Page 225 of The Alpha's Pen Pal

I glanced at Wesley, and he frowned at the king’s words, but King Malachi continued.

“Not because her mate wouldn’t be able to on his own. But because jealousy and greed are very real, hideous emotions, she knew there would be those who would try to use and take her daughter for themselves. Those who would forget that her daughter could only be marked by her true mate.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, “I-we-we appreciate your offer and your sincerity,” I told him.

“I will sign a blood contract and have everyone who witnessed today’s events sign one as well. To keep your identity a secret. And whatever else you need,” he added, looking towards Wes. “Anything. Anything at all, I will gladly assist in whatever way I can.”

“My luna said it beautifully. We are grateful for your offer,” Wesley said.

He reached out for King Malachi’s hand, and they shook, matching looks of sincerity painted on their faces.

“I will make sure we complete the blood contracts before the thirteen crones leave with their prisoner and before my people and I leave with ours,” he informed us.

“What will happen to them?” Wesley asked. “To the witch and the Wainwrights—Blaines,” he corrected himself.

“The crones are taking Gladys. She will receive what she gave tenfold.”

“Meaning?” I asked.

“They will give her the poison she gave to Jack at ten times the strength he took,” he said. “She posed as a holistic doctor and gave him vitamins that poisoned him and caused his stroke,” he added at my furrowed brow. “She confessed everything to the crones. They are … an intimidating group of witches when they are all convened.”

He shuddered at some picture of them in his mind. “Anyway,” he said, shaking his thoughts away. “She will likely die from that alone, but they have more punishments to dole out to her should she survive.”

“And the Blaines?” I asked again.

“Council prison. We will imprison them and keep them apart for the rest of their lives. The strain on their bond from being unable to see, touch, or speak to each other will be quite painful. They may not reject each other, either, so they will always endure the pain of being close, but never close enough.”

I nodded, my jaw clenched. That sounded horrible, knowing what I knew of the bond, and knowing how it felt between Wesley and me. I couldn’t imagine experiencing that pain, being separated from Wesley like that. But I didn’t care what it did to them or how much they suffered from that forced separation. They were nothing to me, just as I had always been nothing to them.

“What about the drug Pierce used?” Wesley asked.

The king sighed. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that will be the last we see of that drug. He was selling it and the recipe. That’s where he got much of his money from over the last decade or so. It’s something we’ll have to keep eyes and ears out for. It will be a thorn in my side, but that comes with the job,” he added with a halfhearted chuckle.

“We will help in any way we can,” Wesley told him. “It is the least we can do with what you are doing for us.”

“I will reach out at some point. For now, I will let you enjoy some time as a newly mated couple and let you adjust to your roles as alpha and luna when that time comes.” Wesley nodded. “I will leave you to rest and heal,” he said, turning to the door. “Goodbye, Alpha Wesley, Luna Haven.”

I raised my hand in farewell, and he nodded at us with a smile and then left us alone.

“Come here,” Wesley growled as soon as the door clicked shut.

I looked at him; he patted his thighs, his eyes locked on me and filled with passion, heat, and possessiveness. My insides coiled at his growl and that look in his eyes, but he was in no state for any of the ideas that flitted through my mind, for the desires swirling in my blood.

I clenched my thighs together and shook my head at him. “No. You need to rest and heal.”

He frowned and grabbed my hand, yanking me towards him. “I am already healing and I’m not in pain. I want to hold my mate, and I am going to hold you, whether you want me to or not,” he threatened with a wink. “And I know you want me to, so get your cute little ass over here,” he growled.

I sighed out a laugh and moved on top of him, my hands resting on his chest as his arms wound around my waist, holding my body pressed to his. “There was a moment… a moment when I thought I was going to lose,” he whispered, his forehead leaning against mine.

“I know,” I replied. “I felt it. I felt you trying to tell me goodbye through the bond. But I wasn’t going to let that be the end of our story. I wasn’t going to let you lose. ”

“And you call me bossy.” He chuckled.

“I’m not bossy.” I frowned, pulling away from his face.

“You are,” he mumbled, his hand moving to the back of my head and tangling into my hair. “And I love it.”

He pushed me forward with his hand, and our lips met, the tingles and fireworks erupting at every point of contact between us. He kissed me slow and deep, possessing more of my heart and my soul with each meeting of our lips and tongues.

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