by A. D. Ryan
Nick was by my side in a flash, rubbing my back. Rinsing the sink, my body trembled as the nausea ebbed, and I struggled to push myself upright, my energy depleted. Nick wrapped an arm around my waist and used the other to take me by the hand and lead me toward the stool while I wiped my mouth on a hand towel.
“Are you okay?” He knelt before me, resting his hands on my knees.
I shook my head and then nodded. “Yeah,” I replied, my voice hoarse. “Just embarrassed. I should have expected a reaction like that after not having eaten more than a few bites for so long and then gorging myself so carelessly.” I held my hands to my cheeks to hide the blush that had crept into them. “I’m just sorry you had to see that.”
Nick chuckled. “Brooke, I’ve seen far worse things…” Another light laugh. “Hell, I’ve been guilty of worse when I drink too much.” His expression turned serious. “You’ve just been through hell. Your body is stressed and likely in shock still. You’ve denied yourself food in order to escape, so you’ve distressed your body further by eating so quickly. Add to that, your worry for a fellow packmate. It’s no wonder you got sick.”
Everything he said made sense, so I nodded in agreement. “Yeah. You’re absolutely right.”
Patting the sides of my thighs, Nick stood and cleaned off the counter. After wiping it down, he held his hand out for me. “Come on. You’re exhausted. Let’s get you to bed so you can catch up on sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day. The entire Pack is going to be at breakfast, and you’re a hero.”
Nausea bubbled in my stomach again, but I managed to keep myself from giving in to it.
I followed Nick happily, through the kitchen, dining room, and then up the stairs. “Sleep sounds really good right now, actually.”
Nick pulled the comforter back on my side of the bed and waited for me to lie down before covering me up and joining me. I sighed in contentment when Nick rolled over and wrapped his arm around me, holding me close. Inhaling shakily as my happiness overwhelmed me, I turned in his arms and buried my face into his neck, breathing him in greedily.
Being back here with him, wrapped in his arms, still felt a little surreal after everything I’d been through. Yet, here I was. I still had a long way to go, and nothing could ease my suffering more than avenging what had been done to Cordelia and me, but this was a start. Being with Nick again gave me a renewed sense of strength and the confidence I would need to succeed.
Nick’s fingers moved through the length of my hair and down my spine lightly, relaxing me until I yawned and let my body melt against his. Soon, my eyes closed, and Nick kissed me lightly.
“Sleep well,” he whispered. “I love you.”
I hummed, trying to get closer before realizing it was impossible without going through him. “I love you, too,” I murmured. “Never let me go.”
Nick’s laugh vibrated through him and into me. “Never,” he promised. “If it’s the last thing I do.”
Safely tucked into Nick’s embrace, I finally allowed myself to succumb to sleep. I knew it wouldn’t be peaceful, but if there was one thing I had learned over the last couple months, it was that Nick had this way of keeping me grounded through anything.
I woke with a start, my brain still so fogged with sleep I had trouble registering where I was at as I flung myself against the wall. Breathing heavily, heart pounding painfully, my eyes darted around the room, taking it all in. Two dressers. Closet. Bathroom. Fireplace. Bed.
I was in the manor. The darkness I’d just pulled myself from was only a dream.
As I took several deep breaths to calm down, Nick sat up, eyes wide with concern. “Brooke? What’s wrong?”
Clenching my eyes, I ran my fingers through my hair and walked back toward the bed and climbed in. “Nothing. Bad dream.” My adrenaline was running so high, I doubted I would be able to relax, so I sat with my back against the wooden headboard and brought my knees to my chest.
Nick pushed himself up and sidled up next to me. “You’re sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
“I’ve already told you the worst of it,” I reminded him. “It’s just living with the memory of that place that’s going to take some time to get over. It was so dark and disorienting in the cells. That coupled with the abuse and sexual advances…”
Nick balked before pulling away from the headboard and facing me. “Excuse me?”
“Nothing happened,” I assured him. “Bobby killed the one who attempted anything.”
“He did?”
I nodded, looking down at my fingers as I fidgeted. “Yeah, but I got the impression it was because he…” I shuddered, unable to even finish telling him. “God, he’s repulsive. You were right. He’s nothing like the Bobby I remember.”
Reaching out, Nick grabbed my calves and draped my legs over his. “I know it’s not what you wanted to believe,” he told me, kissing my bare shoulder and running his hand up and down my back.
I leaned into Nick, resting my head on his shoulder. “Do you think he can do it?” I asked, earning a confused hum from Nick. “Merge the bloodlines? I mean, let’s say, hypothetically, that it’s possible, and he’s able to turn me or himself into one of these hybrids—”
“He won’t turn you into one,” Nick interrupted. “He won’t even get the chance to get near you again.”
“Let’s say he can,” I repeated. “What then? He said that Gianna had figured out the key to success was that we shared DNA. It’s not like we could turn any more of his team, and we most certainly wouldn’t be able to turn the Pack.”
Nick contemplated my query for a moment, the silence indicating that he was seriously considering my questions. When he exhaled a big breath and straightened his posture a little more, I looked up at him.
“Maybe—and I think we need to be up-front with Marcus about all of this hybrid talk—but maybe if a hybrid bites someone who has yet to be turned—”
“You mean a human?”
Nick nodded. “Maybe that’s how he plans to create this new army.
“And his current lackeys?”
“Mean nothing to him. They’ve always been expendable to the coven. Bobby and Gianna often used them as diversions so they could escape, knowing we’d be too preoccupied with destroying them.”
It made sense, and I thought Nick’s theory might actually hold up. While I wasn’t excited about Bobby’s plans, I was looking forward to taking it to Marcus in an effort to develop a plan to take the coven down before they could succeed. Vampires running around at night was dangerous enough. Imagine not having the restriction of the sun?
“Come on,” Nick said, slipping his legs out from under me and hopping off the bed. “Let’s get ready and head downstairs. If they haven’t started breakfast yet, we can and then we can go and talk to Marcus together.”
I made the bed quickly before joining Nick in the washroom. While I brushed my hair, I glanced at the reflection in the mirror and noticed the shower wall directly behind me. The memory of the day before brought a smile to my face, and the cracked tile wall made me laugh.
Nick turned around, obviously knowing what had caught my attention. “Guess we got a little carried away yesterday.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve broken something together,” I reminded him coyly. “It’s just been a while.”
Nick held my eyes through our reflection in the mirror before reaching over and grabbing me around the waist. He pulled me to him, pressing my chest against his body as he cradled my jaw with his free hand. “Let’s make a promise to not wait as long next time.”
I laughed as Nick leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. “Whatever you say,” I murmured when he pulled back. “Now, come on. Let’s head downstairs.”
Nobody was in the kitchen when Nick and I arrived, so we pulled out all the ingredients to make breakfast. Nick handled the pancakes and waffles while I cooked the eggs and bacon, and by the time we were placing it all on the island counter, Colby entered the kitchen, looking exh
austed.
“Hey,” I greeted her with a big smile. “Didn’t sleep well?”
Colby yawned, pulling out a stool and sitting down, resting her chin in her hands. “Not really. Mom put Cordy in my room, hoping that being with someone might help her feel safe.” Another yawn. “But she hardly slept.”
Concern filled me, and I stayed at the island while Nick checked on the eggs. “Did she have nightmares?” Considering I’d had one, it only made sense that Cordelia would after being held captive for far longer.
Shrugging, Colby looked at me. “I don’t think so. I didn’t notice anything, anyway. She just…didn’t sleep. She sat on her bed and stared out the window. Paced the room. Talked under her breath to herself.”
“Well that…doesn’t sound good,” I replied. “Maybe I should talk to her.”
Nick set the eggs down between Colby and me. “Give her time, you two. She’s been gone for years. This has to be an adjustment to her. She could be struggling with PTSD.”
Of course Nick was right. We needed to give Cordelia time to readjust to Pack life. But we also had to help her acclimate to her life here again. This was her home, and we needed to address her problems in a sensitive way.
Before I could suggest this to Nick and Colby, Miranda and Marcus came in, Cordelia following behind them. She had a huge smile on her face, and there was nothing that screamed she was exhausted from not sleeping. She looked perfectly well-rested. Was she just used to not sleeping?
“Good morning!” Miranda greeted, looking around at all the food as she approached Colby and kissed her on the cheek. “You guys didn’t have to do all this.”
I smiled brightly. “Nonsense. You take care of us all, let us treat you to a morning off,” I told her.
Marcus rounded the island and grabbed a couple of coffee mugs, filling them up.
“Dad, can I get a cup?” Colby asked through another yawn.
Marcus’s brow furrowed with worry as he poured Colby a cup of coffee. “Rough sleep, honey?”
Colby forced a smile, sitting up straight and trying to look alert. “It was fine. I think I was still just…I don’t know, tired from so many days of shifting in a row. It took a lot out of me.” Colby looked at me, silently pleading with me to keep her secret. She could see how happy her parents were to have her sister back, and she didn’t want them to think she felt burdened.
Vince and Layla entered the kitchen next, giving Colby the out she needed, and the conversation quickly shifted to Cordelia. The poor girl tried to act okay with so many people, but I could see the stress in her eyes. She was overwhelmed. She’d been kept in a cage by herself for so many years, that this many people at once was a shock to her system. She handled it all in stride, but I watched her to make sure she didn’t have a breakdown. I knew all too well what that was like from my early days here.
The front door closed, and soon Corbin and Zach joined us, grabbing a couple slices of bacon as they sat on either side of Colby. “Perimeter is still clear, Dad,” Corbin announced.
“They’re probably still regrouping,” Marcus said. “We’ll discuss a plan after breakfast.” He cast a glance at Cordelia and ran a hand over her head. “Privately.”
“It’s okay, Daddy,” she said. “You can talk about it in front of me. Maybe I could help.”
Marcus shook his head. “Absolutely not, peanut. Maybe when you’re older.”
I knew what it was like to be shut out of the big boys’ plans, but I sided with Marcus on his decision. She was still too fragile; possibly unpredictable.
“Brooke?” My eyes snapped to Marcus. “You’ll join us in the library after breakfast?”
I tried to keep the smile off my face for Cordelia’s sake; I could see the hurt in her eyes. “Sure. If you think that’s best,” I replied, hoping Cordelia might see it as submission to my Alpha instead of wanting to be included in the investigation.
When Roxanne entered the kitchen, Marcus gave the order to eat, making me pause. Questioning him wasn’t something anyone did, but I felt the need to in this one instance.
“We’re not waiting for Jax?” I asked, watching Corbin and Zach grab plates to fill.
Marcus looked at me, then to Nick. “He’s not back yet.”
I inhaled deeply. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe him, but I wanted to prove him wrong. I wanted to prove to him that Jackson had returned in the middle of the night while we were all sleeping. He wasn’t still out there. He’d had plenty of time to return home.
All I caught were days-old traces of him in the air. Excusing myself, I raced up the stairs and down the hall to the right. I threw his door open, realizing this was actually the first time I’d seen his room. It was a mirror image to Nick’s room, though the décor was more modern and sleek. His bed was made with crisp black blankets, not a wrinkle in the comforter, and his scent was fading because he hadn’t been here in days.
Even though Nick had tried to tell me that Jackson was fine, something in the pit of my stomach told me otherwise.
Chapter15 | informed
Marcus tried to assure me that all was fine. Like Nick, he explained that this wasn’t unlike Jackson, but nothing he could say would help me feel better. Until he told me we’d head out and look for him that afternoon—as soon as we came up with a plan of attack. This helped a little.
Still, I picked at my breakfast. Even though I was famished, I pushed my food around my plate, taking a bite here or a bite there, but my thoughts were never very far from Jackson and the trouble he might be in. Why wasn’t anyone else worried? Was I just overreacting because of what I’d been through? Maybe what I’d been through made me more attuned to the possibilities that no one else could see.
Regardless, Marcus was right; even if Jackson was in trouble, we couldn’t rush the compound without a plan. We would have to be prepared to deal with Bobby and his army or we wouldn’t walk away from it.
“You’re not eating,” Miranda pointed out, resting a hand on my forearm.
Smiling, I set my fork down and shrugged. “There’s still a lot going through my mind, I guess. Hard to focus on any one thing.”
“Yes, of course,” she acknowledged. “You should try to eat a little more, though. You’ll need to keep your strength up.”
Naturally, she was right, so I picked my fork up and forced myself to eat. I’d only gotten three bites of my eggs down before the queasy feeling from last night returned, and I excused myself.
A fever warmed my skin as I left the kitchen, and my saliva thinned in my mouth while bile churned in my stomach. Picking up speed, I raced around the corner to the half-bath on the main floor, dropping to my knees on the tile floor and hugging the porcelain bowl of the toilet as I heaved what little I ate into it.
There was a light knock on the door before the hinges creaked. I glanced up to see Nick poke his head through the opening, worry etched into the deep lines of his forehead. “Babe, you okay?”
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and let my eyes fall closed as I nodded. “Yeah. I think I’m still feeling the effects of my late-night binge,” I assumed. “I’ll be okay.” Pushing myself to my feet, I walked to the sink and turned the cold water on. I splashed my face, shocking my system slightly, and then I used the mouthwash under the sink to rinse the foul taste from my tongue.
Feeling a little light-headed, I walked toward Nick and laid a hand on his chest. “I’m fine, Nick. Just a little worn down.”
This didn’t seem to assuage his fears as he pushed my hair from my sweaty brow. “You don’t look fine, baby.”
I smiled and patted his cheek. “Always a charmer,” I teased. “Come on. We should go and finish breakfast as a family and then have our sit-down with Marcus.”
Reluctant at first, Nick followed. All eyes were on us as we returned to the kitchen, and Miranda’s worried expression wasn’t missed. I offered her a smile, hoping to ease her mind, but she continued to watch me with interest.
Because I was no longer ver
y hungry, I decided to start tidying before Miranda interrupted me.
“Why don’t you sit down? You worked hard to make this meal for us all. Take a breather.” Her smile was wide, eyes bright, and while it wasn’t unusual for her to offer to help, something in her eyes felt…off. I couldn’t place it, but I accepted her offer, knowing she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She so seldom did.
I sat with Nick at the table while Miranda enlisted Layla, Roxanne, and Colby to help her clean up. Eager to fit in, Cordelia hopped up from her place at the table and ran to her mother’s side. Happy to include her long-lost child, Miranda gave Cordelia a list of things to do. I watched on, smiling before a hand fell to my shoulder.
“Ready?” Nick inquired when I looked up to find him standing over me.
I glanced around the table to find Marcus, Vince, Zach, and Corbin standing up and clearing their plates. “Yup. Let’s do this.”
“Join us when you’re done,” Marcus said, stopping at the kitchen island where Miranda was cleaning up.
Miranda nodded. “All of us?” She glanced carefully over her shoulder to Cordelia, whose back was to us as she dried the dishes Colby was washing.
Marcus contemplated this for a moment, seeming hesitant. “Send the others. I’ll fill you in privately after.” Miranda gave him a curt nod as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Nick and I followed Marcus and the others toward the library. Vince leaned against the window frame while Marcus sat at the head of the long table. Feeling a little nervous that I was about to take the floor and tell everyone of my experience, I paced the room. Nick sat on the stairs, resting his forearms on his knees, while Zach and Corbin sat at the table as well.
The room remained silent, my anticipation building. I felt the nausea return as my heart raced and my palms sweat. It was upon my third pass that Nick reached up with his right hand and grabbed mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. He nodded, silently offering me a seat, but I couldn’t sit; I was far too anxious about having to relay every detail of my time in the compound.