capable to handle even a livid Keegan. Tanner squeezed her hand in reassurance and bowed before Keegan.
“Alpha…Luna…”
Before finally exiting the warehouse, Tanner stole a final glance at the couple and saw what seemed like a stare down. The tension was so palpable that air seemed thick. Queran may have taken a huge risk which he naturally did not approve of at first but it seemed the only viable solution at that time. He was glad it successfully panned out which was evident by the obvious spilling of blood from a bully like Carter Vargas. He sighed deeply, dropped his head in exasperation and left the premises. Keegan will have to come into terms with what happened and deal with it. In the meantime, his body is extremely exhausted and he needed a shower.
“SHIFT!” Keegan bellowed.
“DON”T treat me like an errant child Keegan.” Queran countered.
“I will not say it again, Queran.”
Unbidden tears that she struggled to hide this instant trickled down her smooth skin. The peril the day has brought upon them was just too overwhelming and grueling. She stepped a foot away and another and another until she pivoted and ran out of the warehouse. As soon as the warm ray of light from the sun touched her face, she leaped and phased into her beautiful pelt. She ran aimlessly but felt the ground shook with every thud Keegan’s powerful paws pushed against the earth. They managed to reach a clearing that opened up to a perpetual meadow. The burst of colors coming from the wildflowers and the pure scent of nature should have lifted her spirits but it paled to give the desired effect. The scorching heat of the sun beat down on their backs and the reality of being alive struck her like a raging freight train. Keegan circled around her when she halted and crouched low at the bed of yarrows and alfalfas, she hid her face in between her forearms in an effort to calm the rapid pounding of her heart. Keegan clambered gently atop her and dug his claws upon her shoulders, his underbelly resting atop her withers. Her fierce shaking calmed as she welcomed Keegan’s warmth and his weight upon her. Keegan growled and sunk his canines deep into her neck, re-claiming her. She did not resist because as the goddess is her witness she needed this moment too.
“YOU.ARE.MINE!” He opened his mind link to commune with her wolf.
“I am yours, always have been and will always be.”
“He touched you. His filthy hands were on you.”
“And what would you have me do? I cannot sit back and wait for him to let you go.”
“I could’ve handled him without having to lay a finger on what is mine.”
“Stop being bull headed! Did you think I enjoyed having his hands on me? He was hell bent on killing you Keegan. You were hurt and strapped up in silver. It would have taken just a snap from reason and he could’ve killed you. And then what? You know very well it would kill me too. I took a chance because Carter wanted me. I played along and it worked.”
“You took too much of a risk not only your life but our pup as well. If something would’ve happened to you both it will destroy me. For a moment I thought I lost you. That bastard was fucking with my mind and you played the part so well. I couldn’t get through your mind link, you shut me out. What the hell was I supposed to think?”
“Oh B. In the short period that we have known each other you still don’t get it do you? Trust and love go hand in hand, B so don’t ever, ever think otherwise because I do love you. I would give up my life for you.”
“I need you, baby.”
“You have me, B.”
“I want you, now. I want to be inside you.”
“Do it.”
With those simple words, his world spun and centered back to this beautiful creature beneath him. He nudged her hind and in one swift motion, entered her and Queran whimpered in pain and pleasure. The mating was as primal as he remembered it and as ardent as every communion of their fated souls. This was how it was supposed to be. She was his entire universe, the half of his soul, the love of his life, his strong and effervescent Luna and soon to be the mother of their unborn child. He needed to rekindle this moment if only to affirm that they have survived the danger and the nightmare brought about by Carter’s delusions and misplaced obsession. He took her roughly with a powerful need to possess. He emptied into her so soon and dismounted. Queran was again crouched low, her underbelly touching the cold and damp earth.
With no second thoughts, she phased back still lying on her stomach. Keegan was on his back facing the sun. He rubbed the length of her back and pulled her against his side letting the silence that stretched between them draw out for a little while longer until he is calm enough to talk.
The enormity of the events in the several hours that passed buffered back into Queran’s consciousness and was what broke the floodgates to her emotion. A pained and suppressed sob escaped and Keegan hastily gathered her fragile body closer to his chest.
“Oh baby, baby. Come here. Hush I got you. Please don’t cry. I- I can’t stand it when you cry.” He kissed the top of her head and rocked her soothingly.
“I’m sorry. I’m sooo sorry.” She cried in earnest.
“NO, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
“You can never hurt me on purpose Keegan.”
“But I was rough with you.”
“You needed it. I understand more than you’ll ever know.”
“But still. Now, it’s done. We’ll talk about it at home. Let me just, oh baby let me just hold you.”
The second stretched to minutes then to what seemed like hours. Carter’s blood dried on Keegan’s fully healed body, Queran did not mind even in the least. The strong metallic scent was a cathartic form of forgiveness that they both should feel between their mingled bodies; an affirmation that they are finally free from Carter Vargas and the time has finally come to face the future and let the past be buried. As soon as she quieted, she planted a wet kiss on his mark and looked at him; her glassy amber eyes met his deep sea blues. Keegan captured her tender lips in a slow kiss, bit and sucked her lower lip and delved his tongue to meld with hers.
“I Love You, Queran.”
“I love you more. Please take me home, Keegan.” She pleaded against his lips.
“Will you be okay to run?”
Queran smiled. “Only, if you run with me.”
*****
The greatest thing that ever existed in Lycan history is the ability to link with the minds of every single member of the pack. A pack that you consider more as a family than just people you co-exist with. Several hours ago, Dan Heeley began his day at the hospital with the usual doctor’s rounds when is heart beat a wild staccato and the small voices of distress assailed his auditory senses. Muffled shouts and crying buzzed through the link. Something was definitely wrong back at the pack house. Every single ‘were’ he crossed paths with wore a similar mask of worry and one face registered in his mind – Margareta.
“John? What the hell is all the chaos about?”
John, was the third in command. He was taking his bloody time to answer him back and this alone fuelled his frustration. Tanner’s link was faint and so was Keegan’s. He already took his smock gown off and quickly changed from his scrubs to faded jeans and a shirt. Mid day was not as busy so he can run back here after he made sure the situation was under control. He instructed the resident doctors to hold the fort for awhile until he checks that everyone in the pack house were safe. This had never happened before and it felt like they were preparing for a war.
“The alpha had been captured by Vargas. He wanted Queran in exchange. She is there with him now and Tanner came with her.” John finally reported.
“Fuck!” Dan hissed.
“My sentiments exactly. But the last I heard Keegan managed to kill the son of a bitch.”
“That’s good. But why are there women screaming and children crying?”
“Carter’s beta rigged the school house with explosives and silver salts. Tanner messaged me to get the kids out of there together with Caitlin and Meg.”
At the sound of Meg’s name and in the face of danger, his breath hitched and his heart ached. He stepped on the gas and sped off. He was no longer wasting any minute. He would get to her as fast as his Audi can take him, gather her in his arms and propose to her.
The drive that normally took an hour was cut into half and as soon as he reached the familiar driveway, his inner chaos slowly quieted as he saw the children wrapped around their mother’s embrace. They were now safe. He haphazardly parked the car and went in search of one face he wanted to see. He nodded at one of the enforcers and glanced at Elijah comforting a shaken up Caitlin. He cautiously approached the former alpha and luna.
“Are all the children safe?”
Elijah nodded. He felt raw at the thought that his son and heir may have perished with the extent of physical injuries he sustained, notwithstanding the threat that bastard planned against the children and his mate. But after hearing the full account from Tanner who ran back from the warehouse, the doubt left his heart and replaced with an overwhelming sense of pride for Keegan who vanquished the evil that constantly threatened the peace.
“Where is…Margareta?”
This time, it was Caitlin who responded. “I left her inside the school house.”
“But.. But the explosives?”
“Gone and taken care of.” Elijah added.
“If you’ll please excuse me.”
“Go ahead, Dan.”
He strode towards his destination and patted the bulk in his front pocket, anxious to close the gap that separated her from him. The door was left ajar and some of the pack men were clearing off the debris from the rigged pipes.
In the midst of all the clutter, his Margareta sat on a tot’s chair, her arms crossed against her belly and crying painfully. He willed his feet to take every purposeful step towards her. With no second thoughts, he knelt before her and engulfed her in his massive embrace and rubbed circles on her back.
Realizing that Dan was holding her, she grasped the front of his shirt and buried her face into his chest crying in earnest.
Each sob that escaped her lips broke his heart but the power of speech left him as well. All he could do right now is to just hold her. With this moment, he conveyed to her the depth of his love, respect and regard for her.
“Hey, it’s okay. The children are fine and so are Keegan and Queran. They are already on their way home. I just heard from Keegan just before I came looking for you.”
“Oh Dan, if something could have happened to the kids I can never forgive myself.”
“Hush, this is not your fault but Carter’s. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“But if. Ummph..”
Dan could no longer hold it in that he silenced her with his kiss. All the suppressed feelings he tried so hard to hide from the first time he ever saw her resurfaced. It was now time to live his life with his chosen mate. It had been 8 years so it was time to move on from Lucille’s memory. She was his true mate and though her death devastated him, he was almost sure she would wish him happiness; and right now this woman in his arms is the one he chooses to begin a new life with. He broke the kiss and traced her cheeks and coiled a strand of her hair tucking it behind her ear.
‘I can’t fight it anymore, Margareta. We cannot deny this thing between us any longer and I would be crazy to let you go. You’re amazingly beautiful and you’re strong.”
He clasped his hands with hers as he tucked the velvet box in her hand. He looks at her with hope and pure love in his eyes. His thumb wiping away the tears that continued to flow. He smiled slowly at a wide-eyed Margareta who was clearly stunned.
“Will you Margareta Mosely, put this man out of his misery and marry me? Be my wife and share my dreams. I want you in my life and this moment could not have been more apt. I refuse to go another day without you.”
Meg was tongue tied. This day has started hellish for everyone. She worried for every single one of this pack who adopted her as their own. She prayed to the goddess for an end to this mess and just to bring Queran and Keegan back alive. But the stress and the pain were bested by this single moment with a man she has grown to love and respect. After Mikel, she never thought she could have life with another man. But Mikel, would wish her happiness as would Queran. With shy eyes, she lifted her gaze into Dan’s.
“Please say something. You’re killing me here.”
“I—uhm. Yes. I would marry you Dr Heeley.”
Dan’s face split in a boyish grin and lifted her up and swooped into another passionate kiss. Meg giggled as he lifted her even higher and twirled her.
“It’s Dan, not doctor and soon to be husband. And I love you.”
A/N: As always, I wish to thank each and every one of you who had given me the time of day to read and appreciate my work. I am now in the Recommended List beacuse of you all. If you think this chapter deserves it, do spare a vote and a comment.