Mated To The Crippled Alpha

The pack hospital ward was small, barely large enough for the bed and the monitoring machines. When Lewis leaned over me, his body braced on either side, I felt completely surrounded by him. Not trapped.

Claimed.

The air between us was thick with heat and the sharp scent of our bond. Every movement made the narrow bed creak softly. I pressed my lips together, almost biting the blanket to stop any sound from escaping.

Lewis noticed immediately. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

He lowered his head and covered my mouth with his own, his voice rough and low against my lips. "Don’t bite the blanket, Darling. It’s not clean."

"Lewis..." I clutched at his back, fingers digging into the firm muscles under his skin.

"Bite me," he murmured instead.

Outside the door, I could faintly hear a nurse speaking. Theo’s steady voice answered her, probably blocking anyone from coming in. To the pack guards outside, we were still completing some sacred ritual to stabilize my spirit.

If anyone walked in and saw something supernatural, it would shake the entire territory.

They had no idea their Alpha and his mate were simply... reconnecting.

When I had drifted outside my body before, I had once watched Luke and Camilla in moments like this, filled with disgust and cold judgment. Back then, I thought intimacy was weakness.

Now that it was me, I understood how fragile and powerful it felt at the same time.

Footsteps passed outside the ward. The bed shifted again. The danger of being overheard made everything sharper, more intense. My senses felt heightened, every breath louder, every touch deeper.

We were both drenched in sweat, the scent of us mixing in a way that made my instincts hum with satisfaction.

When it was over, Lewis stayed above me for a long moment, breathing hard, his forehead resting near mine. His weight felt grounding, steady.

Then a practical thought struck me.

At home, we were usually careful. But in the heat of the moment, we had completely forgotten.

"Lewis," I said quietly, brushing his hair back, "when you leave later, buy something. It’s not the right time for a pregnancy."

He stroked my cheek gently, his thumb tracing slow circles. "You’re in your safe period. It’s unlikely. And those pills aren’t good for your body. Don’t take them unless you must."

"But what if I get pregnant?" I insisted, anxiety creeping in.

His answer came without hesitation. "Then we keep the pup."

The certainty in his voice made my heart stutter.

He wasn’t joking. He wasn’t afraid.

He brushed my cheek again, calming me. "You’re my mate. If you carry my blood, I’ll protect you both."

I rested my head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. Strong. Steady. Like the drum of the pack gathering at night. That rhythm had become my safe place.

"I know there are dangers ahead," I whispered. "But as long as you’re here, I’m not afraid. Lewis... will you stay by my side forever?"

"Always," he replied without pause, pressing a kiss to my damp forehead and wrapping his arms around me.

After a few minutes, I nudged him lightly. "We should go out soon. People will start wondering."

He chuckled softly. "They’re our people. Even if they guess, it doesn’t matter." Then he stood and offered his hand. "Come. I’ll carry you to clean up."

I stuck my tongue out at him, embarrassed and amused at the same time. Somehow, we had turned a pack hospital ward into something that felt almost like a honeymoon suite.

Not bad, considering everything.

He helped me clean up carefully, more patient than I expected. The way he handled me made my cheeks burn.

"Lewis, enough..." I protested softly.

He pressed me gently against the cool tiled wall of the shower room, water cascading down over both of us. His voice dropped low. "One more time, Darling."

By the time we finally stepped out, my legs felt weak and my face was burning.

When I walked back into the ward, I wanted to sink into the floor.

Theo had already replaced the sheets, his expression perfectly neutral, though I could see the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Lewis, on the other hand, looked shamelessly pleased. His grin returned, bright and teasing.

"Darling," he said lightly, "we’re bonded mates. This is completely natural."

"Enough!" I snapped, face flaming. "You’re not allowed to mention it again!"

"Alright," he said with an amused laugh. "I’ll behave."

Then his expression shifted slightly. "Let’s check on Vicky."

Reality rushed back in.

Right. Vicky.

She had been on the terrace earlier, acting dramatic and unstable. In the middle of her outburst, she lost her balance and fell.

When we stepped into her room, Adam was sitting beside her bed, feeding her soup carefully. Luke stood nearby, watchful.

Luke’s face brightened when he saw me, his scent shifting with something close to relief. He quickly controlled it and bowed his head slightly. "Uncle Lewis. Aunt Riley."

Adam, however, looked at me with open hostility.

"Perfect timing," he said coldly. "I was just about to find you. Lewis, you’ve chosen a fine mate. She managed to push Vicky right over the edge."

His words carried accusation, sharp and bitter.

I forced a look of concern. "Adam, is Vicky alright?"

"Don’t pretend to care!" he snapped. "If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t be crippled!"

Crippled?

How convenient.

I kept my tone light, though my instincts sharpened. "How could that happen? Vicky, you know better. Why threaten to jump just because you couldn’t handle Camilla? And now look at the mess."

Vicky, pale and trembling, suddenly grabbed the bowl from Adam’s hands and hurled it at me.

"Shut up!" she screamed. "It’s your fault! All because of you!"

I sidestepped easily, my reflexes faster than hers. "That’s not fair," I said calmly. "There were witnesses. I only said you couldn’t manage Camilla. You chose to climb that terrace. Your decisions are not my burden."

Adam’s expression turned icy. "Ever since you entered this house, it’s been chaos. We never should have brought a curse like you into our family."

"Adam." Lewis’s voice cut through the room like a blade.

The temperature seemed to drop.

"What has Riley done wrong?" Lewis continued, his tone dangerously calm. "Did she create the issue with Camilla? Did she force Vicky to climb onto that terrace?"

But Adam was too angry to listen.

"You were fine abroad," he shot back at Lewis. "Staying away. Now you return, competing with Luke for control of the pack business, bringing this woman into our home and turning everything upside down. If not for her manipulation, my wife wouldn’t have fallen. I want answers. And I won’t let this go."

Lewis smiled coldly.

"And what answer do you expect?" he asked quietly.

Adam pointed directly at me. "Either throw her out... or the two of you pack your things and leave our family for good."