Everyone dispersed for a little while. I did take pity on Sam and mindlinked him that Sierra was here, though. I think I am just as excited to see them together as he is, because it wasn’t five minutes before he was banging through the front door, thundering down the hallway to the kitchen. He actually hit the glass door and bounced off onto his ass because he couldn’t stop his momentum before he could open up the door.
The look on his face was priceless. I don’t think he felt the hit from the door or the floor, once again, he only had eyes for my friend. The rest of the world doesn’t exist for him when she’s around.
He clambered up from the floor and opened the door slowly and walked to her. He seems shy for some reason. I still don’t know what happened the night she left, just that she left with no explanation. “You’re here?! How…Why…Where did you go?”
“It was an emergency. Would it make you feel better to know that I accomplished everything I needed and I am here to stay, if you want me to?” She looks down and fiddles with her fingers and her new bracelet. I have never seen either of them act shy, not even pretending. This is so weird and yet, Jena, Lil and I aren’t making a move to leave either.
“You’re here for good? No more leaving in the middle of the night?” She shakes her head. “And you are going to explain the disappearing act?” She nods. He walks to her and wraps her up in a hug, lifts her up and walks back into the house, her face tucked into his neck.
“Well, we are clearly not going to hear her story anytime soon.” Lil laughs. “We should actually go see if Elena is settled. I’m interested to know if she can help us find that damn pentagram. You can’t sense it’s magic, but maybe she can, or you guys can together.”
We both nod, then we all get up. As we walk back into the kitchen Alpha Reggie and Osiston come in.
“Anne is up with Ava and Brett. She’s taking this hard and doesn’t want to be a destruction for the boys, but Brett is keeping her fed and hydrated. Hopefully Anne will help her process this too. As much as she says she doesn’t want people around, she really needs it. You should go visit her, Little One, she would like that.”
I just shake my head ‘no.’ I haven’t wanted to see her face after I took the life of her mate. No matter what he did to me, he was just laying there, helpless and I took his life from him. She must hate me for real now. He wraps me in a hug, but doesn’t say anything else on the topic.
“Why don’t you show us this war room of yours, I’m interested in the surveillance you have set up. And you said you don’t have any idea where this spell is originating from?” Osiston breaks the short silence. “No. That’s probably the most frustrating part. We are going to check the school again today. We did a quick sweep of it along with the Cunningham’s house and the packhouse, but something still feels like it’s just off and I’m missing something staring me right in the face. And I know the guys don’t want us to, but I need to run the border. My wolf has been asking for days. The one thing Elena told me was to trust my instincts, and that thought won’t go away, I need to run today. So I was thinking maybe if Osiston and Nikolas join us, the guys won’t get super angry.” I raise my eyebrows at them.
“Does anyone actually tell you ‘no’ Little One?” Nikolas asks, laughing.
“Not usually, except for Sierra, she tells me no and tells me what I’m going to do all the time.”
“Alright point me toward Nathaniel and go do your run, calm your wolf and then we can all make the trip to the high school.”
“Thank you, Alpha Reggie.”
“It’s ‘uncle’ here, Little One.” He just smiles at me, then gestures for me to lead the way.
***” You gonna explain that one?”***
***”Not a lot to explain, Jena. Mateo and I are distant relatives of his from our mom, but the ‘greats’ and ‘grands’ and ‘twice removed’ is too complicated. So he said to call him uncle. I just don’t when I’m in a warrior capacity.”***
***”Uh, huh. That simple?”***
***”Yep, he found out when they brought me to the Royal pack originally. That’s what Doc Sylvia kept testing for.”***
***”And you never thought to mention you’re royalty?”***
“Seriously, Lil? How would that conversation have gone down? I don’t even call myself a Beta here, why in the world would I be like, ‘hey I’m Skylar and I’m fifth in line to the throne.””*** I pin her with a look. He only response is rolling her eyes.
“Nathaniel, I brought you some friends.” I open the door the the office he’s posted up in.
“Perfect timing. We have movement and we are going to need all hands.”
“What do you mean?” I rushed over to him.
“There was a group that came into view about an hour ago.”He points to the screen, it’s an area just outside the mainland entrance to our peninsula. “Nothing hostile in appearance and they aren’t carrying anything. Wyatt and a group of guys were notified and they are hidden but on sight. But about five minutes ago ten more people showed up. They clearly know that I have cameras, their faces are covered, but this time they were carrying something. It was big, like the size of a person.” He looks at me.
“We got confirmation that all of our people made it to the Royal Pack, though, so who could it be?”
“No idea, but we haven’t heard from all of the Elite Warrior groups that have been outside this stupid bubble we are in.”
I don’t even hesitate, I run out the door, Lil and Jena hot on my heels. I shift to get my full speed as I link all the warriors telling them to be on alert. All patrols are to slow and really take in all the details of their surroundings. Anyone not on patrol is now on call and should be geared up and ready to deploy at any moment. I send the same message to pack members.
We slow as we approach the area. We are currently down wind and I want to keep it that way. We may not be able to scent them, but I’m so used to not being able to scent the enemy, I don’t even look for it any more. I can see another team about forty feet from us closer to the center of the entrance.
I open my link to everyone.
***”We have a visual. There are twenty two and there is something in the middle of the group, but I don’t have a clear visual. Does anyone else?”***
***”Got you covered, Midge. The way they flopped it around it’s a body that is either unconscious or dead. They have been moving in a circle for a few minutes now. Looks like they might be starting some kind of casting, but no one has said anything.”
