STARLETTE
I woke up squirming and whimpering, wondering what had happened to me and why I felt so incredibly weak. Then, his overwhelming, sweet scent hit me, soothing my heart and soul. I instinctively buried my nose against him, pressing hard into his warmth.
My eyes burned as I struggled to open them. It took a while, but I opened them eventually.
“You’re awake,” he said softly.
“What happened?” I asked. And then, memories of the events in the woods flooded my mind. My eyes widened in shock, and I gasped.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, I whispered, “I’m alive.”
But I felt weak-so weak. The wolfsbane’s effects still clung to me and it was so frustrating.
“Lauren…” I tensed at the thought of her.
“Shhh.” He placed a soothing hand on my shoulder. “Relax. She won’t be able to hurt you anymore.”
“What did you do to her?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“She’s under room arrest. And her accomplice… well, he no longer has a head.”
“There’s something I need to tell you,” I began, but before I could finish, my voice faded, and everything went black again.
I had no idea how much time had passed before I woke again, still cradled in Maximus’ arms. His familiar scent soothed me, easing my nerves.
“Maxi-”
He cut me off, “Shhh. You need to rest.”
“No,” I objected weakly. I had to tell him. “There’s something you need to know.”
“You can tell me when you’re stronger,” he insisted. “For now-”
“No. It can’t wait.” Now was the right time. He needed to know. Before he could object further, I continued, “Lauren is having an affair with one of your warriors.”
I felt his body stiffen beneath me, his jaw tightening. “How do you know?” he asked, his voice tense.
“I saw her with him. Twice. In the library. The baby…” I hesitated, knowing the next words would hurt him.
“Please don’t say it,” he muttered, his eyes flashing red for a moment before they dulled into a deep gloom. I could see the conflict in his gaze-hurt, anger, disappointment, all swirling together.
I squeezed his hand with the little strength I had left. “It’s just an assumption. The baby might still be yours.”
“You should rest,” he said, his voice strained as he took my hand into his.
He tried to appear unaffected by the news, but his eyes betrayed him. The constant twitch of his jaw gave him away. He had always longed for an heir, and the joy he’d felt when he thought he was finally going to have one was now overshadowed by the fear that the child might not be his.
For a moment, I considered telling him about my baby.
My baby. Panic surged through me. Could the wolfsbane have harmed my child? My eyes wondered to Bella, who was standing in one corner of the room, and I placed my hand on my stomach. Understanding my silent question, she nodded slightly with a smile.
A breath of relief escaped me. I would’ve been shattered if I had lost this child, and no one else but me would’ve been blamed. I fell for Lauren’s trap. Twice. How could I have been so foolish?
I turned my gaze back to Maximus. The sadness clouding his eyes made my heart ache. I snuggled closer to him, pressing my body against his.
“I love you,” I said softly.
He froze, clearly caught off guard by my words.
“Through thick and thin, I will stand by you,” I continued.
“Star…”
I peered up at him through my lashes. “Yes?”
“Are you sure the poison didn’t affect your head?” he teased, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
I chuckled softly. “I know exactly what I’m saying.”
I noticed Bella slipping quietly out of the room. I knew instantly that Maximus had ordered her to leave through the mind link.
“I love you too, Starlette. You know that.” His hand gently cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing lightly across my skin. “I never want to lose you,” he said, exhaling sharply. “Please, let me mark you, so I can always know when you’re in danger.”
Before I could respond, his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered with a quick “Who is this?”
I listened closely.
“Kaelin,” came the familiar voice.
Maximus and I both reacted instinctively. I jumped out of bed just as quickly as he did, despite not being fully recovered. This was the call we’d been waiting for, and I needed to hear what was going to be discussed.
“Good day.” Maximus groaned. Though he tried to contain his hatred, it still seeped through his voice.
“Let’s skip the pleasantries.” Kaelin didn’t even try to hide his hatred. “We both know we’re not thrilled about this. Where should we meet for a proper discussion, and when?”
“My pack,” Maximus suggested.
“So we can walk into a trap? No,” Kaelin countered immediately. “Let’s meet in my territory.”
“Sure, so we can be slaughtered like sacrificial lambs. No, thanks.” Maximus snorted. “Let’s meet somewhere neutral. Seven days from now.”
“Fair,” Kaelin agreed.
The call ended, and Maximus turned to me. “You should be in bed, resting.”
“I’m going with you,” I said firmly.
He frowned. “You’re not well enough, and I can’t take you somewhere so dangerous.”
“I won’t be like this forever. I’ll be fine by tomorrow,” I retorted.
“Still, no.” He said strongly.
I took his hand in mine, locking my gaze with his. “You asked me to be your Luna. Allow me to act like one.”
He shook his head. “Not like this. It’s too dangerous.”
“It will always be dangerous-whether we’re out there or here. But I trust you to always protect me.”
“Star-”
“Please.” I cut him off, my pleading eyes staring intently at him.
“Please.” I said again when he hesitated.
He blew out a sharp breath. “Okay.” He agreed. Reluctantly.