Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 201

Chapter 201

Lillian’s POV

We held each other for a while, until the chill started to get to me. Then we dressed and headed back toward the cave that had been our safety for a time.

The bodies were still there, and seeing them, as well as the carnage that had killed them, made my stomach turn. I had done this. I didn’t know I could be capable of something like this.

I must have been staring for too long. Grayson tugged on my arm. “You did this to protect us. They meant to kill us, and you acted in defense.”

“But it’s so brutal…”

Pride shone in Grayson’s eyes. “No one will ever mess with my mate again. Especially Calvin. Good riddance.”

Inside of me, my wolf preened, pleased at what it had done. I tried to push down on the shame, accepting my wolf’s affirmation instead. With their assistance, I know had the ability to protect the people that were close to me, at least from any physical dangers.

My brother, unfortunately, still remained out of reach of my help.

Ignoring Calvin’s body, Grayson wrapped an arm around my waist and led me farther into the cave, where our belongings were. He left me to gather them while he returned to Calvin’s corpse. I heard a horrible crunching noise, and was afraid to look.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Taking proof of Calvin’s death,” Grayson replied. “It might come in handy.

I glanced back and saw him wrapping what appeared to be a severed hand in a bit of cloth. It was tucked away before I could get a good look at it, and I tried not to think about it enough to know fully what it was.

Grayson turned then, facing the opening of the cave. From this angle, I could see straight through the tears of his shirt, down to the silver-burned skin underneath. Nearby patches were red and pained looking. He was a strong man, and had likely been pushing through any pain. None of it shown on his face, especially when we had made love. But to see that red, inflamed skin and those angry dark lines, I knew that he had to be feeling awful.

He needed medical attention.

We had to go back. Gripping my satchel, with the floral medicine book inside, I knew that meant that I would have to leave this mountain without the mysterious flower, which meant I wouldn’t have a miracle cure to save my brother.

“We should go back to the car,” I said.

Grayson turned to look at me. “You came here for a purpose. We haven’t achieved that purpose yet.”

“You need medical care.”

“I’m fine.”

“Grayson,” I said and gave him a soft smile. “You don’t have to lie to me. I can see your back for myself. We need to get that silver poisoning looked at or it could get worse. I won’t be responsible for that happening to you.”

“But the flower. Your brother…”

1/3

“We never knew if the flower was real,” I said. “It was always a long shot anyway.”

+15 8gnus

Grayson stared at me for a long moment, and I returned his gaze with open honesty. I held regret but also concern. I knew this was the right thing to do.

“Alright,” he said. “We’ll go back.” He held out his hand, and I took it. Together, we walked out of the cave and away from the bodies.

We followed the river downstream, using it to guide us down the mountain. Eventually, we had to move away.

“The road cuts through there,” Grayson said and started pulling me away.

Just then, I stopped. Grayson tugged a bit on my arm but I refused to move. I saw something, there in the distance, just a bit farther down the river.

Releasing Grayson’s hand, I walked toward it. Grayson stayed behind me. When he saw what I saw, he whispered, “I’ll be damned.”

Closer, there could be no denying it. There was no mistake. This wasn’t a trick of the light or anything else.

Right here, at a bend of the river, in the shadow of a tree was the Silver Crystal Flower.

I pulled the book from my satchel and read quickly about the best way to collect the flower. Then, carefully, I kneeled down and plucked the flower as directed. Quickly, I placed it between the pages of the book and put it all in my satchel.

When I turned back to Grayson, he held out his hand again. “Let’s get that home.”

I rushed to him.

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