Evelyn POV
I didn’t know the time exactly, but as I walked back to the alpha house, the birds were preparing their morning chorus already. The moon had almost lost its power to the rising sun, the daily battle that it will win again at night fall.
I had been visiting the families of those that had died in the rogue attack. My role as the alpha is always to pay my respect and offer to arrange the funerals. Some families just couldn’t cope with the loved one’s passing and needed support in any shape or form.
I found it hard, but not as hard than those going through a loss. I had to keep strong for them.
Noah and Cassandra had remained at the hospital doing what they could for those that were injured. I would visit the hospital in a few hours to check on the injured but I was only wearing the T -shirt that Reuben was wearing at the time of the attack. After he carried Elspeth out, I had licked his palms offering my alpha saliva. He didn’t say anything, he just took off his top and placed it over my head. The sweet leathery scent that remained on the top felt just as comforting as his arms wrapped around me.
I was still covered in blood and my arm hadn’t healed. It wouldn’t be able to, until the skin had been closed. Noah was busy, as were the entire hospital staff…I’d get some help when things had calmed down. I didn’t want to be a burden whilst they were saving lives.
There was an eery peace this early morning, the much needed balance from the chaotic night before that had descended upon the pack.
As I reach the alpha house I can see that the shutters had been fixed, that they were retracted back into their resting position. As if they weren’t even there.
I was grateful for the Red Stone warriors, not only for coming to our aid but for also helping with the tidy up. The fires had been put out, people re- homed for now until we could start repair work and the borders being watched tonight. Just in case. They were willing to let the Silver Moon warriors rest, spend time with their mates and children.
I tiptoe through the courtyard and into the house. Making sure to quietly close the front door behind me. Everyone would be asleep and I didn’t want to disturb them.
There would be no early morning wake up call, I would let the kids wake up when they were ready. Donnie had taken Harry home to sleep. Beatrice had been checked out in order to free up a bed, they also just wanted to be together. And deservedly so.
I start to walk upstairs, my bed calling me and me wanting to give in to its call, when I see flashes of light coming from the living room. I turn to investigate when I find Reuben settled in on the sofa watching the headlines for the morning news.
“Reuben?” I could tell he was awake, I could hear his heartbeat which was resting until I spoke his name. My lips smile at the impact I have on him.
“I wanted to make sure you returned safely.” His head turns looking over the back of the sofa at me. Tiredness revealing itself by the subtle dark circles under his eyes but with some sleep they will be gone. And yet he was still the most beautiful of men.
His words bring a warmth to my chest, my chest that was stone cold last night from the rogue attack. I wanted him near, wanted him close to me. But my body was aching for rest. I’ll have to mix the two together.
I walk over and lay down on the sofa, stretching my legs out and resting my head on his lap. At first he is shocked by my movements before he decides to embrace my attempt at closeness. He starts to stroke my hair which brings a soothing calmness to me.
“Thank you for coming.” I whisper, my head turning fuzzy from lack of sleep.
“I had to get to you.”
“How did you know?”
“Pierce…he called me, told me you let the rogue on pack grounds.”
So Pierce was the one to leak the information. I knew he did it from worry and I was grateful to him and his men. They were with us during it all, not once did they abandon us to a different fate.
My eyes grow heavy and my wolf feels settled being this close to Reuben. I start to give in to the call of sleep when I feel tingles on my arm from his touch, then closely followed by wetness. I could feel the buds of his tongue licking against my skin as he offered up his alpha saliva to help heal my wound.
“How long has she been asleep?” I can feel my body wincing from an unidentifiable pain.
“An hour…”
“She should have come to the hospital, damn it!” My mind recognises Noah’s frustrated voice and tries to wake up more, but my body is pulling me back under. Each muscle still burning, crying out for more rest.
“I’ll need to staple this, it won’t heal without.” He starts to tug on my arm, my body too weak to recognise the pain. It goes undetected.
I can hear the stapling and then a soft material being wrapped around my arm. “She didn’t want to burden you, not tonight. She would have come along later. She’s only just returned.”
“She could have got an infection! Tell her to wake me up when she wakes. I need to sleep before delivering a newborn. One of the warrior’s mates got herself in such a state her waters broke.” Noah sighs.
“Do you want me to call for my midwife to come?” Reuben offers, she was an elderly woman but still a skilful hand to have on standby.
“I’ll be okay after some sleep…” Noah starts to leave the room.
“..er but thank you.” He offers to Reuben. I wasn’t sure if there was a deeper appreciation behind that thank you, knowing Noah there probably was.
My arm hurts causing a sweat to wake me up. The television was still on, it seemed to be a mid morning programme…exactly what time was it?
Once my sense were more with me, I could see that I was asleep on Reuben’s lap, his hand resting on my stomach as his head slopped down.
There’s a strangely soft fluffy texture that brushes my face as Elspeth climbs onto the sofa, reunited with her bunny. She picks up the television control and moves Reuben’s free arm to make space for her.
In that small little corner of the sofa she nestles herself in, then loops Reuben’s arm around her before resting her head on his chest.
“Can I watch a princess film Mummy?” She doesn’t look at me, her eyes concentrating on controlling that remote in her hands.
“Yes darling, of course you can. Are hungry?” you “I can wait, no one else is up.”
“I can make you something…”
“That’s okay Mummy, you rest. I can wait.”
“Are you okay?” I slowly sit up, against my body’s cry, resulting in some wincing. Elspeth was never this patient, something had to be wrong.
“I was so scared Mummy, but Harry looked after me.”
“Is that so?” I can’t but help smirk at her redding cheeks.
“Is Rex okay?”
“He’s still asleep, why?” I couldn’t sense anyone else awake.
“You know when you tell your warriors to do something, and give off some kind of feeling?” What a strange thing for her to ask, but I knew what she meant. She meant the alpha aura and a command.
“Yes…why?”
“Well…ooh this is new.” She presses the play button on the remote control, selecting a newly released movie.
“Elspeth…” I gently remind her to stay focused on our conversation.
“Well Rex did that, to Miss Smith. I’ve never seen him do that before.” She loosely states before moving her concentration on to the movie, still resting safely in Reuben’s side.
I can’t sleep now, her news has left me feeling cold. I start to work on some kind of brunch, slash lunch, conscious that nobody has eaten and would have used a lot of energy last night.
I needed to do something. The nagging feeling within me that something was going on with Rex, only intensified now that he was able to give and hold a command, to unleash an aura.
I think Reuben was right, I think deep down he must know. I think perhaps it was time to tell them the truth about their father.
