Page 42 of The Price They Paid

Sandy wasn’t worried about Justice because of the protective wards around the house. She’d made sure that the house was protected long ago. It was Mandy that she worried about. Christophe was different, stronger than he’d ever been. If he could manage to evade Sandy’s powers, Mandy would be doomed. Her abilities weren’t as strong as her sister’s.

I could feel a dark energy surrounding Christophe. A hatred that ran so deep it’d latched onto his soul, feeding it the energy it needed to thrive. A glow from his right arm caught my attention. He moved into position to strike her again, and that’s when I saw the charm. It had to be the reason why he’d been able to overpower her.

“I’ll do it.”

“Say it again.” He slapped her so hard that her lip split.

“I’ll do it.” He let her loose and pushed her into the corner where her supplies sat. “Who is it for?”

“The less you know the better. Just know that the bitch deserves it. She meddles in business that isn’t her own.”

Time progressed again, and I saw Justice laying on the couch. She’s pregnant! I saw her fall and how Sandy tried to heal her with light, but it didn’t work. I pulled away. Justice was hurt badly again.

“I believe you,” I said.

Sandy stood and held out her hand. “We’ve wasted enough time. She needs you. She needs her mate.”

I took her hand and hesitantly followed her through the light.

“Seuss, no!” Maddox ran after me but stopped short when I disappeared.

I could feel the heat of the light, but it didn’t burn me. I knew it didn’t because of Sandy. Once we were in the middle, I ran to Justice. I tried to heal her completely, but her body rejected it. There was only one way to heal her, but what if she rejected me again?

“Seuss …” Justice looked up at me through heavily hooded eyes.

“Justice.” I kissed her cool lips.

“We’re losing the babies,” she whispered.

“I know … I can feel it.” I didn’t know if I could save all four of the babies and her.

“Save them,” she said before she passed out.

Shit! I opened the bond between us and began healing her. I felt the healing power of another, and I looked up to see Sandy offering me her power to use. I latched on and said the words that scared me more than anything. I couldn’t lose her again. I need to be whole, and only she could complete me.

“Mate of mine, the choice is yours, but I give to ye the whole of my heart and the depths of my soul. Accept me as yours and I shall be, wolf and all.”

Justice didn’t respond. Her body was slack, and I sent more power her way. She jolted a little and looked up into my face. I repeated the words again with much more conviction. I bared my heart to her with each word spoken.

“I love you, Odysseus,” she whispered.

“Accept me as yours, Justice,” I pleaded.

“I do. I already have.”

The words soared through me, and I gave her my all as I healed all the damage to her body. Sandy reached out and healed the babies. I felt her over reaching and giving more than she should. Justice was healed and more beautiful than I could remember. She was healthy and vibrant, but my happiness was short lived when I saw Sandy fall to the ground.

“Sandy…”

Sandy burned brighter as she gave her soul to heal the defects of the babies. The mating fever had caused damage to them as well. She slumped to the side, and the beams around us burned brighter, then one by one they collapsed. I looked to see the guardians on the ground exhausted but breathing. All but one. Sandy laid on the ground burned to the bone.

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” Justice screamed.

I held her as she mourned loudly. I rocked her, but she fought to get to Sandy.

“Noooo, noooo, nooooooooooooooooooooo!”

Justice collapsed against my chest. “She’s all I have … she can’t …”

---