"But what's the end game then?" Remy's eyes narrowed in thought.
"Maybe his dad put him up to it because of what happened with your parents?"
"That was years ago. It doesn't make sense." He wasn't convinced, doubt evident on his face.
"Norwood and Blackwater have been at odds for years," Elias reminded us. "If Trace can unseat you in the pack, it may cause enough of a disruption prior to the Summit to give Norwood the foothold it needs in the Council to push through their agenda regarding the arranged matings."
"The one where Alphas would set up all mate pairs, right?" I asked.
Elias nodded. "It would explain why Trace is antagonizing you specifically. We both know that Blackwater is held in high esteem with the Council. Smearing the reputation of your pack may help them with their proposal."
"It's working," Remy admitted darkly. "If he goes after another member of my pack, I don't know if I’ll stop myself from putting him out of commission for good.”
My heart thumped hard in my chest while my blood ran cold at the idea of Remy losing it and being taken away.
"You can't let him win," I replied. "We close ranks - no one goes anywhere alone. When we're out as a pack, we stay together."
"It might not be enough," Remy replied with a frown, his dark brows drawn together. "And if he tries anything else with you..."
"From what I've seen, your mate can hold her own," Elias remarked casually.
I gave him an incredulous look. "Trace beat me today. If Remy hadn't shown up when he did-"
"One moment in one fight. On your first day, all I heard about was the new girl who stared down the Norwood alpha. If he wanted to come for you, he would have. He likely only turned his attack on you today because he felt he had to." Elias shook his head. "His wolf knows yours could easily challenge his."
Now I laughed. "A female Alpha? Right."
"Why not?" Elias asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Because females can't be Alphas," I said slowly.
His hand settled on the book that was always near him. The leather bound book with the wolf and the star on the cover. "That was not how it always was, my dear girl."
"Females used to be Alphas?" Even Remy wasn't convinced.
"Females were revered," Elias told us with a smile. "They were worshiped. They led packs, cultivated the population. The role of the male was to protect the female and over time, that evolved into males controlling females."
Elias looked at me. "You remember the story I told you when you first came to see me? About Namina and the Romani?"
The fairy tale? That's what he was talking about?
I nodded slowly.
"Namina was the first Alpha of the first pack, but as the years continued, the packs became more male dominated. As is true with most cultures, not just shifters, the males let themselves be ruled by fear. Instead of elevating females, they sheltered them. And when that didn't fix things, they controlled them. But if you look at the bylaws, the wording states any shifter may challenge an Alpha. There is no distinction on the sex of the challenger."
"So, you're saying I should challenge Trace?"
Remy sucked in a sharp breath, already opening his mouth to shut that idea down.
Elias chuckled. "Not at all. I'm simply saying, females have more power than they know. More than many of us know. One day, I pray the shifter world realizes the truth."
Dinner was over and the main building cleared of people when we left Elias' office. Remy took my hand in his, leading us down the path to the cabin.
"My dorm is that way," I said, pointing down another path.
He was strangely quiet. "I know," he said after a minute. "Can you just stay with me tonight? So I know you're safe? Please?"
I was only teasing when I mentioned where my room was; I was already planning on staying at the cabin again. It was the 'please' that fractured a tiny piece of my heart.
He wasn't just worried, he was scared.
First Larkin had been hurt on his watch. Then Katy had been hurt. And finally, I had been hurt.
Remy needed to have eyes on at least one of us tonight to make sure we were safe.
I leaned my head against his shoulder. "I'm not leaving you. But can we swing by my dorm so I can grab some clothes and stuff to take a shower?"
He nodded, guiding me down the other path. After a minute of walking we reached the dorm and I led him up to my room. I opened the door and Larkin was sitting on her bed, her phone in her lap.
She waved the phone at us. "Rhodes keeps checking in. He's really paranoid."
"Skye is coming back to the cabin with me. Why don't you come, too?" Remy suggested, shoving his hands into his pockets as I grabbed an overnight bag from the bottom of my closet. "That way you're not here alone."
I glanced at Larkin, giving her an imploring look. I just needed her to humor Remy right now. He needed to know we were all safe.
Larkin nodded and got off the bed, starting to pack her own things.
Remy sank down on the edge of my bed, dropping his chin to his chest and letting out a long breath.
I finished throwing some toiletries into my bag on top of my clothes and zipped it shut, dropping the bag by the door and walking over to him. I rested my forearms loosely on his shoulders, looking down at him.
"We're going to be fine," I said softly, wishing like hell I could take some of the burden from him.
He nodded slowly before wrapping his arms around me, pulling me between his legs and resting his head on my chest.
"I know," he mumbled, his voice a deep rumble I felt in my bones.
Larkin zipped her bag, giving me a small smile. "Ready."
Remy gave my waist a quick squeeze and stood up, grabbing both of our bags and shouldering them before we could pick them up. We didn't speak as we left the dorms, heading across campus, and to the cabin.
The paths had been cleared of snow, and no one else seemed to be out. The heavy blanket of snow added another layer of silence to the air. Everything was still and quiet, the only sounds were our boots crunching through the snow.
Remy opened the door to the cabin and Rhodes shot off the couch. No one could miss the relieved expression on his face when Larkin came in with us.
"The girls are staying here tonight," Remy said unnecessarily. He glanced at Larkin. "Come on. I'll show you to your room."
We were all quiet heading up the stairs. Even Rhodes was somber, coming up last.
Remy moved down the hall, opening the guest room door with the queen bed. I saw him hesitate, his eyes flickering to me.
I took the decision out of his hands.
"Your room, Larkin." I waved a hand at the next door down. "I’ll be with Remy if you need me.”
Thankfully, my best friend didn’t question me. She just gave me a supportive smile and nodded.
Remy gave me a small smile as he handed Larkin her bag.
"Do you need anything?" Rhodes asked her.
Larkin started to shake her head, but then paused, seeing the lost look in his eyes. He wanted to feel helpful in some way.
"Let me get changed and then we can watch a movie?" she offered.
Rhodes nodded, a smile brightening his face. "I'll go make some popcorn and meet you down there. You two in?" He looked at Remy and me.
"You can," I told Remy. "I'm tired. I just want to sleep."
"We're good," Remy told his best friend, his eyes never leaving mine. We went into Remy's room where he closed the door, setting my bag on the chair by the window.
I sighed, toeing off my shoes. "I just want a shower and sleep," I moaned. My body ached from everything that had happened today. From my feet to the roots of my hair, I was exhausted. I opened my bag and started pulling out stuff I needed for my shower.
"Do you need me to do anything?" he asked.
I pulled out my pjs and hesitated, giving him a nervous look. "Actually? I might need your help getting my top off."
He swallowed visibly, givi
ng me a jerky nod. "Sure. Whatever you need."
He followed me into the bathroom, turning on the light. He opened the linen closet door and pulled out a thick towel, setting it next to my clothes on the countertop.
We stared at each other for a moment before I laughed, nervous by the whole situation.
"This is silly, right? I mean, you literally saw me with my shirt off earlier," I stammered, my cheeks heating.
"Exactly." But his cheeks were slightly red, his pupils dilated. Slowly, his hands reached for the hem of my shirt, helping me lift it over my head. He was careful not to touch any part of me while he did it.
I winced as I pulled my shoulder.
"Sorry," he said quickly, dropping my shirt to the floor. He frowned as he looked at the bandages on my shoulder. "Do you want-"
I nodded and he slowly started peeling the stained gauze off of me. I tried to stay still and not hiss when he tugged on part of the gauze that had stuck to my shoulder where the blood had dried. After a second, he tossed the used material into the trash in the corner.
"When you get done, I'll wrap your shoulder again," he said softly. "But it's starting to heal."
I nodded and then grimaced. "Um ... I still need your help."
The clasp of my bra was in the back and I couldn't unhook it with my one hand that Trace had bitten.
"Right," he said softly, his voice rough.
I turned slowly, giving him my back. His fingers traced up the line of my spine and I shivered under his touch, goosebumps breaking out across my flesh. He swept my hair to the side.
His fingers deftly undid the clasp, the straps of my bra falling down to my elbows. I held the cups up with my good hand, feeling his breath warm on the back of my neck.
The pure intimacy of the moment struck me dumb for a second.
I wasn't embarrassed at all, but parts of my body were waking up, prickling with newfound awareness under his gaze.
I jumped as his lips touched the base of my neck, and then I relaxed back into him, letting out a sigh of bliss as his lips feathered across my skin.
"Do you need anything else?" he asked, his voice sounding like he dragged it through gravel for a mile.
It took a second for his words to register. I shook my head, unable to formulate actual words to answer with.
"I'm okay," I said after a second, my words coming out in a breathless rush as I struggled to get air into my lungs.
"Yell if you need me," he said softly, backing out of the room and shutting the door.
Taking a shower mostly one handed wasn't great. It took a lot of maneuvering, and I almost screamed when the water droplets hit my shoulder. I adjusted the spray settings on the massive shower head to a gentler speed. It would take forever to rinse my thick hair, but at least my shoulder didn't hurt as bad.
I managed to clean myself up, shutting off the water and awkwardly wrapping the towel around my body. I dried off as best as I could, patting my shoulder gently to absorb the water. I tugged on my underwear and sleep shorts before wrestling myself into my tank top and quickly brushing my teeth.
I was exhausted and breathing hard by the time I finished.
Remy knocked on the door. "You okay?"
"You can come in," I told him, the door opening before I finished speaking.
His eyes swept over me. "Feel better?"
I nodded, checking out my bare shoulder in the mirror. It was already starting to heal in places, the bruising fading around the edges.
Remy took the first aid kit from under the counter and pulled out the last of the supply of gauze. He worked swiftly and efficiently, wrapping me up securely in less than a minute.
"Good as new," I said, smiling at him in the mirror.
A small smile drifted across his lips. "Almost."
I reached for my hairbrush, tugging it one-handed through my hair.
With a laugh, Remy pulled the brush from my hands and took over the task himself. He gently worked the brush through the knots in my hair. I watched him in the mirror, smiling inwardly at the expression of concentration on his face as he slowly brushed different sections of my hair until it was smooth and wet, the ends dripping against my lower back.
He leaned forward, pressing his nose into my hair and sniffing lightly. "You smell amazing."
I smiled, leaning into his touch. "You ... don't." I wrinkled my nose at him and made a face. It was a lie - he smelled like Remy, incredible and irresistible. But I needed a break from the heaviness of the moment. The simple domesticity of the moment was unnerving me a bit and I needed a second to gather my thoughts.
"Brat," he muttered, pulling away. "I'm going to take a shower."
I scurried out of the bathroom so he could jump in the shower. I closed the door behind me, leaning against the wood and trying not to think about the fact that a very naked, very wet Remy was going to be behind that door in a few seconds.
Licking my lips, I tried to ignore the low pulse starting between my thighs.
I went to the bed, pulling back the covers and sliding into the sheets. Unlike last night when I had accidentally fallen asleep in here, this time it was intentional.
I pressed my nose into the pillow and inhaled deeply. It smelled like pure Remy. The scent wrapped around me, my body melting boneless into the mattress.
I was almost asleep when the door to the bathroom opened. I heard Remy moving around the bedroom and a second later the lights flipped off. I listened to the sound of his feet moving across the floor, getting closer to me.
He slipped into the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight as he laid down beside me.
I started to scoot back towards him as he reached for me at the exact same moment. I settled against his front, feeling the heat of his bare chest pressed to the exposed skin of my back. His arm tightened around my waist and we both sighed deeply, our heart beats finding the same rhythm.
I was asleep in seconds.
35
It was well into the late morning hours when I woke up. My body ached, stiff and sore, as I slowly stretched. My shoulder didn't hurt quite as bad as the day before, and my hand was mostly healed.
But I was glaringly alone in Remy's massive bed.
I sat up, looking around, but he was nowhere to be seen. The bathroom door was open, but the light was off.
Sitting in the middle of the bed, I listened closely. I could hear voices downstairs, too far away to make out tones or words, but definitely multiple people.
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I stood up, getting my bearings before going into the bathroom. After using the toilet, I washed my hands and quickly brushed my teeth and then my hair before inspecting my shoulder.
It throbbed and ached, which was probably to be expected since it was currently four colors of the rainbow. At least my hand was mostly healed.
I headed back into the bedroom, pausing to grab a hoodie Remy had discarded by his dresser. I managed to pull it on and opened the door, heading downstairs.
Larkin and Tate were sitting on barstools at the island chatting quietly, but they were the only ones I could see. As soon as my feet hit the landing, though, the door to the study opened and Remy came out. He quickly closed the door behind himself before meeting me in the middle.
He brushed my hair out my eyes. “You were sleeping so deep, I didn’t want to wake you.”
"No worries," I replied. I smiled when he leaned down and kissed me quickly.
“I have to get back in there,” he told me, jerking his head at the closed door. His brows creased.
"What's going on?" I reached up to smooth away the worry, my fingertips lingering on his skin.
He shook his head, pressing his face into my touch. "Dante showed up this morning. Another shifter went missing. A female from the Brooks Ridge pack."
My eyes went wide. "Seriously? What the hell?"
He shook his head, jaw tight. "I don't know. Dante, Ryder, Rhodes, and I have a conference call with my dad and the Brooks Ridge Alpha i
n a few minutes."
Worry curdled like old milk in my stomach at the thought of him leaving. "Are you going to have to leave?"
"I won't leave," Remy replied. "Not now. My dad will agree - with everything happening with Trace, we can't leave the pack members here unprotected."
"How's Katy?"
"Good. Maren is with her now. I'm going to stop by later to see her. I might have her move in here while she's recovering."
I rolled my eyes. "She'll love that."
Remy made a face. "She'll deal with it."
"Rem," Dante called, sticking his head out the study door. He flashed me a tight smile. "How're you feeling, Skye?"
"Good," I told him. I gently pushed Remy. "Go talk. Fill me in later."
He quickly kissed me. "Make sure you eat something." He turned and went into the study, closing the door.
I walked into the kitchen, smiling gratefully as Larkin got up to pour me a cup of coffee. In the few short weeks I had been at GPA, I had become addicted to caffeine. I took the mug from her, taking a tentative sip and bit back a moan of bliss.
This was perfection in a cup.
"How achy are you on a scale from one to ten?" Tate asked, a frown on her pretty face. Her dark hair was pulled back into a long ponytail and she looked super comfy in a pair of leggings and a soft sweater.
I took another sip. "A solid eight-point-seven."
She laughed behind her mug. "Did you take anything?"
I shook my head and Larkin slid two pills across the counter to me, giving me a pointed look.
"I knew you wouldn't take anything," she muttered wryly.
I swallowed the pills down without question before sliding onto a barstool beside Tate.
"Another missing girl?"
Tate's expression darkened. "Yeah.”
“Did you know her?”
She nodded grimly. “Yeah. Her name is Sage. She’s been with the pack for almost a decade. She came to us after her mate died. She’s quiet, kept to herself mostly. Our pack has about half the numbers of yours, but we’re so isolated in northern Alaska … We all know each other well.”
I reached over and covered her hand with mine. “I’m so sorry.”
Sanctum (Blackwater Pack Book 1) Page 30