Chapter 7

Shera rubbed her head as she stared up at the ceiling of her own room. Someone was moving about the house and she let out a sigh as she sat up. Her body ached and for some reason, everything seemed out of focus as she stared at the floor. The injuries burned from the day before and she scowled at it, slowly standing only to fall back on her bed with a grunt. The moving stopped outside the room and slow steps thundered down the hall as she kept her blurry vision on the ceiling above her.

Her door opened, Gerard looking in with a face filled with a prided worry. Her eyes looked at him but she couldn't move her head to make it easier. "Why are you," she stopped talking, the side of her face burning intensely from the movement. Gerard leaned over her, his eyes looking her over before his face suddenly darkened.

"I heard some very damning information from Sherry just an hour ago," he hummed. His fingers traced close to the tear on the side of Shera's face and she grimaced. "And I think he used it on you, foxy."

"Used," she took a sharp breath as he made her sit up, "What?"

"Silver dust," he replied calmly. "And quite a bit it looks like." She held her side, making the two stand together. Shera barely got her feet under her, her grip on Gerard as tight as she could make it and the strength was worse than pathetic.

"Damn," she mumbled. Gerard stared and lifted her up, cradling her as he stormed from her room.

"You're the alpha here, Shera. You didn't even talk to me about it," he was careful where he touched as he spoke, his own face grimacing at touching her.

"I'm not alpha," Shera ran what happened over in her mind, closing her eyes. She fought for it but ultimately she didn't want it. "My uncle-"

"The treatment worked," Gerard nodded. "He is in recovery and being monitored by the hospital as we speak."

"I want to-"

"No," Gerard snapped. He crawled into a car, pulling her in and on his lap as he ordered the driver to move. "Not until you can actually focus."

"I am," she couldn't help but lean herself into him. She didn't feel the terror as the smell of him filled her nose. She didn't want to cower and she couldn't muster the energy to be angry with the man. She felt safe near him for once, even with her body aching. Was this how she was supposed to feel?

"Do you know why my people fight every day," Gerard asked.

"No."

He nodded slowly and she felt him press his lips into her hair, "So that at the end of the day, we all remember and respect our laws. So we don't get too greedy. So we know who can police who." Shera wanted to say something but her face hurt too much. "I get why your people stopped fighting and holding the system tightly, but that's how you fell apart. You need enforcers for you pack and you pack any."

She opened her eyes a bit, her breathing coming a bit heavier as it became difficult to pull air into her lungs. Her vision was spotted white and upon her lack of response, Gerard looked down at her. "Stay with me, foxy. We're almost there." He lifted her closer, his fingers slowly rubbing against her side back and forth before the car stopped.

He was moving faster than she thought as he held her like a sleeping child. The ground was like a quickly moving screen and her surroundings smelled of bleach and other cleaning supplies when it went from concrete to tile. The last time Shera had been in a hospital was when her mother was dying, ever since a dislike forming for any sort of medical facility. Her nose wrinkled a bit, causing the burn in the side of her face to rise a bit. "That better not scar," Gerard snickered, "Otherwise I'm going to need to have a few words with your father. I'll probably have some with him anyways for attempted murder."

"Our code, our punishments," Shera managed. Gerard set her down on her side carefully and smiled softly. The expression didn't fit whatever was raging in his eyes and it made her skin raise goosebumps.

"You're mine," he stated. His voice was only loud enough for her to hear as he tilted his head, "And it doesn't matter who's pack you belong to because he's not getting away with it."

Shera sighed and put her head back, unaware her eyes had shut until she woke up sitting up in the hospital bed. Tyrone sat in the seat next to her, his head forward and his hand holding hers tightly. She sniffles a bit as tears tickled her eyes, reaching and hugging him as best she could. The man jerked a bit before he slowly hugged her back, kissing her forehead.

"I'm sorry honey. I tried to make him see reason," he muttered.

"Not your- not your fault," she hiccuped. He sighed quietly as the door open and Shera didn't bother raising her head to see who was there.

"She is our alpha, Gerard. You can't keep her there any longer," Tyrone stated. Shera stiffened, sitting up slowly as she stared at the man in the doorway.

Gerard stared in silence before stepping closer and pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, "She is still to be my mate unless you wish to pull back on the deal." Shera didn't bother looking away from his eyes as Tyrone rubbed his face.

"It's fine. We can-"

"I relinquish being alpha to my uncle," Shera's voice was weak as she muttered. The two stared at her as she slowly sat back and rubbed her eyes. The pack needed all the help they could get. If her mating with Gerard was the solution then that was that. She couldn't take the option the pack had from it away; she'd be the monster in her own eyes if she did.

She hated it, watching her back every day, but she could get used to it. She could adapt to Gerard's pack if she just put her mind to it. It wouldn't be difficult.

"Shera, you don't have to," Tyrone stated. "Your father made that decision. He wanted the money-"

"For what reason," Shera asked. Tyrone closed his mouth, turning his gaze to the floor. "What did he want to do? Where was all the money going?"

"It wasn't where it was going, it was who it was going to. I don't know why," Tyrone admitted. "I know that he wanted to wage war after one of your reports. He wanted what Gerard's pack has."

"And he couldn't have reached out," Gerard sniffed.

"He didn't want to. You beat our best," Tyrone stated.

"You were on the brink of war inside your pack," Gerard informed him.

"And if he wakes up we will be right back to fighting for dominance," Tyrone replied. "We don't kill our own. It's against our code of laws."

Gerard took a short breath, holding it as his eyes narrowed more, "You're all fools and idiots."

"We don't kill for a reason," Shera argued. Gerard glared at her and he grabbed her jaw harshly.

"Every wolf you fought off is still alive? You think that's okay," he snarled. A shiver went up her spine at the look in his eye. "We need to fix that."

"We don't need to do anything," she growled softly. "They lost. They left."

"And told their pack," he snapped. "So they'll come with something they want or to get revenge." Shera stiffened as he pushed her head back. That made her worry as he sat at the foot of the bed. "If others come to you, send them this way. My mate needs to fix what she's done."

"There is nothing to-"

"Tyrone, I will not allow my mate to be Lily livered. Understand," Gerard glared at the older man for a moment before waving his hand. "I'm sorry, I understand you want to spend time with your niece, but we need to have a private discussion right now." Tyrone stated before standing and limping out of the room, closing the door softly.

"We have nothing to discuss," Shera muttered.

"Oh we have a lot," Gerard laughed dryly. "You really think it's all right? You can't not kill as an alpha."

"I refuse," Shera snapped. "There's no need for it."

"You have the tools and the skills," he groaned. "And it's not really what I wanted to speak of."

"Then what was," she asked.

"Part of your pack took off with Scott. They're now at large," Gerard answered calmly. Shera stared and held her breath as he made eye contact. "If he is looking to start a war for money, you've placed yourself in his way."

"I don't understand-"

"We don't know the reason he's looking for a war. If your uncle is right then we need to contact other packs," Gerard laid across her legs and huffed. "And here I wanted a wedding."

Shera glared at him and shifted, hitting the pillow into his face, "I refuse to marry you. I have to mate with you as it is." He chuckled, glancing up at her after moving the soft object from his line of sight. His face wasn't hard anymore and his smile was genuine as he poked at Shera's nose. She stared back in confusion.

What was wrong with this man? She couldn't keep up with the mood swings this man had and it was part of what was scaring her the longer they spent together. At what point will that gentle smile never show up on his face again? When will he turn on her and attack her? Would he disregard her like her father had done?

She didn't notice him sit up as her mind raced with thoughts. His lips touched hers again and he held her face as her eyes widened. She shouldn't have let this make her heart flutter nor should she have closed her eyes and reciprocated but she was. She was kissing him back and enjoying it, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"Good, you're not moping anymore," he whispered when he moved back a bit. She opened her eyes and shivered at the look in his. "So now we can continue as if nothing happened and catch someone by surprise if they make a move."

"You want- I don't want to," she mumbled. She leaned back and scowled as Gerard stood up.

"Too bad, foxy. You're free to be discharged by the way. There will be a few side effects from the silver dust and the gel your father used to keep it on his claws," Gerard reaches at the foot of the bed, holding up a clipboard and staring at it. "Honestly, we looked up the composition and it's not something made by anyone. I think you may have given information unwittingly in your treatment and it might help with Gustov." He began to mumble to himself, still staring at the clipboard as he patted his chin.

Shera watching him as she slowly got out of the bed, finally glancing around the room. It was large and there was only her bed in it. Her clothes were set neatly in one of the chairs. She walked to it, shifting the hospital gown so Gerard wouldn't see anything. A good pair of yoga pants got pulled up and she slid her shirt on after a bit of struggling. She pulled the gown off and folded it neatly when Gerard finally looked up.

"It's a membrane," he confirmed.

"You got that from a paper," she frowned and he walked over. She was turned around and her shirt was lifted as he moved the wrapping around her.

"It has the same enzymes," he nodded. She sighed as he looked her back over, her shirt falling after something slid out of her back. "Here we are."

"Did you just," she turned to him, frowning as he held up a thin piece of flesh.

"He got silver into you and Tyrone without being affected," he pinched the bridge of his nose before waving his hand. "We need to get a boost up if that happens."

Shera stared at him and an idea came to her head, smirking, "You're a nerd."

"Excuse me," Gerard blinked.

"You're a nerd," she chuckled. "How else would you be doing science in your head like that?"

He glared and pinched her cheeks, huffing, "I will make you regret that."

"If you're going to keep calling me foxy, I'm calling you a nerd," she retorted. He smirked at her again, leaning forward. She stepped back, her face red as she stared at his lips and thought of the kiss.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, foxy. Don't let what happened two days ago get to you," he snickered.

"Two days," she asked.

"Yes, two," he nodded. "Silver extraction is difficult and takes a lot of time. There wasn't as much in your uncle's system. He'll be here a few more days for monitoring."