One second ticked into another and a minute turned into an hour. The wait was torture.
We were all in the meeting except for Curtis. As much as I wanted him with us, he needed to ensure our medical center was organized and the medical supplies were replenished. No matter what the outcome with Crystal was, we were going to be going up against the rogues at some point and we needed to make sure we were as prepared as we could be.
I sat at the table with a cup of coffee in my hands, trying to calm my increasing anxiousness by staring into the liquid that I held. I was trying to find the answers that I needed to keep everyone alive. Blake and Cade spoke softly to each other in the corner while Scarlett paced up and down like a restless lioness. The room was filled with a nervous tension. Every moment we sat there without any news was torture.
As bad as it was for us, I was sure it was much worse for Kyle. It was hard to believe that he had no idea his mate was someone he’d known his whole life. Touching your mate only worked from the time they turned sixteen. I had no idea how old Crystal was, but I’d guess she was probably a year or two older than me—which meant she’d managed to keep him from touching her for a whole year at least.
I let out a frustrated sigh as I pushed the cup away from me. There was so much riding on this and the more time that went by without any word from Crystal, the more I worried. I tried to suppress a yawn but I saw Blake’s eyes on me. It had been a long and stressful day.
“I think it’s time to try and get some sleep,” Blake suggested as he came to stand beside me. I looked up at him.
“I don’t think I can sleep with all of this going on,” I told him. He reached for my hand and the touch of our connection gave me a feeling of peace, but I knew that it wouldn’t last. He helped me to my feet.
“You can try,” he suggested, and I nodded my head. Maybe just the change of scenery would ease some of my stress.
Blake gave Cade and Scarlett a nod as he led me from the meeting room. It was evening already and the moon shone brightly in the dark sky.
Once inside my room, I shared a shower with Blake and then we climbed into bed. I lay with my head on his chest. The quiet around me was only broken by the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear. I squeezed him tight for a moment. I was so glad that I had him and it was at times like this that I appreciated that we’d found each other and we’d made it through all the deception. He was safe in my arms and that was more than some people had.
A couple of hours later I was still wide awake and staring at the ceiling. Blake was sleeping peacefully beside me and I was glad one of us was getting some sleep.
Crystal has checked in. The message came through the mind-link from one of the guards at the gates.
I shot up in the bed, feeling relieved.
“What’s wrong?” Blake asked, sitting up still half asleep.
“Crystal has checked in,” I told him as I got out of bed and started to get dressed.
“Where are you going?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.
“I need to talk to the guards and I want to tell Kyle,” I explained. Even though it was too early for most people to be awake, I knew that, like me, Kyle wouldn’t be sleeping.
“Wait and I’ll come with you,” Blake said as he got out of the bed.
“I can do this,” I stated. As much as I loved the fact that he constantly worried about me and wanted to be at my side all the time, I was an Alpha and I could handle this on my own.
He studied me for a moment as I shoved my feet into my shoes.
“Okay,” he said. Somehow he understood.
I pressed my lips to his cheek and he watched me leave.
I rushed out of the room and to the gates. For the first time, I felt hopeful that things were going to work out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Keri
What did she say?I asked the guard. I needed every detail.
She said she was inside the rogue pack. She would send us any information she can get as soon as she can.
I let out the breath I’d been holding. We weren’t in the clear yet but I felt a little relieved.
Briskly, I walked to the cells, needing to tell Kyle the good news. The guard led the way to his cell and he opened the door for me. Kyle lay on the bed with his arm flung over his eyes. To a human they would just assume he was sleeping, but his slightly raised heartbeat at the sound of my entrance told me he was awake and aware I was in the room with him.
“What?” he asked gruffly as he sat up and glared at me with so much hatred it was hard not to take a step back.
