Filed to story: The Alpha’s Pen Pal Book
“I was hoping Taryn could tell us,” King Malachi says, letting go of Dominic and stepping away from the bed. “Not here, though,” he adds, glancing at Taryn and taking in her current state. “We’ll go back to the conference room so you can sit.”
Wesley walks to the door, pressing his palm against the scanner to open it. The others file out, but Taryn is in no shape to walk.
She’s not drained from using her gift like she was after healing my dad. Instead, it’s like she’s terrified or in shock. I need to lift her in my arms to get her out of the room, but she’s not wearing pants, and I don’t want her giving everyone a show.
“Can you stand?” I ask, and she nods, so I let go of her and tear my sweatshirt over my head, holding it out. “Arms up, Cadet,” I whisper, leaning down closer to her.
Her arms lift and I slip the sweatshirt over her quivering body and she hugs herself, her hands hidden within the long sleeves. The baggy sweatshirt hangs to her knees, and I lift her, cradling her to my chest and brushing my lips over her forehead.
“Talk to me,” I say, walking to the door.
“It was awful,” she says, her voice scratchy and tight. “It was dark and evil, and it didn’t want me there. I…” She shakes her head and swallows, leaning her face into my bare chest.
I flinch at the coldness of her skin against the heat of mine but grit my teeth and hold her closer. “It’s okay,” I say, the door shutting behind us. “I’ve got you.”
“I know.” She nuzzles in to me. “I just need a minute.”
Her body shudders, hard, like someone dumped a bucket of ice on her, and I pick up my pace, following everyone to the conference room we’d been in before.
I sit in the first chair I see, keeping Taryn in my arms and on my lap. Haven comes around the table with a blanket, and I snatch it from her and tuck it around my mate, making a cozy cocoon for her.
“Thanks, Luna,” I say.
She smiles and pats my shoulder as she moves to Wesley’s side, sitting on the arm of his chair.
“Okay, so, what happened in there?” Wesley asks, his arm sliding around Haven’s waist.
“I have no idea,” I say, shaking my head.
“I was asking Taryn,” Wes says, sighing.
I frown at him and glance at my shivering mate. The shift in her energy and composure from when she used her powers on Dominic to now is drastic, and my wolf and I are on protection overdrive. My lip curls and I growl. “Just give her a minute at least, Wes!”
He flinches and looks at Taryn, then rubs his forehead. “I’m sorry. I think we’re all a little on edge right now, and we all could use a breather.”
“It’s fine,” I say, sighing. “I just don’t want to push her too hard.”
“We’re waiting for someone, anyway. It will give Taryn time to shake off the darkness and for the rest of us to relax,” Dr. Russo says.
“Who are we waiting for?” I ask.
“Maya. She’s bringing us some supplies we may need.”
I nod and the room goes silent, all of us losing ourselves in our thoughts. I brush a few stray braids away from Taryn’s face, and she turns into my touch, her cheek resting against my palm. My eyes close and I focus on our bond, like I’ve done both times she’s tried to heal Dominic, and I send everything I have to her. Love, peace, warmth, and strength flow from me in equal measure, and her skin heats under my hand, her coloring returning to its normal, deep, rich tone instead of being tinged with gray.
“What are you doing?”
she asks through mindlink.
“I’m giving you my strength.”
“You don’t have to do that, Reid,”
she says.
“I do, though. I’m your mate.”
“Reid…”
“Your gift is healing others; my gift is healing you. Let me take care of you.”
Her eyes water and a smile tugs at her lips.
“When did you become such a softy?”
I huff out a laugh.
“I’m only a softy for you. You and Sour Patch,”
I say, covering her stomach again.
She gives a quiet laugh, too, her shoulders shaking and her eyes sparkling.
“Oh, I can already picture it. One bat of her eyelashes and you’ll be giving her anything she wants, even if I’ve already told her no.”
“I can’t believe you would think of telling our daughter no!”
“One of us has to.”
“As long as it’s not me, we’ll be fine.”
She laughs out loud at that, and I chuckle with her, her face tucking into my chest. I press my nose into the top of her head as we continue to laugh, holding tight to each other.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?