The Rejected Luna’s Prince By Aurora Archer
Chapter 61 – Tingles
(Willa)
“Holy s*hi*t The Alpha is alive,” Someone said, more panicked than I heard them sound even when he was dying.
I fell into the bed next to my son. Emmett sat up and smiled at me widely.
“Emmett, what happened?”
I still didn’t believe it. I didn’t understand.
“The tingles in me. They wanted to help.” Emmett explained.
Was he getting some kind of power already? I thought that wouldn’t have developed until later.
It didn’t matter. Whatever he did was working, I just hoped it held.
“Emmett,” I pulled him to me and buried my head in his hair.
I couldn’t believe it.
I had just lost him.
For Good.
“Check his vitals,” A nurse came next to me.
Everyone in the room looked shocked yet relaxed. They were staring at each other as if someone else’s face would have the answer.
I set Emmett on the floor to give them some space to check him over, but I didn’t drop his small hand.
I bent over and brushed some of Caspien’s hair away from his damp face. He felt warm again, and his breathing was deep and even.
“Cas?” I tried, not sure what to expect.
After a long moment his eyes blinked open, his familiar blue eyes that I thought I would never see again. I felt like I could breathe again.
He looked around and blinked against the light overhead before his eyes landed on me.
“Are you an angel?” He asked, his eyes widening.
“Don’t do that,” I c.hoked, tears streaming down my face.
“What?” One side of his lips twitched up.
“Try to be cute. I almost lost you.” My voice sounded raw, foreign.
“Oh, well, I apologize for that.” He frowned.
“Forgiven, just don’t let it happen again.” I smiled, but sobs wracked through me.
I laid on his chest, and his strong arms wrapped around me. He embraced me in a way that was not feeble at all, the powerful warm embrace that I had gotten used to, felt at home in.
He was back.
I felt a dip in the bed where Emmett climbed up, and Caspien wrapped Emmett in our embrace.
Disbelief and shock were still clouding my happiness. I was scared to believe that he was okay, that this wasn’t only a momentarily reprise and that he would be stolen from me again. He stroked my hair until finally, my breath evened out enough for me to think.
Doctors and nurses flitted around us. I pulled back so they could check him over, but I wasn’t going to leave the bed.
They seemed satisfied enough, “Looks like you made a full recovery,” A doctor said, shock still plastered on his face, “I’m going to run some tests on your bloodwork and come back for another evaluation.”
Caspoen nodded at him.
“What do you say?” Emmett asked.
Caspiens face widened into a genuine smile at his son.
“Thank you, doctor,” Caspien said.
“Alpha,” The doctor left, followed by everyone else in the room.
“How long?” Caspien asked, cupping my cheek.
“A day,”
“That’s it?” His dark brows pulled together, “We won though,” Doubt crossed his face, “Right?”
“Yes,” I smiled nodding, “Your dad and Griffen have it handled.”
“Good, I missed you,” He brushed a piece of hair behind my ear, “I need to talk to everyone,” He sat up.
“I’ll bring them here,” I frowned, trying to push him back gently, “You just woke up, I want to make sure that you’re okay.”
He gave me a look but didn’t protest. He was practically dead a minute ago, I needed to make sure he wouldn’t slip back, that this wasn’t just a temporary fix.
I linked his parents to come down and Grace was there at record speed, she slept here all last night, or tried to. She looked almost disheveled for the first time since I knew her, her eyes were wide and frantic and she almost slipped rushing up to the bed.
I pulled Emmett back so that she could have some space. Her mouth hung open as she studied Caspien’s face, which had his full-color return.
“Mom,” Caspien said, and Grace broke down into his chest.
“You guys are getting dad’s chest so wet,” Emmett whispered in disdain. I laughed and tucked him into my chest.
“We’re just happy,” I stroked his hair, “Thank you for helping,” I whispered.
Rendell came skidding into the room, almost missing the door. He paused for a long moment before coming up to his mate’s side and clasping Caspien on the shoulder. Grace and Rendell were looking over him as if he was a newborn, and the sight clenched my heart.
“Mom, Dad, I promise I’m fine.” Caspien tried to sit up, but Grace placed a hand on his chest as I did before. Caspien gave her the same look he gave me.
“Let’s just talk to the doctors first. What happened?” She turned to me. I filled her in.
I felt like I remembered too much and not enough of what happened mere moments ago.
“Griffen called us about the poison,” Rendell rubbed his chin, “It made sense how he beat the last Alpha, but no one looked into it. I wasn’t there, so I can’t say for sure what happened.”
Griffen, Holden, and Cali came in moments later. Caspien’s parents backed up to let them in.
“You scared us,” Griffen said. His dark hair fell over his forehead as he shook his head, closing his eyes.
“And left us with a whole h*ell of a lot of work,” Holden crossed his arms.
“Nepotism, baby,” I murmured, and Cali bit her lip holding back a laugh as Holden scowled at me.
“Your parents are coming to get Emmett so we can talk,” Cali said, helping Emmett off the bed, “Do you want to go hang out with Loreli?” Cali asked him, and he nodded enthusiastically as she walked him out of the room.
“Bye dad, bye mom, bye uncle Holden, bye Uncle Griffen, bye Gracey, bye RoRo.” Emmett listed off everyone, and my heart swelled. He had family here. I didn’t have to do it all alone anymore, he was complete, our family was complete.
“Gracey? RoRo?” I asked, my smile tugging at my cheeks.
Rendell shrugged but returned my smile, “He gave us nicknames as placeholders until he could figure out what to call us. For some reason, I think it will stick.”
“So, RoRo,” Holden started.
“Don’t.” Rendell shot Holden a stare that immediately shut him up, “Only my grandson is allowed to call me that.” Grace patted her mate’s arm and took a deep breath, the worry and sadness I saw mirroring my own were completely gone. I was so wrapped up in my own sorrow I didn’t stop to think about what she was going through. If that was Emmett – No, I wouldn’t think that.
“So,” Caspien started, “Willa filled me in a bit, but I need to know what happened at the pack. What’s the state of Black Stone?”
“Those that witnessed the challenge understood that Alpha Jasper cheated; it was enough for them. I don’t know what Alpha Jasper told them before, but they saw exactly what kind of Alpha he was. Their loyalty was probably shaky at best anyways,” Rendell explained.
“I took the Beta and Gamma in for questioning. They knew about the poison, but we’re not sure yet who else could have helped them if anyone.” Griffen said, “Of course, they’re here, in the basement.”
Caspien nodded, “Good, and have the pack shown any signs of what they want to do? Elect another Alpha?”
“It seems they want to disband. Our warriors are there still, more than necessary-” Griffen went on.
“Good,” Casipen interjected, “I’ll want to go and speak with them.”
“As soon as the doctors clear you,” Grace said.
“Once I speak to them myself, we will need arrangements made for the pack members if they want to relocate. Find them space here and in our old pack village, or we will help them move between their own territory. I don’t want them to incur any expenses for this and make it as easy for them as possible.”
“I can help with the logistics of relocating them,” I said. Caspien’s gaze shot to mine, and he gave me a slight nod, but his eyes seemed to light up.
“Then, we alert all the Alphas in the territory of the changes and offer the nearest pieces of the land. I do still want to keep a bit to better patrol for rogues. Explain that to them, so they know we are trying to protect our borders and theirs.” Caspien turned to Griffen.
“The Elders know the outcome, as well,” Griffen said, “They have copies of the documents and a report on the challenge with witness reports to corroborate. There shouldn’t be any trouble there, but I just wanted to cover all bases.”
“Great.” Caspien paused, rubbing his hand over his beard, “Who alerted them?”
“We’re not sure,” Holden said, “But it was a Luna from our territory.” He frowned.
“I don’t think The Beta or Gamma knew either, she probably didn’t leave a name, but she tipped off the Beta, called the pack.”
“See if we can get a recording,” Caspien said, his eyes darkened.
“We already did, but we don’t recognize the voice. We hoped you or Willa could since you just spoke to them all this past weekend.”
I swallowed, trying to think of the faces and voices of the Alpha and Lunas that voted no, it would probably be one of them unless someone else were playing politics and going behind our back after siding with us.
“Do you want to hear it now?” Griffen asked, his face solemn.
The last thing we needed was a new enemy, another one to add to the list. Thankfully, the list was dwindling; they were being taken care of one by one. The thought flared my anger, but it was mixed with steady resolve. Anyone coming against mine would meet the same fate.
“Play it,” I said, my voice shaky.
A breathy female voice sounded, and I closed my eyes to focus.
“The Prince is coming backed by the Alphas in his territories to challenge Alpha Jasper,”
My eyes snapped open. I didn’t need to hear anymore.
Caspien’s brows furrowed, and he looked at me from where I was still sitting on his bed. He was listening to what was left of the recording, but I tuned it out.
“It’s Camilla,” I said without a shadow of a doubt. Her voice was ingrained in my memory, even if I wished it weren’t.
Caspien growled and shot up before I could wrap my mind around another thought.
“Wait,” I almost screamed, not wanting him to hurt himself. That was still the most important thing – his safety.
He was shaking, and Griffen and Holden were looking in between the two of us.
“We knew it was another Luna; this knowledge doesn’t mean we do anything rash,” I said, even though Iris was thinking of different ways of bleeding her dry, and I agreed with every one of them.
“Those people,” Caspien growled.
“Seriously, they don’t know when to stop.” Holden tutted.
“I think we can end this once and for all.” Griffen said, and all eyes turned to him, “I’m not saying war. I’m saying strategy.” His lips curled up into a dark smile that Cali would have been jealous of.
“What do you have in mind?” Cali crossed her arms.
Griffen’s smile held, illuminating his dark eyes, “We’ve seen it done before, and we have the truth on our side,”
“Go on,” Caspien said, slightly calmer now.