Page 43 of Shifted Fate (Broken Luna #1)

Chapter Forty-One

M

y father sank with each word. I watched as his world crumbled, and I was sorry for it. It wasn’t what I wanted, but it needed to be said. Beck had caused half the issues here. I was sure of it. “How can you be so sure?” His voice was soft, but his eyes held a tiny seed of hope.

“I’m not. But if he thinks Ronnie is dead, then we have a chance to catch him.

” I gave him the tiny bit of hope. “I might be wrong. I am more than willing to be wrong. But all of what has happened isn’t sitting well with me.

Something is wrong, and someone betrayed this pack.

That person is the same one that attacked Ronnie. ”

“You are making a leap.”

“No, I’m not.” I looked at Ronnie, pale, nearly dead and being pumped full of my blood to keep him alive long enough to heal.

“Ronnie ran all the way from where he was attacked to us here, in my room. That gives me a bit of information. He trusted who attacked him, and because of the attack, it made him question everyone in the pack. If it was a rogue, he would have mind-linked someone. But he didn’t. He ran straight to us, to you.”

“It doesn’t mean it was Beck.”

“It doesn’t. But he said Beck was gone. So either he ran, or he’s dead. And dead men don’t show back up if he finds out Ronnie is dead.”

“So if Beck shows back up…he’s guilty.”

“It would be a strong mark against him, but I would still wait for Ronnie to wake up and get his story. And I would work with Beck to get answers, too. I wouldn’t condemn a wolf just because he made me uneasy.” My father nodded, and I grabbed some water.

“This is going to take more time than I thought. Amy, I think to be safe you should just eat and drink continuously. Your wolf will help rebuild your blood supply as it empties, but you will need fuel for her to work.” The doctor was still pushing gauze into the wound.

“Has there been any change?” My dad stood and walked closer to the bed as I turned to the cart and started to eat the rest of the sandwiches.

The doctor gave a quick nod. “Not much, but the edges are starting to come together.”

“Dad?” I chugged another glass of water. But there was something missing from this cart. Something my body needed. Something in my body flipped. I could feel Nix begging to come out, even though she knew she couldn’t.

“Yeah darling?”

“Can you order me steak, a lot of steak? And more juice.” I tore into another sandwich, but I was suddenly starving. “I don’t even care if it’s cooked all the way.”

“Amy?” My dad came over to where I was at and looked at me, but I felt my eyes had shifted.

“I’m holding on to Nix but a thread. I don’t know what’s wrong. But I need meat. Now.” I tore into another sandwich.

The doctor paused. “You can’t shift Amy. I know you’re newly shifted, and it’s impossible to control your wolf, but if you shift, Ronnie will die.” I nodded and refocused on the food.

As long as I kept eating, I would be fine. I hoped. What the hell was going on?

It’s Ronnie’s wolf, Logan. He’s finally awake.

He says they need protein to heal, so he is sending the craving to us, but he’s a little more powerful than he realizes, and Megan is insatiable.

Which is making me the level head in our trio, and I’m too close to the surface.

You’re feeling Megan’s need. Nix’s voice trembled with need, but she sunk her claws into me, refusing to shift.

“Logan is awake and is sending his need for protein to me. His only thought is to heal Ronnie.” I tried to snatch another sandwich, but the cart was empty. My eyes raced over the cart. “Fuck.” I trembled with need.

“Amy, it’s okay. They are almost here.” My father sank down in front of me. “Hold on baby girl.”

I shook my head. “I can’t.” I felt my face start to shift. “The need is too much.” My bones shifted more until my father pierced my leg with one of his claws. I screamed and my eyes snapped back to his.

I could see the pain there, but his voice was strong.

“Stay with me, baby girl. Focus on my eyes. The Omegas are almost done with the first cart of meat. They are running as fast as they can. But I need you to stay here with me. Okay.” He went to pull his claw out of my leg, but I could already feel my bones trying to shift.

I grabbed his hand and forced his claw deeper into my leg. “Amy...”

I tossed my head and grimaced. “I won’t let Ronnie die.”

I shivered for the next ten minutes, waiting for the cart of food. I focused solely on my father’s eyes, the pain, and my breathing. “You can do this, baby girl.” I nodded and bared my teeth.

“Fuck.” I screamed as another wave hit my body. My bones shifted, and I pushed my father’s claw deeper.

“Amy, I think the claw is counter intuitive. You’re bleeding yourself, and losing more blood than you should.” The doctor came over and tried to intervene, but I just growled.

“If you want me to shift, then remove the claw. I’m doing what I can to stop that from happening.” I felt my face shift, and I screamed again, pushing his claw deeper.

Finally, the door flew open, and a girl covered in dirt came in with the cart. “What the hell happened to you, Marnie?”

“There was a scuffle outside, but I was able to get through.” She panted as she brought the food closer. I dove for a steak, the juices flooded my mouth, and I groaned. I was lost to the food until my father stood up.

I looked up after my fifth steak and everyone was staring at me. “What?”

“Nothing. It was just…” The doctor turned back to the wound and pulled out the gauze.

“Impressive.” My father choked out as he covered his mouth. He turned back to Marnie. “Talk to me.”

“There was a group of pack members outside, grieving the Beta. The Gamma tried to stop me from coming in, but I told him that I was on orders from you to bring this directly to Amy. He tried to grab the cart, but some of the pack members heard us talking and got involved. The Gamma grabbed me and slammed me to the ground, but more pack members surrounded him, including the Beta and Gamma females, Lynn and Tina. I was able to grab the cart and run up here.” Marnie shifted from foot to foot.

“I don’t understand what’s going on, Alpha. ”

“Beck is outside?” My father looked at me, and I stared at the shivering girl.

A new gnawing sensation started in my gut.

I stood, panting, but my father stepped in front of me.

“Marnie, can you go back to the kitchens, but send another Omega to deliver the meals, okay?” She nodded, left the room, and my father turned to me.

“Calm baby girl. You need to calm yourself. We don’t know the truth yet, and your emotions are way too elevated right now. ”

I felt myself snarl and shift again, but my dad pointed next to me. I looked over at Ronnie and I felt Nix pull back with another snarl. I nodded and settled back down with another steak. “You’re right.” I bit into the steak and closed my eyes, rocking with the need to shift and take retribution.

Megan feels bloodthirsty. So do I. Logan is sending us everything he can’t handle while healing Ronnie, but we have never had to deal with this before.

Logan has more experience pushing back the need to shift, but because we are linked through blood, the need is overwhelming us.

He wants revenge, but he is solely focused on healing his human.

We are sorry. Nix’s voice was ragged with her need, but I just bit into another steak.

“It’s okay. I can handle it.” I managed to answer as I ate.

“What baby?” My dad turned around and faced me as I ate.

“Nix…struggling with Logan’s need to shift…and revenge. She apologized for not pulling back more, but Logan is bloodthirsty.” I choke out around my food.

“Logan’s never bloodthirsty, he is my voice of reason.” My father’s face was a mask of confusion and I laughed.

“Not this time. Whatever happened, he is riled up. But he’s using everything he has to heal Ronnie, I think you will have to be his voice of reason. He won’t stop until he has his retribution.” I tore into the last steak as the door opened. Another round of meat came in.

“Alpha…the Gamma is blocking the Omegas from coming in after this cart he said.” The Omega gulped. “I tried to reason with him. I told him that this was your command, but he said that unless you come out and give him an order, he assumes we are lying.”

“What the fuck?” My father growled and his eyes flashed.

“I think he assumes something is up. Whether with me, or he wants to be sure Ronnie is dead.” I waved over the Omega, who swaps out the cart.

“Lie. Say it's me, awake but weak. Whatever you need to convince him that Ronnie is gone, so you have to be convincing.” I start on the third cart of food as I feel the pressure to shift ease a bit. “I’ll watch over Uncle Ronnie.”

“Okay.” Then he was gone.