Chapter39 Yara Whenwegetintothesurgeryroomtolookoverthewomanwiththeinfection,Irealizejusthowdesperateandangryshe was. Idonthaveachoicebuttosliceheropen.Withthissevereofaninfection,IhavetomakesureIgetitall.However,whenIsliceher,thesmellisdisgusting.Itakeaminutetosteelmyselfagainstthesmell.Itwouldbebadforahuman,butitsworseforashiftersincewehaveenhancedsenses. Noellequicklycovershernoseandmouth.Ifyouregoingtovomit,getoutofhere,Itellher. SheshakesherheadandIcanseehertryingtogethernauseaundercontrol.Breathethroughyourmouth.Itdoesnt takethestenchaway,butithelps,Itellher. Itslikeyoucantasteit,Ericasays,lookingnearlyasgreenasNoelle.Ihaveayoung pupandthisoutstinksanythingmypupisproducing. Whatisthat?Noelleasks,pointingtoheruterusasIopenherup.Irealizeexactlywhyherinfectionisso terrible. Shetriedtoabortthefetusherself,Itellher.Thereareholesinthewomansuterus.Ihavenoideawhatsheshovedupinsideherselftogetridofthispup,butshemadesureshedneverbeabletocarryittoterm.Therearemultiplerupturesinheruterusandtheinfectioniseverywhere. HernameisFarrah,Luna,Savannahsvoicefloatsintomyhead. Thankyou,Savannah.Iseverythingokay? Weregoodouthere.Alphaisinterviewingsomeofthepacktoseewheretheycamefromoriginally. Iclosethe mindlink,knowingthatWarrenwillfigurethingsoutwhileIminhere. Farrah,you suredidanumberonyourself,Isay,gettingtowork.IwalkNoellethrougheverythingthatImdoing,sthatEricaisjustasinterestedand whileshecontinuestomonitorFarrahsvitalsforme,shespayingattentionandaskingperiodicquestionsaswell. IgetanotherflashofwhatmylifecouldbelikewithWarren.Icouldstartateachinghospital.Ihaventseenthewerewolf mystudies.school,butIllnevergetasmuchexperiencethereasIamhereandthankfully,IknowenoughtofigureoutwhatIdontknow.Maybe,ifweevergetoutof thisconstantwar,Illactuallybeable tocontinuewith Istheinfectioncaused bywhatshedid?Noelleasks. Ithinkthatmighthavestarteditandprobablywhatscausedit togettothispoint.Sheshouldhavemiscarriedwhenshelostthepup,butinstead,itbeganrottinginsideher,addingto theinfection. Wow,thatssoterrible,Noellesays . Terriblethingshappenintimesofwar,I say sadly. ImnotsureIveeverrealizedjusthowmuchLaneyprotectedmeuntilthismoment,shesays. Well,whenweredonehere,youcangotellherhowmuchyouappreciateher.Fornow,youhavetofocusonwhatsinfrontofyou,I say. I Shenods,pullingherselftogether.IttakesanothercoupleofhourstofinishbutwhenImdone,IvegottenasmuchoftheinfectioncleanedoutasI canandFarrahsuterusandfetushavebeenremovedfromherbody. 13:57Sun,Dec1 Chapter39 Imgoingtoorderhersomeheavydutyantibiotics.Doyouknowifwehaveany,Erica?Iask. Icancheck,Luna,butweneverorderedthestrongstuff.Dr.Stevens… E Yeah,Iknow.Hedidntseeaneedforit.Okay,wellstartheronwhatwehave,letmeknowwhatthatis,andthenweneedtogetanorderintoday.IlltalktoSavannahaboutthat. IcanseethatNoelleisstartingtocrash.Itsbeenalong,exhaustingnightforher,firstthinkingshelosthersister,thenfindinghermate,nowhelpingmewiththesurgery. Whydontyougocheckonyoursisterandthenwecanfindyouaroomfortonight.Iknowsomeonewhowillbethrilledtoatleasthaveyousleepinhisfloor,Isaytoher,makingherblush. Shelooksupatme.Youseemtothinkhighlyofhim,Luna. CharlieisagoodmanandagoodBetafromeverythingIvelearnedabouthim.HestruetoWarrenandtherefore,trueto me.Idontthinkthatyoucouldgowrongwithamanlikethat,Itellher. Shesright.BetaCharlieisagoodman.Itakeithesyourmate? Ericaasksher. Shenods,makingEricasmile.JustlikeourAlpha,everyonewillbegladthathesfoundhismate.Hes waitedforyou,justsoyouknow. IseeNoellessurprise,thenherhappinessthathermatewaitedtofindher. Goseeyoursister,thengoseeyourmate,Itellher. Idontknowhowtofindhim,shesays,aswemakeourwayoutoftheroom.Ileanmyheadintothewaitingroomandnod. Heswaitingforyou,Isay,glancingatCharliebeforemyeyesmovetoWarren.Heswaitingformetoo. Iwatchasheassessesmyleveloffatigue.IvaguelyseeCharliepassinfrontofme,goingtocheckonNoelle. Luna,Savannahsays,walkingup.ShelooksatWarrenthenbackatme.TherewerentanyotherswhowereasseriousasFarrah.Ivegotthematesofthedeadwarriorsinroomsbeingmonitored.ThereareafewpupsandaftertalkingtoWarren,wedecidedtokeepthemheresotheycouldgoseetheirparentsiftheyneededto. Good,thatsgood.YouneedtogetsomesleepSavannah. Youtoo,Luna.AlphasentKatietobedhoursago.Annaissleepinghere,readytotakethefirstshiftwhenIleave. Yeah,Ericaneedstogo too ,Isay,yawninghugely.Theadrenalineisonceagaindrainingoutofmeinarush.Mybodyisstartingto feelheavyandIseeWarrenstand.Whetherhewaslisteningorhefeelsmybodysexhaustion,Imnotsure. Howareyoustillonyourfeet?I askhimwhenhewalksover. Hestrokeshisfingersovermycheek.Ihadsomeoneveryimportantto mewhowasworthstayingawakefor,hesayssoftly. andItogetsomesleep.Comeon.Timeforyou HescoopsmeupintohisarmsandIsnuggleagainsthim.Themanreallyisincrediblystrong.Imnot sureIcouldcarryababy rightnowandhescarryingmebacktothepackhouse. Whenyoulovesomeone,theyfeellight ? beforeheevenleavesthehospital. LaneyPOV asafeatherinyourarms,hemurmurs,kissingthesideofmyhead.Imasleep Icantsleep.IvebeenworriedaboutNoellemostofthenight,only tofindoutthatshesbeenassistingLunaYarawith a Chapter39 patientsandsurgeries.Betweenthatandfindinghermate,ImnotsureIveeverseenmy sisterso excited. Imhappyforher,trulyIam.IdprobablybehappierifIhadntsmelledmymatetoo. IdbeenonthebattlefieldwhenIdfirstsmelledhishopsandbarleyscent.Iloveagood,coldbeerwhenIhavetime.Ioncepassedabeerprocessingplant,andIhadnearlymoanedoutloudatthescentcomingfromthepackagingplant.ThemomentwedpassedAlphaWarrensborder,Idknownmymatewashere.Hisscentwasevenbetterthanthatprocessingplant. Iavoidedhimonthebattlefield,unwillingtofightagainstthepersontheMoonGoddesschoseforme.Andthen,mystupidleghadsnapped,andIdgottencaptured.Imnotsureifhehadbeenavoidingmeaswell,or ifthethoughtofhismatefightingagainsthispackhaddisgustedhim,butIhaventsmelledhimsinceIgot tothehospital. AfterNoelleleftwithBetaCharlie,Ileanedback,closingmyeyesandtryingtorelaxenoughtosleep.Asexhaustedas Iam,Istillfeelonedge.Thepackisunknownandatsomepoint,Illhavetofacemymate. IfeeltheairshiftandIknow thedoorhasopenedamomentbeforeIsmellhisscent.Iopenmyeyesandseehimstandingthere,watchingme. Haveyoucometorejectme?Iaskhim.Ifso,Idratherripthebandaidoff,getthisoverquickly. Thatdepends,hesays,hisvoiceresonatingdeepinsidemymindandbody. Onwhat? Areyoustillgoingtobefightingagainstmypack? Ishakemyhead.IacceptedAlphaWarrenasmyAlpha. Iheard,butthatdoesntmeanthatyouwontrenouncehim. Well,mysisterisapparentlymatedtoyourBeta,soImnotgoinganywhereandIwontdoanythingtohurther. Hewalksintotheroom,lookingdownatmybandagedleg.Howsthebreak? Healing.Apparentlyforthefirsttimeitshealingappropriately. Hesmiles.Yeah,ourLunasprettyawesome. Thesmilefadesasheturnsbacktome.Howdoyouwanttodothis?heasksandmythroatgetstight. Therejection?Isay,tryingtosoundstrong,buteventhoughIneverexpectedtofindmymate,nowthatIhave,Idontwanttolosehim. No,thegettingtoknoweach othersowecanbuildtrustanddecideifwewanttoaccept eachotherasmates,hesays,andtheknotinmy stomachrelaxes.Iholdoutmyhand. Hi.ImLaney,Isay ,introducingmyselfandsmilingsoftly. HiLaney.ImHaynes,hesaysshakingmyhand. Mybodylightsupwithtingleswhenhishandtouchesmine.Wecontinuetoshakehands,staringateachother foralongtimeaswefeelthepowerofthematebondflowbetweenus. After her grandfather's death, she unexpectedly discovers that both her sister and boyfriend betrayed her, taking away the family fortune left by her grandfather. Determined to seek revenge, she decid...