Free Read Novels Online Home

The Panther's Rival by Emilia Hartley (156)

Amara sat in the armchair in the corner of Sadie’s hospital room, listening to the steady beep of the machine. She’d lost a lot of blood, and suffered from a concussion, but luckily, Kal had managed to miss anything vital when he tore into Sadie’s throat.

Amara couldn’t express how relieved she was. If it hadn’t been for Nova, she didn’t even want to think about what would have happened to her. What would have happened to them all?

Suddenly, Sadie began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open and she fought to focus. Amara immediately leaned forward. “Hey, sleepy head,” she said softly, running her fingers through her sister’s hair. “Thanks for coming back to us.”

Sadie’s lips curved in a small smile and she pushed herself up on her elbows. “Amara,” she gasped, her voice husky and raw, “you were right…about Kal.”

“I know. Don’t worry about that now. It’s over.”

But Sadie shook her head, as if searching for the right words. “Kal, he…and Nova. They were all wolves…but how?”

Dread filled Amara’s heart. She knew. Sadie knew about the wolves. There was no way to keep it a secret anymore. “Grandfather’s stories were all true, Sadie. He wasn’t as crazy as we thought, after all. I really wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t.”

Sadie looked as if she wanted to say something, but the drugs seemed to be impeding her rational thought. “At least now we’ll have matching scars,” she rasped, her eyes beginning to droop again.

Amara laughed. “Yes, we will.”

“Amara?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.” Though Sadie was out of it, Amara could feel the emotion in her voice. This must have been hard for her, she really did like Kal. If only the situations were different, Amara would have cheered her sister on. “Don’t ever let me date a psychopath again. Kidnap me next time, if you have to.”

Grinning, Amara squeezed her sister’s hand as she drifted back off to sleep. “That’s a deal.”

A few minutes later, the door to the room creaked open, and Nova walked in. Amara smiled and went to meet him, pressing her lips against his in a soft kiss. She looked down. “Oh, how sweet. Are those for Sadie?”

“What?” He glanced at the roses he held in his hands. “Oh, no. For you. I found them on your porch again.”

“Oh. Strange. I guess they weren’t from Kal after all.”

Nova shook his head. “No. He’s back at the Compound under twenty-four hour guard. Nemoy hopes to use him as leverage to make peace with the Valley Clan.”

“Do you think it will work?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. We might be too far past the point of a treaty now. War might come either way.” Then he smiled, and she couldn’t help but wonder why on earth he was so happy. “But that’s not what we came here to talk to you about.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “We?”

Nemoy and Neveah stepped through the open door. Nemoy, she understood, but his mother’s presence surprised her.

“Um, hi.” Amara didn’t know what else to say.

Nemoy smiled. “We came to check on you. And,” his smile widened, “to offer our congratulations.”

Amara looked from one of them to the other. “What?”

Nova grinned. “We’re getting married. I mean, without breaking the Laws of the Pack.”

Joy filled her. “We are?” Uncertain, she looked to Neveah, who to her surprise, was also smiling.

“It seems I was wrong about you,” she said, taking Amara’s hand. “And when I’m wrong, I admit that I’m wrong. Welcome to the family, my dear.”

After everything that had happened, Amara couldn’t hold back. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but they were happy tears. She let Nova wrap her up in his embrace. “We get to get married?” she asked, still thinking she must be dreaming.

Beaming, he kissed her again and spun her around. “Can you believe it?” he asked, and their laughter filled the room. “Now we don’t have to run away.” Setting her down, he took a small box from his mother. Opening it, he revealed a beautiful diamond on a white gold band. “This ring has been passed down through my mother’s family. Now it’s yours.” He slipped it on her left ring finger.

Amara gazed at it adoringly. “It’s everything I ever wanted.” She kissed him again, then stared at the ring over his shoulder, ready to start her new life.