Page 88 of War Games

“He was protecting me! All of it! He only ever took this position to protect me!” Corissa’s pleading made Heath think of his enemy differently.

Something human, the cunning of a ruthless man, came back to Heath.

He’s useful to me alive, for control over her and keeping things as stable as possible for the NAWC…

“Tell her if she kneels, I’ll spare him,”Heath said to his son mentally, the first time he’d used the werewolf communication ability the entire day.

“Heath Everson, member of the Tribunal, will spare Callahan if you kneel, Corissa,” Landon called out, already giving Heath the title he had just won.

Corissa was running. He growled as she tried to get closer to him and Callahan. She went to her knees and inched forward slowly.

“Please, just let me save him,” she whispered, giving up her position as the strongest werewolf Alpha in the world. “I can’t lose him.”

Heath released him and took two steps back.

“There will be a meeting once Callahan’s condition has stabilized and Heath’s injuries have been tended,” Landon announced.

“I better be at that fucking meeting,” someone snarled. Heath turned slowly to see Jacky standing at the door at the top of the tall stairs, glaring at the room. Behind her, Subira hovered, smiling. She was staying only inches out of the Tribunal space she wasn’t allowed to enter without very specific permissions.

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Landon said, grinning as he turned to her as well. “Good to see you up.”

33

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Idreamed more, but it was natural. A picnic with Heath, then a wedding where Carey smiled brightly at me and Heath as we walked down the aisle. There were other faces, but they were blurry. I could have guessed who they were, but the knowing didn’t matter as much as the feeling the dreams gave me. It was a sporadic, normal dream. As I woke up, the images were already fleeing my mind, to be forgotten by the time I got out of bed.

Or before that, seeing how many people were in my bedroom hovering around the bed, staring at me expectantly, like they were waiting on bated breath.

“You’re awake,” Dirk said, sagging as he leaned on the bed, grabbing my hand. “You’re awake.”

“Hey, Dirk,” I said, smiling. I was sore, but I pushed up and squeezed his hand. It was only a second before I realized the bed was wet and the room smelled like blood.

“Oh, I need to…” I tried to get out of bed, but another hand grabbed me for a second.

“Taking a deep breath first,” Niko ordered. “Tell me if you feel dizzy or anything. Let’s make sure you can walk before letting you try.”

I followed his orders and tried to ignore how I was certainly in the blood I could smell. My head felt good, clearer than it had been in a long time. There was soreness in different areas, places I recognized, knowing the cause perfectly, but they weren’t nearly as painful as they had been. I wiggled my toes for Niko, who was convinced I needed a head-to-toe check, then noticed Olivia hovering.

“Hi,” I greeted, smiling at her. “My mother told me you were here.”

“So, you remember,” Subira said from the door, leaning on the frame. “That’s good.”

“I do,” I said, nodding. “And I feel fine. Can I get up?”

“I’ll help you get cleaned up. Niko, let your sister go.” Subira came closer, taking Niko’s place and helping me from the bed. I was naked and covered in blood that someone had tried sponging off but didn’t finish or couldn’t reach all of it. It was all my blood, though.

Weird thing to feel good about, but it meant no one else got hurt. I’d take it as a win.

Being naked also didn’t bother me, not in this particular instance. Subira walked into the bathroom with me, forcing me into the shower before I could start asking questions or wondering what had happened while I was trapped in my own mind.

She joined me, getting the blood from my back, butt, and legs. That startled me, but her grip was iron.

“Let me help,” she said, holding my ankle as she scrubbed my leg, the one that had been broken.

When I was finally scrubbed raw, the smell of blood going down the drain with a full bottle of body wash, all of my shampoo and conditioner, and an entire bar of soap, Subira let me get out.

“I know how to clean myself,” I reminded her, trying to dry off.

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