“It’s killing me,” I whispered, shaking my head at how weird it felt to have a friend to share my burdens with. “He intercepteda spell meant for me, and now he’s possibly never going to wake up. How is this happening? I can’t lose him.”
“He’s going to be okay,” Cora said, her voice less shaky now. “Trust me. He’s strong, and we have all the council and our magical connections working on it. Warrick hasn’t stopped since he got back. They’re figuring out how to go after this pack without creating a war between cities. They will pay for this.”
I’d been too focused on Kellan to even ask what had been happening with the council and Mom’s old pack. Hunter would have told me if they were either dead or in custody, which meant they were still out there being evil assholes—searching for the next omega to power their alpha energy. The Alpha Council clearly hadn’t gone after them yet either, playing the politics game.
I hated that fucking game.
“Do you have any time for a run this morning?” I asked, as I rubbed my sternum to try and counter the mounting pressure in my chest. “I need to get out. I need to escape from these relentless emotions for just a few hours.”
“Yes!” She answered so quickly I suspected she’d been hoping I’d ask to catch up. “War and I can be at your place in twenty minutes.”
“Thank you,” I sighed, a flicker of relief piercing through me. “I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon, bestie.”
When Cora hung up, I was surprised by the burst of warmth, chasing away the ice in my heart. I’d never had a best friend. Hell, I’d never really had a friend until I met her, and I’d clumsily called us best friends. Despite my awkwardness, there’d been nothing but comfort and ease between us, and I was forever grateful to have a Cora in my life.
Pocketing my phone, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to Kellan’s cheek. “I’ll be back soon, Golden Boy. Don’t go anywhere, but feel free to wake up.”
Breathing in his cinnamon and caramel scent, I couldn’t wait for the day it was no longer tainted with that hint of sulfur. Leaving him was hard—I held a genuine fear that he’d deteriorate while I wasn’t with him—but if I didn’t run, I’d be no use when he needed me.
Downstairs, I followed the voices into the kitchen hoping to find Hunter. He was there, along with Slade, Finley, Florence, and Gerald.
Florence rushed over to me with a breakfast sandwich already plated. “Eat, sweetheart,” she said, thrusting it toward me. “You look pale.”
With a smile, I thanked her and took a bite of the sandwich, my stomach no longer protesting regular food. The alphas had made sure of that.
Hunter placed a cup of coffee, perfectly doctored to my sweet, creamy preferences, right in front of me. “Here, little omega. You look like you need this.”
“Thank you, sweet coffee gods,” I moaned, grasping the cup and taking a sip, finding it was the perfect temperature too, as if he knew how often I burned myself with my first, impatient sip.
“Hunter will suffice,” he drawled, sipping from his own cup of unsweetened tar.
I paused, shaking my head. “Is that a thing you do now? You make jokes?”
He lifted one of his broad shoulders. “If the situation calls for it.”
I supposed that without Kellan, someone had to step up and bring the humor. Might as well be Hunter—he was practically cheery compared to the other two.
“I’m going on a run this morning with Cora and Warrick.” My blunt announcement had all three alphas pausing, even as Florence and Gerald continued cooking and cleaning around them. “I need to get out before I go crazy and start scratching up the furniture.”
“Scratch all you want,” Slade said, lifting one eyebrow. “Just don’t pee on it.”
Okay, now he was making lighthearted comments too. What the fuck was this?The Twilight Zone.
Hunter shook his head. “We’ll all come with you. Kel’s brothers just messaged to say they’d be by to sit with him again.”
I barely acknowledged that, too busy trying to come up with a snappy response for Slade. Nothing worked quite right to match his wit.Dammit. No doubt I’d stumble upon the perfect zinger in two or three business days. He’d just have to be patient.
Wait…Had Hunter said the whole pack?
Despite my every intention not to look his way, I glanced at Finley, surprised to find that he wore a neutral, unaffected expression as he ate through two sandwiches and drank his green glass of death.
Was I really about to go on a run with three of the four members of my pack?
Holy shit.
A real pack run.
