Falling for an Alpha (13 page)

He
walked back to his car and Amber grabbed Gabriel’s hand.

“It’s
perfect for us,” she said.

“Amber,
if at any time this gets too much for you, you’ll walk away. Promise me you
will?”

She
shook her head. “I took the vow for better or worse.”

“Yeah,
but the worse is on your end, not mine.”

She
shook her head. “You have to be my guide-wolf. I think you’re getting the bad
deal.”

That’s
why he’d fallen in love with her so quickly. Besides being the most beautiful
woman he’d ever set eyes on, she was a good person inside.

“Come
on, let’s go look at the house again,” she said tugging on his arm.

****

“Sadie,
we’ve told you more than once that the Board is unable to intervene in this matter.”

Sadie
almost stood up and announced she was quitting the witch business. She’d come
to the Board as a last-ditch effort for them to do something about Mavis, and about
Gabriel’s predicament.

“We
told you that you had to deal with it. It is your punishment for bringing the human
child to the Other Realm. That’s why it’s called punishment. If it was easy,
you wouldn’t learn your lesson.”

“I
know but Mavis upped the curse. I’ve stuck to my end of the deal, I’ve found
him true love, but he’s going to be a wolf in a week’s time. That doesn’t sound
like much of a happy ending to me.”

“I
know this is an awful situation but…”

Oh, what the
hell. I’m going to stand up and challenge them, let them throw me out
.
“But my
ass!
I
quit as a witch, I quit the Department of Love, and I quit Perfect Pairing, too.”

She
gathered her bag and papers.

“Now,
just a minute, you cannot simply quit, and don’t you dare try any tricks that
might compromise us in any way.”

“Too
late for that, you’ve forced me to go rogue, just like Mavis.”

Sadie
left the room. She’d show them all. And now she could do anything she wanted. She’d
deal with Mavis White, and boy, she’d better look out because Sadie was angry
and pissed as hell.

****

Amber
unloaded the last of the boxes from their truck.

“Everything
okay?” she asked Gabriel as he sat on the chair and held his chest.

“It’s
going to happen soon. I sense it. My body’s on edge. I can hear and smell
things tenfold today.”

She
rushed to him and held his hand.

“It’s
today, Amber,” he said, fighting back tears, trying to be strong not for
himself but for her. No matter what brave front she put on, Gabriel knew she
was going to fall apart when they were no longer together as man and wife. He
hoped it wouldn’t make her sick, wouldn’t make her do something stupid like not
check her blood sugar levels or take her insulin. He’d left a note for her parents
telling them, no,
demanding,
that
they take good care of her and insist she stay with them for a bit while she
got used to their new situation. Then she’d come back to the sanctuary and he’d
be waiting. He’d be her service-wolf.

Amber
held his face between her hands. “No, Sadie told me she’s tracking Mavis and she’s
going to find her.”

He
lifted her hand and kissed it. It was shaking but then his was, too. Sadie had
to come through for them, because she’d brought them together as man and woman,
and that’s the way it was supposed to be.

****

“I
heard you’ve been looking for me. And a little birdie tells me you’ve gone
rogue. I never thought I’d see the day that Sadie Sutton would tell the Board
where to go.
Always Miss Goodie Witch, even in the Academy.”

Sadie
was about to ring the doorbell at Lucy and Brad’s house to give Presley one of
her lessons when she heard the familiar voice directly behind her. Presley was
at the window waving.

“Ah,
so that’s the human child.
So pretty.
I’d love to meet
her in person, see what you’ve taught her, and if you’ve taught her well.
Nothing like a battle of wills to see how a student is progressing.
Of course, if you haven’t done your job properly, she could get hurt.”

“Don’t
you even think about it,” said Sadie turning around.

“You
really do love all these humans, don’t you?”

“Of
course I do, they’re like my family. They
are
my family now.”

“And
just what would you sacrifice to keep them safe?”

Sadie
didn’t even have to think about that answer.

“Anything.”

“Even
your own life?”

Something
else she didn’t have to ponder upon. She loved them like her own flesh and
blood, all of them, and their children, too. She’d protect them with her life
if the situation arose.

“How
about I take the curse off of Gabriel? Not the part about him being a
shifter…he made his deal, but about him changing into a wolf forever and ever.
After all, that was
your
doing, not his. And, oh
look, that happens in just about five minutes,” she said pointing to her watch.
“The curse lifted in exchange for your life.”

“Do
it.”

She
didn’t give it a second thought. Mavis was right about one thing—the re-curse
was her fault, her stupidity. Always listen to the fine print. A witch should
know better.

“My,
my, Sadie, I’m so shocked at your loyalty. I’m almost impressed by you. “You’re
sure you want to forfeit your life for this young, mortal man?”

“I’m
very sure.”

“Okay,
then.”

She
waved her hands in the air.
“Curse all gone and now good-bye Sadie.
It’s been so nice knowing you.”

Sadie
knew she had to draw upon every witch’s spell she’d learned throughout her
life. Sadie didn’t mind dying for her Perfect Pairing couples, but she sure as
hell wasn’t going to let an evil bitch like Mavis be the one to bring her life
to an end.

Sadie
struck first and sent a fireball hurdling toward Mavis.

Presley
banged on the window. “Aunt Sadie, Aunt Sadie.”

“Never
did play fair, did you, Sutton? Not even in school.”

Mavis
sent a bolt of fire toward Sadie, who wasn’t quick enough, and it hit her in
the stomach, knocking her back. She skidded on the ground until she came to an
abrupt stop against the large oak tree in Brad and Lucy’s front yard.

“
Help,
the lady’s hurting Aunt Sadie.” Presley banged on the
window so hard that Sadie was afraid she’d break it and cut her hands.

Mavis
raised her hands. Sadie knew she was going to hit the tree with a bolt of lightning
and it would fall on her and probably kill her before falling through the roof
of Brad and Lucy’s house. It might kill all three of them, or even injure the
pregnant Lucy.

Sadie
recited over and over again what she’d been taught to protect herself, but
another bolt hit her leg and smoke streamed from it. The pain made her cry.
That was it, she’d had enough. Don’t mess with Sadie Sutton.

“Say
good-bye, Mavis.”

Sadie
whirled her hands around, but then she heard a shot being fired and saw Mavis
slump onto the driveway. Mavis had obviously not seen that coming and was taken
by surprise.
 
Sadie got up, wincing at
the pain in her leg and stomach. She crawled across the front lawn and saw Brad
standing on the doorstep with his gun raised. He’d shot Mavis.

He
rushed over to Sadie and knelt beside
her
.“
Hang
in there because Lucy’s called for an ambulance.”

“Aunt
Sadie,” said Presley. Her young protégée wrapped her arms around her and kissed
her cheek.

“Honey,
you go back inside with your mom and I’ll take care of Aunt Sadie.”

Presley
shook her head and clung to Sadie.

“Presley,
don’t make Daddy angry. You do as I say.”

Brad
had to finally pry Presley’s hand away from Sadie’s neck. She walked toward the
house and turned just before she got to the front door. She blew a kiss to
Sadie. Despite the pain, Sadie blew one back to her.

“It’s
bad, isn’t it?” asked Sadie, knowing that all her energy was gone and her body
was racked with pain.

“Don’t
you worry, we’ll get you to the hospital and you’ll be just like new.”

“Will
you get in any trouble? I mean, the sheriff shooting a woman like that.”

“She
was threatening you. And the paperwork’s the biggest headache for you, so don’t
you go worrying about me.”

Brad
held her hand and Sadie thought back to the first time she’d seen him. Carrying
the then-baby Presley, a new dad who didn’t know what to do, a working sheriff,
and now he was…

Sadie
faded out, feeling her body being lifted high into the air, a sure sign that as
a witch she was passing over to the other side.

Chapter Fifteen

“She’s
coming out of it, I’m sure she is. I’m sure she just moved.”

Sadie
knew it was Gabriel’s voice.

“Amber,
go and see if there’s a doctor around, or at least a nurse.”

“Sadie,
can you hear me?
If you can, squeeze my hand.”
Sadie
put pressure on the hand she felt slip into her own.

“I
knew it. I knew it.”

Sadie
opened her eyes to see a man in a white lab coat standing over her.

“Welcome
back to the world,” he said, shining a light in her eyes.

“How
long have I been asleep, or whatever it is I’ve been doing?”

“Oh
Sadie, you’ve been in a coma for twelve days, we were all so worried.” It was
Amber speaking. She and Gabriel stood at the foot of her bed with their arms
wrapped around one another.

“All?”
asked Sadie, pushing the doctor’s hand away.

“Now,
Ms. Sutton, let me check you out.”

“I’m
fine, really I am. Who’s all?”

“All the Perfect Pairing couples.”

“All
of them?” asked Sadie.

“Even Kyle and
Evie
from Los Angeles.
Why didn’t you tell me you knew them?” asked Amber.

“I
think my wife has a crush on Kyle,” said Gabriel, winking.

“Everyone’s
been taking turns sitting with you. Jake and Gen just left the room and Luc and
Katey
just went to get something to eat.”

A
tear ran down her face.

“Doctor,
can they all come in to see me? I
mean,
all of them at
once?”

“I
don’t think they’d all fit in here, and you need some rest.”

“It’s
just what I need to speed my recovery.”

“Okay,
but only five minutes.”

“We’ll
just go round everyone up and tell them the good news,” said Amber.

Sadie
winced
a little as she tried to sit up on the pillow.
She didn’t want to give the game away that a witch could do a little self-healing,
so she’d play along for a bit and then mix a potion to heal all her injuries.

Everyone
started pouring
in—Mitchell and Rachel, Gen and Jake, Luc and
Katey
,
Evie
and Kyle,
Hayley and Cole, Lucy and Brad,
and of course Amber and Gabriel.

She
burst into tears. This was
her
family.

“Sadie,
don’t cry,” said
Evie
, rushing to her side.

“I
love all of you.”

“And
we love you, too.”

They
all looked at each other and laughed. “Did we all say that in perfect timing or
what?” asked Brad.

“It’s
Sadie’s influence on us,” said Luc.

“You
shouldn’t have traveled all this way just to be with me,” said Sadie.

“You’re
our fairy Godmother,” said Hayley.

Sadie
smiled.
If they only knew…

“Five
minutes is almost up,” said a nurse, peeking into the room.

 
 
“I’d
like to visit with each of you if that’s okay. And could I speak with Amber and
Gabriel first?” asked Sadie.

“Sure,
and get some rest,” said Jake.

Everyone
filed out of the room and Amber and Gabriel pulled up two chairs and sat by her
bed.

“We
know what you did, that you saved Gabriel,” said Amber.

“Well,
a witch has to do whatever. I’m just sorry I couldn’t get the whole curse
reversed.”

Amber
shrugged her shoulders. “I sort of like having a husband whose part wolf.”

Gabriel
winked at his wife.

“And
if you’re wondering, we’re still planning to open a wolf sanctuary. Well, a
shifter safe haven too. So if you ever get another witch turn rogue who makes
someone a shifter, you know where to send them,” said Gabriel.