Page 33 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

“M-My f-f-family,” she chattered.

“Easy, little one. You will return to them shortly. For now, rest.”

To my surprise, she nodded and her head fell to my shoulder.

I clutched her closer, knowing we must part sooner than later.

Better for her to leave my presence as soon as she was well so I would not tarnish her gentle spirit.

CHAPTER 11

Stress Can Kill

ALIA & SHEN

Alia

Between fevered dreams and burning heat interspersed with cold so deep it chilled my very bones, eyes with golden stars and hints of concern in them watched over me, and a little pup’s tongue licked my face and hands, calming my racing heart. I didn’t know how long it took for me to wake, I just knew that while I was there in my fevered dreams, Shen was too.

And that was… odd.

It should feel good to have someone there to help. But this? It felt wrong.

Every time fevered dreams took me, I saw my family’s faces. My sister died, and I wasn’t there. Her little ones went to her absent husband who had no idea how to care for them. My parents were trying to keep up but were losing strength. Dad didn’t have time to hunt, and we needed food, and my other sister, Miranda, lay dead in my arms?—

“Little Red, wake up.”

The voice didn’t belong to these gaunt faces staring at me with accusation. Those faces dispersed from my mind’s eye as I struggled out of the fog.

Dark eyes rimmed in gold watched me.

“There you are. Are you back to the land of the living?” Shen said, a tiny, relieved smile gracing his lips.

I glanced around. But… this wasn’t…

I sat bolt upright, my hand falling to my side where a blade always hung, but it wasn't there. I glanced around, barely seeing the curtains above the window or the fire burning in the hearth across from the bed I laid in.

A cold hilt was set into my hand. My eyes flickered up to the werewolf. My breath eased with the knife in my palm.

“Please do not stab anyone,” he said, his eyes brightening for a mere moment. Was that a joke? “How are you feeling?”

When I opened my mouth to say something, only a croak erupted.

“I know. You arefine,” he said with a quirk of his lips. “You are in a safe house on the outskirts of Birchmark.” He held up a canteen to me, and I grabbed it with shaking hands. He helped me lift it to my lips, the water cooling my parched lips and tongue and soothing the burn still raging in my swollen throat.

“Why?” I croaked.

“You were in danger. I could not assist. So I brought you somewhere that could.”

“And you better be glad he did, young lady.”

My body quavered as adrenaline flushed my system. I quickly pushed back the covers and jumped to a knee, the knife curled back along my forearm and ready to slice. The bed seemed to tilt beneath me as my head swam, but I stayed upright through sheer stubbornness.

The man in the doorway held up his hands, his eyes crinkling with a kindly smile. “I mean no harm. I am the reason Shen brought you here.”

I blinked, scrunching up my nose and opening my mouth.

“You werefine, of course,” Shen mocked, crossing his arms and sending me a look which sent a trail of ice down my spine.

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