“But you didn’t bring her with you?” He watched me for a moment and let out a sigh. “Ah. I understand.”
“It’s only for now,” I said quickly. “Just until we’ve figured this out.”
“I don’t like it,” he said simply. “But I do understand. Before, I would’ve told you to bring her here. That there was nowhere safer…but that obviously isn’t the case.”
“She’s safe where she is,” I assured him. I hoped I was right. “How is everyone?”
Dad ran a hand down the center of his face. His eyes were bruised, and he looked more tired than I’d ever seen him.
“Reese is fine. Not a scratch on her. Lucy’ll be okay. She’s still sleeping?—”
“Best thing for her,” I commented. He nodded.
“Sven’s still out too.”
“Really?”
“He hasn’t even twitched. Alice has been by his side since last night. She’s hiding it well, but she’s scared out of her mind.”
“He had a partial, right?”
“Yes. They didn’t take his head, thank the Gods, but it was a close thing. Alice was able to repair it. He just hasn’t woken up.”
“Shit.”
“I’ve been fighting beside him for most of my life,” my dad said quietly. “I’ve never seen him sleep this long without waking at least once.”
“He’ll pull out of it. If nothing else, just so he can stop Aunt Alice from bitching.”
Dad chuckled.
“All things considered, they did well,” I said softly.
“They did,” Dad replied roughly. “I’d forgotten how fierce your mother is in a fight. The last time she was this hurt was on the way west.”
I hummed in acknowledgment. My brothers and I had been fully grown when we made the move to Oregon, but that hadn’t changed how terrified we’d been when my parents were attacked. My father had still been on his feet when we’d found them, but my mother had looked dead on the side of the deserted country road.
“Have you spoken to Arthur?” I asked, almost dreading the answer. Arthur Carruthers and I were going to have it out eventually. The only thing I had to do was wait for my moment.
“We let him know we’d been attacked,” Dad confirmed. “He sent out a cleanup team early this morning.”
“No problems?”
“Not one. This is our home. Defending ourselves is our right.”
Straightening, I tried to alleviate the ache in my muscles. Everything hurt, from my scalp to the bottoms of my feet.
“Go,” my dad ordered kindly. “We’re fine here.”
“I may not be around much,” I warned, rising to my feet.
“As it should be,” Dad replied. “You belong with your mate. When it’s safe, bring her home.”
“I will,” I agreed. I hesitated for a moment, then walked toward the door. “Is there anything I can do while I’m here?”
“You can take a shower. You smell like a goat.”
I let out a choked laugh.
