Fatal Temptation: Between Two Alphas novel Chapter 58

Morgan lifts her hand and tendrils of blue light and electricity swirl around her fingertips.

She’s buzzing with power. Literally radiating it from her hands.

Her eyes are alight with wonder and then they fall when she realizes what was done. “No, no, no.” She runs across the kitchen. “Bring her into the other room.”

Declan strides into the living room and instead of laying her down, he sits on the couch and keeps the little woman on his lap. She’d chosen wisely when she picked him. Maybe Nonna sensed how fiercely loyal and protective Declan would be.

Morgan kisses Nonna’s cheek. “Are you okay? Talk to me.” Her voice is thick with tears.

I can hear the older woman breathing, but whatever she did sapped her strength significantly. She looks older now, worn in a way that would suggest failing health or illness.

“Why would you do that!?” Morgan is frantic.

I put my hand on her shoulder hoping to calm her.

She starts crying.

I wrap my arms around her waist.

Nonna breathes deeply. “I appreciate the display of emotion,” she says without opening her eyes. “But let’s suck it up, eh, buttercup.”

Declan chokes on a laugh.

Morgan draws back as if her grandma slapped her.

Nonna opens one eye. “I love you, Morgan.”

Morgan drops to her knees beside the couch and throws her arms around Nonna’s neck. She’s still crying but it’s less sad now. More great racking sobs of relief.

I stand there and Declan and I share an awkward look. We’re wolves. We snarl and growl, bark and bite. But generally, we aren’t prone to outwardly showing our emotions. I rake a hand through my hair. I’m not so good with tears.

Declan sure as hell isn’t.

I’ve seen him face entire hives of vampires with less nervousness.

And seeing my woman cry, short of taking her back to bed and fucking her senseless, I’m not real sure how to make her stop.

Nonna grins up to me. “Don’t worry wolf, she’s fine.”

Morgan gives her grandma one last hard squeeze and then she stands back up. “I’m better than fine.” She holds up her hands and stares at them in wonder. “I’m unstoppable.”

Nonna smiles proudly. “Yeah, you are.”

“I can’t accept this,” Morgan says abruptly. “This is your power. Your gift.”

“Yes,” Nonna agrees. “And it is mine to give.” She makes a shooing motion with her hand. “You go on now and get ready. I think I’ll sit here a while more yet, and let this stud bolster me.” She nods. “It’s true, there’s nothing like a big hard man to get everything flowing.”

Declan’s face flushes red. He sputters.

I laugh hard.

Then Nonna ogles my chest and I’m back to feeling self-conscious again. She cackles. “Splendid creatures, these wolves.”

She’s fucking with us, but it’s in such good nature and intended to lighten the mood so her granddaughter won’t bear the burden of this sacrifice.

And that’s what it is, I realize.

A sacrifice.

Nonna has given her magic to Morgan.

I don’t know much of the witch world, but even I can see that this is a rare and very significant event.

When the humor dies down, Nonna closes her eyes, and we all see that for as much as she is teasing and smiling, she is very very weak.

“Rest, Nonna.” Morgan kisses her forehead.

We walk back into the kitchen and let the guys know that everything is okay. The explanation is kind of moot. With our heightened senses, there isn’t a detail that they’d miss with all of us crammed in the same house. And, yes, that includes the hours of sex.

Wolves don’t have the same hangups about intimacy that other species seem to.

“We’ll leave on schedule,” I tell them.

“I have some news,” Jacob says.

“Oh?”

The doorbell rings again.

“Right on time.” Jacob smiles.

“What is?” I ask.

“Special delivery. Cam called Alpha MacPhearsona last night and let him know we were in town. And Eric said he’d send supplies.”

“Nice.” Then I take Morgan’s hand again and lead her back into the bedroom.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

MIA

I’m not doing so well.

I’m conscious of that, so I guess that’s something, like if I’m aware that I’m messed up it must mean that I’m not so far gone.

But I still can’t seem to make my way back to right.

There is so much death…

My mother.

Corinne.

Rachel. Lianne. Jessica.

I’m sitting on the front porch of the cattle cabin in a remote corner of our pack’s land. No, not our. Cameron’s.