Everyone in the room looked at him with confusion.
“What?” he asked, glancing at Brooks.
“Nothing, we were just wondering if you went through a personality transplant while you were in your coma or something,” Brooks answered, reaching out to feel his twin’s forehead for a fever.
Dallas batted his brother’s hand away. “Knock it off, I can be sensible sometimes.”
“When?” Maverick asked, sounding so genuinely curious that the rest of the room started to laugh.
The sound of it made my fingers and toes tingle with happiness and I wished I could throw caution to the wind yet again and run off into the sunset with them and never look back.
…but of course that wasn’t in the cards for me today.
Three sharp knocks came from the doorway.
“Miss Holloway, you’re expected back at the White House immediately,” Agent Kidwell said, her voice monotone.
I didn’t want to go. Looking at my pack, I wished I could bring them with me and my mother would welcome them into the fold with open arms and things could be simple.
“Hey,” Zeke said as he helped me dress quickly. “Don’t worry, this will be over soon and we’ll all go back to the house on the Cape together.”
“Promise?” I asked, my voice wobbling again.
His dark eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled and leaned in for a kiss.
“I promise, and to seal that promise, I’ve got a present for you.”
He dug through his pockets for a moment before pulling out an old brass locket. It was in the shape of a heart with what looked like a compass embedded in the center.
“It was my birth mother’s. I always keep it with me and I’d like for you to keep it with you now,” he said as he secured it around my neck.
“Are you sure?” I asked, holding up in the dim light of the hospital room. On the backside were what looked like Japanese kanji etched into the back.
“Yes,” he said, suddenly serious. “Promise me you won’t take it off, no matter what.”
I nodded before throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Then I made my last rounds around the room, kissing and hugging my alphas before covering Dallas with my coat so my scent would at least be close.
“Aren’t you going to need it?” he asked, his glasses sliding down his face because he’d lost so much weight over the past few weeks.
Gently I slid them back up and kissed him all over. “You need it more than me right now, you stubborn alpha. I’m just going from the car into the house. I’ll be back in a few days to lay down with you again, so keep the bed warm for our next nap, okay?”
He tugged me down for one last kiss on the lips. “I love you, beautiful.”
“I love you too,” I murmured against his mouth.
“Miss,” Agent Kidwell said impatiently from the doorway.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming. Geez, I swear even Maverick wasn’t this anal retentive when he was the head of my security.”
“Hey!” I heard him protest as I followed Kidwell out of the room.
I just grinned.
A few moments later I was hurrying out of the hospital and into the darkly tinted SUV that was waiting for me. It was a bit older than the usual model, the leather seats looking a bit more ragged than usual.
“What happened to the other car?” I asked as I picked at the frayed threads.
Agent Kidwell slid in after me, murmuring into her earpiece. “Flicker is on the move.”
