Page 62 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf

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They madeit back to Florida on the next available flight. Adrian’s beta waited for them in the company car. He sped away, relaying the information tothem.

Peggy had grown worse, weaker by the moment since they’dleft.

“It’s a miracle she’s still alive,” he toldthem. “I think she’s waiting for you, Adrian. She sleeps mostly, and when she wakes up, she asks for you andDarcy.”

The elder had been moved to a downstairs bedroom in her family’s home. When they walked inside, Peggy was pale, and her thin chest barely rose and fell with each gasping breath. Her entire family, from the youngest great-grandchild to her oldest son, crowded around the bed.Murmurs of relief followed as they sawAdrian.

Peggy’s son, Tyson, stood up from the chair by the bedside. He gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “Mom,” he said in a soft voice. “They’rehere.”

The elder opened her eyes, her gaze watery. “Adrian,” she whispered in a paper-thinvoice.

Adrian sat on the bed, taking her blue-veined hand. “I’m here, Peggy. I have the crystal,but I’m afraid the magick is gone. I usedit.”

Tears burned Darcy’s eyes as she joined Adrian, sitting next to him. “I’m so sorry, Peggy. We could have savedyou.”

Thin lips curved into a smile. Peggy reached up with considerable effort and patted his arm. “I never needed the magick of the crystal, my alpha. No amount of magick will save these old bones from dying. I wanted the crystalfor you, as my gift to welcome my alpha’s mate. It’s you, Darcy. You were meant to be withhim.”

Adrian’s mouth closed. Opened. He gave Darcy a helplesslook.

Peggy turned to her. “We need you, Darcy. Adrian needsyou.”

Mouth wobbling, Darcy spoke slowly. “But his promise…” She struggled with her pride. So far no one in the pack knew, but she would not lie to a dying woman.“I’m from the Dark Kingdom, Peggy. He made a vow never to bring someone of my origins into your pack. To keep all of yousafe.”

“Oh posh,” Peggy said in a surprisingly strong voice. “Promises from an alpha that were foolish tomake.”

Adrian raised his dark brows. “Foolish?”

“Darcy, you aren’t now living in the Dark Kingdom. You’re one of us. Lupine, your forever form. Youwere born as a Changeling Shifter, but that doesn’t define you. Wherever a person is born shouldn’t define them.” She reached up, took Darcy’s hand in a surprisingly strong grip. “Don’t keep thinking you must be punished for your origins and try to make up for what you are, my dear. The only way you should be judged is for your heart. A good, gentle heart filled with love is not evil, and Adrian lovesyou for who you are. So will theothers.”

The elder gestured to Adrian, took his hand, and then folded it overDarcy’s.

Peggy’s gaze met her son’s. “Tell the others my dying wish is not for the crystal to be passed to my great-grandchildren. It was only a magick bauble, and it has done its work. My dying wish was for Darcy to gain full acceptance as Adrian’s mate, provided that iswhat Darcywishes.”

Tyson knelt by his mother’s side. “Yes, Mom. I’ll relay your wishes.” The son glanced at Adrian. “The pack has always respected the elders, thanks to your teachings and your example, Adrian. They will readily accept Darcy, as long as she will have us.” He turned to his family, giving them a long look. “Yes?”

“Yes,” they allechoed.

Peggy reached up, pattedher son’s cheek. “You’ve been a good son, Tyson. Thankyou.”

She drew in a breath, and then she breathed nomore.

Tears filled Darcy’s eyes. She bowed her head, as did Adrian and the others in the room. Quiet sobbing filled theair.

Tears glistened in Adrian’s dark eyes. With loving care, he pulled the blanket to her chin. A lump clogged Darcy’s throat. Such devotion, suchtenderness he showed to an elder who only wanted a safe place to pass her finaldays.

Truly, he had given her that, andmore.

The alpha placed his scarred hand on Peggy’s pale cheek. “Cold, so damn cold,” he whispered. Desperation glittered in his dark eyes, twining with the wellspring of grief she knew he felt. “She’s so cold, Darce. So damncold.”

Gently, she removed hishand from Peggy’s lifeless cheek. Darcy placed it on his chest, where his generous heart beat strong and sure. An alpha’s heart, who opened it once only for his people and who had opened it finally forher.

“She’s warm in here, Adrian. She lives in your heart where it’s always spring and she’ll never feel the snow. Because of you and your fierce devotion to your pack, she lived her finaldays inpeace.”

If he felt doubt at her words, she could not see it. They left the room to give Peggy’s grieving familyprivacy.

Outside, Adrian wiped at his eyes. Tightness eased in his body, and Adrian placed his hand in hers. “She lives now in our hearts, Darce. Not only mine but yours and the entire pack. We will miss her, but her legacy is alive and well, thanks to yoursacrifice.”

She shook her head. “I didnothing.”

“You did everything,” he said simply. “You destroyed an evil that would have stopped at nothing to kill every member of this pack. You sacrificed all your powers to do it.” He kissed hergently.

Darcy swallowed past the lump in her throat. Some would say she lost her life, lost the most important thing her kind could possess. She couldnever shapeshift into a form other thanwolf.

Her powers were goneforever.

But as she fell into Adrian’s tender gaze, Darcy knew it was worth it. She had notlost.

She’d gained a lifetime’s worth of love and acceptance atlast.