My mouth drops open, and Hunter tries to leap up from his chair, frustration clear in his expression. But Oliver simply pats his shoulder and walks backward down the hall, shooting us a wink.
“Come find me when you’re done. We’ll grab some food, and I’ll help you out with, uh…” He hesitates, his smile fading as his eyes dart to the Chamber door. “You know.”
I nod, my heart heavy with the knowledge of what he means. Oliver is talking about the storm that has become my life, the escape I may need to make if these people refuse to let me leave.
My men—my family, are my top priority. No matter what I discover behind these doors, nothing else matters more than them.
As Oliver disappears from view, I glance down at Hunter, who’s gritting his teeth like a feral animal. I chuckle softly, my shoulders relaxing a fraction, and press a kiss to his cheek.
“You ready?” I murmur, my eyes locking with his.
He blinks at me, his expression softening. “I should be asking you that.” His finger traces a gentle path down my cheek. “Ready?”
I nod, straightening my borrowed clothes and taking a deep breath. I smooth my hands down my outfit, my heart pounding in my chest. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
I raise my hand, hesitating for a moment. Should I knock? It feels absurd, considering the way these people have treated me. Would knocking make me look weak, even weaker than they already perceive me to be? Should I just walk in?
Before I can decide, the door swings open, revealing a man whose face I shouldn’t recognize but somehow do. “Welcome back, Skye,” he greets me kindly, his aging face lit with a warm smile. “It’s so nice to officially meet you after all this time.”
The fuck?
“Uh,” I stammer, my brows furrowing in confusion. What the hell is happening? I shake my head slightly, pushing the strange thoughts aside, and extend my already-suspended hand toward him. “Nice to meet you…”
He grins and firmly shakes it. “My name is Steve. Come in, please. We’ve been waiting for you.” His words trail off, and I sense the unspokenfor a long time.
I swallow dryly and nod, following as he turns his back. My eyes flick over my shoulder, my hands outstretched to grab Hunter’s wheelchair and help him in, but he bats me away. With a grunt, he pushes to his feet and wraps his fingers around the metal pole holding his IV and pain fluids.
“Hunter!” I hiss. “Sit your ass—”
“No,” he snaps, shoving me to follow Steve. “I’m fine.”
With a huff, I grit my teeth, watching for a moment as he holds himself upright with the help of the wheeled pole. When I’m sure he’s not going to pass out, I shoot him a glare that he quickly returns, his jaw ticking wildly, and spin away from him.
The second I step both feet inside the Chamber, I freeze again, making Hunter collide with my back.
Instead of growling again, he slides his hand down my spine and murmurs, “You’ve got this, babe”
Suppressing my shiver, I toss my shoulders back and hold my chin high. As I step into the room, I’m met with a sea of unfamiliar faces, each one displaying a mix of emotions that mirror the turmoil inside me. Shock, awe, worry, happiness—they all seem to jumble together. Some appear genuinely concerned, while a few others give off an air of irritation or unease at my unexpected presence.
I tense at those, not expecting any form of hostility from strangers. But Hunter’s palm on my back keeps me from stumbling as I push forward.
With each person’s gaze I meet, I count inwardly,one, two, three... until my eyes finally land on the twelfth and thirteenth people in the room, Daniel and Evelyn.
Their expressions are a stark contrast to the others, radiating love and pride. Daniel’s strong arms envelop Evelyn, like always. Her fingers are clasped tightly beneath her chin as though she’s trying to hold back tears. The sight has my own eyes misting over, but I forcefully blink away the emotions threatening to surface.
Our gazes locked, I summon the strength to take another step forward, and then another, until I’m standing before the last two people in the room—Robert and Madeline.
Robert nods in approval when I meet his eyes. I brace myself as I slowly turn my attention to Madeline. In my mind’s eye, I see flashes of the mother I once knew—stern when necessary,moody at times, neglectful on occasion, but mostly kind, warm, and loving. I choke back a surge of emotion when I find her struggling to keep her own tears at bay.
Then, she extends her hand in the space between us, her smile gentle, patient, and, above all else, filled with love.
My body moves almost instinctively, my fingers tangling with hers. “Skylar,” she murmurs, her voice catching. The name sounds odd but also right. “Welcome home, sweetheart.”
People keep repeating those words, and for the first time since this surreal journey began, I allow the weight of them to settle over me. She's my family, and I've spent so long thinking I had none, no one left from my past. But here she is, seemingly out of nowhere, and as mad as I am about that, I'm also so damn happy. A sob escapes me, and in the next moment, she’s pulling me into her warm embrace.
I go willingly. Even though she’s much taller than me, my chin barely reaching her chest, I feel protected instead of smothered. I breathe her in, feeling an overwhelming sense of home wash over me. She sniffs softly, her fingers tracing soothing paths down my back.
“I can’t believe you’re finally here,” she chokes out, holding me even tighter. “It’s been so long. I didn’t think we’d ever get you back.”
