My hips hit the table as I staggered. The power surging back after the leech was burned away was disorienting. The power surge made my head spin, and I nearly dropped to my knees. But Toya and my mother caught me, their arms wrapping around me as they murmured, "I got you, baby." My mom's steady voice pulled me from the confusion.

I shook my head to clear it. "Rick, take the towel away," I said. He nodded and removed it from her wound. Her armpit was a gruesome mask of red, torn flesh. "Shelly, I command you to heal yourself." She sighed, and we all watched with bated breath as the skin knit itself back together over her armpit.

"Did it work?" Termen's voice was hopeful, yet cautious. He didn't want to get his hopes up.

I held out my hand for the towel, but it was soaked with blood. I looked at Toya. "I think we're going to need more towels."

She snorted, rubbing my side. She went into the kitchen, returning with a small box of old rags and a bowl of water. "Like I said…the man was prepared." She placed them on the table, dipped a rag in the water, wrung it out, and wiped the place where Shelly's rune had been. It was gone.

Shelly tried to look but couldn't see anything. "Did it work?"

I smiled. "It did." The relief was immense; I sagged against my mother. Rick lifted her from the table and kissed her.

"You did amazing, baby," she smiled, hugging him. "You did so good."

I exhaled, turning to Alannah. "You're next." She clutched her stomach.

"Will it hurt the baby?"

I walked around the table. "No more than the rune already is." I held out my hand. "But once it's gone, your pups will be better off. And they will grow into healthy, happy little kids."

Everyone froze. Termen stepped closer to Alannah. "What did you just say?"

I smiled, holding out my hand, waiting for permission to touch her. Alannah nodded, and I pressed my hand to her abdomen. "I wasn't sure until just now. Your perfume has worn off, and the residual energy is confusing, but you have two pups in there. One boy and one girl." I smiled, feeling their kicks. "Very active and strong. Twins."

"Are you sure? Like, really sure?" Alannah sounded breathless.

I nodded. "I am. I'm glad we got you out tonight because you're about to explode." Her eyes widened. "Not literally," I laughed. "I just mean you're about two and a half months pregnant." My mom came over and held out her hand. Alannah nodded, and she placed her hand on her stomach.

My mom smiled. "Amy's right. Your little ones are lying sideways, almost as if they were helping you hide them, but they've already started to shift. You might double in size tomorrow morning. Plus, this is the growth spurt. All pups double or triple in size during the second and third month." She touched her own stomach, exaggerating its size. "In a month, you're going to be huge." She smiled. "Take care of yourselves now and let them have the energy they need to grow healthy."

Alannah looked at Termen and nodded. She walked to the table, and Termen helped her up. Then I got to work. Knowing what I was doing, Alannah and the pups were quick work. I killed her leech faster, but the power surge back was still disorienting.

I staggered against my mother as Toya wiped Alannah's feet. She smiled. "You and your pups are safe."

Alannah cried in relief. "Thank you." She hopped off the table and cried into Termen's arms. They shook off the weakness and he turned to me.

"You're next." Ternen nodded, kissing Alannah, then sliding onto the table. Within minutes, I'd cut the rune from his neck, more carefully this time, as it was so close to his throat. Then I entered his mind. His wolf, a sweet boy doing his best, was terrified, huddled in a corner. But he was willing to do anything to protect his mate and pups.

Chapter 482

We ran together, deeper into the darkness than he'd been in a very long time. Tim, Ternen's wolf, was a soft grey. His trembling body tensed just before the leech struck, and I laughed as I overloaded it with power. Nix and Megan held it to my body as I burned it from the inside out.

Chapter 483