Me - Secret Side Piece?! Hell No! I Took Daughter and Got Far Away from You Asshole! novel · Chapter 2 of 24

Chapter 2: One Feed

Bram's mother locks the door to take Morwen's milk for Hugo, Morwen throws a cup, the Dowager slaps her, and Bram says it is only one feed.

By sunrise, Pru had been moved to a private suite on the top floor.

Attendants went up and down the stairs all morning. A night healer, a herb-mistress, a cousin with a heated blanket.

Bram's mother sent a gold naming cuff and had it fastened around Hugo's wrist. The photo reached the pack-links before the clasp was warm.

Downstairs, I woke in the common ward.

My bedside ledge held one cup of water, gone flat and cold.

Lark was hungry and too small to fight for it. She latched, pulled twice, and gave up with a cracked little mewl.

The day healer helped me sit up. "Where is your family, Miss Alder?"

"Away on business," I said.

At midday, the door opened without a knock.

Bram's mother walked in. The Dowager Luna, in a fur collar, with her chin already raised.

Her eyes went to the cot first. "A girl."

I pulled Lark closer and said nothing.

The night healer came in behind her, carrying a clear milk-draw flask.

My spine went cold.

"The day healer is off the floor," the Dowager said. "Good. Fewer gossips. Shut the door."

The lock clicked.

The Dowager looked at my chest. "Pru's milk hasn't come in. Hugo can't keep formula down. Your healer says yours has. Draw some for the boy."

I stared at her.

My wolf went still behind my ribs.

"Say that again," I said.

"They are both Bram's blood," the Dowager said. "Hugo came first. What is a little milk between pack?"

"My milk is for my daughter."

Her face hardened. "Don't be greedy, Morwen. She-wolves raise girls easily. She'll sleep off one missed feed."

The night healer stepped up to the cot. "It will be quick, Miss Alder. Just let it flow."

Her fingers touched my collar.

I grabbed the cup off the ledge and threw it.

It burst against the wall inches from her ear.

"Have you lost your mind?" the Dowager shouted.

A knock. The lock turned, and the door swung open.

Bram stood there. He looked at the broken cup, then at his mother's red face.

"What is going on?"

"I asked her for one feed for Hugo," the Dowager said. "She threw a cup at my healer."

Bram turned to me.

"Morwen," he said. "It's one feed."

Lark's lips had gone white. She had not stopped crying.

Bram looked straight through the sound.

I threw back the blanket and swung my legs over the side. My stitches tore. Fire ran through my hips and sweat broke on my forehead.

He reached for my arm.

I slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me."

"Your mother wants her grandson fed?" I said. "Then tell his mother to feed him."

The Dowager's palm cracked across my face.

Bram flinched. For one heartbeat his eyes flashed gold.

Then the gold died, and he did not stop her.

"Mother," he said quietly. "She just whelped."

"She whelped and she is already clawing for attention," the Dowager said. "If she raises that girl, Moon knows what poison she will drip into this pack."

My cheek went numb.

Lark screamed until her voice thinned out and went hoarse.

I cupped her head and rocked her. "Lark. Lark. Look at me, Lark."

The door banged open.

The day healer stood in it, breathing hard. Her eyes found the red print on my face. Then the flask in the night healer's hand.

"What in the Moon's name is this?" she said. "This she-wolf delivered yesterday. Who signed a milk draw?"

"Pack business," the Dowager said. "Not yours."

"This is a healing den," the day healer said. Her voice was shaking. "Not the Kestrel pack house. A draw without consent is a Council crime."

Bram murmured something to the night healer.

She tucked the flask under her arm and hurried out to fetch the head healer.

The Dowager gave me a last look.

"Keep your mouth shut about this," she said. "Or your pup will never cross a Kestrel threshold. Ever."

The door slammed.

Bram stayed by the cot.

"Morwen," he said. "This ends here."

I held Lark against me and did not look at him.

The head healer came in a few minutes later with the ward log under her arm. The day healer pointed at the page for the morning shift.

It was gone. A strip of torn paper stood out of the binding.

The head healer looked at it and said, "I see no problem with this log."

The day healer's jaw set.

As the head healer left, the day healer leaned over my cot and pressed something small into my palm.

It was the paper seal tag from the milk-draw flask, with a time and a signature on it.

"I took it off the floor," she whispered. "Keep it. Somebody in this building is going to want it later."

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