Cherry
The blurry edges receded, and with fluttering lids, I blinked my eyes open. I took in Dylan's muscular form by the bed. He was sitting in a leather armchair, and I realized we were in his house in Starsmoon. He looked tired, and deep bags rested under his eyes.
Groggily, I tried to remember how I got here, but I couldn't. Awareness prickled over me as I realized I was wearing one of Dylan’s t-shirts and PJ trousers. Where were my things? Why was I in Dylan’s house? We’d agreed to wait until our bonding ceremony for me to move in. Then a flash of the battle with Bloodmoon skittered through me, and Dylan hugging me to him in the field…
My mate must have heard a change in my breathing because his dark stare moved to me. Dylan startled. Then the next moment, he was next to me, crushing me to him. “Cherry,” he murmured.
I could barely breathe; he hugged me so tight.
As he let me go, I took a breath and said, “Dylan...” I trailed off, realizing there were tears falling down my mate’s cheeks. I touched his handsome face, wiping them away.
I frowned, looking around me. “What happened?”
“Lucy poisoned you with wolfsbane. She had it on her claws when she fought you in the battle.” His hands gripped me harder as if he worried I would disappear.
I blinked, remembering the wound on my hip that a female Bloodmoon wolf had given me. That had been Lucy.
His expression darkened. “I poisoned her and banished her. She’ll never harm you again, I promise.”
I nodded, digesting this information, still feeling heavy-headed as I wondered what else I’d missed by being out of it for so long. “How long was I unconscious?”
Dylan’s hands trailed down my arms again as if he couldn’t bear to let go of me.
“You’ve been out for a week.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “A week!” A hundred things zipped through my mind, but the one that won out was “The store! I’ve missed the launch.”
He shook his head, a tender smile on his face. “I told Maisy you weren’t well and postponed the opening.”
I nodded again, wanting to feel a little more normal, and I started to sit up. I eased back the pillows, only to find Dylan swooping in and fussing like a mother hen.
But I reveled in his closeness and decided not to tell him off for fussing. I’d take him being near me, whatever he was doing.
Catching sight of the deep concern in his eyes, I reassured him, “My wolf’s strong. She’ll heal me in no time.”
Dylan kissed my lips, and I savored the feel of his mouth on mine. “Your wolf is strong. But I swear, I’m never letting you get hurt again.” His arms enveloped me for so long that I thought this was going to be his method of protecting me from the world. Once again, I didn’t mind, savoring his grassy, woody scent and the feel of his strong arms around me, and I ached at the thought of the worry he’d gone through over the last week.But I knew too that I didn’t regret what I’d done by joining the fight, and I reminded him. “I’m your Luna, and I won’t shy away from the responsibilities I have or from a fight I need to be a part of.”
His dark stare drank me in, and I worried he’d argue with me. But, finally, he nodded. “You’re the most amazing Luna, and the pack is truly blessed to have you.”
I beamed, remembering the warmth that had rushed through me as I comforted the women of my pack and then the pride that had sung as I ran into battle with them.
“So, you got your wish,” I said. As Dylan looked confused, I added, “I moved right in with you rather than waiting.”
He rolled his eyes and chuckled. “For future reference, I’d definitely choose you being conscious over being close.”
Next, Paul, the pack doctor, arrived. He checked me over, and I had another big male fussing over me. He was efficient, though, and after taking my temperature and other vitals, reassured Dylan as he said, “She’s on the mend. She just needs rest now.” He fixed me with a serious stare though and added, “this poisoning will take your system time to get over. I prescribe bed rest for the next two weeks at least.”
Dylan scowled at me in agreement as if to rebuke me for sitting up. I chuckled and held up my hands to pacify him. Soon, my daughter rushed into my room. Fern did her best at being on her good behavior as her dad ushered her into the room and reminded her, “Now, no shrieking like a banshee; remember, your mom needs rest, and we mustn’t wear her out.”
As I bundled my little girl into my arms, I felt much better. Her dark eyes looked so solemn, and I had to reassure her and needed to see her laugh. So I said, “I just need my teddy bear.”
She looked around as if I might have dropped it, and then I lunged at her and shouted, “My teddy, Fern.”
She squealed happily, and even Dylan smiled indulgently at us. I watched my mate finally begin to relax when my dad showed up, then Bert and Dylan’s parents next. I happily drank in their smiling faces and received their hugs of gladness as they appreciated my recovery. In the small room with all my loved ones gathered around me, the space felt brimming with love. I soon found myself tearing up with gratitude for the family that I was blessed with, which brought Dylan’s scowl back, and he forced everyone away in his bossy Alpha way, concerned about me overdoing it.
Thankfully, the two weeks of bed rest that Dylan ensured I got so staunchly proved enough for me to fully recover. So, a month after my recovery left me with one week to help plan my bonding ceremony and to open my store. On strict orders not to over-exert myself, I left Maisy to do most of the necessary work for the store’s launch and only visited the day before. I also managed to make Dylan worry less by taking Heather’s beautiful silver dress with me, claiming that I wanted Maisy to check it over in case it needed adjustments. He believed my focusing on the Bonding Ceremony was better than the store, in case I got stressed. Yet, by taking the dress with me, I happily got to do both.
When I finally arrived at my new store, Maisy squealed as excitedly as Fern and hugged me.