Her Cloak Was Sewn With Blessings, While I Had Nothing Chapter 02

Her Cloak Was Sewn With Blessings, While I Had Nothing Chapter 02

“Mom, don’t talk about Sable like that. She’s not so bad.”

There was a pout in Brielle’s voice.

“Not so bad how?” Kieran let out a hard breath. “If Drystan hadn’t taken back the Alpha seat at Frostveil, she’d still be scraping by in some border town. Now that she’s comfortable, she drags her feet over a bakery run and puts on a face for everyone.”

Garrick spoke up. “That’s enough out of you. Sable has always been tough and she doesn’t need anybody worrying over her. Brielle is different. She was sickly as a pup, so of course she gets handled with care.”

I listened to all of it, and I didn’t push the door open, and I didn’t say a word.

I left the box at the nurses’ station.

“Could you take these up to 601 for Brielle in a bit? Tell her I left them here.”

The young nurse looked up at my white face, then at the bag. “You don’t want to take them in yourself? You look awful. Do you want me to call a healer?”

I shook my head. “No, thank you.” Then I turned and went down to admissions.

The Alpha medical card that had been mine was in Brielle’s hands now, and so was the private birthing suite I had booked.

“Hi. I need to redo my admission.” I handed over my ID.

The clerk checked the system and looked surprised. “Weren’t you already registered? Private birthing suite, paid in advance.”

“That room went to my sister.” I kept my voice even. “Please put me in a bed somewhere else.”

She paused for two seconds, and something complicated moved through her face.

“I’m sorry. Every private suite is full tonight.”

“All that’s left in general maternity is a six bed observation ward. It’s full of families and it gets loud. Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

I took the new bed assignment and walked down to the six-bed ward at the end of the hall.

The air in there was antiseptic, takeout, and sweat all at once.

Thin curtains were the only thing between the six beds. Family members sat in folding chairs and talked, and nobody had turned off the television.

I found the bed by the window and set my bag down without a word.

That was when my wolf lifted her head.

A familiar call came through the connection that had been breaking up for days and landed deep in my mind.

It was Drystan’s mind link.

My throat closed, and I nearly cried.

I took a breath, pushed all of it down, and opened the link.

In my mind, he was standing in blowing snow.

His eyes were almost obsidian, and the navy plaid scarf was still around his neck.

I had knit it for him myself the winter before.

“Sable, the pass started melting today.”

His voice came through low and gentle.

“How are you feeling today? Has the pup been giving you trouble?”

“I’m good. The pup’s been perfect.”

I worked to keep my voice light.

His brows came together anyway.

An Alpha reads his Luna’s feelings too well.

“You’re not in the same room. Why is it so loud there?”

I tried to cover what was around me, and a mind link carries more than pictures, so there was nowhere to hide it.

“There’s something wrong with the ventilation in the other room. The nurse put me here for one night and I move back tomorrow.”

His frown got deeper.

“Where are your parents? Where’s Kieran?”

“They’re with Brielle.” I looked down, away from the way he was searching me.

He was quiet for two seconds.

“Sable. Is somebody hurting you?”

My eyes burned. I bit down on my lip and forced the tears back, because he couldn’t afford to be distracted.

“No. You’re reading into it. Is the north going all right? When can you come home?”

“Day after tomorrow at the earliest.” He let out a low breath. “I’m sorry. I should be there with you.”

“It’s fine. Pack business comes first. And my parents are here, so don’t worry.”

I made myself smile.

After I closed the link, I lay back on the hard pillow and looked at the ceiling.

My phone buzzed.

It was Kieran again.

I had barely picked up before his voice came to me.

“Sable, you brought those back stone cold. Are you trying to make Brielle sick?”

“If they’re cold, throw them out.”

I said it flatly.

The line went quiet for a beat.

He hadn’t expected that answer out of me.

“What’s gotten into you? Where are you? Get over here. Brielle wants an apple. Come cut it for her.”

“I’m tired. I’m going to sleep.”

Then I hung up and turned the phone off.

The ward was as loud as ever.

The mother in the next bed was scolding her little boy at full volume, and the evening shows were still running on the television.

And somehow the world had never felt quieter.