Chapter 33


    Chapter 33 The Pups Make a n


    3rd Person


    Ryder, Riley and Parker were beside themselves.


    All the adults were in an uproar, running around and whispering behind closed doors, trying to keep the


    truth a secret. But they knew – they always knew. They were wide awake when their Mommy ran out


    with the Alpha the night before, they knew their sister was in trouble and they could feel the grown ups’


    fear as if it was their own.


    They’d stayed up as long as they were able to keep their eyes open, but it hadn’t done any good. There


    was no more news while they were awake, and when they got up this morning, Mommy was nowhere to


    be found. Now Jane had finally called Linda for an update, so they huddled outside her bedroom door


    with their keen ears pressed to the wood, listening intently.


    “Hey honey, how’s it going?” Linda was asking, sounding as if she was preparing herself to hear the


    worst.


    Their Mommy’s voice was very faint on the other end of the line, but they could hear her exhaustion


    clearly. “She’s alright.” Jane answered, “but it was really touch and go for a while there.”


    “Thank the Goddess.” Linda breathed. “What happened?”


    “Oh Linda, it’s too awful.” Jane huped. “They’re saying someone tried to kill her.”


    “What?” Their Auntie eximed in disbelief. However Parker


    and Ryder exchanged a heavy nce, remembering the cruel woman who’d been in Paisley’s room the


    day they met.


    “She was poisoned.” Jane said, “they just barely managed to save her.”


    “Who would do such a thing?” Linda demanded.


    “I don’t know.” Jane confessed, sounding as if the uncertainty was more tortuous than anything else.” I


    can’t believe this is happening but I’m not taking my eyes off of her anytime


    soon.”


    “What do you want me to tell the pups?” Linda asked anxiously.


    “Tell them I love them and I’m sorry I’m not there, but something came up at work.” Jane’s wince was


    audible in her voice, she’d always hated lying to her children. “Is that terrible?”


    “No.” Linda assured her, “they don’t even know about Paisley, and this would probably only scare them.


    You’re doing the right thing.”


    “Thank you.” Jane sighed, sounding truly exhausted.


    “You’ve got it, just let me know if you need anything at all.” Linda encouraged.


    The pups scurried away from the door as the grown ups ended the call, retreating to the nket fort


    they’d built in their bedroom. Safely ensconced behind walls constructed from colorful pillows and


    sheets, they convened their emergency meeting.


    “I’s that witch, Eve.” Parker decided, earning nods from the others.


    “We knew she’s evil.” Riley reminded her brothers, worry for her newfound sister pouring off her in


    waves.


    “We have to do someting.” Ryder insisted, pulling a coloring book out of the bookshelf and flipping it to a


    nk page. “If Paisley stays there, she’ll try to hurt her ‘gain.”


    “An escape.” Parker agrees, “We can help her ‘scape, then we lie low ’til Mommy ‘n’ Daddy deal with the


    baddy.”


    “But how’d we get her out?” Riley asks, rubbing her chin in thought.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    “I think I have ‘n idea.” Ryder announces, beginning to sketch out a n for his siblings. One by one they


    added their bits and pieces to the plot, drawing a map and deciding what role they would each y. It


    wouldn’t be easy, and it would definitely have to adapt as events unfolded in the moment, but the three


    young masterminds were resolved. They would save their sister if it was thest thing they did.


    Jane


    Paisley has been sleeping constantly, waking for a few minutes here and there and muttering about her


    drug induced dreams before returning to dreand with a silly smile on her face. The doctors assure me


    this is perfectly normal and the more she sleeps, the faster she’ll heal, but I’m sure I won’t rx until


    she’s up and back to normal.


    Ethan has been hovering at her bedside like a particrly grumpy guard dog, watching her like a hawk


    and growling at


    anyone who sets foot in the room – even her nurses. I cant really me him, the murder attempt has us


    both on edge, and I’m d to have Ethan here watching out for my pup. Still, I’m afraid if he doesn’t


    sleep soon he’s going to slip up and actually hurt someone.


    Almost as soon as I think the words, ab tech enters to take a few vials of Paisley’s blood, and Ethan


    lunges for the young man with a vicious snarl, “Get away from her.”


    The poor tech throws his arms up in surrender, “I’m sorry Alpha, it’s protocol, we’re supposed to test her


    blood every four hours.”


    Forcing my way between their bodies, I reach up and take Ethan’s face between my hands, pulling his


    attention down to me. “Ethan, it’s okay.” I say firmly, “He’s not going to hurt her.”


    It takes him a minute to register my words, his dark eyes flitting over my face in confusion even as his


    possessive grip closes around my arms. Breathing heavily, he nces back at the tech, baring his fangs,


    “Keep your hands where I can see them.”


    The petrified man does as he’s told, moving very slowly and making sure Ethan can see everything he’s


    doing in detail. I try to pull away from the Alpha once the danger has passed, but he holds me tight,


    sliding his arms around my waist while the tech works. I would push him away, but I have a feeling my


    nearness is the only thing keeping his feet on the ground


    at the moment.


    As soon as the boy leaves I decide enough is enough. “Ethan,” I broach tentatively, “you’ve got to get


    some sleep.”


    “I’m not leaving.” He rumbles, settling back into his armchair and opening his arm to me, inviting me to


    join him.


    Swatting his hand away, I argue, “You made me sleep – why is it different for you?” It was true, I’d been


    dosing on and off through the long night, gradually sumbing to my exhaustion then jerking awake in


    terror every five minutes or so. Eventually Ethan put his foot down, pulling me into hisp and stroking


    his strong hands up and down my spine until I passed out in his arms. Granted there wasn’t anyce for


    him to rest sofortably here, but I also think a change of scenery would help calm him down.


    “I’ve trained for this.” Ethan remarks coolly, “You haven’t.”


    “I’m sorry,” I scoff, “you’ve trained to have someone try to murder your critically ill four-year-old?”


    “You know what I mean.” He gripes, “I’ve trained for battle, I’ve carried the pack through disasters. It’s in


    an Alpha’s nature to push the body’s limits to the very brink of health and sanity in order to protect the


    pack.”


    “Well I have news for you,” I deride, “you’ve reached the brink of sanity and you’re seriously pushing it.”


    “Jane-” He sighs, cutting his eyes to me.”-”


    “No.” I interrupt, crossing my arms over my chest and ring down at him. “You’re not at war, you’re not


    the Alpha right now – you’re a father whose child has been through something horrible. It isn’t the same


    situation, and you won’t help anything or protect anyone by attacking the people trying to take care of


    her.”


    “Whoever poisoned her -” He tries to argue.


    “Was probably someone you know!” | exim in exasperation. “Someone who has motive to hurt you or


    get her out of the way. The people in this hospital don’t fit that profile. So for the love of the Goddess, go


    home and take a nap, have a shower and eat something. You can’t help Paisley in this condition.”


    Ethan unfolds his big body from the chair,ing to tower over me. His handsome face is hard and full


    of foreboding, but I don’t back down, I re up at him with all my might. “I’ll stay with her until you’re


    back.” I vow. “No one willy a hand on her.” I almost add ‘unless it’s over my dead body’ but I stop


    myself just in time. That idea probably wouldn’t help calm


    him.


    A low rumble sounds in Ethan’s chest, and the next thing! know he’s cupping my cheek in his hand,


    dragging his thumb back and forth across my full lower lip. “Are you trying to get formidable with me, little


    wolf?” He purrs, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.


    “I’m not trying.” | correct him, ‘I am, and you’re going to let me because you know I’m right.”


    He studies me for a long moment, his heated gaze lingering on my mouth and making me want to squirm


    beneath intense scrutiny. “Just this once.” He finally decides, “but only if you ask nicely.”


    Narrowing my eyes, I counter. “That would defeat the point.”


    He shifts nearer, and his delicious scent washes over me, tempting me to no end. “Say please.” He


    instructs silkily, “Say


    please and I’ll go home and take a nap.”


    Understanding ms into me: he’ll only back down if I make my own concession. He’ll listen to reason,


    but he’s not going to give me control either. My wolf rails at the idea of obeying, especially when he so


    obviously relishes making me submit. Part of me knows it’s not worth the fight; this is about convincing a


    thick headed Alpha to act against his instincts for the benefit of us all – not my own pride. Yet the very


    idea grates against my nerves like a wild thing – and he knows it.


    Ethan offers me a knowing smirk. “Well Jane, what’s it going to be?”