The Millennium Wolves Series Book Three Chapter: 17
JOCELYN
I finished laying the sage leaves around the omega wolf and placed a quartz crystal at the base of her feet.
My mother had taught me this ritual when I was just a child. She’d said if I ever found myself lost or alone, this would guide me back to safety.
I didn’t know if her ritual applied to this situation, but I’d tried everything else I could think of in the past twenty-four hours, and nothing had worked.
This omega wolf was very much alone, and I was trying to bring her back to consciousness, so may be this would do the trick. Or maybe I’d just end up looking foolish.
Werewolves healed fast, but this one had taken a real beating. I couldn’t imagine what had done this, but Aiden and Josh would be expecting answers from me, and right now, all I had were questions.
“Who are you?” I voiced my thought aloud. “I can’t just keep calling you the omega wolf, now can I? I bet you have a beautiful name.”
This mysterious woman entranced me. I wondered what she would sound like if she could talk,
How she ran in wolf form.
What her favorite meal was.
Her favorite flower
God, what‘s wrong with me? Maybe I need to go see a healer myself.
I began packing up my things. It was time to call it a night, although morning might be more accurate, I was definitely beginning to sound delirious.
“If I keep talking to unconscious patients, I might get my healer status revoked,” I said to no one in particular.
“Well, that would suck. Who’d keep me company?
I dropped my bag, causing my medicinal herbs and salves to spill out all over the floor.
“Oh my God, you’re-you’re…,” I stuttered,
“Nina,” she said, struggling to prop herself up with an elbow. “Or would you still prefer omega
wolf?
Nina. What a lovely name.
The thin sheet covering her began to slide down her naked torso, and it caused me to blush.
Her skin was dark and shiny, like the night sky, and her nipples like glimmering stars—I wanted to get lost in her galaxies.
“Hello, paging Doctor Distracted. My eyes are up here,” she said unsteadily.
“I was just… just examining your wounds,” I sputtered quickly, trying to compose myself. “You know…you really shouldn’t try to sit up. You still have a lot of healing to do.”
“Oh this? It’s just a flesh wound,” she said, pointing to a huge gash across her thigh. “Nothing I can’t
Nina winced in pain as she tried to get out of the bed, and her legs buckled, sending her straight into my arms.
I was sure that all the blood in my entire body had relocated to my face as I held Nina in my arms. There was no way she didn’t notice the damned strawberry-tinted face staring back at her.
“I like your bedside manner, Doc.” Nina clenched her teeth as she transferred her weight to me and allowed me to place her back in bed.
“Do you always make jokes, even when you’re about to bleed out?” I asked reproachfully.
“It helps take my mind off the pain,” she replied. “Do you have any other ways to distract me from the pain?
I crossed my arms. “If you’re suggesting drugs, then I can’t condone
“I was gonna suggest that you sit here and talk with me for a while,” Nina smirked,
“Oh, uh, okay. I guess I could do that,” I said, feeling like an idiot.
Talking wasn’t such a bad idea. I needed to find out just who this woman was for Aiden’s sake a the safety of the pack.
Or was I just telling myself that to justify my curiosity? I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off of Nina since she’d gotten here.
“So, who goes first? Are you more of a truth girl or a dare girl? Nina asked, thankfully covering herself with a thick blanket.
“I’ll talk, Nina, but this isn’t a game. If you want me to keep treating you, you’ll need to tell me what happened.” I said in a serious tone.
“You almost died. I need to know what did that to you and if it’s still out there.
Nina rolled over, avoiding eye contact with me. “Hunters,” she murmured.
“Divine Hunters?
*Yeah, they were tracking me-almost had me too. Your alpha must’ve scared them off,” she said. “What’s his name?
“Aiden,” I replied, already wanting to talk about anything other than my ex. “Tell me more about the Hunters.”
“Just your run-of-the-mill humans who hate what they don’t understand,” she growled. This was the first hint of anger that I’d seen from Nina.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, suddenly feeling an emotional pull toward her.
**Putting my healer duties aside for a moment, can I ask you something personal?”
Nina looked intrigued. “Okay, shoot.”
“What happened with your pack? Why are you alone? I mean, alone out in the wild. With no
pack.”
AIDEN
My stomach growled with anticipation at the spread of pasta and baked breads laid out before me.
Sienna’s mother was a damned good cook, and although I’d protested these weekly family dinners initially, her family had really grown on me.
I’d begun to consider them my own
I tried to dig in to the spaghetti, but Melissa smacked my hand away.
“Now. Aiden, we have to wait for everyone,” she said sternly. “Selene and Jeremy aren’t here yet.”
I‘ll have to give Jeremy less work at the pack house if it means that I can eat earlier.
I turned to Sienna, who was lost in thought. She’d been that way all day. “Are you feeling okay?” I asked, placing my hand on hers.
“I’m fine. Just going over some pieces for a client in my head,” she said, forcing a smile.
The sound of the front door slamming and high heels clacking on the hardwood floor echoed through the hallway.
She sighed, looking disappointed.
Damn, I could have worded that far more eloquently. Had I really just asked her why she was alone? It was a question that I’d had to answer far too often.
What you’re really trying to ask is why I was exiled, right? Wolves don’t run around on their own unless they’re forced to.”
“If you’re not comfortable saving. I won’t pry.” I said, thinking about how Aiden would probably be interrogating her in a cell right now if he knew she was conscious
*No, it’s fine. I’ll be honest. I got caught stealing. I’m a thief,” she said bluntly. “A damn good one too. I’m not proud of it—okay, maybe a little proud—but I did what I had to for my own survival.
“I learned a long time ago that no one will look out for you, so you’d better learn to do it yourself
“Didn’t you have some family members that you could turn to for help?” I asked, finding myself scooting closer to her.
Nina frowned at the mention of family. “I was dead to my parents years ago, and they’re dead to me as well. I have no family.”
“We’re here, we’re here. Sorry we’re late,” huffed Selene, pulling Jeremy into the dining room and sliding into her seat without taking a breath
Jeremy gave me an awkward nod. He still hadn’t gotten used to his boss being at family dinner.
“All right, I officially declare this meal in session.” Robert grinned. “Dig in!”
“Finally,” I growled. “Melissa’s cooking is a work of art that will not go unappreciated.”
“Oh, stop,” she giggled. “You’d wolf down anything that was put in front of you.”
I glanced over at Sienna again. She was barely touching her food.
What the hell is going on with her today?
“Hey, Mom, Dad, I have a question,” Sienna said, speaking carefully. “What happened on that day that you found me abandoned outside the hospital?
The room got uncomfortably silent, and Sienna’s parents looked at one another with apprehension,
“Where is this coming from, sweetheart?” Robert questioned.
I wondered the same. I knew Sienna had been thinking about her birth parents a lot lately, but I wasn’t sure dinner with her entire family was the right place to ask about them.
“I just want to know more about where I came from—who I came from,” she said quietly. “My parents… did they leave a note? Did they regret abandoning me? You’ve never told me any details.”
I watched Melissa tense up at Sienna using the word parents to refer to someone else.
“Why does any of that matter?” I asked, annoyed. “Whoever they were, they made a fucking rotten decision to leave you, and they deserve whatever regret they have until they make it to their graves.”
Sienna’s eyes lit up like a volcano.
Fuck
I actually expected flames to start shooting out of her eyes at any second.
Selene and Jeremy exchanged glances.
“You don’t know anything about them,” Sienna shouted. Just because your birth parents are a nightmare doesn’t mean that mine are.”
quietly.
“Is it something that I’ve done?” I asked. “Because if I
“No, Aiden… it’s not about you. I promise.”
Her tone was reassuring, but I still felt like I was failing her in some way.
“I just need to work through some issues, and I think therapy is the best way,” she said.
I lifted Sienna’s chin so that I could stare into her eyes.
I wanted to take away all of her pain and sadness on my own. I never wanted to see tears in those beautiful eyes ever again, unless they were happy ones.
But maybe I needed to take a step back this time let Sienna deal with this her own way.
I sighed and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll support you if this is what you think is best.”
Sienna grabbed my collar and stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against mine.
After she finally pulled away, she smiled. Thank.
Sienna pushed her chair back, scraping it against the floor, and stood up in a fury.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I growled angrily.
“Therapy!” she screamed.
THERAPY?!
I got up to follow her, but she was already halfway down the hall. “Sienna, wait!”
She stopped, but didn’t turn around. When I placed my hands on her shoulders, I felt her relax at my touch
“I’m sorry.” I said. “I didn’t realize it was such a sensitive subject.”
Sienna turned around to face me and she had tears in her eyes.
I pulled her in close to my body, holding her tight. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“I’ve just been dealing with this pain on my own for too long,” she said.
“And that’s why you’re going to…” It was hard for me to say the word aloud for some reason,
SIENNA
I was sitting across from Konstantin in his study again, but this time I knew why I was here.
I knew what I wanted.
“Are you sure about this?” Konstantin asked. “I told you before, this will be intense. You might not like what you find-even in your own head.
“I’m sure,” I replied, “Help me unlock my memories. I want to know who my birth parents are.”
Konstantin nodded and then locked his gaze on mine. His eyes flashed that intense silver that they did when he was focused.
“Very well, let’s begin. First, you must open up your mind to me.”
I nearly fell out of my seat as Konstantin’s voice suddenly echoed in my head.
“You have to let me in.”