Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93727 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93727 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
I nodded, my throat going tight as I held back everything I wished I could say. I wanted to tell him about Rosemary’s laugh. Marvel with him that she’d grown up around Vampires and had accepted that we were mates from the very beginning. I wanted to mention that she smelled spicy, like herbs, which was so appropriate considering she was named after one. I wanted to tell him about Gary, how he’d dedicated his life and sacrificed his mobility working with Command. Explain how I’d seen Dalton Cavendish and his son, because he was Rosemary’s godfather.
Instead, I said nothing.
“Your mother will be pleased,” Dad said carefully, his eyes shining. “What’s she like?”
That I could tell him.
“Strong,” I replied. I cleared my throat. “Gorgeous. Sarcastic as hell. Quick. Funny.”
“All good things.”
I nodded again.
“She’s not here?”
“I…” I paused, unsure how to explain why I’d left her behind without hurting him. “No.”
“Things are going well, though?”
“Better than I could’ve imagined,” I confirmed.
“But you didn’t bring her with you?” He watched me for a moment and let out a sigh. “Ah. I understand.”
“It’s only for now,” I said quickly. “Just until we’ve figured this out.”
“I don’t like it,” he said simply. “But I do understand. Before, I would’ve told you to bring her here. That there was nowhere safer…but that obviously isn’t the case.”
“She’s safe where she is,” I assured him. I hoped I was right. “How is everyone?”
Dad ran a hand down the center of his face. His eyes were bruised, and he looked more tired than I’d ever seen him.
“Reese is fine. Not a scratch on her. Lucy’ll be okay. She’s still sleeping—”
“Best thing for her,” I commented. He nodded.
“Sven’s still out too.”
“Really?”
“He hasn’t even twitched. Alice has been by his side since last night. She’s hiding it well, but she’s scared out of her mind.”
“He had a partial, right?”
“Yes. They didn’t take his head, thank the Gods, but it was a close thing. Alice was able to repair it. He just hasn’t woken up.”
“Shit.”
“I’ve been fighting beside him for most of my life,” my dad said quietly. “I’ve never seen him sleep this long without waking at least once.”
“He’ll pull out of it. If nothing else, just so he can stop Aunt Alice from bitching.”
Dad chuckled.
“All things considered, they did well,” I said softly.
“They did,” Dad replied roughly. “I’d forgotten how fierce your mother is in a fight. The last time she was this hurt was on the way west.”
I hummed in acknowledgment. My brothers and I had been fully grown when we made the move to Oregon, but that hadn’t changed how terrified we’d been when my parents were attacked. My father had still been on his feet when we’d found them, but my mother had looked dead on the side of the deserted country road.
“Have you spoken to Arthur?” I asked, almost dreading the answer. Arthur Carruthers and I were going to have it out eventually. The only thing I had to do was wait for my moment.
“We let him know we’d been attacked,” Dad confirmed. “He sent out a cleanup team early this morning.”
“No problems?”
“Not one. This is our home. Defending ourselves is our right.”
Straightening, I tried to alleviate the ache in my muscles. Everything hurt, from my scalp to the bottoms of my feet.
“Go,” my dad ordered kindly. “We’re fine here.”
“I may not be around much,” I warned, rising to my feet.
“As it should be,” Dad replied. “You belong with your mate. When it’s safe, bring her home.”
“I will,” I agreed. I hesitated for a moment, then walked toward the door. “Is there anything I can do while I’m here?”
“You can take a shower. You smell like a goat.”
I let out a choked laugh.
“Go. Go,” he insisted, his gaze softening as he looked me over. “We know how to contact you if we need you. Some of us are down at the moment, but Beau and Chance are vigilant, and that’s no small thing.”
“How are you feeling?” I asked, my hand on the doorknob. When I’d seen him sitting up in bed, I’d somehow forgotten that he’d been injured almost as bad as my mother.
“I’ve a strong constitution,” he replied gruffly, his old accent barely noticeable in the words. “Go now. Back to your mate, Arne.”
I nodded. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
“You’ll let her know I stopped in?” I nodded to my mother.
“Of course.”
I didn’t bother checking in on anyone else before heading to my room. Beau and Reese were fine—probably in bed, which was where they were half the time—and Ambrose had his hands full dealing with Lucy.
I was startled by Charles sitting halfway up the stairs to my room.
“I thought I heard your voice,” he said, shooting me a lopsided grin. He looked beyond me. “She’s not here?”
“No.” My brother’s mate looked like he hadn’t slept. His normally tidy hair was sticking out at all angles, and his face looked like shit after the beating he’d received the night before.