Chapter 114

Harper’s POV

After hours of running and relearning my wolf form, Lucas told me it was time to head back to the pack. We have so many things we need to do in order for me to stay and for us to take out the Domain once and for all, that we don’t have any time to waste.

And I agreed. That was, until we came back and everyone was outside the pack house. Most of the pack would normally be inside by now with it being well past nine at night, but they’re not.

Wolves and people gather in the front yard as we exit the cars. The warriors go off to join the crowd, but I notice that the closer I get, the stiffer people become. They don’t welcome me; instead, they stare, whisper, and some even move their children further away.

Do they think I’ll hurt a child?

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” a pretty woman hisses. I recognize her instantly. Her mate is one of the wolves I healed a while back after a rogue attack.

“You should go back to the human quarters,” a man declares. I recognize him as one of the doctors that doesn’t like me. He narrows his eyes and growls when I look at him. “Anyone who works with traffickers is not welcome here.”

Lucas pulls me along, and I try to ignore their awful words, but they keep coming.

“Go back to where you came from.”

“Put her back in the cells.”

“She shouldn’t be walking free.”

The tension in the air grows thick, wrapping around my neck like a hand trying to choke me. Not only does it become hard to breathe, but seeing people I’ve helped and healed turn against me brings a sharp pain to my chest.

“This is my fault,” Lucas mutters angrily. “I shouldn’t have let Logan’s false accusations spread through the pack. I should have—”

I lay a hand on Lucas’s arm to stop him, and he freezes.

“It’s not your fault,” I tell him, hoping that he can hear and feel the truth in my words. “This was all Logan’s fault. Yes, you fumbled and messed up, but you’ve apologized.”

“But I can feel that you’re hurt.”

I pause, a bit shocked at his words. “You can feel it?”

I’ve been trying to ignore the extra emotions that have been flooding the mark bond since I started feeling it stronger, but I guess I was right. The longer we’re near each other and the more connected I become with my wolf soul, the easier it is to feel the bond between me and Lucas.

Lucas’s eyes lighten with a softer emotion than before, and something within me stirs.

“I can feel a connection, and sometimes, I catch hints of your emotions. It’s nothing compared to a full mate bond, but as your Alpha and your mate, I can still feel the bond even if it’s weak,” Lucas explains, and the way he looks at me has my heart melting. It’s like I’m the only important thing here.

The way he gently grips my arms and moves to stand between me and the crowd is comforting. It sends my heart into a fast patter that won’t slow down.

The wolves we saved from the Domain come close, circling me and Lucas. A few of them growl protectively at the pack members while others come close enough to rub against my legs. The male wolf that always stays close to me faces the crowd and growls menacingly.

“That’s enough,” Lucas says.

The moment Lucas addresses the male wolf, he looks up at Lucas and then goes back to guarding me in silence. It’s a strange exchange, one that I’m unable to decipher, but I like the possessive feel that filters into the weak bond between me and Lucas.

“Don’t worry, Harper,” Lucas says, tilting my chin up. “I’ll take care of this. We know you’re not at fault, and soon, they’ll know that too.”

Before I can say anything, Lucas leans in and softly kisses my forehead. Without waiting for a response from me, Lucas turns to the gathered pack and calls them to attention. Many angry glares stay pinned on me, but most of them eventually turn to Lucas.

Warmth spreads from my forehead down to my chest, warming it with an affection that I’m beginning to grow more used to.

“All the whispers and rumors you’ve heard about Healer Harper are wrong,” Lucas announces. “There have been lies and false claims spread around our pack about Healer Harper participating in trafficking and illegal selling of goods. Not only are these accusations false, but they have nothing to do with Healer Harper.”

“What about her clinic?” Someone shouts.

Lucas lifts a hand to quiet the many questions that spring up, and the pack goes quiet again. “Healer Harper was lied to and betrayed by some wolves who were kicked out of various packs. They used her human clinic as a means to store and move illegal goods without her knowledge.”

“What about he wolf souls?” A warrior asks.

The wolves around me pull in closer, leaning against my legs protectively. I lay my hand on the heads of the ones closest to my sides, letting their soft fur tickle my fingers and calm me down.

“Harper helped me free the wolf souls from the illegal underground market. Would she have done that if she wanted to sell them or traffic them?” Lucas asks. Whispers break out in the crowd, followed by heads shaking and eyes glancing my way.

“That’s right. She wouldn’t have,” Lucas says. “Harper is an upstanding, caring woman who has made it her life’s mission to heal. She would never hurt or capture another living being, whether that is a wolf, human, or wolf soul.”

As Lucas explains everything that happened with Logan, and after Lucas publicly admits to the pack that he was wrong about me, I feel my heart growing lighter. The tight, angry monster inside me begins to ease.

The authority and confidence in his tone calm me in a way that no one has ever been able to do before. It eases the worry in only the way an Alpha or a mate can do when one of their pack members or mates is anxious.

I watch Lucas address the pack’s concerns with the certainty of a leader who knows that his pack will listen.

The more I listen to him defend me, the more I realize that I might be ready to really give him a chance. His power and care make me feel safe as I listen to him explain that he’ll prove my innocence.

The only question is, am I willing to accept Lucas as my mate?

Maybe.

I know I trust Lucas again, so I’m open to seeing how our bond grows. I told him I would give him time like he asked for, and I’m interested to see how he uses that time.

Will he use that time to make me feel safe, like he is now?

Or will he use it to convince me to accept the mate bond?

Either way, Lucas is the one I’m fated to be with, so I will give him and myself a chance at happiness.