Sam nodded. I waited for a quip. But it was a testament to how dire the situation truly was that none came.
“On it,” he said instead. He gestured toward Oz and Danson, silently tasking them to join the job. They nodded and followed him out of the room.
“Everyone else, get ready,” I said. “We have to be ready to move.”
***
It was late when I finally trudged into the house. Emma and Grace sat on the rug, playing with Grace’s dolls. Emma had a beatific smile that seemed almost to shine. She really was stunning. And I loved watching her play with her daughter. You could see their bond as Emma made funny voices for the dolls, taking Grace’s guidance so the kid could guide the narrative. It looked like they might be having a tea party.
“Hey,” Emma said, smiling up at me as I came in.
“Hi.”
I had debated how to talk to her about the wraith and the evacuation plan. She needed to know, but at the same time, the idea of making her worry or panic set my wolf growling. He wanted to protect her, to handle it without unsettling his mate. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to be an option this time.
It was better just to rip the Band-Aid off.
“We need to talk,” I said.
Emma froze, disquiet radiating off her as she gave me an uneasy look. I could have killed the sand wraith just for putting that expression on her face.
“About what?” she asked. When I glanced over at Grace, Emma turned back to her daughter. “Grace, why don’t you go upstairs? I’ll even bring you some ice cream as a special treat.”
“Really?” Grace perked up, eyes burning with excitement. “You never let me eat in my room.”
“Well, sometimes the rules can be bent a bit,” Emma retorted. “But only if you run up there right now. I’ll bring you some in a bit.”
I had never seen a kid run so fast. Emma watched, biting her lower lip as she stared after Grace, then tilted her head, as if keeping an ear pricked as she listened for the door to close upstairs. The second the sound reverberated through the house, she turned to look at me, her face taut with dread.
“What is it?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her stomach.
“The sand wraith is coming,” I said. “We only have a few days to prepare.”
Her face paled, but that was the only indication she gave that the words had frightened her. Despite her ashen color, her features remained composed, her eyes hard and determined. She sucked in a deep breath as her shoulders went stiff, not in fear, but in preparation.
“Right,” she said, giving a short, curt nod. “Well, we knew it was going to happen, though I wish we had a bit more time.”
I tilted my head, momentarily surprised. She was handling it better than a lot of people I knew. Hell, better than some of my own men. It was little things like this that remindedme just how strong she was. A surge of gratitude toward the Oracle—or the universe, or whatever had decided Emma was my luna—flared through me.
“That more or less sums up my own thoughts on the matter,” I said.
“What’s the plan?” she asked, cutting to the chase. Just another reason to like her.
I gave her a brief rundown. She listened intently, eyes glancing down but narrowed in concentration as she focused on my words, her fingers tapping against her folded arms.
“Makes sense. What do we do with Grace?” she asked.
“I’ve thought about that,” I said. “She’s met Rachel a couple of times. They seem to get along. I’m going to send Rachel out of town, probably leading one of the groups. I think if we send Grace along with her, that might be the best option. Assuming you trust Rachel with her.”
“Of course.” Relief washed over her face as she let out a deep breath. “That’s perfect.”
“I’ll let Rachel know.” I gave a reassuring grin. “I think she’ll be happy. She likes playing aunt.”
“She’s good at it,” Emma said, a fond smile spreading across her face before her expression sobered again. “What about me?” she asked. “You’re going to need my help. If you think that I’m leaving my pack to that wraith, you’ve got another thing coming.”
I knew that, and it grated on me. The thought of Emma deliberately putting herself in danger set my teeth on edge. If I had it my way, she’d be locked behind a two-foot steel door until all of this had settled. But we didn’t have that luxury, so I had to come up with something else.
“I know you have to stay. I think it’s best to keep you back, but close,” I said. “And I’m going to have guards with you to keep you safe.”
