All Chapters of The Bastard Wolf: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

* Ivan *She paused and looked up at me for a few seconds before we continued walking. Then a smile played on her lips."My Alpha, I'm still thinking if it's real that we're back together," she whispered, just loud enough for only me to hear. "You know, you get very bossy when you're bleeding."I couldn't help it, I let out a soft chuckle. A short, rough sound that tore out of my throat. My wolf liked it when she teased me like that. I liked it too when she wasn't afraid of anything."Oh my love, you have no idea how bossy I can get when I'm not bleeding."Her cheeks flushed as he turned and she swatted my chest, right over the shallow cut, and then immediately winced as she regretted it. I caught her hand and pressed it flat over my heart instead. Let her feel my fast heartbeat. Still hers, and only for her.We didn't let go of each other's hand. We walked like that down the hall of the Palace, me still in my ruined shirt, with blood drying on my hands that wasn't mine, her in a clea

* Ivan *After all that happened, I stayed awake at night.I told her I would sit awake and watch that shattered window all night, and that's what I did. I sat in the armchair by it with Dorina curled in our huge bed, her wild hair finally brushed out by my own hands after she passed out, her clean dress replaced by one of my shirts that I'd left here months ago during happier times. It drowned her but she felt safer in it. She looked small in my eyes, fragile and Mine.Her heartbeat turned even faster than mine. As I watched her face in the comfort of her sleep, my wolf was quiet enough to just let me think.I know we need to identify the other enemies who were hiding. Her words from last night are instilled in my head. She was precisely saying her thoughts. Alex Ashborne wasn't working alone. The wolfsbane under his nails was proof, that it wasn't battlefield residue. That was someone packing it for transport. Someone still inside the Palace walls and who knows what they are plannin

* Ivan *By the next morning my routine have started earlier, I woke up before the sun. It's an Old habit. In Green Meadows, an Alpha who sleeps in is an Alpha who gets his borders challenged.Dorina was still asleep peacefully. Finally, truly asleep with peaceful aura. Not the passed-out-from-trauma sleep in the Palace. Here it is a deep, soft, and real sleep. She was curled on her side in our bed, wearing my shirt again, one hand tucked under her cheek, the other, always resting low over her stomach. Like she was protecting something even in her dreams.I watched her for a minute longer enjoying the innocent beautiful features of a Goddess in front of me. My wolf didn't want to leave the room. It made me wanted to stay.She's safe here, I told myself. Matilda is just in the bedroom next to the kitchen. No one gets past the front door, I told the warrior I kept watch.She huffed but quickly settled. I lowered my head and pressed a kiss to her temple, then I pulled the furs up to her

* Ivan *I know that when I woke up another year had been added to my life. And that she had been planning something to celebrate with me, but I was still surprised when her hand was over my mouth."Don't move, Alpha Ivan," she whispered, right against my ear. I noticed that she was already dressed. Not in my shirt this morning but in a beautiful deep blue dress that matched the color of my eyes. Her hair was braided back. She was trying so hard not to smile at me."It's still dark, my Princess," I mumbled against her palm. "Come back to bed beside me.""It's your birthday," she said, like that explained everything. "And you have to come outside, now! Before Matilda eats all the berries we made."My wolf was instantly awake at her words. Birthday? I hate celebrating my birthday, if I'm honest. My parents died a week before my birthday when I was young. So I never fuss about it.But she remembered. I let her pull me out of bed, still half-asleep, still in only my sleep pants. She dragg

* Dorina *The following day I woke up to the smell of sweet honey and the voices of my mother arguing with my husband."I told you, Alpha Ivan, she needs to sit up. A Luna cannot heal properly lying flat like a wounded warrior on her bed. She needs some air in her lungs.""Forgive me Your Majesty, as I told you before, Queen Arriane, the healer said no stress for her. No sitting up too fast after her wound. She lost blood.”"I am the Luna Queen who gave birth to twins, Ivan. I know a lot about blood loss."A smile was painted on my lips before I even opened my eyes. My side is still throbbing, a dull and deep ache under the bandages, but the heavy, underwater feeling was already gone. And under Ivan's big hand, because his hand never left me, even in sleep, I felt his warmth on me.I felt my stomach flutter. Stronger this time. Like a little fish turning over."Mother?" My voice was hoarse when I called her.Both of them turned towards me so fast."My sweetheart!” Ivan was instantly