“The rest of us, not of the Colorado pack, will head back to the sprite stronghold,” Fane ordered. “If the fae would be so kind, we would like to see our son and get some rest.”
“Always happy to help,” Dain stood.
“Thank you.” Jacque smiled.
“I’ll contact Decebel and find out how things are going with Maxim’s pack,” Fane continued. “Let’s plan to meet back here.” He glanced at Dillon.
The alpha nodded. “Works for us.”
“Peri,” Lilly spoke up, “when you’re done, would you mind taking me and mine back home?”
“I got you, Queenie,” Peri said as she headed for the stairs. She kept going, knowing the others would work out the travel issues with Dain, Disir, and Elle.
Peri walked up the stairs, and the voices in the living room faded to a murmur. As she ambled down the corridor toward Jewel and Dalton’s room, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. Cain was dead. Peri hadn’t even had time to process that nugget of gold. But he’d left his mark on this world when he created the hybrids. So in a way, he was still haunting them. Damn vampire. Peri’s shoulders dropped as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her. Her body had been running on adrenaline and was now running out.
“You’re so tired you didn’t even hear me following you.” Lucian’s voice came from right behind her.
“I knew you were there.”
“Liar.”
He knew her too well. Also, he had access to her thoughts, and she was too tired to even try to block him. “You will do the spell, assist Lilly, and then we’re heading to our home, where you will go straight to bed.”
“Bossy,” she grumbled.
“Or maybe you just need to be told to stop so you don’t make yourself vulnerable to the enemy by being so worn out you could do little more than an untrained child.”
“Obnoxiously correct.” Peri stopped in front of the couple’s door and placed a hand on it. She spoke in the tongue of her race, and instead of binding Jewel’s body, she warded the room so the healer would be locked inside. Peri wanted to keep the girl safe, not keep her from attending to her personal needs. When it was done, Lucian took her hand, and they walked back down to the living room together.
Dalton stood in the empty living room once everyone had gone. He felt frozen, as if his feet were held in place by concrete blocks. His wolf was howling to get to their mate, but the stupid, stubborn male with his hurt feelings and crushed pride still fought the desire to give in. He pictured her beautiful face with tears running down as he told her he was leaving. The bond slipped for a second, and he’d felt her crushed spirit. He’d nearly dropped his bag and wrapped her in his arms. But then she’d snapped it closed again, and he was left alone in his own mind.
“You will get through this.” Dillon came up beside him. “I’ve known you a long time, and you’ve been through hell, yet you’re still standing.”
“Barely.” Dalton’s voice was rough with emotion.
“Even if you couldn’t stand on your own, we would hold you up.” Dillon placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a tightsqueeze. Dalton felt the alpha’s power flow into him, the comfort that came from a leader who genuinely cared for those who belonged to him. “We love you and Jewel. Whatever it takes, we will be with you every step of the way. I promise you there is a light at the other end of the tunnel.”
Dalton swallowed around the knot in his throat. “Thank you. I’ve always appreciated and respected you. I will continue to without exception.”
“Go to her,” Dillon encouraged. “Don’t push too hard, just be there for her. Whatever is going on, it’s obviously devastating to her.” His alpha gave a final squeeze and then left him.
Dalton made his way up the stairs, which seemed to be growing in number as he climbed. It felt like an eternity had passed before he finally stood before their door. He could feel magic flowing around it—Peri’s magic. He tried the doorknob and wasn’t surprised to find it locked. His beast urged him to kick the damn door in; it stood between them and their mate, but the man wouldn’t react so uncontrollably.
Dalton leaned forward and pressed his forehead to the wood, closing his eyes. “Jewel,” he called, loud enough for her to hear him through the barrier. “Please talk to me.” He waited, hoping she would unlock the door, but there was just silence on the other end. Maybe she was asleep? Peri had said she looked exhausted. Then again, maybe she felt like him—lost and empty, unable to sleep because of the separation between them. Perhaps she lay in bed, curled up in a ball, wishing, like him, that he would hold her. “If you’re listening, I want you to know that I’m sorry.” He rolled his head back and forth on the door, clenching his teeth tightly to keep his emotions under control.
“I’m sorry I left the way I did. I was hurt and angry, and I let those emotions fuel my actions. I’ll admit, part of me wanted you to hurt the way I was hurting. I’m ashamed to say that, but there it is.” His hands came up, pressing on either side of hishead, his fingers spread wide. His muscles bunched, ready to shove the offending door out of the way, but he stopped himself. Dillon had said to be gentle. “Little Dove.” He choked on the words. Moisture gathered in his eyes, and he found that he didn’t care if he cried. Man or not, he hurt just like everyone else. He turned and slid down the door until the floor stopped him. If she wouldn’t let him in, he’d sit there and wait until she had no choice but to answer the door.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he told her, his head pressed back against the wood. “I won’t make the same mistake twice. You need me. I know you do, just as much as I need you. We’re going to work this out because there’s no other outcome for us but to be together. I love you, Jewel Black. And I know you love me.” He pulled in a deep breath and resigned himself to a long night of sitting in the hall on the hard floor. It was a minor discomfort to endure for his female.
He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt the bond loosen, but only enough to hear her voice. “I love you, Dalton. Never doubt that.” Then she was gone.
He slammed his head back against the door as emotions swamped him. His skin burned for her touch. His heart beat painfully in his chest as if there wasn’t enough oxygen to make the organ work correctly. He was empty and utterly alone.
Fourteen
“Every now and then I wonder what life is like for those who graduated from Coldspring high and went on to college or whatever it was they had planned. Classes, books, making new friends. Looking back at high school, thinking how everything that had seemed like a big deal during that time really wasn’t. It was a drop in the ocean. Would I trade the hard, dangerous life that I live for that one? Nope. At least in this life I get to behead things. Oh, and of course I got Dec and the little hellion. Way better than college and all that other stuff.” ~ Jen
“Fane texted while we were sleeping,”Decebel said as they gathered in the main room of Maxim’s house. “There’s a nine-hour time difference and we’re ahead,” he continued. “Which means they’re most likely asleep now. He wanted us to know that all their missions are complete.”
