Page 61 of The Alpha's Protective Mate

My voice is raspy, and it’s hard to speak. My throat hurts so bad.

“...bert.”

He’ll kill her!

I don’t know how I manage to get to my feet, but the movement gets Robert’s attention, and when he turns to look at me as I stand there, swaying on the spot, I see the amber color of his eyes. I’m looking at his wolf right now.

“...ister. S—She is—She’s my sister.”

I garble the words, stumbling toward him. He doesn’t hesitate, dropping Arabella to the floor in a heartbeat. I’m in his arms now, and he holds me to his chest protectively, growling under his breath.

I clutch his jacket, wondering why the raw fury in his eyes soothes my soul so much. “Sh—She’s my sister. You can’t—can’t kill her. P—Please.”

His hand smooths over my cheek, and his eyes tighten. “She tried to kill you.”

His tone is deep, a meld between his human voice and the raspy growl of the wolf.

I shake my head, finding it difficult to say anything further. Everything hurts.

I hear footsteps, and I look at the doorway to see the back of Arabella’s dress as she runs for her life. My body sinks into Robert’s, and I close my eyes, unable to hold on, unable to fight this creeping darkness. All I know is that I’m safe.

Robert will protect me.

******

It’s the wetness against my cheek that makes me stir.

Groaning, I open my eyes and see Robert’s face. For a brief moment, I feel confused and dizzy. And then, I register the pain. Along with the pain come the memories of what happened.

I try to sit up, but Robert holds me down. “Easy. Not yet. You’re in no condition to move.”

“I have to—I have to see the damage.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He strokes my hair. “I’ve taken care of it. You need to rest.”

“Arabella?”

“Gone. I didn’t kill her.” Robert’s eyes harden as he tells me that. I let out a sigh of relief, and he gives me a strange look. “She was going to kill you, Charlotte.”

I close my eyes, my heart heavy. “I’m a fool.”

“I won’t disagree with you right now,” Robert murmurs, but his tone is soft and gentle. I want to bury myself in his arms and hide away from this cruel world and my crueler fate.

There’s a knock on the door, and I open my eyes to see a young woman peeking in. “Harry called me.”

“Thanks, Maria.” Robert is about to get up, but my fingers dig into his sleeve. It’s an automatic response, but instead of saying anything, he simply moves closer and wraps his hand around mine.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He looks up at Maria. “Can you heal her?”

Maria comes forward, but there is hesitation in her steps. “She’s a vampire.”

“Yes.”

She swallows, and I can see her nervousness. I give her a tiny smile, half delirious from the pain radiating from every inch of my body. “You don’t have to do this. I’ll be fine.”

“No, she won’t,” Robert says tightly. “Can you try to heal her, Maria?”

“I’ve never tried healing a vampire,” the woman says slowly, “but I can try. Can you move back a bit, Robert?”

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