Forsaken by the Moon Goddess novel Chapter 88

Sloane

On my way back from Benedict’s pack, where I made sure his Beta and Gamma had everything under control and that they had no intentions of trying to take over the pack while Benedict was down, I got a call from Will.

“Sloane! Oh my goddess! Stephanie and I just heard about the attack on your pack. What happened? Are you okay? Do you need me?”

“Hey, Will. We’re still recovering, but we’re okay.” I told him about what happened and that my uncle and Scarlet’s father are still here helping us.

“If you need anything at all, please call me. And next time, I don’t want to hear about it from someone else, Sloane. We’re allies. If you need me, call me.”

“Thanks, Will.”

When I returned to the packhouse, I was surprised to hear that Scarlet was sleeping. It’s so unlike her that I asked Daniel if she needed to go to the pack hospital.

“I think she’s just tired like we all are, Alpha. You know Scarlet. She’ll go until she drops,” he says.

“Well, you know, as her mate, it’s your job to make sure that doesn’t happen,” I say, smiling to take the edge off my words. “Which is why she’s in bed right now,” he says, making me smile.

I make my way around the pack, checking in with pack members to make sure everyone was feeling safe and calm, only to find that between my aunt and uncle, Alpha Austin, Scarlet, and Daniel, the pack feels really good.

As I head to the pack hospital to see Benedict, I think about my conversation with Beta Elliot. He hadn’t realized that Ellis was in the pack that had attacked me and he wasn’t happy to find out that is where he’d ended up.

I let him know I hadn’t killed his son but told him to spread the word about anyone who attacks my pack. I also told him that if Benedict or I were ever attacked again and Ellis was part of the pack, I wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.

“He’s been warned, Beta. I’ve learned quickly that if you give too many chances, it’s bites you in the ass. One is all he gets.”

“Understood, Alpha. To say I’m disappointed in my son is an understatement.”

I’d also told them that Alpha Benedict, IV, had gone to kill their previous Luna. Again, they were shocked to find out that she’d been involved in giving information to Alpha Felix to attack me, making her partially responsible for Benedict’s near-death experience.

When I walked into the hospital, I asked how Benedict was doing.

“He’s doing well, Alpha. He still can’t talk, but he was able to drink some water earlier,” the nurse says.

“Good. Thank you.”

When I quietly walk into Benedict’s room, he’s alone. His eyes flutter open and when he sees me, he pats the bed beside him, shifting over to make room for me.

“You need your sleep, Alpha,” I say.

He points at me, then points to the spot beside him.

“So bossy!” I say, but I crawl onto the bed beside him. He wraps his arm around me, and I carefully lay my head low enough on his chest that I’m not touching his neck. His free hand comes in front of my face. He makes the gesture of talking then points to himself.

I tell him about my meeting with Gabriel and Jack, then I tell him about his pack. I go through my conversations with his Beta and Gamma, but when I get to the part about Ellis being in Felix’s pack, he holds his hand up in a ‘stop’ gesture.

I lift my head and look at him. “You didn’t know about Ellis?”

He shakes his head slightly.

I shrug. “He said he didn’t know what they were doing, that he’d just gotten there that night because he heard your mother was there.”

He reaches over and pulls the tray with the paper and pen over, scribbling quickly.

‘Do you believe him?’

I sigh, laying my head back down on his chest. “I did, Benedict. Maybe I’m wrong, but he hadn’t been gone long enough to know what was going on, unless he’s been feeding Felix information and you didn’t know it. Plus, your mother WAS there. He would have felt comfortable joining a pack with his previous Luna, don’t you think?”

He writes again and I lift my head to see.

‘I guess.’

“I told Beta Elliot that if either of us is ever attacked again, and he’s in the pack, that I’ll kill him myself. I don’t think he was happy about it, but he’s not happy with his son right now either.”

When I look at him, Benedict is grinning at me.

“Don’t give me that look. You would have said the same thing.”

He nods.

“How’s Marrok? Any flutterings in your mind that he’s starting to waken?” I ask.

He puts his finger and thumb close together to say ‘a little’.

“That’s good. Maybe having me and Aisling here again tonight will help him get stronger.”

He nods again, then pats his chest. I lay my head down and he pushes the tray away.

It doesn’t take long before the heat of his body and his scent lull me to sleep.

The next morning I wake up to the sound of purring against my ear. It takes a moment, then my head shoots up. “Marrok?”

“Hello, mate,” he says, his voice rough and raspy.

“Don’t talk, Marrok!” I say, squeezing my arms in a makeshift hug. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

“My voice box is healed, mate. It’s just the muscles around it that I still need to heal. But I am a strong Alpha wolf, and I’ll have Benedict healed by tomorrow.”

“Of course you’re strong. You’re an amazing wolf. Let me go get the doctor, then I need to go say goodbye to my aunt and uncle, my grandparents, and Alpha Austin and Luna Elizabeth. They’re all leaving today. Plus, I need to check on Scarlet. She was sleeping when I got back yesterday. I want to make sure she’s okay.”

I get off the bed, but when I start to move, Benedict or maybe Marrok, holds my wrist. When I look back, he taps his lips with his finger. I smile. “You’re so cheeky,” I say, but I lean over and press my lips to his. It’s a slow, gentle kiss, but it does a lot to help release the strain and fear I’ve felt ever since I saw Benedict bleeding out on the battlefield.

When the doctor removes the bandages, I can see that Marrok is healing Benedict very well already.

We talk a bit longer, then I get the notification that my aunt and uncle are leaving.

“I’ll be back later,” I tell Benedict, leaning over to kiss him again.

Scarlet, Daniel, and I walk back to the packhouse just as our families, including Grandpa Waylon and Grandma Judith, finish packing to leave.

“I’m so proud of you, Sloane,” Samara says.

“Thank you and thank you for everything,” I say, before going to hug Grandpa Waylon and Grandma Judith next.

“I knew you were the right choice, Sloane. The pack hasn’t felt this good in a long time,” he says.

“Thank you, Grandpa. I hope the two of you enjoy your travels,” I say, hugging my grandmother goodbye

I hear Luna Elizabeth squeal and call Samara over to her as I walk over to say goodbye to Uncle Roman.

He’s watching the three women with a knowing look on his face.

“Time to get that Beta floor put together,” he says.

“It definitely is.”

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of you, Sloane. I never trained you to be an Alpha, but here you are, acting like you’ve been training for this your entire life.”

“I don’t feel like I have any idea what I’m doing half the time,” I say quietly.

“But you’re following your instincts and your instincts are good. Keep doing what you’re doing, Sloane. The pack is following you. You’ve lost a couple of pack members, but since they snuck away in the middle of the night, I think we all know they are the ones who betrayed your pack.”

“They are. I took note of which mind links disconnected and they were all pack members I had identified as potential problems.”

He smiles at me. “See, good instincts.”

He pulls me into a hug. “I know you know it, but I’ll say it again. If you ever need me, if you need anything, I’ll be here for you.”

“Thanks, Uncle Roman. Thank you for everything,” I hug him tightly before going to say goodbye to Alpha Austin and Luna Elizabeth, who is already planning a return visit to help Scarlet set up a nursery for her new grandpup.

“Thank you for everything,” I say to Alpha Austin.

“We’re allies, Sloane. I would have answered the call anyway, but you are as much a daughter to me as Scarlet is. Your uncle and I will always answer the call for help if you need us.”

I stand with Scarlet and Daniel as we wave goodbye to our families, then I turn to Scarlet.

“Should we go tell the pack the good news?”

“We absolutely should!”