Page 95 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha
I pushed the door open a bit more and started to form the question, but then I heard the front door open followed by Dom’s quick steps. I turned from the door and met him at the top of the stairs.
“Hey,” he said, jogging up the steps. “I would’ve knocked if I thought you were awake. Did you get any sleep?”
I nodded. “Do you have any updates for me?”
“No. There haven’t been any breakthroughs as yet.”
“How’s the pack?”
“Everyone is talking about what’s happened, but other than that, things are pretty quiet.”
“I see.” It was stupid of me, but I’d hoped that some real progress would be made while I slept.
“Have you checked on your mom?”
“Not yet, I?—”
“Alpha Night.” That was Doc’s voice. He wasn’t yelling, but excitement elevated the volume of his voice. “I think Violet is about to wake up.”
Dom and I were in the room in seconds. On the bed, Mom stirred, her head turning from side to side as she fought her way through unconsciousness. I neared the bed, peering down at her, my heart beating quickly. Doc kept hold of her wrist, squeezing gently.
She huffed, her eyes slowly parting open. “Damon?” she asked gently, her voice hoarse. “That you?” Her hand tightened around his.
“It’s me, Violet.” He smiled. “And I’m not alone.”
Her eyes, just as vibrant and green as I remembered them being, swept across the room until they settled on me.
I immediately dropped to her side and gently set my hand on her arm. “Mom, how are you feeling?” I asked. “What do you need? Are you in pain?”
She weakly pulled her hand free of Doc’s so she could wave my words away. “Shut up with all these questions,” she rasped. “And go and get me some damn water.”
I was shocked that the first words she said to me after such an ordeal would be a string of commands, but then I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. I should have guessed as much. She wasmymother after all.
“I’ll get some water, Violet,” Dom said. “You just sit tight.”
She sighed. “I don’t care who gets it as long as I can get something cool down my throat.”
As Dom left, she tried to sit up. Doc took one side and I took the other. He adjusted the pillows behind her and I helped her sit up. I glanced at him as he fluffed the pillows, and wondered again if this was his typical bedside manner. When he was finished, Mom eased back against the extra cushion with a long sigh. By the time we got her settled, Dom was returning with the water.
She took it from him and downed it in a few large gulps, water pouring from the sides of her mouth and soaking into her bandages. If she noticed, she didn’t care. When the water was gone, she held the glass for a few moments, staring into the mug. Suddenly, her hand tightened around the pottery tight enough that it cracked. She threw the mug across the room and it shattered against the wall.
The sound of it caused both Dom and I to jump. I no longer felt like smiling. Neither of us had seen her so pissed since the night the Kings raided our village.
“Violet,” Doc said, speaking quietly. “It’s alright.”
“It’s not,” she snapped. “Damn it all. Damnhim. I’m an idiot for letting him get the jump on me. All I could do was sit there and watch as he took them.” Her voice cracked, and her eyes shined with tears. “I’m sorry, Damon. I shouldn’t have bitten your head off like that.”
He shook his head. “You don’t have to apologize to me or anyone, Violet. You’ve survived something awful.”
She took his hand again, squeezed it, and then looked at me. “Night, you better make sure that you get my girls back here safely. Because if you don’t, I can’t be held responsible for what I do.”
I nodded. “Of course, Mom. I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way.”
“That’s my boy.” She eased back against the pillows. “That’s my boy.”
“Violet, please,” Dom said, “tell us what happened. As much as you can remember.” His eyes took in her face, her wound, and her hands as they clenched and unclenched. “And take things slow. We don’t want you to give yourself a migraine.”
She sighed, her frown deepening as she forced herself to remember the events of the night. “Troy and two other male wolves kicked in my door. I confronted them to get them to leave, but obviously, I was useless when he bit me.”
