Chapter 207

Ethan

Fiona’s head lays on my shoulder, an expression of fear still etched into her face as I carry Fiona into the house. Several members stare as I carry her through the main floor and upstairs toward my apartment.

“Alpha? Is everything alright?” Someone calls for me, but I ignore them and glance down at my mate again. She doesn’t seem injured physically, which is good, but I don’t know how long they were bothering her before I got there.

Seeing other males, especially rogues, grabbing and touching my mate has my entire body burning with fury. Still, I can feel Zev pacing beneath the surface, hungry for blood.

“We’ve secured the rogues, Alpha,” Ryan’s voice sounds in my head.

“Good. Make sure you figure out where they came from and how they got onto our land.”

“I will. Is Fiona alright?”

I set her down on the bed, carefully laying her against the pillows and brush some hair out of her face. My eyes move down her body, searching for any sign of injury I might’ve missed earlier, but still, I find none.

“She passed out, but I don’t see any physical injuries,” I tell him as I sit on the edge of the bed and wrap my hand around hers.

Ryan doesn’t answer, and I take that as his acceptance of my orders.

“She shouldn’t have been alone,” Zev growls, pacing. He wants out, but I hold him back.

“I know. She should have taken a guard, and she will from now on.”

“Laxus is strong. Smart. He can keep her safe when we are not there,” Zev says, and I nod. He would be my first choice of Gamma anyway. He’s proven himself to already care for Fiona’s safety.

Zev rumbles in agreement, then perks up when Fiona shifts and sighs. Her eyes flutter then open after a second, and when she sees me, she gasps. Then, Fiona launches herself at me, throwing her arms around my neck.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper, laying a hand on the back of her head and hugging her close. She sinks into me, a sigh of relief puffing against my neck. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

If she is, I’ll kill those rogues myself.

“N-no. I was just scared,” she mutters, burying her face in my neck. I swear I hear her sniff, and I have to bite back a smile. “They came out of nowhere saying I smelled good and then they grabbed me.”

She shivers and shakes her head as if trying to forget the whole ordeal, and I close my eyes. Fiona doesn’t need to see how close I am to finding where Ryan took those rogues and gutting them where they stand.

No one touches my mate.

The only thing keeping me here is the need to comfort her that surpasses the need to kill those animals.

“Who were they?”

Looking down, I find Fiona peering up at me, a small frown pulling her lips downward.

“They were rogues, a type of Lycan who is without a pack,” I answer, settling back against the headboard. I adjust her to straddle my lap before wrapping my arms around her waist and tucking her close. “They are Lycans who are either kicked out of their pack or leave on their own devices. Some are harmless while others live to cause chaos. They often see themselves as better than pack wolves or as wolves who don’t have to follow the rules.”

She blinks and pulls back a bit to see my face as she asks, “Then what were they doing here?”

“They must have found a hole in our patrol and slipped in, which I assure you will be fixed immediately,” I growl.

Again, she nods silently and after a minute, she leans in and drops a soft kiss to my lips.

“Thank you for always coming to my rescue,” she murmurs, kissing me again.

“Always, but Fiona, there will be days and times where I can’t be with you, like today,” I tell her, accepting another small kiss. “I want you to promise that if you’ll take a guard with you from now on, especially if you’re not in the pack house.”

She then leans into me, presses a kiss to my neck, and lays her head on my chest. Having her soft weight against me calms both me and Zev down a bit more.

“I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened to you,” I whisper truthfully.

“I promise to take someone with me...” She pauses, then speaks again after a moment, asking, “How did you know I was in danger?

“I felt your fear through our bond.”

A light hum sounds from her, “It’s still strange that you can do that.” A hint of hesitancy touches the bond between us, and I sigh.

“I promise not to pry into your thoughts without your permission. This was different than merely looking into your mind, though.”

“I know and thank you.”

The hesitant feeling is still there, but I don’t push it any further. She’ll talk about it when she’s ready, and I’ll wait until she brings it up. I’ve already dumped a lot on her, so I need to let her process everything that’s happened.

Fiona POV

“I heard congratulations are in order.”

Lifting my head, I look up at the mystery woman and realize I must have fallen asleep while talking to Ethan.

“Congratulations?”

“For the baby,” she says softly, sitting beside me. Again, the fog that always surrounds us conceals her face, and I sigh. I want to know who she is.

“Yes, we’re having a baby. I didn’t know how to feel at first, but now, I’m very happy and a little worried,” I tell the woman honestly. My hand rests on my stomach as I lay back on the soft grass and look at the sky.

She always has good advice, so maybe she can help ease my worry.

“Worried about the future or the baby?”

“Both,” I tell her. “I’ve always wanted a baby, but everything is so different now. I know Ethan will be a good dad, but what if having baby and being a King or Queen is too much? I’ve never done anything like this before.”

The woman chuckles softly and lays back too. She’s always so soft and graceful with her movements and her voice, that it almost makes me wonder if she’s just a figment of my imagination.

I mean, she feels real, but this is a dream.

“Moving forward is never without it’s unknown elements,” she tells me. “You need to remember that you are not in this alone. Ethan is a good, strong mate and will be a great leader if you lean on each other. Trust and love are the foundations of a good relationship.”

It’s a similar answer to what she’s told me before, and deep down, I know she’s right. Though, it has me wondering, if she’s real, who is she? Why is she here?

“Do you have a mate?”

She’s silent for a moment before her head tilts to the side a bit, kind of like when someone is trying to remember something.

“I think I did.”

“Did?”

“I…” she slowly sits up, pulling her legs to her chest. I sit up as well, concerned by the vulnerable gesture as she wraps her arms around her knees. Her dress flutters in the breeze, and she sighs. “I don’t remember much of my life.”

She is- was- real.

“Who are you?”

Again, silence falls over us, and before I can ask anything else, she fades away, disappearing into the fog as she always does.