Page 33 of Cruel Alpha Beast
“What’s that?” Shea asks.
The banging continues, and someone hollers Sawyer’s voice from the porch.
“It’s okay, sweet pea,” I say calmly. “Can you show me how careful you are, taking that plate to the living room to finish eating?”
Excited to prove herself, Shea grabs the plate and follows my directions, only leaving a few crumbs on the kitchen floor in her wake.
Sawyer heads to the door and opens it up, ceasing the knocking. “Dad?” he breathes out.
“You need to help,” Lucas warbles from the porch.
“Bring her in,” Sawyer says.
That’s when I see her. My former alpha is carrying a young woman in his arms. She’s barely conscious, her head lolling back and forth. There’s a sheen of sweat over her skin, leaving dark stains on her tank top. And creeping up her mostly bare legs, arms, and neck are dark spots, just like the ones I had seen on Miss Theresa in my vision.
I fall back against the countertop, my breath harsh and ragged. Sawyer turns to me, deeply concerned.
“What is it, Lacey?” he asks.
“I’ve seen this,” I choke out. “This… This plague. In my visions.”
“In herwhat?” Lucas asks, his face screwing up.
“I have visions, sir,” I tell him, struggling to find the strength in my legs. “Always have. And I’ve been having terrifying ones lately.”
“She has, Dad,” Sawyer says as he clears the kitchen table and helps Lucas set the young woman down on it. “You can trust her.”
Still, Lucas eyes me suspiciously, though he doesn’t interrupt. Meanwhile, Sawyer is leaning over the woman, checking her vitals and murmuring down to her in a comforting voice.
“I’ve seen these markings on people in my visions,” I continue. “I just hoped we would have time before these symptoms started showing up.”
“And have any of thesevisionsshown you a cure?” Lucas asks. His tone is somewhat condescending, but I can tell it’s coming from a place of fear. Fear and ignorance.
“I can’t say they have,” I tell him honestly. “But we have people looking into it.”
Lucas furrows his brow. “What people?”
“My fr—”
“It’s not important,” Sawyer cuts in, looking up from the woman. He throws me a cautious, knowing glance.
Right, I remind myself. I probably shouldn’t tell our former alpha we’re consulting with witches.
“I don’t know how much I can do for her, Dad,” Sawyer says. “Can you bring her to the infirmary? They might be able to help.”
“I can,” Lucas tells him. He throws one last suspicious look towards me, then scoops the woman off the table and into his arms again. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”
Sawyer nods. “Thank you.”
As soon as the door shuts behind him and the sound of his footsteps fades into the distance, I wheel around on my husband, breathing heavily.
“I know how everyone feels,” I start, “but I’mnotashamed to have lived in that coven.”
“I know,” Sawyer murmurs.
“Honestly, I think it’s really stupid that we’re supposed to hate another group of people for something that no one even remembers!” I hiss.
“Alright, alright,Greg,” Sawyer says, gesturing with his hands to calm me down. “I hear you, Lacey. And honestly, after everything I’ve seen from those twin friends of yours, I’m starting to come around to your side.”
