“I know, for both of us. One thing is for sure, Jillian will not go unprotected from now on, especially after that woman spoke about Jillian saving those kids. I hope they don’t think that she can actually heal or we are going to have a problem.”
“You need to call your friend.”
“I will when I get a chance. Right now the only thing on my mind is keeping my Luna safe.”
“You and me both,” his wolf replied. “Let’s hope that we can.”
Chapter 21
When Jillian woke up again, she was alone. She wasn't sure where Edric was, hoping he was just outside. She stretched and frowned as pain shot through her stomach. She gasped, and her heart rate suddenly skyrocketed.
The door opened and Edric and the doctor walked in. Edric looked worried.
"Luna," the doctor said, "let me get you some pain meds into your I.V. With you losing the baby, your body is trying to right itself again to where it was before you got pregnant. It will take a few days."
"It hurts," she whispered.
"I am sure it does," he sympathized. "I'll be right back."
Edric came to sit by Jillian on the bed as she cringed in pain again.
"Why am I not healing like before?" she asked him.
"I'm not sure love," he said, kissing her softly. "I am sorry you are in pain."
"Can you feel it when I hurt?" she asked him.
"Yes, but not as half as bad as you can," he said. "It feels like mild cramps to me."
"I'm sorry you have to feel my pain," she gasped out.
"I'm not. I will take your pain any day. It assures me you are alive and healing."
The doctor walked in then with a syringe. "This should help your pain," he said and inserted it into Jillian's I.V.
Moments later she sighed. "That's much better."
"I am sure it is. You are healing quickly Luna, but with the impact, I am amazed that you only lost the baby. I figured you would have broken bones. But everything checked out okay. You are one lucky Luna,” he said.
The door opened again and Kimberly walked in with some flowers. She smiled at her friend and set the flowers down. "How is my best friend?" she asked.
"Been better," Jillian sighed.
"I'm sorry about your accident," she said.
"How did you find out?"
"The Alpha mind linked Ruben to let him know. He then told me."
"I hope no one else knows," Jillian said.
"Nope, my lips are sealed."
"Good. So did you bring me some food?" Jillian grinned at her friend.
Edric chuckled. "Someone is feeling better."
"Sorry friend, I didn't know if I was allowed too," Kimberly shrugged.
"Dang," Jillian said.
Edric kissed Jillian's cheek. "How about I go get you something. You name it."
"I would love some fish and chips," Jillian said.
"Okay my love, I'll be back soon," he said, and kissing her again, he left.
Kimberly pulled up a chair. "So, will you tell me what happened?"
"I'll just leave you two," the doctor said and walked out.
Jillian sighed. "Promise not to say a word if I tell you?"
"Yep, my lips are still sealed."
"I was pregnant," Jillian whispered.
Kimberly's face lit up, then fell. "Wait, you said you were pregnant."
"Yes. I was really sick with morning sickness, and Orson and Wes were bringing me to the hospital because I was so sick. Someone ran the red light and hit us. I hit the passenger window when we crashed, and the impact killed the baby," Jillian whispered, the tears falling once again.
"Oh, my friend," Kimberly said, standing to hug her friend. "I am so sorry."
"Me too," Jillian said. "I know I am still young, but I was kind of looking forward to being a mom, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. We are trying now since we graduate in a few months,” she shrugged.
"I didn't know I would get pregnant so easily," Jillian said.
"So, you gave in to the Alpha? Must have been because he was always shifting in front of you?" Kimberly teased.
Jillian blushed. "No, that wasn't it. After he marked me I just felt a really deep love for him, and well, I wanted to complete the mating.”
"Hmm, yep, you have it bad," she teased.
"What?"
"You love him a lot, don't you."
"I do," Jillian said. "He has been incredible, and patient with me, and concerned when I get hurt."
"Which has been way too much lately Missy," Kimberly said.
"I know. My dad said I had never been hurt until I met Edric, which is true," she sighed.
"I bet your dad is ticked."
"Very. Especially when he realized I keep getting hurt because someone is after Edric."
"But Kelson is dead."
"Yes, but it kind of sounds like he recruited some others to come after us."
"Oh, that is bad."
"Yeah."
"So, what happened in your accident? I heard it was Jarem.”
"It wasn't an accident. It was Jarem, he hit our limo on purpose."
"How did he know it was you?"
"I don't know," Jillian said. “He must have been following us.”
“But how would he know you were going to the hospital?” Kimberly asked.
Jillian frowned. “He would if the car had a tracking device on it, or if someone’s phone is bugged.”
“Dang girl, you should be a cop,” Kimberly smiled.
“Orson, Wes, get in here,” Jillian said. She knew they could hear her.
“We heard,” Orson frowned as the two men walked into the room. “So you think the car has a tracking device and possibly someone’s phone?”
“It’s the only explanation as to why Jarem would know where we were,” Jillian pointed out.
"Crap," Orson said. He frowned for a moment, then said, "I just let the Alpha know. He's on his way back, and he will let the police know. They will probably search the palace and the cars.”
“Good thinking on your part Luna,” Wes smiled at her. “We wouldn’t have thought of something like that.”
Edric walked in with a bag of food moments later, and handed it to her, kissing her as he did so. "I didn't think about the palace or limo being bugged either, good thinking Jillian.”
Edric looked at Orson. "Have the police search the wrecked limo and this limo, to see if there is any tracking device on either one.”
Orson nodded and left the room.
"Sorry I am so much trouble," Jillian said, pulling the food out to eat.
"You are not trouble at all," Edric said. "I am. They are after me, and to get to me, they are coming after you first."
"If the palace is bugged, who do you think did it?" Jillian asked.
"I don't know. I trust every single person that lives or works there. It worries me that someone is following in Kelson’s footsteps."
Orson walked back in a frown on his face.
"We have a problem Alpha."
"What is it?"
"Someone torched the wrecked limo. The fire department is putting it out as we speak."
Edric swore. "So, someone didn't want evidence found. Get several of the pack and head over to the palace. I don't want it burned to the ground, and make sure the officers are thorough in searching the place."
"Yes sir," he said and headed out again.
Edric sighed. "This is not good. I had no idea that Kelson had such a grudge."
"You should have just killed him in the first place," Wes said.
"I know, but I was too nice. He promised to leave, and that I would never see his face again."
"Next time Alpha, just kill the wolf."
"I will, believe me," he said.
"Are my parents safe?" Jillian then asked.
"I don't know love, I can have officers watch their place also if it would make you feel better."
"It would," she assured him.
He nodded at Wes.
"Let Orson know to have the cops patrol in front of Jillian's parents."
"Yes, Alpha," he said and walked out the door.
"Now what?" Jillian asked, handing over her empty food wrappers to Edric.
"You are going to heal, and I am going to figure out how many followers Kelson has."
“If you find some more, what are you going to do with them?”
"Send them to prison, or kill them if they put up a fight."
Jillian flinched.
"I'm sorry love, but that is the Werewolf world. If I don't defend my territory and my pack, we could end up dead. Which would you rather have; them dead, or me?" he asked.
"Them, of course," she whispered.
"Then let me handle it, okay?"
She nodded, hoping that it wouldn't have to come down to fighting other wolves.
"Rest love, I am right here," he told her.
He then looked at Kimberly. "You are welcome to stay."
"I think I will head home," she said. She hugged Jillian. "I'll drop by tomorrow, okay? You look like you need some rest.”
"Okay, thanks for visiting, and the flowers."
"No problem friend, see you later.” She then headed out the door.
Edric started pacing the floor, a frown on his face. He kept shaking his head, getting angrier by the moment.
"What is it Edric?" Jillian asked.
He held up a finger to tell her to wait a moment. A minute later he looked at her, great worry on his face.
"The officers found bugs in every single room, including ours."
"Oh," Jillian gasped out. "So there is a rat in the palace."
"Yes, a very large one," he growled, "and I am going to find out who it is. This sickens me, that I am not safe in my own home."
He growled angrily.
"We can always interrogate everyone the hard way," his wolf chuckled.
"If no one confesses, it might resort to that," Edric responded.
He turned back to Jillian, who looked worried. “Are we going to be okay?”
“We will be, I promise. Now the palace is free of bugs, we should be fine. I will just make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
He walked to the bed and laid down by her, kicking off his shoes. “Get some rest love,” he said.
“And how am I supposed to do that when a sexy man is in my bed?” she asked, making him chuckle.
“Now love, I have a ridiculously sexy woman in my bed, and I am going to get some sleep, because she needs some, and so do I. It’s been a long day.” He tucked her against him. She sighed against him, making his wolf smile. He would make sure she was safe, even if it meant torturing his wolves to find out who was behind everything. He hated to do it, but he would. He loved his Luna that much. He would do anything for her, and when he found out who was behind all that was going on, he was going to personally kill them.
Chapter 22
Edric got up early the next morning, and after showering, he walked back into the room. Jillian was still asleep. He smiled as he watched her. She was so incredibly beautiful. He walked out of the room then so he could talk to his guards, and he wanted to check in with his Beta and Omega to see if they had found anything else in the palace. He was chuckling though at the thought of the bug being in their bedroom. Good thing Jillian wasn’t a screamer or someone would have gotten an earful. “Alpha, the house is clean,” Emerson responded back.
“Good, I’ll be home with Jillian in a while.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
When he walked back into the room, Jillian was dressed and waiting on the bed, but she looked sad. She had her head down but looked up when he walked in. He could see that she had been crying.
"What is it love?" he asked, pulling her to her feet and holding her close.
"I was just thinking about what might have been," she said sadly.
"I know my love, and I am truly sorry, but I promise you, we will try again, as many times as you want," he grinned.
She blushed, and he held her closer. "I love you, Luna. I know this is hard, and I am sorry Jarem took the easy way out, because I wanted to find out who is behind this. Now we don’t know, plus I kind of wanted to kill him myself.”
She looked up at him and kissed him softly. "I am glad you didn't have too."
"Are you ready to go home?" he asked her, feeling overprotective of her. He picked her up into his arms.
"I can walk, you know," she protested.
"I know, but you are still weak, and I don't mind carrying my Luna," he replied.
Warren, Emerson, Wes, and Orson were waiting outside the room, as they headed from the room.
"Luna," Emerson said, "How are you feeling?"
"Okay I guess," she sighed.
He nodded. "The palace is clean, and the alarm system up and going," he said.
"You installed an alarm system?" Jillian frowned.
"Yes," Edric said, "we need to keep you safe."
"And you," she replied.
"I can take care of myself Luna, but you are still human," he pointed out.
"Partly," she reminded him.
He shook his head. "You are still frail. You can get hurt."
"Like you can't?"
"Yes, but I heal quickly."
"And I don't?"
Warren chuckled, earning a glare from Edric.
"Just saying," she said cheekily.
"What am I going to do with you, Luna?" Edric chuckled, as Warren opened the limo door for them.
"Make me your wife?" she smiled.
"I will, and soon, but I would like to catch whoever is after me, so we can get married without having to worry about if someone is going to interrupt our wedding. I want you to have your dream wedding.”
“In Hawaii?”
He chuckled. “Sure, why not.”
Emerson pulled up to the palace a few minutes later. More guards were walking the grounds, and when they went inside, more guards wandered the palace.
"A little overprotective?" Jillian teased Edric.
"I want us safe, love, and need to figure out who planted those bugs."
"Did you leave any of them?"
"I don't think so, why?"
"I was just wondering if we left some, we could draw out the person who planted them."
Edric frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, if we had a few conversations that talked about us getting closer to catching the culprit, making sure we were standing by said listening device, maybe that person would make a mistake and come and try something."
"She's a smart one," Warren teased Jillian.
"I know," Edric frowned. "I guess we should have, but it is too late. I am sure whoever planted them, knows we found them."
“Are you sure? But then, you are probably right, they would have found out when the bugs suddenly went quiet. So now what?"
"Well, we have extra security, if you didn't notice," he said, nodding at four men wandering the front hall, "and a security system on the whole place."
"Who installed it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just wondering who installed it. Do you trust them?"
"I do."
"Good," she nodded.
"She makes a good Luna sir," Emerson smiled. "She's extremely smart, for a girl.”
“Ouch,” Jillian said, punching his arm.
“You hit like a girl too,” he laughed.
“Just don’t make me mad,” she warned him.
“She’s right, don’t do that,” Edric smiled, rubbing his jaw, remembering how hard she could hit.
“Whatever,” Emerson chuckled.
“You are in for it Emerson, just you wait. I am going to tell Carla that you are a sucker for girls underwear.”
Emerson stared at her. “But I’m not.”
“She doesn’t know that.”
Edric chuckled. “All right you two,” hugging Jillian to him. "Let's go eat breakfast, and then we can decide what to do for the weekend."
"A boat r
ide or plane ride perhaps?" Warren asked.
Jillian went totally pale. Edric growled at him. "Warren, that was the stupidest thing I have ever heard coming out of your mouth."
"I am sorry Alpha, and Luna, I didn't mean it, I was just trying to lighten the mood," he said.
"Don't ever talk about the accidents, again, or you are being demoted back to a regular wolf.”
Warren bore his neck to his Alpha and the Luna. “I am sorry,” he murmured.
"I know he didn't mean harm Edric," Jillian said. She then looked at him. "Are we going to go have breakfast or what?"
He chuckled and followed his Luna, the others headed away, to give them some private time.
Jillian sat at the table while Edric cooked up some food. He then set it down in front of her.
She smiled up at him, then kissed him as he sat by her. "Thank you."
"Anything for you love," he said, beginning to eat.
They sat in comfortable silence until they were done, then Edric pulled Jillian onto his lap, and nuzzled her neck with his lips. She sighed against him.
"I know we can't do anything for a few weeks, doctors orders," Edric said, kissing Jillian thoroughly, "but that doesn't mean I can't drive you crazy until then."
Jillian smiled and pulled away. "You know, two can play at that," she teased.
His phone had to ring right then of course. He chuckled as she kissed his ear, and his neck.
"Hello," he said, trying hard not to sound distracted as Jillian kissed down his neck, and to his shirt collar.
"Yeah, okay, that's fine. See you tonight."
He then hung up, and pulled Jillian back, kissing her soundly. "Your parents are coming for dinner."
"Okay.”
"I need to go get some business done in my office. Why don't you go paint for a while? I noticed you had some more scenes you were working on."
"Yes, of the view from our room."
"They are incredible. How about next weekend we go set up the gallery with your paintings and have a show."
"Can we?" she smiled.
"Of course love," he said, kissing her soundly and setting her onto her feet. He then headed out, but not before winking at her.
Jillian put the dishes in the sink and headed to the studio. She wondered if it had been checked for bugs. She assumed it had been since Edric had seen her newest paintings.
She was just pulling out some paintings when she felt lightheaded.
The Alpha King and his Human Mate Page 18