Page 138 of Unforgivable

"The wolf in the closet?"

"Yes, Bea," I smile at her doddering expression. The glasses perched on her nose are for show, but they help hide the intelligence in her eyes. "The nice young wolf in the closet."

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Thjis is kneeling over Devel when I knock on the door to the room.

"You don't have to knock, baby," he says tiredly.

I walk over to him and kneel next to Thjis. Devel looks pale, too pale under swarthy skin. There are so many bandages that it seems like the male is mummified.

"Here is where he did the most damage. Here and here," Thjis points to Devel's upper thighs, inches away from his genitalia, then to his left pectoral, over his heart.

"It's a miracle he didn't lose his... you know," I say. I shudder at the mental picture of Daan trying to rip off Devel's privates.

Thjis kisses the side of my head. "If he makes it through the night, his chances are pretty good."

I smile at him. "Good."

Thjis rubs my upper back. "Talk with Alpha Macon. I'll be back in a minute. I want to see if I can get Devel to drink some broth. He's been bleeding for days. Probably hasn't eaten."

I look over my shoulder. The former alpha looks at Devel, his sharp old eyes taking in the wounds and lingering on his face.

Alpha Macon lets out a deep sigh as he crouches down next to the stricken wolf.

"Tell me his name, again, Lyri?" Alpha Macon asks me.

"Devel. He said his pack was... um..." I shake my head tearfully.

"The GriMaw," Alpha Macon supplies.

"Yes, that's right."

"They are a powerful pack, Lyri. One of the oldest on the continent. The eldest son was MateLess and left the pack. It has recently affected their ability to defend their lands. Their alpha is growing older, weaker, though he's still capable. Inuit's pack was one of the smaller ones affected by this. War and strife hit hard up there. Entire packs wiped out, others absorbed into larger ones. In one way, it's the nature of our wolves. In another way, it's pure savagery."

"It's part of why Elizabeth and I have been traveling. The area just past the mountains is in a state of... I won't say panic. Flux, maybe?"

He looks at Devel. "This male is the youngest brother." Alpha Macon carefully checks Thjis's bandaging job. "The GriMaw are very traditional. This male's injuries are self-inflicted."

I fight to breathe. Self-inflicted? I look again at the cuts and bruises on Devel. They suddenly take on new, terrible meaning. "Why, Alpha?" Why would Devel do this to himself?

I thought that he had fought with Daan and lost. I had no idea that they were self-inflicted. Was Devel suicidal? I feel my hands start to shake. Should we not leave him alone? What do we do for him if he's given up?

"Because," Alpha Macon stands slowly, his knees creaking, "nearly dying breaks Mate Bonds. Or, it can. Our wolves put survival above all else, including the urge to mate. If survival is threatened by our halves, truly threatened, then often our wolves will... reset themselves and begin searching for a new mate."

"Holy shit," I wheeze. The slightest kernel of hope curls through me. Maybe...

"Yes," Alpha Macon nods knowingly at my look of astonishment. "It's not full-proof. That she-wolf," he spits, "is still his mate. But, he will be able to fight the bond now."

"Do you think he'll live, Alpha?" I whisper.

"What did Thjis say, Lyri? I'm not the medic."

"He said we have to wait and see if he makes it through the night."

"Then that is what has to happen, Lyri. You can only pray and make him comfortable."

I just nod, eyes darting away. I know. I just wanted reassurance. Hell, Alpha Macon could bald-face lie to me about Devel surviving, and I would eat it up. I don't want Cloe to live while her mate dies.

How is this justice? I don't want Cloe to live at all. But, I do want Devel to survive. And if Cloe has to live to make that happen, then so be it.

Can I pray for this stranger? I haven't spoken to the moon since that night, and even before that, I didn't feel like I was on the best terms with her. She gave me Daan as a truemate, after all. I can't thank her for that one.

"Come with me, little wolf. I think you should hear a story about this pack, then to bed as your male said," Alpha Macon says to my back.

Reluctantly I stand, leaving the wounded warrior-wolf behind to heal, to live.

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