Kamon snorted.“Do it again and I’ll carry you everywhere,waan jai.Every damn step.”
Klarissa let out a pained laugh.“God forbid.I’d rather walk on my own, thank you.But if I admit you might be right, will you both stop hovering?”
Rune grinned at her, the glint in his eyes warm.“Not a chance,suuway.”
Despite the ache in her side, Klarissa’s lips twitched at their banter, the sound of it loosening the knot in her chest.
They helped her back and Rune settled her back against the pillows while Kamon fetched breakfast from the tray someone must have had left while she was in the bathroom—fruit, toast, orange juice, and tea.
“Eat,” Rune urged.“We’re having a quiet day.Nothing but rest.”
Klarissa shook her head, determination sparking despite the ache in her body.“No.There’s more we need to talk about—with the rest of them.We need to prepare.And I need access to a computer.One that cannot be traced.”
Both men stiffened.Kamon folded his arms.“Absolutely not.You’re barely standing.”
Rune’s eyes narrowed.“Suuway, you’re not hacking into anything today.”
Her chin lifted, lawyer-sharp.“I need to.If I don’t start now, every hour gives my father more ground.This isn’t something we can wait for.Every hour we lose, my father gains more ground.Time is short, and if I don’t act now, we all lose that chance.Don’t think for a second I won’t take my sore ass out of here now that I have warned you all and find somewhere else to hole up and continue burning my insane father’s plans to the ground.”
For a moment, both men glared at her.Then Rune huffed a laugh, shaking his head.Kamon sighed, his lips twitching.
“Apparently this is how it’s going to be,” Rune said dryly.“You want something, we say no, you argue like hell, and then you get it anyway.”
Kamon snorted.“Sets the tone for our relationship.And you know what?We’re fine with it.”
Klarissa narrowed her eyes, though the corner of her mouth tugged.“Fine with it?”
Rune leaned closer, brushing a gentle kiss over her lips.“Because the rewards,suuway, make it worth every second.”
Before her heart could slow, Kamon tilted her face toward him and pressed his own kiss to her mouth, warm and sure.“Except when it comes to your safety.That’s non-negotiable,waan jai.If we tell you to do something because you are in danger, you will do it.”
Her cheeks heated, her heart pounding wildly, but they only smiled at her flustered expression.Rune straightened, eyes glinting.“Then it’s settled.We call the others in.And turn the infirmary into a war room.”
Kamon chuckled.“Fitting, don’t you think?Since we’re preparing for battle.”
Klarissa exhaled slowly, strength threading into her voice.“It’s appropriate.Because that’s exactly what we’re doing.Fighting a war.”
She caught both their gazes lingering on her, softer now, threaded with something protective and possessive that had nothing to do with duty and everything to do with fate.The more they spoke, the more she realized this wasn’t just about her father or the virus.It was about three people bound together, learning each other one heartbeat at a time.Their teasing, their stubborn arguments, even the kisses meant to silence her—all of it was weaving something new, something she hadn’t thought she deserved.And the realization scared her almost as much as it steadied her.
****
Kamon leaned back inhis chair and took in the sight before him.Amazing, really, how quickly everyone had come together.The Pride house, once scarred by battle, was whole again.Keiran, Josie, and Liam had moved back in now that the last of the repairs were finished.Violet, Jacob, and Mason had arrived early—though Kamon suspected it was less about good timing and more about Violet’s inability to sit still when something caught her interest.
Rune muttered from across the room, shooting Mason a smirk.“You’re whipped, you know that, right?Couldn’t keep Violet from dragging you here even if you wanted to.”
Mason snorted, not missing a beat.“Funny, coming from the man who spent half the morning fetching toast and juice for a woman who barely let him put her back in bed without arguing.Don’t dish it if you can’t take it, brother.”
Laughter rippled through the room, lightening the tension, but it died down as Keiran shifted his gaze to Klarissa.She sat upright in bed, pale but fierce, Rune and Kamon bracketed on either side.The Alpha’s tone was even, quiet, but it carried weight.“Tell us, Klarissa.How did you come to be in Chicago?”
Her throat worked as she swallowed, eyes darting between them before landing squarely on Keiran.“I came from Nashville,” she said.Her voice was soft, but every syllable carried guilt and grit in equal measure.
Kamon exchanged a look with Rune.Nashville.Four days ago, the ESE had been sent there after a tip.They’d found a house filled with death—eight bodies total.Three were Caruso’s men.Five were not.All of them had died from exposure to some type of chemical weapon.Even now, Kamon’s gut twisted with the memory of it.He had only seen the scene photos sent through to all ESE members, but it had been enough to turn his stomach.It had looked like the victims had bled out through their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.It was like a scene from an apocalypse movie.
“You were there,” Rune said quietly, though his voice left no room for doubt.“You were in that house?”
Klarissa’s head snapped up, shock widening her eyes.“You know what happened?”she asked, her voice rough.
Rune shook his head slowly.“No.Only the aftermath.ESE got a tip, and when Jarek and Aleksy, two Razorback shifters arrived, they found eight bodies and a sea of blood.”
