Chapter 38: Need to Get That Top Off


    "Lucas! Put those ws away! This isn''t the wild on a full moon night!"


    Sophia''s voice cracked through the air like a whip. I froze mid-stance, suddenly aware we had an audience. She stood on the stone steps at the edge of the training grounds, bait catching the afternoon sun. How long had she been watching us?


    Lucas''s face went ghost white, the golden wolf glow instantly snuffed out. His ws slid back with that soft shik sound as pure terror crawled across his face. "Awa..." his voice shrank in almost nothing. My wolf wouldn''t listen. It just came out. His eyes went ssy with tears he was fighting like hell not to shed.


    through mybat gear like wet paper. But looking at this kid-this terrified little boy trapped in a body that could kill-1 couldn''t bring myself to make it worse.


    Tie bloomed across my back where his ws had to


    1 dropped to his level, pushing past the bum. "Hey, every wolf cub screws up while learning the ropes. Your juice is stronger than most, so the control part''s


    "Dad s gonna kill me... His voice bottomed out, real fear shing in those stormy eyes.


    I ruffled his hair. "Your dad definitely lost his shit before he was ten. There''s not an Alpha in history who hasn''t wed something they shouldn''t have."


    Hope flickered across his face. "For real? You won''t tell him 1 wigged out again?”


    Warriors secret." I squeered his shoulder, fighting to keep my face neutral despite the warm trickle down my spine. "Now go get Hunter and wash off that training funk. Real warriors know when to chill too."


    Lucas swiped at his face, shoulders straightening a bit. "Thanks for not freaking, Awa. He took off toward the house, Hunter padding after him with onest golden-eyed nce my way.


    I stood carefully, teeth gritted against the fresh wave of pain that sliced through


    me.


    Sophia crossed the yard, silver cloth in hand. "Your blood''s gonna draw every stray wolf within miles. She held out the fabric. "This''ll mask some of it, at


    I took it, eyeing her warily. "Didn''t peg the Alpha''s daughter for a training session stalker."


    She tilted her head, those silver-blue eyes-so like her father''s-catching the light. "Lucas hasn''t shut up about you for days. Had to see who actually got my little tornado to focus for more than five minutes."


    I gathered my gear


    everyone expects"


    ir one-handed, keeping pressure on


    sure on my wound with the other. "He''s a good kid. Just needs someone to actually see him, not the mini-Alpha


    Something like guilt shed across her face. Few years back, I was with him constantly. Now..." She sighed. "Wedding stuff eats up everything. Sometimes


    My mark twinged at her words, but I kept my poker face. "Lucas doesn''t need 24/7. Five quality minutes beats hours of half-assed attention.”


    Sophia studied me, head slightly corked. "You''re really not what I expected, Ava Rivers."


    I shouldried my bag, feeling blood soaking through my suit. "Better jet. This marked blood''s gonna be a ma for trouble."


    Her eyes dropped to my back, widening, "Holy shit! Are his ws that sharp already?" She grabbed my arm. "I''ve got herbs for that. Without t


    treatment, you''ll be sporting some nasty permanent souvenirs."


    tried pulling forg. Tvr patched up worse back in Shadow Cjerk. Nothing some bootleg meds can''t fix."


    Sophia''s grip stayed form. "This isn''t some regr scratch. Morgan blood ws need special treatment. If you lose fighting juice because my brother sliced you up, my father''s gonna have question."


    DATE ME.


    wave of dizziness crashed overt


    Sophia guided me through


    the wound apparently deeper than I''d thought. “Tine. Make it quick. Gotta check on my moms tonight."


    manor hack entrance, avoiding the main hallways. "Dad''s stuck in elder council meetings all day. Wilson''s riding herd on


    Chapter 38 Need to Get That Top Off


    As we climbed toward the family wing, my stomach knotted. This is family turf. I shouldn''t be up here."


    Sophiaughed, soft but genuine. "I don''t need a permission slip to bring whoever I want. Ava. Morgan blood has its perks."


    When we passed a massive door carved with running silver wolves, my mark jumped like itd been rapped. Sophia caught


    "His energy affects other wolves, especially wounded ones.


    "Dads room," she exined. "H


    We finally reached a door decorated with intricate moon patterns. "Mi casa." Sophia said, pushing it open. "No one gets in without an invite"


    The second I stepped inside, Jackson''s scent sucker-punched me, tangled up with Sophia''s in a way that made my mark re hot and angry. The room screamed Silverpeak royalty-tapestries showing the Moon Goddess, silver-blue everything, and books scattered across a thick carpet. Wedding samples and tribal ceremony papers covered her desk.


    My eyes snagged on a photo-Jackson and Sophia by Moonlight Falls, looking picture-perfect. My mark burned like someone had pressed a hot coin to m


    skin.


    Sophia pulled an ancient wooden box from her closet. "Family healing herbs. Perfect for wolf blood infections.


    The box opened, releasing a scent that partially drowned out Jacksons, giving me


    a second to breathe.


    You really don''t have to y nurse." I said, backing toward the d door. "I can patch myself up."


    n''t leave this ce dripping-Dad would notice in a heartbeat"


    "Don''t be stupid," she insisted. "Lucas did this, so I''m helping gfix it. Plus, you


    can''t


    She rummaged around, producing herbs and a deep blue shirt with silver embroidery.


    "My pants are fine. Just need something thats not shed to hell."


    This I make you look like a normal visitor instead of a wounded warrior sneaking


    out," she countered. "Dad''s big on appearances."


    "Got anything less... princess?


    She held it up against me. Just try it. You''d kill in this blue."


    I gave in, the throbbing in my back sapping my will to argue. Hated admitting it was gorgeous fabric-and hated even more that I was starting to like Sophia


    "III grab bandages," she said, slipping out.


    Alone in her room, Jackson''s scent pressed in from all sides, making my mark throb like a bad tooth. A photo of them together sat on her nightstand like a cruel reminder


    Sophia returned with bandages and mixed herbs into green paste. Turn around. Need to see what we''re dealing with."


    I hesitated. "I got this. Just tell me how."


    She raised an eyebrow. "nning to grow eyes in the back of your head? Don''t sweat it, I did medical training."


    Reluctantly, I turned, easing up my shredded top.


    She sucked in a breath. "Three full Alpha w marks... Lucas is developing way


    too f fast. Her fingers ghosted near the wound. Already hot. Not good."


    I but my lip. "Just scratches. Been through worse."


    Regr wolf marks are nothing like Alpha bloodline damage," she countered. These literally eat your healing mojo. We need to jump on this now.


    She coated her hands with the mixture. This II sting like a bitch, but it kills the infection. Deep breath."


    fire


    the herba hit open flesh, it felt like someone had poured liquid fire down my back.


    I hat my lip hard enough to taste copper.


    wrning faded to weird numbness.


    Need to get that top offpletely," Sophia said, rying the ruined fabric. Il lend


    you something"