Seeing hope on the faces of the ill is far worse than seeing it on the others. They light up as I approach, most of them grabbing my hand with desperate fear. One older lady with long silvery hair refuses to let me go, and I’m forced to sit beside her.
“Alpha—you’re here! I knew you’d come. We’ll be better soon, won’t we? You have it all under control?”
“Yes,” I say, my voice smooth and confident. “I have a plan, and it’s all coming along. Don’t worry about a thing.”
Liar. You fucking liar.
“I knew it,” she replies, laying back and relaxing. “I knew you would. I don’t mind so much for myself—but my grandson, he’s in here, too. It won’t be much longer, will it? You’ll fix us?”
“I will,” I promise her, meaning it even as I feel like an absolute fraud. “Don’t worry about a thing. Your grandson will be home before you know it.”
“That’s… wonderful…” she murmurs, drifting off to sleep as her strength wanes.
I step away from her bed, relieved that I won’t have to lie to her further, and stagger outside to gulp in breaths of fresh air. I look out across the nearby park and the woods on the other side of it. I can barely see the details of the trees or hear the scurrying sounds of prey animals in the leaves.
How does it start? Do we die slowly, one by one? Or all at once?
My chest suddenly tightens, and I know I’m going to slide into a panic attack if I don’t keep moving. Turning back towards the door, I realize I just can’t go back in there. I head for my car instead.
Sitting behind the wheel, I watch the sun sink towards the horizon. As hard as I try to think of a solution, all I manage to do is give myself a headache. Finally, I realize the truth.
I don’t believe this is going to work. Even if Hyacinth is the right one, and we consummate… I don’t think it’s going to cure us! That’s why I’ve been freaking out so hard!
Anger sparks in my chest. I welcome it, because it’s more useful than despair. I start the car and slam it into gear, eager to get home.
I need to talk to the girls and find out if there’s been any progress with Hyacinth. We have to do something to avert this disaster—or prepare for the absolute worst if we can’t.
Chapter 12 - Hyacinth
After I hear Shane walk down the hallway, I begin to relax, but my relief doesn’t last long.
Great, Hyacinth. You got rid of him. Now what are you going to do, stay locked in here for the rest of your life?
I pace back and forth a little, letting my thoughts crowd into my brain. I don’t even try to control my emotions; I just let them flow through me, feeling my breath naturally begin to slow as the anxiety peaks and begins to wane.
That’s it… just like I learned to do years ago. Once I calm down, I’ll figure out what to do.
As my emotions begin to settle, no ideas come to me, but I feel calm enough to think critically about the situation.
Last night, I just bolted. I couldn’t stand to hear another word from him.
Shaking my head, I scratch at my scalp a little, trying to relieve my headache. I barely slept, and the lingering exhaustion is making it even harder to calm myself down.
Why would he say that to me?
The obvious answer is that he’s trying to get laid and would say anything to achieve that goal. The problem is, I can’t believe he’d be pulling a trick like that right now.
The situation is too serious. He’s genuinely cut up about his people, and I can’t see him putting on an elaborate ruse just to get into my pants. He doesn’t even seem to like me that much.
I start pacing again, very slowly putting one foot in front of the other and focusing on my breathing.
That leaves only the possibility that he was telling the truth.
My stomach twists with anxiety, making pain shoot through my chest. I want the emotions to be negative, but to my shock, all I can feel is heat flooding through my body. The moment in the hallway when we were almost pressed up against each other flashes through my mind, and the excitement that washes over me is addictive.
What did I expect? This is always the way it happens, and that’s exactly why I’m freaking out.
Before that thought can develop, I hear a bit of commotion in the kitchen. When I hear female voices, I realize that Sadie and Trina are here. I go to the door, listening intently. I hear them talking briefly, then I hear footsteps in the hall.
