The Pack's Nemesis (Quirin's Story) novel Chapter 54

Kennedy

I slept until late in the morning the next day. Surprisingly, so did Quirin. Or at least, he was still in bed when I woke up. The moment I stirred, I felt his lips press against the top of my head. “Did you sleep well, Little Pup?”

I shift. My body is still sore as the memory of last night returns to me.

“Wendy…” I say, starting to get out of bed.

“She’s awake. Kier told me that Henry went to stay with her while your parents came to get some food and before they’d finished eating, Alpha Harold came to get your mom, letting her know that Wendy was awake.”

I feel him press his lips to my head again. It’s so unusual for my active mate to just lie here in bed with me that I assume we’re about to have the ‘talk‘ of me not going to the safe room.

“You scared the shit out of me yesterday,” he says softly. “When I realized that you weren’t in a safe room, that you were exposed to the fighting, I struggled to focus on the fight. And then, I saw Wendy in Henry’s arms. She was awake but had already been slashed across her chest and abdomen.”

He stops and I wait for him to continue.

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“She looks enough like you that I had a terrible moment of absolute fear. And then, I couldn’t stop fighting to make sure you were safe. But the thought of losing you, Kennedy… it terrified me. I know I’m not perfect. I know you deserve better than a mate like me, but I can’t lose you, Kennedy. I can’t,” he says, his voice getting tight.

I turn over in his arms to face him. “I’m right here, Quirin. I’m not going anywhere.”

He looks down at me, his teeth clenched tightly, and I can see the war in his eyes. “I know you’re going to tell me that you have to be in the hospital during battles, aren’t you?”

“You saw why I have to be there, Quirin. If my mother and I had been in a safe room, Wendy would have died.”

“While I don’t agree that a pup her age should have been in the fight to begin with, I also know that our pack is suffering with this silver powder, so I know it’s important for you to be there. I don’t want our pack members dying, Kennedy. But, I can’t lose you. So I’m going to give you a short list of warriors that I trust to protect you and you’ll pick the one you’re most comfortable having as your guard.”

I look down at his chest, trying to collect my thoughts.

“Kennedy,” he growls, reaching up to tilt my chin to look at him. “This is not negotiable.”

“I don’t have a problem having a guard, Quirin. But… well, do you think anyone would really want that job?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s a shit job, Quirin.”

“I dare you to say that to Bradley,” he says, his Quirin crooked smile coming out. I gently smack his chest.

“I don’t mean because it’s not a worthy job. It’s just…” I shrug. “Connor’s pack loves my mother. Our pack… doesn’t love me the same way.”

He looks at me thoughtfully for a moment. “In any pack, the Luna guard is an honored position, whether she’s a warrior or not. She’s too important, YOU’RE too important, to leave unprotected. Even Farrah has a guard when Harold isn’t around. And while I know that not every person in this pack has learned to respect you and you may have had a tough start to your

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09:15 Sat, 1 Mar #

Chapter 155

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time here, you’re winning over the pack quickly.”

“You think so?” I ask. I hope he means it.

“Kennedy, I know you were busy during your Luna ceremony party, dancing with your friends and family, but the pack had a great time. They were dancing, talking with your family, and enjoying themselves in a way that I’m not used to seeing. The pack is changing because of you. They are getting stronger, because of you. They are learning what it means to have a Luna who heals them, in more ways than one.”

That makes me smile. I hope he’s right. “Who’s on your short–list?”

“Lane, Leo, Terrance, and Randall.” They’re all warriors who stayed for my Luna ceremony and all warriors who I’ve healed.

“Can I think about it?” I ask.

“Don’t take too long to think about it. I have no intention of feeling fear like I felt yesterday ever again, Kennedy.”

“Okay.”

“Now, there’s one more thing. Your mother said our hospital isn’t stocked well. I’m not sure why you didn’t order what you thought we needed, but put in the request to Kier. I’ll make sure he puts it through.”

I frown again. “Quirin, I need a budget. Some of these items that I’d like to upgrade are expensive.”

He looks at me. “How expensive?”

“Well, the x–ray machine that my mother said looked older than her, would cost us at least $30,000. I could get one that’s cheaper, but it wouldn’t be commercial grade which is what we should have considering the training and battles that we have as werewolves.”

He looks at me like I’m crazy. “Little Pup, you realize that our pack has money, right?”

“Well, obviously. I mean, we never run out of food or have to worry about water or electricity, or things like that. But I don’t want to bankrupt the pack to get an x–ray machine. The one that’s here works and when we can afford it, I’ll get a new one. And, if we can’t ever afford it, I’ll make do or I’ll get a cheaper one.”

He throws off the covers and stands. “Come on.”

“What? Where are we going?” I ask.

“I don’t even know how you didn’t know this about our pack. I mean, how is that even possible? Everyone knows,” he says. I think he’s talking to me, but since I’m used to my mother talking to herself, it sounds more like that.

Suddenly, he stops and looks at me. “Why do you think Jasper is attacking our pack?”

I shrug. “To take over the land and accumulate our warriors making his pack stronger.”

He stares at me a moment, then shakes his head.

“Get dressed, Kennedy.”

I do and then Quirin leads me downstairs. We run into Kier and Arianna on the stairs. Based on her blush, I’d say they were kissing a moment ago. I wink at her.

“This looks serious,” Kier says, watching us.

“I just found out that Kennedy didn’t purchase what we needed for the hospital because she’s afraid of bankrupting the pack.”

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09:16 Sat, 1 Mar

Chapter 155

“Seriously?” he asks

“Why is me being fiscally responsible and not bankrupting the pack such a surprise?” I ask as we get to the first floor.

“You’re going to bankrupt the pack? How?” Terrance asks.

“No, I’m not? That’s what I’m saying. That’s why I haven’t purchased the equipment for the hospital,” I insist, getting irritated.

“Is that why your mother was complaining about us not having everything a hospital needs while she was fixing us up last night?” Lane asks, walking up.

Then he leans forward, resting his chin on my shoulder. “Do you see this number right here?” he asks.

“Yes, it is.”

I’m still gaping at all those zeros when he turns his head and looks at me. “You really didn’t know?”