Page 193 of His Forsaken Alpha

“You’ve been on this sincethen?”

“Well, it was almost a year after that. Before I left treatment, my doctor suggested a local therapist to continue the work I’d began, but Warden refused to foot the bill. I’d convinced him to let me continue right before I left for the spa, but after my return, he changed his mind. I called my doctor in desperation, begging him to call and talk some sense into Warden, but it was no use. Warden wasn’t budging. But a day after their chat, Warden came home with a bottle of pills. He said my doctor had called back and they’d help keep me level if I couldn’t see a therapist.”

“And you just took them? Without question?”

“I was desperate for help. I also didn’t know then that he’d attempted to kill me, either.” Wynter trembled beside him. “I’ve likely spent over thirty years in a drug-induced fog, sleeping more than I was awake some days, and—what did it say?Emotional…”

“Emotional blunting and mood alterations.”

“I’d open my mouth and the worst things would come out sometimes,” Wynter said. “Like I had absolutely no filter or control.” He lifted a hand to his mouth. “What I said at the funeral…oh, no… I didn’t even realize the words were out of my mouth until after they were. It was a thought in my head, and I know I shouldn’t have thought it, but I sure as hell hadn’t meant tosay it. Not there, in front of Vaughn. I’ve wounded him so deeply.” Wynter growled. “Was that because of these pills? I’ve lost so much time with my children because I wasn’t really there half the time. I was so out of it, it didn’t even occur to me to double-check the medication and what it was for. All I knew is it didn’t hurt as much when I took it, so I took it. Oh gods, what have I done?”

“You didn’t do anything but what you thought was your doctor’s orders.” Cavanaugh drew Wynter into his arms, his anger barely contained. “I didn’t mean for it to sound like I was judging you. I’m pissed off, and it has nowhere to go.”

“I should’ve questioned it.”

“You have now. We’ll call the clinic in the morning and see if we can’t get access to your records. If they’re still accessible, we might be able to see if it really was your doctor who prescribed them.”

In his heart and mind, he knew there was no way any respectable doctor would’ve sent in a prescription like that without close monitoring. He didn’t know what kind of care Wynter had gotten there or even the quality of the doctor, but from the positive things his mate said about that time there, he suspected the pills were all Warden’s doing.

“It was him. Iknowit was him,” Wynter whispered.

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” Cav said, hoping there would be no more secrets they’d stumble over. “You’re not taking another of those pills, do you hear me?”

“Already ahead of you on that one,” Wynter said. “Not until I speak to my doctor—though, it’s been so long, who knows if he’s even still there.”

A thought hit Cav. “Were you taking them when you were pregnant with Wilder?”

Wynter cringed at his side. “Yes. Warden said he’d called and was told it wouldn’t harm him, or Vaughn.”

Cav sighed, disgusted. “Thankfully, they appear relatively healthy, but I think they need to know. In case there are any long-term side effects it could cause.”

“I suppose you’re right. I’d rather not add on one more thing. They’ve been through the ringer of late.” Wynter shivered. “I hope this is the last time I have to dump something in their laps.”

“I hope so, too,” Cav said.

Warden was proving to be a bigger monster than Wynter’s papa. Maybe not bigger, just much slyer about it. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. If the man had still lived, he wouldn’t have for much longer—that’s all Cav knew.

He sought Wynter’s lips, needing to forget about Warden Jaymes and his machinations. They both needed to forget. Cav took Wynter’s face in his hands and kissed every inch of it, starting with the lips… the eyelids… each cheek.

Cav moved to the closest earlobe, nibbling on it lightly with his teeth. He reveled in Wynter’s shiver and licked at the spot behind the ear, trailing down the long length of neck to one bare shoulder. Wynter opened Cav’s blanket—just enough to grip the growing shaft that had tented it. He stroked Cav’s length in his warm little hand, and soon enough it was hard as stone.

Wynter peeled his blanket open and rose before straddling Cav’s lap. He drew the blanket closed around Cav’s shoulders, cocooning them together. “I don’t want to sit here and feel this pain anymore. Make me forget.”

Already working on it.“I plan on spending the rest of our lives making you forget all the sadness,” Cav said. “I’ll fill you withmy love and my joy… and bring you all the pleasure humanly possible.”

Wynter sighed before he leaned in for a kiss. He ground his hips, rubbing his hard cock against Cav’s. Cav reached over one hip and slipped a finger between the crevice, slick soon coating the tip. Adding a finger, he sank them in Wynter’s wet heat.

His omega keened, crying out into the mountain. An owl hooted back under the near full moon and an array of stars in the black velvet of night.

Cav spun Wynter to face forward, dragging the blanket out and laying it back over his mate in the chill evening air. Wynter leaned back against him, sliding his slick-coated hole over Cav’s shaft.

“Alpha…”Wynter muttered. “I need…”

Cav closed his eyes, a hint of a rut hitting him. It had been so long since he’d gone into rut, he wasn’t completely sure that’s what it was, but it sure felt similar.

“Fill me with your seed, alpha,” Wynter whispered.

And that convinced him. His omega was in heat.

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