Immediately, alarm filled his smoky gray eyes, and I smiled, although tears continued to trail down my cheeks. What would I do with these idiots I adored? “Angel,” Char began, but I shook my head.
“I am not leaving either of you,” I warned as gently as I could. “Besides, I’m not the one in danger here.” Before they protested, I turned to Riff, resting my forehead against his. He jerked away once he understood what I was doing, so I wrapped my fingers around his wrist too. I grinned when he snorted his irritation that I stole his pain, but how could I allow him to suffer when I knew I could take the hurt away? That would make me a special kind of monster. Sure, I experienced his pain to alleviate it, but that mattered not. It only hurt for a few extra seconds once his was gone, and nothing was ever free.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Riff scolded once I released him. While his expression was stern, his eyes were full of relief. I didn’t blame him for that. His pain was worse than Char’s. I believe it was his more dominant nature that gave him the strength to stay conscious. “Are you all right, Angel?”
I tried to speak, a last flare of pain making me grimace before I gave the beta wolf a smile he did not believe. “I’m all right. It got a little intense, but it spared you, so to me, it was worth it,” I replied quietly while dropping my gaze.
“Empathy healer,” Ryker announced, and I flinched. “The gift I believed you might have. The venom that makes humans feel pleasure rather than pain when we drink from them does not work well on empathy healers. I’m not sure why, albeit I once tried to figure that out.” A touch of cruelty entered his voice, and I harbored no doubts the people he spoke of did not enjoy his attempt to understand that in the least. “However, there hasn’t been an omega who is also an empathy healer in several centuries. And never one like you. The pleasant news is you shouldn’t suffer like empathy healers do. See, they cannot control their gift, so every person they touch skin to skin with they take on their pain. You, as an omega, already alleviate the emotional and mental anguish of those around you. Therefore, it should only be physical pain you heal through touch. The reason you discovered your gift is you love your puppies so much, you’d die for them if it would spare their torment. You’ve never been so close to another soul besides Matty who you protect so fiercely nothing dares to touch him. Without the willingness to sacrifice your life for another, the gift will not wake.”
I slowly raised my eyes to meet Ryker’s gaze, my shoulders relaxing when his were full of warmth. Had he ordered his vampires to hurt Riff and Char again, I don’t know what I would do, but I wouldn’t sit around idly while it happened. The werewolves moved to kneel beside me, facing the vampire lord with low growls rumbling from their chests. It took me a moment to realize they positioned themselves to protect me and a soundless sigh escaped my lips. Idiots. But, god, how I loved them. Ryker quirked his brow but accepted their ire as his due. Char rubbed his head against mine, his growl briefly changing to a soft purr, and I sighed, albeit I returned the gesture with peace filling my soul. Once Char shook his head and resumed watching the lord of the house, Riff copied him. Yay, now I smell like dog. Er, no, reek. Now I reek like dog. Serves him right. Tyger snickered under his breath and a smile tugged at my lips.
The vampires who tormented them, the ones that Tyger and Arctic restrained, snarled until Ryker growled. It was by far the lowest and most terrifying sound I ever heard in my life. The vampires paled with fear filling their eyes and tingling across my senses. Until that moment, they struggled to get free but now were so motionless I wondered if they’d turned to stone. Riff and Char moved closer to me, so their thighs, hips, and arms pressed against mine, albeit they never ceased their growling. A few of the vampires who listened to me play piano entered the room while I was distracted by healing my beloved idiots, and they looked terrified as well. Oddly enough, while I recognized that the sound of Ryker’s growl was terrifying, I wasn’t scared. No. Had he meant to harm the boys, he would have. Ryker wasn’t the type to hold back his temper, nor his judgment. My soul relaxed as did my shoulders although I didn’t move away from the werewolves I adored.
“I made it crystal clear that if any werewolves happened upon my land while I was gone, they were not to be harmed. Especially if it was two puppies, one with black-tipped blond hair, and the other ashen brown. I informed all of you they were dear to my bunny’s heart and they were to be detained, yes, but
