Fated to the Warrior Wolf (The Hunted Omegas #3)

27. Gael

TWENTY-SEVEN

Gael

I was standing by the window in Kane’s office, unease riding me despite the utter lack of anything happening outside. Or inside, for that matter. The women were all having a fitness class, which Leigh assured me was perfectly safe for this stage of her pregnancy.

We were reviewing Lucien’s overview of who he’d reached out to in and around Varga’s pack, who might be willing to talk to the high alpha. So far, he had three very promising people in high enough positions to have intel, and two had agreed to speak to us this afternoon. One was hesitant—which to me said they probably knew something big enough to be dangerous.

“Offer the third man transportation for his entire family. If we need to, we can put them up here or in the village, if he’s afraid of retribution,” I suggested, glancing over at Kane, who nodded his approval, then went stiff.

Lucien didn’t seem to notice, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong .

“That’s fine, I can call?—”

“Gael!” Shay skidded through the office door at top speed. “ We need you in the atrium! Kane, you too. Bri’s trying, but she’s already depleted.”

“Is it Leigh? What’s happening?” I shouted the questions as I darted past Shay, leaving her to follow.

“I don’t know! Leigh said she was dizzy, so we made her sit down, but then she said she couldn’t see us, we were blurry, and then she passed out. Thank the Goddess, Olivia was behind her, because she collapsed and Oli caught her before she could hit her head.”

Collapsed. Dizzy. Passed out.

My wolf was clawing for control—he was faster than I would ever be on two legs; there was no denying that. But the man needed to hold her, and the wolf couldn’t do that. I sprinted down the stairs, nearly crashing into a suit of armor as I made the turn into the knights’ hall.

I followed the path on instinct, the pull to my mate like a fisherman’s hook in my chest, reeling me toward her with painful urgency.

When I slammed open the atrium door so hard the glass rattled inside the frame, I finally saw her and froze. Leigh was pale and listless, lying motionless on a hot pink yoga mat. She had none of her color, none of her glow , and the sight stopped my heart. I couldn’t move until her chest rose, and it was like someone unlocked my muscles.

I crossed the space in a daze and dropped to my knees at her side, not caring about the hard stone floor.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” I asked. My voice sounded hoarse and guttural to my own ears, but I could barely restrain my wolf. It was no surprise he was pushing, trying to connect with her so she’d shift, fix whatever this mystery malady was.

“She’s going to be okay,” Olivia murmured, resting a cool hand on my forearm, but I flinched back. My wolf would accept no female’s touch but ours, and Leigh wasn’t capable of that right now. Brielle’s head was bowed, shoulders taut as she leaned over my female, both hands pressed flat to Leigh’s cheeks. Yet still, Leigh lay pale and lifeless.

Terror was a second pulse, burning in my veins. I wanted to shake her, grab her up, and bolt from the danger. But I couldn’t take her away from her own body . I was completely, utterly helpless.

I carefully lifted one of her hands, chafing it between mine. I didn’t want to disturb Brielle, but I had to touch her. It was the only way I could lend her my strength, and physical touch was powerful for wolves. Maybe my wolf could bolster hers.

Kane slid to the ground behind Brielle, and I watched anxiously as he lifted the hem of her shirt, sliding both hands flat on her back, giving her skin contact. Her shoulders tightened for a second, and then it was as if her entire body relaxed, leaning back into the strength he shared with her. The frown line between her eyebrows eased, and Olivia spoke quietly again.

“Brielle said her blood pressure was low, and she’s working to restore some of her blood volume. She’s stable, but until she wakes up…” Olivia bit her lip.

“What would cause that? Low blood pressure,” I asked, even as I kept my eyes fixed on Leigh’s face, willing her to wake back up.

“Well, pregnancy can cause it. Dehydration, overheating, or overexertion would be the most common.”

Pregnancy .

The baby.

Goddess, please don’t take them from me. I couldn’t bear it. And I didn’t even think about the baby when Shay came running in. I only thought about Leigh and that I couldn’t let anything happen to her. But if this was a pregnancy complication, something had already happened to her .

And it was my fault .

I was the one who got her into this. I’d knotted her, and I was responsible for this.

The weight in my chest turned crushing, and my hands began to shake.

“Gael do you need to step away?” Dirge asked. I hadn’t even noticed when he’d stepped up to my side.

“I’m not leaving her. I’ll be fine.”

“Your arms have fur, and your hands are shaking. I don’t want you to shift and hurt her by accident.”

“I’m fine,” I snarled, voice unrecognizable.

Then Kane’s alpha dominance hit me like a fucking elephant sat on me. “Hold your shift,” he commanded as I struggled to stay upright.

All the air rushed out of my lungs, but I didn’t let go of Leigh’s hand. As soon as the fur receded, some of the weight on my chest eased.

Dirge gripped the back of my neck, and at first, I wanted to shrug off the contact, but my wolf didn’t balk, and I realized what he was doing. Reed slid in next, gripping my shoulder just as hard. Kane’s dominance slowly pulled back as I was surrounded by my pack. Supported by my pack. And all at once, the wolf receded, and I was back in the driver’s seat.

“I’m okay now, thank you,” I whispered.

Dirge and Reed both eased up, but didn’t stop touching me. Brielle swayed under the pressure of the magic, and then Leigh gasped as her eyes popped open, and it felt like I took my first full breath in minutes.

“Thank the Goddess!” Olivia cheered, hugging herself in relief.

Brielle slumped back against Kane, looking pale and clammy. “She’s going to be okay. The baby is fine, but we can do an ultrasound?—”

“Later,” Kane interrupted her. “You have to rest first. Unless Olivia can do it, we’re going to wait awhile. ”

“I can do it, if you want to see the heartbeat for some reassurance?” She looked between me and Leigh.

“Yes,” we both said at the same time, and then locked eyes. Hers were brimming with worry, and while I trusted Brielle, I knew I would feel better seeing with my own eyes.

“If that’s settled, I’m going to take Brielle back to our room.”

“Wait,” Shay said, stepping forward. “Aunt Kari said I could be like a battery for Bri. I’ve been working on control, and I think I might be able to help, if you’re okay with me trying?”

“Of course, Shay. What do you need me to do?” Bri asked, sparing a soft smile for her bestie.

“Nothing. Just let me touch your hand.”

Kane was stiff, but stayed silent as Shay took Brielle’s hand between two of hers and closed her eyes. This time, there was no long-drawn-out wait. Brielle gasped, and her eyes began to glow with white light. Shay bowed her head, like she was pouring everything she had into the connection.

“That’s enough.” Bri gasped, grabbing Shay’s shoulder with her free hand. Shay let her go immediately, her own eyes glowing gold with her wolf when she opened them.

“It worked?” Shay asked excitedly.

“It worked. I feel… electric.” Bri looked at her hand as if she would see sparks dancing across her skin, though nothing was visible to the eye.

“Good,” Shay said, looking pleased with herself.

“We’ll have to postpone the tribunal prep until tomorrow.” Kane said. He scooped Brielle up off the floor like a rag doll, and she didn’t protest, despite her new power boost.

Reed shook his head. “We don’t need to delay. Dirge and I will handle everything with Lucien. You two take care of your mates. We’ve got this covered.”

“Thank you,” I said, finally breaking eye contact with Leigh to look up at my pack mates. “For everything.” Brielle was slumped against Kane’s chest, exhaustion evident in every line of her body, but she was still smiling, content.

“You’re welcome. That’s what pack’s for, right?”

“Right,” I murmured, drawn back to Leigh like a mosquito to a bug zapper.

I didn’t ask, though I probably should have. I scooped her up off that yoga mat, holding her close to soothe my wolf. She didn’t say a word, just looped her arms around my neck and rested her head on my shoulder. And something about that acceptance, that trust cut me off at the knees. I wasn’t at all sure that I’d earned it, but I was damn sure going to spend the rest of my life earning it.

She was mine, and I was hers, and I was never going to be the same again.