“We got Leo, Lana, then… they got him, and now... he’s gone.”
I struggle to breathe but my need for answers wins and I ask, “What do you mean, gone? Spell it out, Zachery.”
“He’s dead. Hopper slit his throat.”
King is quick to take the baby, and the phone drops from my hand. I hear nothing but the rushing of my blood. Cas and Leo gone. Numbness slowly works it way up my body, but I still remember my youngest.
“Where’s Luca?”
I don’t know if I ask out loud, or if my lips even move. Clammy hands clasp my face, and King is too close, staring at me.
“They’re lookin’ but they can’t find him.”
No, not my whole family. I refuse to believe it. They're not untouchable, but they are good at keeping themselves alive. They wouldn’t do this to me. They wouldn’t leave me or their old ladies, or their kids, alone in the world without them.
I hear King speaking to me, but I can’t make out what he is saying. Not until he comes closer and tips my chin up.
“Is there somewhere you and the others can go? We’re gonna lock the club up and go join the other chapters to find Luca and bring home the dead.”
The dead. He’s talking about my family.
“Come on, Alannah, we need to leave but we can’t until you’re all out of here.”
“Leo’s old cabin. We can go there.”
He takes my hands and it’s strange, he shouldn’t touch me. I’m Cas’s old lady.
“I need to find Holly and Harper.”
“They’re in the house, right?”
I nod or I think I do. He leads me into the house and they’re both sat on the couch. They have no idea their worlds are about to be turned upside down. Nothing is going to be the same ever again.
“Alannah!”
I look over my shoulder but no one is there.
“Alannah!”
My eyes spring open and Holly is trying to hand me a phone. It takes a beat to remember where I am. I'm in the rocking chair while Wolf sleeps in my arms. I must have drifted off. My heart pounds and I’m left shaken.
“It’s Luca,” she tells me and takes Wolf, dropping the phone into my lap. Grabbing it, I stand and pace trying to shake off the nightmare.
“Luca? Where’s your dad and Leo? Have you found them yet?”
“It’s me, Mom.” Leo’s voice fills the line, and the rush of relief is too much to bear. I sit on the couch and close my eyes. He's alive.
“Where’s your dad?”
“Hopper has him, with Sparky and Jay, and the twins.”
Hearing my son’s voice is enough for now.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I’m good. We're on our way to get them back.”
Like Leo, Cas can handle himself. He’ll keep himself alive long enough for Leo to reach him. With Leo and Luca working together, my faith is unmeasurable. And when Cas walksthrough the door, he’s going to hear about his goodbye phone call and how much he scared the shit out of me.
