29 He is Mine

Olivia POV

When Ace walks back into the room, I can tell by the look on his face that the blood work isn’t good. “Ace, what did her blood work show,” Becca asks. “She has a significant amount of wolfsbane in her blood,” he says. Growls sound around me. Connor looks like he is on the verge of shifting. Becca looks like she is going to be sick.

“What the hell is wolfsbane?” “It’s a poison specifically harvested to harm wolves. It makes both human and wolf counterparts weak, but it’s worse for the wolf,” Ace says. “It can actually kill our wolves in high enough doses. It is against pack law to even possess it,” Becca says. “Are you telling me that ba**ard was poisoning his own mate? Where the f**k did he even get it,” Connor asks. “I’m honestly not sure. It’s not like it grows in the forest” Becca says.

“Why would he want to kill his own mate?” “Based on the fact that she wasn’t deathly ill when you went to the house, I think she has built a tolerance to a high level of wolfsbane over time. I’m not sure about the condition of her wolf until she wakes up, but based on everything, I’d say he has been giving her a small amount every day to keep her weak. I don’t think he was trying to actually kill her,” Ace says.

It’s my turn to growl. “Why the f**k would he need her weak? What was he doing to her?” Becca’s eyes get big before she looks at Connor. “He was dulling the bond and making sure she would never have the strength to leave him,” she says. “Dulling the bond,” I repeat her words.

“Amber said he’s been betraying their bond since her pups were small. It’s very painful. It’s said to be the worst pain a wolf can endure both physically and psychologically. She said that the pain has lessened aver the years, which she thought was because she no longer loved him. I wonder if he is dosing her every day to f**k other she-wolves in the pack,” Becca asks.

“If he dulled the pain and made her weak, she would be less likely to care about his infidelity,” she says. It’s my turn to growl. How dare that ba**ard do something so despicable? Connor’s eyes glaze over. When they return to normal, he looks like he is about to lose his sh*t. “Kevin said the ba**ard shifted and ran as soon as he was thrown out of the gates. Had I known what he had been doing, I would have just killed his a*** Connor

says. “Connor, there was no way you could have known,” Ace says.

“Connor, you’re the reason that ba**ard will never be able to hurt her again. What do we do to help her, Ace?”

“We need to flush as much of the wolfsbane from her system as we can. I’ve never treated a wolf with

prolonged exposure, but it’s at least a starting point. I’ll call some of the other pack doctors if you can get the IV fluid hung, Olivia,” he says. “Of course,” I say. I press a kiss on his cheek before heading out of the room. and back toward the supply closet he showed me earlier.

I start to gather my supplies when the door opens behind me. “I don’t know why he brought you here with him. You aren’t really even part of the pack. You aren’t even that pretty,” a snarky voice says. I turn coming face to face with the nurse from earlier. Ebony I think her name was

“Excuse me.” “You heard me sk*nk” she says. “It’s a good thing I don’t give a sh*t about what you think. My opinion is the only one that matters. Ace also thinks I’m very pretty.” If looks could kill I’d be dead, it doesn’t last long as a smug smile spreads across her face.

I prepare myself for whatever vitriol she is about to spew at me. “Even if he wants to f**k you now, it wont

last. You are just a distraction. Ace is still in love with that b**ch Candace. I should know since we f**ked. but he didn’t want a relationship. If he didn’t want me you have no chance,” she says.

I growl taking a step toward her. I fight Danica for control. “Even if this b**ch f**ked him, we can’t kill her. He had no idea we were mates. What happened before we accepted each other is none of our business, Danica. can feel she doesn’t agree, but thankfully she relinquishes control to me.

“Ace is mine. You would do well to remember that. Whatever happened between you in the past is just that, the past. I am not Candace, and I’ll never walk away from my mate.” Her eyes get big, but she quickly schools her expression. “He isn’t your mate. You are a liar just like Candace. He is a human. He’ll never believe your lies after that b**ch Candace tricked him. I don’t care who you are to the Alpha, you should just head back to living with the humans. No one wants you here,” she says.

I throw my head back and laugh. “Is that the best you got because it was pretty pathetic. Now I’m only going to warn you once. Stay away from my mate.” “Do you think I’m afraid of a wolf that is more human than wolf. because I’m not?” Before I can think better of it, I pull back my fist and punch her square in the face. She screams and blood pours from her nose.

“You f**king hit me, you b**ch’ she yells in my face. Before I can even open my mouth, the door to the room flies open. Ace looks between us and pulls me out of the room into his arms.

“What the hell is going on here,” he asks, his voice laced with anger. “She is insane. She hit me Dr. Morris. Look at me, I’m bleeding,” she says. “That’s funny that you would speak so formally to a man you supposedly f**ked.” “Excuse me,” Ace says, glaring at Ebony. “Dr. Morris, I didn’t,” she starts to say, but I cut her off with a

growl.

“Oh yes you did. You thought you were going to intimidate me, make me question Ace, and have me running

away from the man that is meant to be mine. That will never happen. He is mine.” “Ebony, would you like to

explain why my mate thinks that we had s*x” Ace says. Despite his calm tone, I can feel the anger rolling off

him in waves. “I saw how destroyed you were after Candace left. I just didn’t want her to lie to you like Candace. You’re human Ace, she isn’t your mate,” she says.

I try to step toward her as Danica pushes to the surface, but Ace keeps his arm tight around my waist. “We are not friends, Ebony. I have never allowed you to call me Ace, so don’t start now. You are a nurse and lama doctor. That is the only relationship we have ever had. The fact that you tried to cause problems between e and my mate means that I can no longer trust you to work with me,” he says.

“Dr. Morris, I’m sorry. I was just trying to protect you. I care for you,” she says. “Leave Ebony. I have a patient that needs medical attention and, frankly, I don’t have time to deal with meaningless bulls*t. Olivia is my mate. I will never want any other woman but her. I don’t want or need you doing anything for me,” he says, She looks like she wants to say more, but thankfully she rushes out of the room. I step out of Ace’s hold and back into the supply closet. “Are you alright, Olivia. I swear to you, I have never even thought about her that way, Ace says from behind me.

I turn with everything I need in my arms. “I meant what I said to Danica Ace. If you had slept with her I wouldn’t hold it against you. I wouldn’t like it but you had no idea we were mates. She was never going to change how I feel or how much you are mine. I refuse to let anything come between us again.” A smile that looks like he won the lottery spreads across his face.

He gives me a quick kiss, and we head back to Amber’s room. I hang the first bag of fluid and look down at the woman who looks like she is peacefully sleeping. I think about all she has endured at the hands of a man

20 He is Mine

that was meant to love her. I say a prayer to the goddess to heal her body and spirit. A prayer to give her á second chance at happiness.