Alpha's Blood

Chapter 20

Lilliarna watches Theon from a balcony as he works with a few fighters. Gripping her blanket she burrows herself further into the warm fabric; a cup of coffee sits on a nearby stand, its steam rising into the cold October air. Roses fill a small vase, left for her earlier that morning by her mate. She smiles, thinking of how close they'd become over the past two months. 

Theon had taken a few weeks off after the incident the night of the party, pouring all his efforts into helping her heal emotionally as much as he could during that time. It was in that time, rooted in his nurturing that their relationship began to truly blossom. Still, there was always work to be done and Theon couldn't leave it to his Beta forever. Part of that work included an ongoing investigation looking into who had spiked the alcohol she'd consumed that night. 

Wolfsbane. Doctors were shocked she wasn't long expired by the time Theon had reached her when they saw how much was in her system. Her blood levels were high enough even an adult male would would have surely succumbed a quick death. Everyone believed the Moon Goddess had saved her, but Lilliarna knew the true reason she had survived. She shutters, remembering the daily sting of a needle and fiery burn as poison rushes throughout her body.

Who had tampered with the drink, let alone why, was still turning up dead end after dead end. Theon was determined to figure it out, holding himself up in his office for hours. Often he would forget to eat, only doing so when she brought him food and leaving late into the night when she'd finally retrieve him for bed.

 Their only lead had been the man who'd attempted to take advantage of her. But he had taken his information to the grave, murdered in the same spot Theon left him lie. It hadn't however been Theon who had killed him. No, Theon had merely incapacitated him when his thrown body hit the nearby tree. 

What her mate had had planned for him, for merely thinking of assaulting his mate, was much, much worse than death. Still, when Theon had returned to collect his unconscious body, he found the man dead where he had laid, wide terrified eyes peering up at the sky as his organs littered the ground

Elvi wasn't doing much better herself. She expressed on many occasions her immense guilt for putting Lilliarna into the situation at all. She knew the wolfsbane had come from a drink she'd almost ingested herself and the fact haunted her like a ghost. Following her through her every waking moments. Occasionally Lil would be able to talk her down and much to the Jairsa's joy she got Elvi to swear off the party life entirely.

Lene had returned to her pack with her mate a week after the party. She would text Lilliarna often and from what she had told her Jayce's anger towards her sneaking off was short lived. Apparently she had a reputation for it back home and had figured out exactly how to use their mate bond to settle him. Lilliarna questioned her methods but the only response Lene would give her is that one day she would find out what she meant.

For what anything was worth, life had begun to settle down as everyone fell into their new routines. Theon was back to work full force, taking on his Alpha duties and then some each day while Lilliarna would take that time to meet with his mother. During those times she would learn about her duties as Luna, or tour new parts of the pack. It was however, the days she had nothing to do that were her favorite. She often found herself in the pack house those mornings, enjoying her time with the cooks as she helped to prepare breakfast. After that she would join Theon, following him around to odd jobs. Jasira had begun telling her she fell naturally into the Luna roll.

Down in the yard Theon spins, waving up to her with a large smile plastered across his face. One of his students take the advantage, landing a solid kick to the back of his knees, buckling his legs. They stay on the defensive, teaming up to finish taking him to the ground and immobilize him. Theon quickly counters, knocking away the men while buying time to right himself. Back on his feet he smiles, his hands waving in the air as he talks with them.