41. Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty

Locke

" I 'm not surprised your menstrual cycle hasn't begun. You've been through a lot, Luna." Bones said matter-of-factly.

Emm's cheeks turned a few shades darker and my cock pressed against my jeans. She was wearing a simple oversized medical gown. Her body wasn't to be seen by Bones, but he needed easy access to get blood, take her blood pressure, and all that other shit doctors wanted from their patients.

Since things had died down with Idris and the threat was nearly down to zero, my possessiveness had skyrocketed. Now that I haven't been stretched thin, trying to take care of myself, the pack, the club and my mate, I can now concentrate all my focus on my luna.

And my wolf was savage.

Once she felt up to leaving the cabin, she hadn't left our sight. No more going to the bathroom alone, not even walking or eating. We were there, and she fucking hated it. I even offered to wipe her ass, and she threw her shoe at me.

I'm only trying to help.

I let out a low growl when Bones turned my mate's head and gazed at the bite on her shoulder. Bones looked at it longingly and gave a small smile.

Poor guy needed his mate.

"Good clean bite. I'm surprised he didn't rip your shoulder out, though, when he was in his lycan form. His teeth looked massive."

"Locke knows what kind of pain I can take." Emm's eyes glitter with excitement.

Yeah, I do. This morning, I edged her until I had her crying and sobbing for an orgasm. She almost said her safe word. Key word was almost . I had her tumbling over, squirting all over my face until I lapped every bit up with my long tongue.

Lycan tongue fucking was a thing, and she begged for it. Listening to her beg was the second-best thing. The best thing was biting all over her body. She loved a good bruising, and it still takes a few hours for them to go away. When her wolf comes, I'll teach her and her wolf not to heal them, so they last all day.

I groaned, rubbing my dick again through my pants. My marks on her just looked so damn good. Seeing my claws around her neck, scrapes around her throat. I licked my lips and I saw Emm shuffle on the medical table.

Bones shook his head. "Easy, I don't need you guys fucking in the office. I only get one and I need it open to remove some stitches later." Bones eyed me and I raised a brow at the challenge. "Anyway, you are safe to shift into your wolf; Lycan, but I would wait. Your body is still healing. Any signs of your wolf coming forward? There isn't a worry if you haven't seen her. Journey's took some time, too, when she shifted because of stress."

Journey's forced shift was because of Idris. Idris was fighting against Grim and when Journey saw it on the security cameras, her body short-circuited and knew she had to save her mate. Her body shifted—too early- and she didn't have her wolf to guide her, but Journey did fine. Goddess, helping her and all. But now, Journey's wolf was strong and apparently quite the talker, teaching her the ways of the wolf.

Emm hummed and rubbed the back of her neck. "She's there, I can see her. It's like she doesn't know what to do."

Bones scratched the base of his beard and hummed. "You shifted from wolf to Lycan. Kind of a big jump. She's just getting her bearings. I'm no expert in wolf shifting or in lycanthropy. I'll do some research of my own."

"Thanks, doc." Emm readjusted her gown. "By the way, how did you get your medical licence and stay here at the club? That had to be difficult." Bones didn't meet her eyes. She was too busy staring at me, well, rather at the tent in my pants.

Both of us froze and Emm raised an eyebrow at Bones. "You have a medical license, right?" She grabbed the front of her dressing gown.

Bones let out a long breath. "I was a doctor in Elysian. Shamans, priests, and elders who have used trial and error, have trained me over the years."

Emm blinked, and I chuckled, sauntering into the room and wrapping my arm around her waist. I took in her smell and let my scent take over, covering her while my purr tried to calm her.

While Bones pissed me off from time to time; took things too far, he did things for the betterment of the pack. Bones and I were close in age, despite how different we looked. We were hovering close to mid-fifties, but alphas age slower.

Time wasn't on Bones' side, however. In the time he spent researching the human body, how medical practices worked here on Earth, his body was deteriorating and fast. He wasn't taking care of himself, too busy trying to take care of everyone else.

"Princess, I trust him with my life."

Bones hanging head lifted quickly, and his eyes widened in surprise. "You do?"

I huffed and pressed my mate's body next to me. "I do, even if I get pissed at some of the shit you pull. You do it for the pack. Just make sure you run it by me first." I let out a growl in warning and he nodded his head quickly.

"Do you know about my sister's condition, then?" Emm questions. "Has she been taken care of? She needs special—"

Bones held up his hand and shook his head. "I've done plenty of research, and watched a ton of YouTube videos."

Emm's face paled.

Bones let out a bark of laughter. "Kidding, but yes. I have taken care of your sister, but since you are no longer the next of kin and she has a mate, I cannot disclose her care to you."

Emm growled and jumped off the table. "What do you mean? I'm her sister!"

Bones backed up and held up his hands. "It's patient, privacy stuff. I've read up on that, too."

Emm narrowed her eyes and wagged her finger at him. "Of all the things you gotta read, you read that shit?"

Bones shrugged his shoulders. "I told you, I'm thorough," he winked.

"As long as she's taken care of. Is she taken care of?"

Bones nodded. "Of course she is. I would tell you if she wasn't."

Emm jutted her chin out and nodded. "That goes with any other female in this pack. If there is any trouble—"

"—You will know about it," Bones promised.

We then got on the subject of the pack and the rest of their health. We spoke of the pack members, who were saved mainly thanks to Bones, and the fae with their herbs, grown in the secluded section of the forest which they'd made home.

The rabid were healing, some slower than others. The slowest ones were the ones growing near rabid, and I hated to hear some of the members I was closer to, were the ones who were getting closer to becoming rabid.

We stayed in the small exam room for a while longer. Bones gave a briefing on how she needed to be eating more meat and how her body would l still undergo changes. Her depression and guilt were brought up as well. With the bond, I could detect if it was becoming too much for her and if we needed to take any other steps to ensure her comfort.

I didn't need my luna to be blood- and torture-dependent like me.

I could feel her guilt inside the bond, but she knew, as well as I did, that her grandmother's destiny was for her to die. Her sacrifice made the pack, and Emm understood that. I just wish they had more closure, but when a loved one dies, is there ever really closure?

I led Emm to the bar downstairs. She still hasn't seen her sister, and I doubted she would for a while. Anaki had accrued a lot of time off and he had put in for it to get to know his mate. Dragons were notorious for hoarding, and mates were no different.

Wolves, we wanted to be around the pack, and even Emm was itching to get out of the cabin after a week of sulking.

The secluded cabin was a great oasis for us. We could stay there during her heats or any time we wanted to get away. For now, we would be staying in the packhouse. They were making progress on the third floor, just as Bear had promised, and they would be close to finishing it in two weeks.

Damn bear shifters were fucking fast. Emm asked for a few modifications, and one of them was to make the master bedroom smaller. She wanted it cozy, like the cabin. Instead of a bed, she wanted big mattresses, pillows, blankets and furs. My mouth nearly dropped to the floor at what she wanted.

It was all of the things I wanted to provide her. All of the things that the Law of Ares would have proclaimed that I bring for the perfect nest. I couldn't before because of bad timing and Idris—that fucker. But my mate, she wanted it to be a giant nest. Just for her and me, and any pups we wanted in the future.

I've never known my wolf to leap and bark, but Fenrir was fucking prancing like a pup all over my head.

I'd do anything for that sweet pussy of hers, and I will give her everything.

"She looked in your head, you dumb shit," Fenrir snorted. "Our mate wants us happy."

I didn't think my cheeks could hurt from smiling but, apparently, they could.

When we descended the stairs, a loud ear-piercing scream came from across the room. Emm darted her head to the noise and a wide smile spread across her face.

"Mijo!" She gracefully skipped the final steps, her footsteps slamming against the concrete floor. Elena's little boy, Luis, with his jet-black hair and deeply mysterious eyes, dashed towards her with unrestrained excitement. The vibrant energy enveloped them as she embraced him tightly. Giggles and laughter filled the air as my mate playfully spun the boy around, capturing the attention of the bar's patrons, who momentarily paused their lively conversations to witness the heartwarming spectacle.

"Emmie! You are okay!" Luis laughed into her chest.

My wolf growled, watching the boy bury his face in my mate's breasts. I tried to stifle it with a clearing of a throat, but my mate heard it. She sent back a beautiful smile and bit her lip.

"Luis, are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Emm patted the boy's arms down, and turned him around like he was a rag doll.

Luis laughed and swatted her hands. "I'm okay! I've had so much fun! I saw a dragon, Emmie! A real dragon! And I saw wolves and elves and flowers, and vines choking people!"

Emm's eyes grew wide, and she slung her head back toward me. I shrugged my shoulders and stuck my hands in my pockets.

The boy was safe. He would survive.

"Aaaand!" Luis said. "I have new best friends! Tajah and Beretta. Have you met them? Tajah knows magic and Beretta showed me all her guns, and she's a panther!"

I stifled a laugh as I tried to hunt through Emm's mind. She wasn't angry but shocked that Tajah would be so caring for a child. I suppose she thought since Tajah was a bitch to her, she wouldn't be loving to her nephew.

Tajah and Beretta were good people. Sure, they make mistakes like any other soul, hell, I know all about mistakes.

There is one thing Tajah and Beretta have been wanting for a while now. With the new link established and Tajah weaved in a bond with Beretta, I could hear their thoughts. They wanted a child.

I'm surprised that Emm hadn't felt it. Or maybe she refused to see it. Alphas and lunas can see and feel more of their pack's wants, desires and ill-intent through links. It isn't widely known among the pack members. It is to help us guide them and make the pack strong.

Unfortunately, some alphas can turn their packs into a terrible place. Like my father did to the Blood Rose. Either way, Blood Rose's pack members still had the ability to reject the words of their alpha, if they felt his words to be wrong.

Now, Tajah and Beretta didn't want to steal Luis away from his mother, but they had found an opportunity to mother and care for a child, while a newly mated couple could get to know one another, and Luis could still get the care he needed.

Tajah stood from a nearby table and walked up behind Luis. "This is Tajah," Luis said and pulled on Tajah's arm. "She's been watching me while Madre has been getting to know my new dad." Luis made an exaggerated wink. "I like him a lot. Did you know he can dance?"

I smirked, came up behind Emm and wrapped my arm around her waist.

"Is this your mate?" Luis pointed.

"Mate? You know about mates?" Emm laughed.

Luis shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, Abuela made me do some funny dance in the woods when Madre and Dad were getting to know each other." Luis snickered and then paled. "She got naked. If I close my eyes too long, I can still see it!"

Emm rubbed her hand down her face. "Me too, mijo."

Tajah gave a sheepish smile and put her hand on Luis' shoulder. He smiled up at her and gave her a hug. Tears brimmed Tajah's eyes and, fuck, if it wasn't making me fucking emotional. I wondered if Emm's grandmother asked her to take care of him.

"She loves him, doesn't she?" Emm said through the link.

I hummed. "They both do, they've been watching over him."

"And my sister is okay with this?" Emm studied them as Luis pulled on Tajah's cloak and pulled her down to whisper in her ear.

"Your sister is still Luis' mother. They are just watching Luis. I wouldn't be surprised if they blessed him."

Emm cocked her head.

I chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "There's a lot to learn about our world, but you've got plenty of time."

Emm huffed. " I'm past my mid-thirties. I don't have that much time."

I bit her earlobe. If she only knew how much time she had. Her life was extended now, and she wouldn't experience any further aging. If I would let her spend time in the bathroom alone and really let her look at herself, she would see her age was reversing.

I'd explain another time.

Emm stepped out of my hold and my fingers itched to pull her back. Even my wolf snarled at the look Tajah gave me, silently asking permission to talk to my mate.

But I didn't want her out of my sight.

Seeing Emm with Idris, having to fight on her own—correction, letting her fight on her own, because I knew it was what she needed— about damn near killed me. Now that he was out of the picture, I didn't want to force myself back from not protecting her. I wanted to keep her safe, like a proper male.

I reached for my mates' hand and pulled her back. "Mine," I bared my teeth at Tajah and she rolled her eyes.

"I only want to talk to her for a moment. Our luna has questions for me."

The witches and warlocks don't usually share a mind-link. They can enter minds on their own. Our pack wouldn't be able to mind-link them directly. Any future magical entities would lack the link. Since Tajah created this link she was bonded to this pack, as was Bram.

Mind-link problem solved.

Emm rolled her lips and nodded. "I do. You wanna join, Alpha?" She elbowed me and my face softened. Maybe she didn't want to be away from me either, and that brought my wolf's stiffened fur down. He snorted, but still hovered close to the surface.

"If you'd let me?" I gave her the option for me to back off, but I think she knew I'd come, anyway.

Beretta snarled and slapped a board game that hung over one of the tables near the bar. The board went flying, fake money and pieces of the game flying in the air. "This is not fair! You took all of my money!" Beretta hissed.

Luis was counting the colored bills in his hand, giggling. "I can't count this high. Can you count it for me?" He waved the money in front of her face and her fangs lengthened to hiss at him again. Luis burst into a fit of giggles, and my grin grew wide.

Yeah, I think I like that kid.

Emm shook her head. "Do not play Monopoly with that kid." Emm pointed at Beretta. "I taught him everything he knows, and he is vicious."