Secret Seduction: BBW Werewolf Romance (Wolf Pack Protectors Book 1) by Liv Brywood Page A

had been filled with tension. The muscles in her neck knotted hard enough to give her a headache.
    She needed to find Akila and see if she had any medicine which would help with the pain. As she traversed the dark tunnel to Akila’s healing room, she worried about the fate of the pack. Without Stryde’s help, they wouldn’t be able to defend against an invasion.
    She pushed the terrifying thought to the back of her mind. The thought of losing any other members of the pack made her stomach churn.
    As she rounded the last corner, she heard Akila talking with someone in the healing room. Diana slowly pushed back the curtain.
    Akila noticed her standing at the door and motioned for her to enter. Gwen sat on one of the daises. The scars on her back had faded slightly, but evidence of the attack still marred her skin. Diana’s heart went out to the woman. She knew the terror involved in being attacked and wished she could do something to ease the other woman’s fear.
    Akila smiled. “I was just checking up on Gwen. How are you doing, sweetie?”
    Gwen cringed as Akila applied a salve to her back. “Better. Your medicine is healing me faster than I expected.”
    “I used my special blend. How are the nightmares?”
    Gwen glanced at Diana. “I still have them.”
    Diana tried to fade into the background. She didn’t want to make Gwen uncomfortable.
    Akila held the young woman’s hand. “I expect you might still have them for a while. But now that we know who attacked you, Ryker’s going to catch him and bring him to justice.”
    “I just…I wish he was dead. Zane.” Gwen whispered her attacker’s name.
    Diana inched closer. “I know how you feel. He attacked me too and I want to see him behind bars for what he did to us.”
    “I shouldn’t have wandered off so far. I just wanted to find some strawberries…” Gwen choked back a sob.
    Akila rubbed her back. “You didn’t do anything wrong. This man, Zane, is pure evil. He would have attacked any woman who crossed his path.”
    Gwen’s eyes glazed. “I just hope…I just hope that he didn’t…that nothing took hold.”
    Diana shot a glance at Akila. The older woman wrapped an arm around the trembling girl.
    In a soft tone, Akila said, “I gave you special medicine. I didn’t know if he…I didn’t know exactly what he did, but I suspected. So I gave you a dose of a special herb which prevents pregnancy.”
    Gwen sobbed. “Thank you.”
    Akila gently laid the crying woman on the dais. “I’ll fix you up something to help you sleep.”
    Diana sat next to Gwen. She didn’t know what to do or say to make the other woman feel better, so she simply held her hand.
    Akila returned with a glass of milky liquid. “You’ll have to drink this fast because, honestly, it tastes terrible.”
    Gwen’s lips twitched into a slight smile. She took the drink then sniffed it. Her nose scrunched up as she tipped back the glass. When she was finished, she handed the glass to Akila.
    “Stay here as long as you like, sweetie. You’re safe here.” Akila said.
    Diana asked, “Do you happen to have anything to treat a headache?”
    Akila smiled. “White willow bark tincture will fix you right up.”
    After placing a few drops under her tongue, Diana handed the bottle back to Akila. “I’m surprised you don’t have aspirin since Leah makes runs to the hospital for supplies.”
    “I try to use natural remedies whenever possible. It’s much better for your body.”
    “That makes sense.”
    Akila said, “Humans probably wouldn’t even need hospitals if they’d stop putting all kinds of synthetic chemicals in and on their bodies. We only use hospital supplies for serious injuries like gunshot wounds. Which reminds me, I need to find Ryker. We need to send Leah on a run before the attack on Zane. I’ll need supplies for any injuries.”
    Diana followed Akila into the passageway outside the room. “Do you think Gwen will be all right?”
    Akila nodded. “Yes. Time