Then the girls showed us to our rooms.Mason was on the couch, and Jaxon, Avery, Gavin and I were all in bunk bedssharing one room.
“Top bunk!” Jax lightly shoved Averyaside and clambered for the top bunk on the right side of the room.
“Real chivalrous, Jaxon.” Avery glared athim.
He grinned and I knew that charming smilemelted Avery’s heart. “Babe, I’m kidding. You get up here, too.”
She laughed. “Share a twin bed? We haven’tdone that since we were sixteen in your dad’s basement.”
He patted the small space next to him.“For old time’s sake.”
Avery rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
Gavin and I stood there awkwardly asAvery climbed up onto the bed.
Finally, Gavin turned to face me,stepping in close and putting his hands around either side of my face, cuppingmy cheeks.
‘All you need to know is that everythingI do is to protect you. I will put your life before mine if that’s what ittakes.’His voice in myhead was a welcome relief, but his words sent fear into my gut.
‘I don’t want you to put your life beforemine. Ever.’I tried tosuppress the growl that rose in my throat as I pleaded with him.
His eyes flared to the color of honey andI felt his dominance wrap around me.‘It’s not your choice.’Somethingdark clouded his features then and I knew he was fighting that damn Walker.That’s what this was about, that mofo was trying to influence my mate.
‘Gavin. Let. Me. In.’If he was keeping me out because he wasscared the Walker could get to me, he was wrong. I could help him fight. I wasstrong, and together we could keep him out.
Gavin took a deep breath and his eyestransmuted from their honey-yellow to their striking green. “Goodnight, Anya. Ilove you,” he said aloud and leaned forward giving me a small peck on thecheek.
When he turned away and crawled into thebottom bunk alone, it tore part of me. Part of me had just broken and I wasn’tsure it would ever be fixed. Mate relationships were very important in werewolfculture. Once mated, your mate could affect your moods so easily. A rip likethis between us … it was awful. It came at a time when I needed his strengthnot his rejection. Avery was lying in Jaxon’s arms, staring at me, and theheartbroken look on her face just made me feel worse. I didn’t want her pity.
Reaching back, I clicked off the light sono one would see the tears fall on my cheeks. As I climbed up onto the bed Iwished my mother was here. As much as she was a pain in my ass sometimes, shealso gave great advice. Whether Gavin understood it or not, he was a part ofme. And tearing himself away from me like that, it physically hurt. Closing thematebond … it was like having the flu. My body ached and I felt sick.
The last thing I thought of before I fellasleep was how many different ways I could kill Mukesh. Lighting him on fireseemed the most emotionally fulfilling.
*
It was still dark out when my phone alarmwent off. I was about to chuck it across the room when I remembered what wewere supposed to be doing today and why I was setting an alarm this early. Theadrenaline coursed through me and I sat bolt upright, nearly smacking my headon the ceiling. Freaking bunk beds.
“Everyone up!” I shouted and was met withtwo groans and one F word.Jaxon.
It was four a.m. and today we were goingto free my parents and their pack. I leapt off the bed and saw Gavin staring atthe wall, no doubt wondering what year it was. None of us were morning people.After inhaling deeply, I grinned. “Smell that?”
The entire room sighed.Coffee.
I snatched my phone and sent Gretchen aquick text detailing what help I needed and where she needed to be. Gretchenonly needed about four hours of sleep, so I knew she would be up. Her preferredsleep time was ten p.m. to two a.m.
I got an instant reply that she and thecoven would be there.
We all quickly brushed our teeth andchanged our clothes and then made our way out to the coffee smell.
‘Dad? We’re coming for you.’I tried the connection with my father.
It was weak but I felt a response, astirring. He was asleep.‘No. Not safe. Too many guards.’
‘I know, Dad. We have help. Trust me.’
There was silence for a beat and I couldfeel him sifting through my emotions and trying to access my thoughts. Eversince Gavin had taken my wolf and I found my bear, I wasn’t as close within thepack bonds. But he must have liked what he felt because he replied,‘Thebunk houses are made of silver. Keeps most of us weak. Your mother can get outand unlock the others.’
Perfect. Mom was part witch and silverdidn’t affect her either. She would also have no problem magicking the locks toopen. This was going to work. It had to.
