"Why is she not healing?" a harsh whisper greeted me as I slowly faded into consciousness.

"From what you've told me, she nearly severed your mating bond when she went after Leo. The strain could have made the bond too fragile."

"Fragile?" Gabriel snapped in a low voice.

The familiar second voice continued calmly, nonplussed at my mate's harsh tone, "The bond isn't strong enough right now for her to naturally draw on your abilities. It will mend on its own over time, but until then, she will heal as slowly as any other human not mated to a werewolf."

Gabriel didn't respond.

The man cleared his throat. "I guess I should say congratulations."

"Thank you, Gerald," Gabriel said softly. "Once Phoebe's health has improved, we would welcome you and your mate to celebrate with us. I am sure Phoebe would like another human mother to talk to."

Oh, I would. I totally would, I thought. I definitely couldn't see myself talking to my own mother about how Gabriel Jr.'s puberty included growing fur and accidentally clawing couch pillows.

"Chloe would be delighted, but that's not what I was refer to, Alpha Rex."

The sound of metal creaking echoed through the hospital room. "I have not accepted the offer."

"But you will," Gerald said sternly.

Gabriel growled and my body instinctively tensed. "I am not a pawn in your political agenda, Sophos. And neither is my mate. Leave us out of it."

"No, not a pawn," Gerald said fiercely. "You're a king, Gabriel."

"I was your king. The war is over; my reign is finished."

"The war is over, yes, but the mess it left behind isn't going to just disappear. The packs still need you—both of you. If they didn't, they would not have extended the offer to you. Phoebe has done what most would think is impossible for a human. Whether you like it or not, your mate is their Alpha. They need her. And the packs need someone to keep the peace when all hell breaks loose—"

"Leave, Gerald," Gabriel snapped.

The Sophos sighed. "They need your guidance, Gabriel. I won't tell you not to turn your back to them, because I know you're too honorable to do such a thing."

A door opened and then closed.

"It's rude to eavesdrop."

My eyes opened. My mate sat beside my hospital bed, in a metal chair with a prominent dent in the armrest. He stared at me passively, leaning back into the chair. I raised a brow. "It's kind of hard not to when you're talking business in my hospital room."

His jaw clenched and I would have melted if his expression wasn't so serious. Then again, he always looked serious. I sat up shoving the thin hospital blankets off my body and swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. He watched me slip off the bed and into his lap, his arms still crossed over his chest. I stared at him as he continued frowning at me. I poked his forehead. "Why so serious?"

I'll admit, my Joker impression was nowhere near as awesome as Heath Ledger's, but Gabriel did roll his eyes and his frown disappeared as his arms wrapped around me.

I leaned forward until my forehead touched his. "What's going on?"

His thumb traced circles in my back as he sighed. "With Leo gone, the rogues need a new Alpha."

I swallowed. "Me . . ."

"Us," he said strongly. "We will need to relocate them. The packs are growing uneasy because every Alpha wants a different outcome—wants them to be punished for their crimes—and we do not need another war."

"Can we integrate them with smaller packs?"

"It's a possibility, but that could lead to more issues."

A thought that had been brewing in my mind for weeks poured from my mouth, "Why'd they do it?"

Gabriel gave me a puzzled frown. "What do you mean?"

"Why'd they do it? Why'd they sign up for Leo's crusade? Why did they follow him? What was in it for them?" I leaned back, running a hand through my tangled hair. "I just don't understand how they could benefit from going to war with us. There has to be a reason."

"They were outsiders, Phoebe. They were cast out of their homes and the only one who accepted them was Leo."

I grumbled, "Is it too naive to say they just need a hug?"

Gabriel made an amused sound—a cross between a chuckle and a groan. "They need a good leader."

I smiled with understanding. They need us, was left unsaid between us. I curled into his chest, my head tucking under his chin and my legs curled into my chest until I was only a ball on top of his lap.

"Get back into bed, Phoebe."

"I sleep better with you here."

"I am here, Phoebe. Get back into bed."

"Shh," I pressed my fingertips to Gabriel's lips. "I'm trying to sleep and you're annoying me with your bossiness."

He fell silent and I grinned at my small victory. After a few moments, I broke the silence for a second time. "There's something I don't understand."

"What?"

I twirled circles into the black t-shirt he wore. "When the doctor came to talk to me about . . . medical stuff, she said, 'Thank you for saving us.' I mean, I know Leo was bad, but . . . I killed a man—how is that saving anyone?"

Gabriel inhaled deeply, as though buying himself time to figure out how to explain something complex. A few seconds passed before he answered, "Leo was dangerous to our species—this you know. Rogues flocked to him and he accepted them all, turned them into half-decent soldiers. Their numbers were growing too much and Leo was too unstable to properly lead them. They were attacking smaller packs and killing humans who were under a pack's protection, all because Leo ordered them to do so. He wanted packs to turn on one another and create anarchy. Soon, his rogues could have been murdering entire packs—that, paired with possible civil war, would only draw the eye of the human governments. After so many years of verbal battles with governments to adapt to the existence of our species, humans would have turned on us and our species would no longer be accepted into society. We would be hunted to ensure the safety of humans—we would be at constant war, which is most likely what Leo wanted. With his death, Leo can no longer influence his rogues to kill innocents, and our species can maintain our respectable status with human governments." He brushed a stray hair from my cheek. "So, yes, Phoebe. You did save countless lives."

I didn't say anything for a while, allowing my brain to process. Gabriel watched as I tried to fit all the new information into my already over-stuffed brain. When the shock of what he had said faded slightly, I managed to squeak out, "O-Okay."

He hesitated a moment before speaking again. "They've been asking about you."

"Who?"

"Your rogue pack."

I frowned. "What have they been saying?"

"They want to know when you'll . . . return to them."

We were quiet for a full minute before I broke the silence. "Where are they now?" I asked.

"They're still in Oregon. Seth is with them and they are being compliant for now."

"Oh . . . that's good." I swallowed. I had so many more questions, but one overpowered the rest. "Are you going to take the offer?"

Gabriel's jaw clenched again. "We'll discuss this after you've rested—"

"Haven't you learned by now that I'm not a freaking China doll?" I snapped. His eyes narrowed at my tone, but I didn't bother cowering under his intent gaze. "I'm not gonna break if you tell me about the hard stuff. You need to tell the packs something . . . and I think we both know what your answer's gonna be . . ."

"I am no king, Phoebe."

"You are a king, Gabriel. You are the man they chose to lead them. Denying them would be throwing their trust and their faith and their hope in the garbage—making it completely worthless. They would not have offered you a crown if they didn't think you would look beyond the glory of it and focus on the responsibility it is heavy with." I scrunched my nose as I said, "I'm starting to talk like you."

"Did you just quote a movie?"

I shrugged. "I could quote something from The Lion King, if you want."

He chuckled. "That will not be necessary, mate."

I smiled at him. After a moment, I asked, "What are you thinking?"

He took in a deep breath. "That you're right."

I gasped. "Wait, wait, wait! Get my cell phone! Can you say that again? I need to record it for Julie."

He gave me a small smile as his hands massaged my upper arms. "You are right, Phoebe. I will not deny them."

I smiled. "Good."

He pulled me into his chest. "They will want an official ceremony, and soon."

"Oh no," I groaned, leaning into his shoulder.

"You will do fine, Phoebe. It is not—"

"No, no, no, you stupid man," I interrupted him. "I don't know what I'm gonna wear. I haven't been shopping in weeks."

"There is protocol. I will call on Gerald and his mate to assist."

"What's gonna happen at the ceremony?"

"It is similar to a traditional mating ceremony."

I grimaced. "If you kill Bambi, I swear to God—"

"Sleep, Phoebe."

___

Author's Note:

HI LOVELIES!

Kind of a short chapter, but what I have in mind coming up deserves its own chapter, so I had to cut it in half and make this one shorter.

Sorry for the wait!!

Vote and comment! Lemme know what you think!

xo -Willow