Allison's POV I came awake. Vaguely, I was aware that I was lying on something soft- most likely a bed but I had the sensation of movement. I felt weak and lethargic. All I wanted to do at the moment was to keep lying there and probably go to sleep. I had no idea how long I had been out, so I forced my eyes open. Huge grey eyes fringed with thick lashes were inches from my face. Startled, I screamed, then realized it was Dante who was looking down at me. Dante winced at the shrill sound. Then he leaned back, chuckling at my reaction. With my heart still thudding with residual fear, I laughed shakily and playfully slapped his arm. Placing my hand on my chest, I said, "You scared me, Dante. Why were you staring at me like that? That close, I thought you were a monster or something." I struggled to sit up as I took in a deep breath. "Were you planning to give me a panic attack or-" My words were cut off as my eyes widened in horror. Bile rushed to my throat as my mouth filled with

Allison's POV I sat on my bed pondering on the fact that it had been one hellish week since Dante had told me about the pack war. This period had been the most grueling of my entire life. A part of me wished that Dante had gone already to fight this damned war. If he had done so, then at least I would be free of the agony of not knowing what the outcome would be. I glanced at my still-flat stomach and absentmindedly stroked it. Being pregnant at this time did not help either. My hormones were all over the place and to my disgust, I was always inclined to cry. Fate had certainly played Dante and I a cruel trick. Just when I had gotten the best news of my life- news that I was going to be a mother and bear the child of the only man I had ever loved- that happiness had been cut short by this war. I felt scared for Dante and angry with him too. My entreaties a week ago had seemingly had no effect on him. Day after day, I woke up, wishing he would change his mind and stay back. I

Allison's POV I looked around the room at the faces of the people assembled. Their expressions were all grim. I could tell that they were worried at the turn of events. Still, they tried to put up a front, probably for my sake. A day had become two, two had become five, and now it was fourteen days since Dante left for war. All the while he was gone, the promise he had made to me kept ringing in my head. If we are successful, which I assure you will be the case, I will return in just a few days, he had said. By no stretch of the imagination could a few days be said to be two whole weeks. As I feared, something had gone wrong. What exactly it was, I could not tell. The uncertainty made it worse somehow. I was constantly living in suspense, not knowing what to expect. I was barely holding on. The only thing that prevented me from flipping my lid was the baby growing in me. Aria had kept reminding me that any form of worry or emotional turmoil would affect my child in a bad way.

Dante's POV There were footsteps behind me. From my place at the lean-to, I turned to see Lucius approaching. He bowed and I listlessly motioned him to the spot beside me. He sat down on a piece of rock and stared straight ahead. "Yes Lucius, what is it?" I asked wearily. "It is the men, Alpha. I went to check on them as you instructed earlier." My brow rose. "And?" "Some of them are hurt. I think the er- unexpected living conditions have- should I say- made the pain from their injuries much worse. They are strong though, I will give them that. A lot of the wounds they had sustained are healing quite nicely. It's just that I think they need a little extra attention. They need treatment." I thought for a second. "Tell the pack doctor to treat them and monitor their progress closely. Are there still medical supplies?" With a bated breath, I waited for Lucius's reply. "Yes, there are. A lot of medical supplies are remaining." I breathed a sigh of relief. Inwardly, I thanked

Allison's POV What was Dante thinking, sending the warriors home where he remained absent? Wasn't he as eager to see me as I was to see him? More cars drove in and more maids spilled out to assist the men. Some of the men seemed very weak, while others were injured. "Most of them seem to need urgent medical attention," I said to the guard. "Yes, the battle was a tough one. We held on for a very long time. The war told on each one of us." "Where is Lucius? I can't seem to find him too." "He er- he is with Alpha Dante." While the guard talked, he shifted impatiently from one foot to the other as though eager to be gone. With a wave of my hand, I dismissed him and he ran in the direction of the pack house. I went into the lobby of the clinic. The clinic was completely filled up. A lot of men were in the lobby with varying degrees of injuries, some of which looked pretty bad. The warriors with the serious-looking wounds were taken by a nurse right into the clinic for immediate