Chapter 37
Jade
“How do we know when we can come out?” I asked as Knox stirred bbq beans on the stove.
Knox tapped his temple. “When he tells me that everything is clear.”
“Do we have enough food for us down here?” I rested my forehead against the edge of the table.
Knox sat down across from me. He slid my bowl to me then a spoon. My stomach churned at the smell. There was no way they were not expired. I pushed them back toward him and laid my head back down. “You’re going to need your strength.”
“I will get it from something else, but definitely not the beans.”
“Don’t be stubborn, Jade.” The fun-loving, mischievous Knox was gone. In his place was a war-bred man. His back was straight as he brought the bowl up to his lips and tilted it back. He downed all the contents in very little time. My stomach churned again. I hated this. I continued to push the beans to him and shook my head. He could have the strength for both of us. “It’s the beans or Vienna sausages.”
“Neither one are appetizing.” I folded my arms over my chest. I didn’t want either of them but I knew I would be hungry in the morning.
If it makes you feel better, you can shift and I’ll eat them for you.
Thanks, Nalia, but I think I’ll be hungry enough in the morning.
Knox shook his head. “You are a strong wolf but you must also be a strong woman. You can’t starve yourself if you want to survive.”
“I’ll live off of the hearts of my enemies,” I snickered.
His soldier facade broke at that and he grinned. “I do remember you were horrified by that at one point.”
“Being held and tortured against your will can change a person.”
His face fell. “Sometimes I forget that you went through that.”
I glanced down at my bare arms. The scars were still visible. I didn’t understand how anyone could forget what I went through with those on display. My nod was forced and wooden. He shook his head as if he was reconsidering what he said. “That’s not what I meant.”
I raised my eyebrows. He picked my bowl up between his hands and ate the contents inside of it then wiped his mouth on the back of his arm. “Look, what you went through was terrible. It’s not something I would ever wish on anyone. But when you came out of it all, you bounced back. You bounced back like no one else I have ever met. You could have, and probably should have, wallowed in it. I think everyone expected it. You have rolled with every single punch thrown at you and when I think of you, I don’t see your scars. I see your strength. They aren’t invisible and I know you probably wish they were, but to us, the Guardians, they are trophies. You have survived things that would have killed others. To me, your scars will never define you. Your trauma will never be who you are. It’ll be everything that you’ve overcome.”
My vision blurred over with unshed tears. I tried my best to blink them back but a few managed to escape and roll down my face. “Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say. What was with these men and all of their words of advice? Did they all graduate from the same academy or something? He must have seen it on my face because he stood up, went to the sink, and didn’t say another word.
After all of the dishes were washed, he leaned against the counter. “You need to get some sleep. I don’t think the week is going to get any easier.”
Thankfully, my sleep was blank. There were no dreams or nightmares. Just peaceful deep sleep. When Knox shook my shoulder the next morning, I caught the end of my snore. I blinked in surprise as I sat up. My hair was tangled around my head like a bird’s nest. Knox leaned away from the bed. “We need to get going. I think the coast is clear. I was able to get some of Rafe’s message through our bond.”
On wobbly legs, I followed Knox out of the safe house. When we reached the top, I had a moment of anxiety that we would find someone on the other side. That Damian would be there waiting for us. But he wasn’t the most patient person around. Knox shoved the vaulted door up and my chest constricted as I waited for explosions of magic or anything that would take my head off. But instead, Knox crawled out of the hole then reached his hand down to pull me out. There were still a few rungs for me to climb but I put my hand in his anyway. My body was feeling the effects of not having any food. Though the deep rest the night before had helped tremendously, it wasn’t enough. Knox lifted me up without any issues then placed me away from the couch. My arms immediately wrapped around my knees as I watched him put the vaulted door back into place. He unfolded himself from the floor and reached down to me again.
* * *
Rafe was waiting for us on the edge of the Pack Lands right by my mother’s house. I was still in my clothes from the day before and the last thing I wanted was the look of shame. The walk of shame was bad but the look she would give me would be worse, especially considering, in their eyes, I was dating Rafe and had visited her house with another guy again. Those were questions and accusations I could do without. We got close enough to the house so that Nalia could enhance our senses and hear her moving around. She was humming while she sewed upstairs. Her and those blankets.
As soon as we passed through the extra protective bubble of magic, the door was pulled open and I was yanked from the car. Thankfully Knox was driving. I didn’t know that I had the energy to do so. It was one thing after another lately and even though Knox told me I was taking it all better than anyone else, I didn’t know if I could agree. My body still felt heavy and uncomfortable.
Rafe ran his hands down my face, my neck then grasped my shoulders. His eyes scanned every visible inch of my body before he pulled me into his arms.
Knox saluted us and drove the rest of the way into the property. After what didn’t seem like nearly not long enough, Rafe untangled himself from me and I realized that the Pack Lands weren’t burned to a crisp.
“What happened?” I asked as Rafe wrapped his hand around mine. It didn’t make any sense.
“The fire only burned the flesh. It was sent by a witch acting under Damian, I assume.” He shrugged. “There weren’t any casualties. But a few of the children were burned pretty badly.”
“Witches or wolves?’ I didn’t know why it mattered but I was curious.
“Witches. I don’t know if it was a direct attack against them or us.” He pulled me into his side. “I have been worried sick about you. I wasn’t able to get through to Knox until this morning. Do you need anything?”
My stomach growled in reply. He laughed. “I guess that settles it.”
