The Queen's Conquer

Chapter 34 : Making Amends

Asperse • [uh-spurs]
Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone.

🖤

~+~

~ Samuel ~

If it had been my choice, I would've taken Anastasia to the hospital for a full check-up after forcing her into that lake—after how dazed and destroyed she'd looked after healing Sterling's scars...and her bleeding that had come with it. But Lilith explained to me that it was just a poor reaction to her powers—that there was nothing major to worry about and that her rapid healing would make up for any loss.

We returned home several hours ago; I left my mate to get some rest for the remainder of the evening. The trip home had practically knocked her out, consistently unable to keep her eyes open in my arms. But she needs sleep. She needs...Goddess, she needs something other than this mess I've put into her life.

Thankfully, her reaction to the news of her being able to summon super-wolves out of rogues was not extreme—though that was partially to blame on the fact that she was barely able to comprehend where she was with the little energy left in her body. But for others...

Xander's worry for what might become of her powers was one of pure concern before we parted ways at Lukalla. Obviously, since he's mostly in charge of the imprisoned rogues, it's understandable why he was more disturbed by my realization—that my mate has abilities beyond belief.

He said he would immediately look into relocating the captives for the sake of everyone's safety. But now that we have a better sense of Maddox's intentions with Anastasia, and how she would be used against innocent lives...it all leaves a sickening pit in my stomach. Lilith and Killian also expressed their own worries, the former saying she wants their training to be more elaborate and controlled so that way they might be able to figure out how to contain this new power of hers.

But what I'm more disturbed about is that there might not be a way to master this drastic part of her abilities—that Maddox knew this piece of information all along. He knew that she'd be vulnerable and easy to weaponize as his asset. 

It's currently well past midnight—well past the time I was supposed to join my mate in our bed. I know she's still fast asleep, though. And this work that's been piled onto my shoulders since the events of today finally ended has left me in an insomniac state in my office.

I finish typing up another long email to one of our allying packs about the possibility of taking in more rogues, or even if they know of a place where they can temporarily stay until we figure out what to do with them. I likely won't get a response from the handful I've already sent for at least a few days given all of the alphas I know of are already preoccupied with their own responsibilities and this war. But any option is better than the current one I'm considering—releasing the rogues and allowing them to run back to their sadistic leader.  

I release a tense sigh as I run my fingers against my forehead, feeling the strain of staring at a laptop for four hours beginning to weigh down on me. And, as though wanting to intentionally alarm me, the faint sound of the front door clicking open and shutting softly whispers through the air.

My drooping eyelids are shocked open, and for once I'm grateful for my enhanced hearing. I shove my leather chair back, taking five easy strides to reach my study's doors as I prepare myself to face whoever's broken into the house. But when I swing them open, I'm quickly able to make out the faint glow of long orangish hair thanks to the ceiling fixtures of my office.