“Stop it.” I snapped at her.
She looked at me with wide eyes. “Stop what?”
I dropped the hand that was holding my eye liner and just looked at her. “Don’t play dumb with me. I know you and that look.” She blinked at me. “My father’s issues with remembering things is not on you. He found a way to work around it. It is not your fault that he has a short attention span. Rude or not,he figured it out. Stop trying to make this somehow your fault because you left.”
She sighed. “But-”
“But nothing.” I went back to my makeup. “Your mate is a little forgetful, but that isn’t on you. Just like everything that happened after you left wasn’t on you. Everyone made choices with the information they had, and at the moment, it was the right decision.” I shrugged. “We can always work with the pack when we get back.”
My mom’s eyes lit up. “The pack?”
I nodded. “In a couple of days… you’ll be back home.” She was almost vibrating with her excitement. “But I need to go into work and get everything in place before we do.”
My mom settled at that. “Right. We also need to get the tents and everything in place.”
I thought about it for a second, but I shook my head. “No need.”
My mom tilted her head and watched as I finished my makeup. “Why won’t we need it?”
“Because this plan has us moving quicker. So we won’t need to have Rick’s and Alannah’s families in the yard. They won’t even be staying here.” My mom shook her head slowly. “What?”
“Unless you set up a shield like you have here, Carly, Rick’s family and Alannah’s should stay here.” My mom jumped from the counter and turned to look at me in the mirror. “Vince will definitely be looking for them, and using magic to do so. We can’t chance them being found in your father’s pack lands before we are ready.”
She was right. “Fuck.”
“But!” She held up her finger. “Lynn is ready.” My mom smiled. “I can’t say she is healed, because I don’t think that will ever happen, but she is ready to kill Derek. Take her and Toya with you, leave everyone here with Wendy and me.”
I turned to her, propping my hip on the counter. “But dad-”
“Can wait an extra few days. Keeping everyone safe and secure as we move in the shadows is the best. And Wendy and I can handle any rogues if they pop up.” My mom leaned in to kiss me. “Focus on saving the kids, and getting Rick, Alannah and their families here. We can use Lynn’s, yours, and Toya’s rooms to house everyone. They’ll be safe, and you and your father can finish this.” I sighed and then nodded. I looked at the time and realized I had to go or else I would be late. I kissed my mom and ran from the room. “Make sure you grab breakfast.”
I chuckled as I slammed through the closet doors and down the stairs. I ran from the house, and instead of taking the car, I just shifted to run to the pack house. It will burn some energy and make it seem like I’m on edge.
Nix chuckled as I ran down the street.We are on edge.
I snorted.Ain’t that the fucking truth.
Chapter Six
Iran through the front door of the pack house, scaring the Omega that was cleaning the front entry. She screamed as I slammed through, but I kept running until I made it to the office. Alannah was pale, shivering behind her desk. She looked at me with wide eyes, panic clear on her face. Rick’s door was closed, but Ternen was rubbing Alannah’s back in small circles. Something was wrong.
I shifted back and I opened my office door, turning back to look at them, and nodding inside. Alannah was out of her chair before I could blink. I waited for Ternen to join us before I shut the door. I hugged Alannah and took a deep breath, but all I could smell was Ternen’s rancid smell. I pushed them into the chairs across from me and sat at my desk, pulling out my laptop. “Good morning.”
“Morning Amy.” Ternen tried to smile.
“You two look stressed. What can I do to help?” I typed out a message on the screen.
Amy-What is going on? You look like you are going to puke.
I turned the computer to Ternen and Alannah. “Nothing.” Alannah sighed. “Rick is just having a rough morning. Abby is really sick and Vince came in a lot earlier. Something about needing to speak to him.” Alannah leaned in. “Are you still trying to organize his files?” Her eyes flicked to mine and I nodded.
“Yeah, I wanted you to look at the filing system and leave any notes you have on the notepad.” She nodded and hunched over the keyboard. Ternen looked over at the computer and then turned back to me.
“I don’t know what that all is. Rick’s filing system haunts most of us Omegas.” I could see that Ternen was trying his best to act normal.
“I don’t doubt it. It’s insane.” I laughed with him until Alannah sat back and pushed the laptop back to me.
“It looks good, but I did tweak a few things.” She slid her fingers through Ternen’s and smiled.
