Page 70 of The Dark War

“No, we aren’t dying.” Giana whimpered softly. “Just the pup.”

The pup? What pup? My lips parted, my arms stiffening around Kane. He held me tighter to his body, grumbling, begging me to tell him what was wrong.

“What?” I asked her. Giana only whined. “I’ve been concentrating on becoming immune to the memory powder and worrying about you. I didn’t realize…” Giana howled.

“Giana, you can’t blame yourself. I’ve been feeling off for days... I didn’t pay attention either.” I bit my cheek, squeezing my eyes tight. I could not break now, not now.

“You’re blocking me.” Kane growled. Shit, I was blocking him, more like Giana was. Giana didn’t want Torin to know, not yet either. He would flip out in front of all these people. Kane already felt like he couldn’t protect his warriors, and now he would be doubly upset he couldn’t protect me.

“Look.” I nodded my head to Odessa and Creed. Creed had forgotten. He had been doused in memory powder. “Oh, gods,” I gripped Kane. The scene unfolded, Odessa brimming with tears until that searing kiss was planted on the dragon’s lips. Slowly, Creed’s arms wrapped around Odessa, and my heart lightened to see that something went better than planned.

Odessa opened her eyes, seeing Creed shining enough love down for the entirety of Bergarian.

“It’s just so sweet.” We walked closer to them. “It’s like a fairy tale!” I sniffed. I stood beside Kane, who was completely naked and had Odessa blushing. He had no clue about my pain. Concealing it from him was taking everything I had, but I didn’t want to ruin this moment for this wonderful love that was before us.

“I’ll give you a fairy tale when we get home, baby.” Kane slapped my butt, pulling me in tight. “I’ll be your prince charming too.” I tried to keep my facial expressions light, despite the rolling cramps inside my stomach.

Osirus had landed shortly after. His concern over the rogues had grown, asking for updates from Kane. “We took the memory powder. We sent it back to our witches to see if we can come up with a counter-spell,” I said absentmindedly. I continued to stare out over the bloody snow, letting the pain sink into my stomach. My head turned, seeing Apollo limp into the woods. He wasn’t healing. He had claw marks running down his back, his tunic torn.

Goddess, we needed to go home. But there was one last thing I had to do.

Kane picked me up, already shifted back into his beast. “You are tired. Let me carry you home.”

“I need to heal someone, and then you can carry me.” I whimpered. Kane pursed his lips, nodding. “If you must.”

Kane tightened his grip. He was frustrated with me, but he knew I wouldn’t rest until everyone was cared for. His fangs closed tightly together, hearing the grinding against the enamel.

“I’ll tell you as soon as I heal him, okay?” My voice shook. Kane pressed his cheek next to my forehead. Without another word, I shakily ran to the forest, finding Apollo lying by a nearby stump.

“Gul,” he muttered. Feathers lay on his cloak, some still in his hair. I had missed when he fought, but the size of the feathers had me realize he was something I had never seen. “Ya need yer mate.” He was old, his smell crisp like the mountain air.

Not speaking, afraid a cry would leave my lips, I kneeled, touching his forehead with my hand. Giana took a breath in and pushed the remaining power we had to heal his wounds. There was no use in using the leftover power to heal my womb because my dear pup was already sleeping.

Pulling my hand away, his eyes opened, grabbing my hand. “I smell blood.” Looking between my legs, the worn leather was stained with drops of red blood that ran down my legs.

“It’s all right.” A tear left me. “You are going to be all right.” I turned, half running, half falling, until I reached the clearing. Kane was waiting for me, his arms opened, running toward me and pulling me into his arms.

“You’re bleeding.” He growled.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, beginning to cry. “I’m so sorry I failed.”

Chapter Thirty-eight

Kane

Clarafelllimpintomy arms, her last words piercing my heart as to why she would utter such a thing. We just took care of a large problem, getting rid of the source of Darius’s blood being given to the rogues.

As much anger I radiated over Adam’s betrayal and lies, Clara overshadowed that. I cradled her to my arms, Osirus clearing his throat as I watched him land gracefully into the snow. His face frowned, tilting his head to dismiss me.

Pulling her close once more, my nostrils flared. She smelled of blood that wouldn’t come from any sort of wound on her body, but from within. Another mixture surrounded it, it was barely there, and Torin roared inside me with fury.

She was pregnant.

I ran into the woods, and warriors followed, hearing my whimpers. Fuck, how the hell did this happen? How was she pregnant? Did we not know? Surely, she didn’t.

“They didn’t know!” Torin howled inside me. “Giana has been working tirelessly against the black magic memory powder. They are now immune, but with the cost of our pup.”

Carrying Clara, whose heart beat lightly in her chest, I stood over the cliff of the mountains, watching our pack return home. Clara continued to bleed, but not enough for it to be life-threatening. It was disposing of our pup, our child, our baby as she liked to call it. I could feel the remnants running down my arm as I howled into the mountains.

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