Page 59 of Cursed Wolf

“And look where that got her,” he barks, then swings back at Ragnar. They stand toe-to-toe, sticking out their huge chests. “If my Meira doesn’t wake up by midnight, you will be sorry you ever set foot on my land.” Dušan picks Meira up off the floor, one of the other men collects Lily, and they leave the room.

The moment Crius shuts the door behind them, I turn my attention to my men while Stone and Ragnar lift Nikos from the floor and lay him across the bed lengthwise, his feet alongside me. He’s barely breathing, but I can see the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Relief flare that I hadn’t killed the man I love.

Ragnar’s at my side, wiping my cheeks, then looks down. “So, who do we have here?” he coos as he runs the pad of his index finger gently across her cheek.

Crius and Stone crowd around me as well, each of them eager to see her, kissing me all over.

“Sweetheart, you had our baby,” Crius coos.

“You have no idea how much this means to me.” Stone holds back tears as he hugs me from the side. “You have no idea how much this means to me. I’m a father. All four of us are. I wanted to be here so much. I’m sorry we weren’t.”

“In hindsight, it’s better you weren’t here.” I laugh almost hysterically. “Poor Nikos went through a lot and never stopped being supportive. He was perfect, then I zapped him.” Sighing, I look at our baby. Staring at that beautiful, innocent face takes away all the pain from the world.

“What did you call her?” Stone asks.

I raise my gaze to meet his, and the three men are watching me. I’m beaming that she survived, but a name hasn’t crossed my mind.

“I’m not sure yet.” Lowering my gaze to her once more, I murmur, “Every time I look down at her, she calms me. A sense of harmony settles over my mind, and I find myself humming to her. I’d be lost if I didn’t have her after everything that happened.”

“Harmony,” Ragnar murmurs. “That’s a beautiful name for her.”

“It suits her so perfectly.” Crius nods, and Stone looks ready to burst out crying. “She has your cute little nose and lips.”

On cue, she lets out what I swear is an approving sound. I might be overreading it, but I don’t care. “I think she just agreed, and I adore that name. Now, we need Nikos to wake up so I can stop feeling like the worst person in the world, and we can celebrate our baby.”

“He’ll be fine,” Crius states, looking at him passed out on the bed.

“I screwed up.” I sweep my gaze to each of my men. “What if they don’t wake up? What if I took too much power? I mean, I had no control over the magic, which makes me dangerous.”

“You did nothing wrong,” Ragnar tells me, tenderly running his hand over my cheek.

“But Dušan was so angry. What if he kicks us out? And what deal was he talking about?”

Ragnar’s brows pull together, his lips thinning. “It was just something he made me agree to so he could ensure the safety of his own pack and family.”

I blink at him, waiting, but when he doesn’t elaborate, I ask, “What was the deal?”

“Look, you have enough to worry about right now.”

“Ragnar.” Frustrated, I raise my voice. “I have a right to know.” Especially since I might have just blown our chance with the one pack I feel a kinship with, other than mine with Ragnar and the others.

Silence beats between us, then he sighs and gives me the look when he’s forced into a corner. “If anyone in his pack is harmed at our hands, he has a right to punish them accordingly.”

I gasp. “He’s going to hurt me?”

“Like fuck he is,” Stone blurts.

“Not happening.” Crius stands tall, adamant, and sure of himself that he’ll stop the Ash Wolves’ Alpha.

“Narah, this is my burden to bear, and if there is any punishment, I will be the one who bears it. But Dušan is a fair man, and when Meira wakes up, I’m certain he’ll see reason.”

“I really hope they wake up. I don’t want to be responsible for destroying so many lives, including my own, if anything happens to Nikos.”

“It’s going to be alright.” He leans in closer and wraps an arm around my back, his lips on my brow. “You’ll see.”

I wish I had his confidence. Trembling, I keep glancing at Nikos, willing him to wake up. I touch his legs, giving a light squeeze to wake him.

Ragnar unexpectedly drags his blood-stained shirt up and over his head, leaving him bare-chested and absolutely mesmerizing. Muscles everywhere, he is exquisite. I am completely distracted by this Adonis, who has me swooning, even after just giving birth.

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