Page 54 of Rejected Forced Mate
She already knew what I was going to ask, "You and the baby are both fine. I had to call the Luna of your old pack because I'm not familiar with magic, but apparently, you were just tapped out. Dangerously so...but you'll be alright. Both of you."
I exhaled in relief, letting my hands float down to my belly. "Thank goodness."
While I did feel hollowed out and more tired than I had ever been in my life, I felt surprisingly well, all things considered. When I looked around the room, I took in all the flowers and cards strewn about and frowned. "What's all this?"
"Oh, you've been very popular," Leslie laughed. "Don't worry, I didn't let a bunch of wolves in here to gawk at your unconscious body, but I didn't accept all of their gifts and well-wishes for you. I told them to come back when you're awake, but I'll keep that our little secret until you're feeling up to it."
I blinked, "That's... unexpected."
When Leslie spoke, her voice was serious, "Sage...all anyone could say when they brought all these things was how sorry they were for how they treated you, and how grateful they are for you protecting them. You were already on your way to being accepted as the Luna, but now I think they'll be kissing your feet once you're out of here."
"They..." I was having trouble speaking, "They really said that?" Leslie nodded. "They did."
As touched as that made me feel, there was one other question weighing a lot more heavily on my mind. "And Noah...?"
"He's waiting outside. He hasn't left since he carried you here, but I made him leave the room so I could have some peace.The Alpha has been walking the floor, worrying about you the entire time. As soon as I give him the go-ahead, he'll be in here."
That made me feel a little better. He was close, at least. "Bring him in."
"Before I do, I have to tell you something." Her lips thinned, and I could tell she was uncomfortable. "You know how I told you I had to call your old pack's Luna to get advice from another magic user? Well, I asked about the pregnancy, and despite her promising she'd keep the secret, I think she told her husband...Alpha Joe."
Ah. I could see exactly how that played out, and it made me go cold all over. "And Joe told Noah."
Leslie nodded. "Yup. He tried to break down the door to see you when he found out, but I made him back off. I just thought you should know that he's already been informed."
"Thank you, Leslie."
With a smile and a pat to the shoulder, Leslie left to retrieve my husband. He had showered and changed since the last time I had seen him, and he looked like he was about to keel over, but when he saw me awake, a look of relief crossed his face.
"You're up," the words came out of him in a rush, almost like he'd been holding his breath.
I tried to smile, but it was hard when there was still so much uncertainty between us. "Yeah. I'm alive, and the baby is alive. That's what counts."
"Yeah." His voice was soft, and he looked away, but not before taking my hand in his. "Why didn't you tell me, Sage? I would never have let you near that battlefield..."
"I know," I sighed, "but the truth is, even if I told you, the result would have been the same. Someone had to put the barrier up."
His expression was pained, "You could have died, Sage." "But I didn't."
"But you didn't," he echoed, raising my hand to his lips, "You stubborn, beautiful thing." Then, he sighed, "We have a lot to talk about. Are you hungry?"
Chapter 25 - Noah
Sage was pregnant with my heir, the rogues had been driven out, and while the land was still failing at an alarming pace, I finally saw a way out. A way to save my pack.
It wasn't going to be easy, though. Nothing in my life ever was. Even as I planned the future of the Silvervine pack, I was haunted by the memory of Dominic, still on the forest floor. I was sure I'd killed him, the man I'd tried so hard to save, but when I went to retrieve his body to bury him, it was gone.
I assumed one of the rogues had taken it, a last 'fuck you' to me, making sure I'd never get any real closure. But without a body, I couldn't stop the 'what ifs' from sneaking in. What if he were alive...
It was almost a more upsetting thought than just accepting that he was dead.
But I was forced to put Dominic far from my mind, because everything was changing at a breakneck pace. No one had said it out loud, but everything pointed to Sage staying with our pack. As soon as that became clear, all of the animosity Joe had towards me and my pack melted away, and he was the same Alpha that had welcomed me to his territory while I healed after my attack. With my head cleared, and Sage at my side for the time being, I felt guilty as fuck for challenging him at all.
But apologies would have to wait, because Joe had other ideas for me to mull over. Most significantly was the offer of a swath of land near his pack and the other three in the alliance.
I was shocked. Not only was the area fertile, it was beautiful, and Joe was giving it to me freely. "Are you sure?" I'd asked.
"Very." Joe's eyes had flickered towards Sage. "You, your mate, and your pack will thrive there. I have to check with the rest of the alliance, of course, but after we added the Blacktide pack, we quickly realized that we were stronger as four instead of three. Which means five would be even better...as long as you're up to the task and the trial period."
