The Alpha’s Contract (Taylor West) novel Chapter 367

“She didn't say and I'm not waking her until she is ready. Samara escaped. Neah thinks Blair was purposely released. It’s possible Cooper wanted her to come back here so she could show us what he is capable of.” I look over my shoulder at him. “I will make him suffer. I will rip him to shreds.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

Silence settles between us.

“You don’t have to blame me." I mutter after several minutes, "I already blame myself. She is my mate and I didn’t protect her. I failed because I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to mark her. I couldn’t decide if I should just accept her. She is the first person to truly make me question my thoughts. Do you know what that’s like?”

“Not the questioning, but I failed Raven.” He takes the seat by the door. “I couldn’t keep her safe from her own mind or her twin. I didn’t see what was right in front of me.”

“You haven’t spoken about her since the incident.”

“Because I haven’t been able to.” He sighs and leans back while shaking his head. “Every single person in that packhouse loved her. Her brother was there, her friend, her nephews, Dottie.”

“Exactly! People who loved her. People that are waiting for you to talk about her.”

“None of them understand losing a mate. None of them understand how close I came to killing my own mate, not really.”

I nod and look at Madison. I had considered putting a bullet in her brain when she first arrived, but I never could bring myself to do it. Just like Damien only managed to shoot her in the collarbone rather than her head.

“That’s why Neah shot her right, so you wouldn’t have to kill your own mate.”

“Yes.”

“And it wasn’t Raven in the end.”

“It still looked like her.” He frowns, “I’ve killed a lot of people. When I was Human and when I turned. But watching her die has been the hardest thing I have dealt with.”

“Losing a mate isn’t the same as losing others to death. And you know, Damien. You know deep down that it wasn’t her.”

“Why didn’t I see that she had given up?” He asks me

“No.”

“Good. Because I will fight back.”

I stare at him. I had never seen him at training, yet somehow he keeps a very muscled and toned physique. He had to be doing something.

“How is she?”

“Still out. I’ve changed her IV, and did some x-rays. Nothing is broken. Whatever happened to her, it looks like she had a lucky escape."

“Does she need anything? Anything that you might not have here, you know, because she is ultimately Human now? I can go and pick up some things.”

“I have everything. Raven kept the place fully stocked because of Neah and she has done since, just in case."

“She was always prepared.”