Urbi looked up.The sky?
I nodded and realized she couldn’t see me.Yeah.
Urbi snorted.It is real. My mom was born in Egypt over a hundred years ago. This place, her oasis, was somewhere sheused to go to get water. She brought me and my brother here when we were teens. It’s settled now…but no less beautiful.
I think once this is all over, I would really like to see it in person.
Urbi stumbled over her feet.Really?
Yes,I looked back as the sky turned bright.Even in the daytime, the dunes were stunning. You are my best friend; I want to see where you come from.
I felt her joy at my words.Well then. Let’s get through this bullshit, and then I would love to take you here.
I pushed past the barrier, and I felt my soul join Nix’s as she was shattering another wolf's skull. A chunky substance hit the back of my throat, and I pulled back enough to spit it out. I refused to look down as I gagged. I heard a snicker from my wolf, but I gagged again. “You did that on purpose.” I choked out.
Nix shook her head.No, but I didn’t expect you to come back so quickly.
I took a second before I turned to the others. Toya and Roderick were checking over Femi. “How long were we gone?”
Nix turned away from the family.Less than five minutes. Roderick and I dealt with the four wolves that tried to approach easily. But the fighting near the pack house has gotten worse. And our father called for us while you were gone.
“Are we ready to go?” I called to the trio, and they turned.
Femi stood and walked for a second before she nodded. “Let’s go find our pup.” Roderick nodded, and I turned to Toya.
“Go with your parents.” I turned towards the pack house. “I have to fight my way to the pack house.”
Toya looked torn. “We should go together.”
I turned back and nudged her shoulder. “We can’t. You need to find Wendy and your brother. And I need to find Rowan and my parents.”
Toya stepped closer. “I can come with you.”
I pushed her back towards her parents. “They need you more. If I find Wendy or anyone, I will send you a mind-link. But if you come with me, you would be worried about your parents the entire time.”
“Toya!” A strangled call had us turning. A shaggy tan wolf was running towards us, and the only thing that saved him was the moon glowing on his forehead. I stepped back, assuming it was her brother, but when he started licking her snout, I figured out pretty quickly it was Sequan.
I tilted my head. “How did you know she was Toya? I can’t scent anyone.”
Toya and Sequan turned and looked at me. “We shifted with each other before the attack hit.” Toya laughed. “Thankfully.” She nuzzled her mate. “How else would I be able to pick him out of this crowd?”
I breathed out a sigh of relief I hadn’t known I was holding. “Well then, you four work together. I have to go.” I turned to leave, but Toya screamed.
“Stop!” She leapt in front of me, blocking my way.
I stumbled over my feet to stop myself from barreling into her. “Toya, I have to go help my parents.”
She sighed. “I know. And if you won’t allow me to go with you. Take Sequan.”
I snorted. “If you’re going to worry about your parents, you will worry about Sequan.”
She shook her head. “No, I won’t.” She looked at the trio behind us. “He is a Royal Guard, trained for battle, and you will be with him.” She stepped closer. “I know you would do everything you could to keep him alive.”
“Toya…I am headed into the center.” I turned around and looked towards the house. Somewhere there was a fire because there was smoke drifting up. But it was the vicious growls, the howls of pain, and the big cluster of battling wolves that wereweaving around each other that spelled a hard fight to get to the middle. “You are telling me you are okay with your mate heading into that mess, with only me covering his back, while you search for your brother.”
She looked at me. “Yes. I am. Because you are my Queen and I trust you with my life. So why wouldn’t I trust you with him?” I stared at her, and I felt something warm in my chest.
“You trust me that much?” I sounded a little breathless.
