20 - ra


    "We''ll run another round in two hours. Get some rest." I called out to the five warriors standing before me. Their groans echoed my own exhaustion, and I could sense their frustration simmering beneath the surface. Yet, I remained unmoved. My mothery trapped in aa, and the weight of that reality pressed heavily on my heart. The healers had been forced to sedate her because every time she opened her eyes, she was lost in a torment of madness-screaming, thrashing wildly, wing at her hair with frantic hands. Her eyes, wild and vacant, saw nothing of the present world. Whatever horrors her mind conjured transformed my gentle, loving mother into a fierce, uncontroble storm of violence and despair.


    My father was a shattered man, barely holding himself together. I had now taken on all of his duties, the burden of responsibility settling squarely on my shoulders. He couldn''t leave her side-not even for a moment. His distracted state made him a danger to himself and others. I turned away, hoping to steal a few moments of rest myself, but first, I needed to check on him.


    Jax, Dev, and I had been rotating the tasks of bringing him food and fresh clothes each day. The first time I tried to step away for a quick shower in the healers'' locker room, he fought me fiercely, unwilling to leave her even for five minutes. Eventually, I managed to move them to a maternity room equipped with a full bathroom and other necessities, so he could care for her morefortably. Now, we lock the door firmly, barring anyone from entering unless he''s present. He''s taking no chances with his mate''s fragile state.


    My wolf senses agreed, but they kept sending me images of Ben—his face shing in my mind like a silent plea for me to reach out. He had only been gone for two days, yet this time, her reaction to his absence was far more intense than before. Ben had his own pack to tend to, his own Luna who might be facing threats of her own. His Alpha, too, could be under pressure. Neither of us had the luxury to be distracted by the bonds of mates right now.


    When I finally returned to the pack house, Mnie, one of the omegas, was waiting for me at the door. She held two bags in her hands, her expression unreadable yet urgent.


    "Mnie, thank you for putting this together," I said, reaching out to take the bags. But I should have known better.


    "No way, Alpha ra,” she said firmly. “Go upstairs and take care of yourself first. Dinner''s already on the table. Or, if you prefer, you can use your dad''s office to freshen up. I''ll bring clothes and food to you there. But under no circumstances am I letting you wander around like a worn-out zombie while you''re trying to look after everyone else. I''ve already sent the other boys to do the same."


    "What about Richard, Sebastian, and Jeff? Are you making them eat and shower too?” I snapped, not meaning to be rude. Mnie had been incredibly helpful these past few days, but fatigue was gnawing at my patience and manners alike.


    "Yes, I have," she replied without hesitation. "Not to the extent you and your friends have pushed yourselves, but they know better than to run themselves into the ground. You''re good to no one if you''re exhausted and distracted. In fact, you be a liability—and I''m pretty sure that''s exactly what someone is counting on. Your father is locked away with your mother, so he''s out of the picture for now. His team is split between guarding them and watching over you. And you''ve been thrust into a role you only just started preparing for. Someone wants you to fail, and I refuse to let that happen. So, get yourself to that office. I''ll bring you food and clothes. You can even nap on the couch if you don''t want to make it all the way to your room, but you will rest."


    Her voice held the same firm kindness that my mother used to have. A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips, and I saw her return it. "Go. Trouble will still be here when you wake up."


    I nodded silently and headed toward my father''s office-my office now, I supposed. Out of habit, I scanned the room for any hidden devices or bugs. Paranoia was creeping in, but since Ben uncovered the motherload of surveince a few months ago, I''d found two more. So much had happened since the Silver Crescent guys first came to visit.


    As I showered, changed, and ate on autopilot, my mind drifted to Ben''s deep chocte brown eyes. He was so serious most of the time, his thick brows furrowed as he concentrated on whatever task was in front of him. I imagined the feel of his closely cropped hair beneath my fingers, and the spicy scent that clung to him—the perfect blend of heat and raw masculinity that soothed me like nothing else.


    This solitude was the only time my wolf and I allowed ourselves to dwell on our mate. He was the calm in the storm, the one who could ease us into rest despite the chaos surrounding us. No one else knew about these stolen moments of thought. Some had guessed Ben was my mate, but I never confirmed or denied it. I simply changed the subject and moved on. With my parents in no state to contradict me, and Jax and Dev understanding why neither of us was ready to im the other, I didn''t want to face questions about why I let hime and go without sealing the bond, or why he hadn''t imed me yet. There was too much at stake right now to fuel the rumor mills.