Page 56 of Dark Auctioned Mate

Deva’s lips twitched. “No, she’s not. That’s what makes her good at this work. But it’s also what keeps me up at night worrying.”

“Yeah, me too,” Rael thought.

***

When the Lumen team was finally ready to take the women, Deva dragged Alanis aside, talking to her. This went on for almost twenty minutes. Rael watched quietly, trying to read their lips and figure out what they were saying.

Was Alanis telling Deva that she wanted to return? That she was done with Weston Pack and now wanted to go back to her true life?

The thought made Rael’s heart constrict painfully, bordering on panic.

When Alanis eventually came back, her face was unreadable. “Deva wants me to report in. Every day, preferably, she wants me to give a complete report on the trafficking network we have discovered.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Are you…Are you going back with them?”

She shook her head. “I will be staying with you for now. We still aren’t done getting this network destroyed.”

It didn’t go past Rael that she didn’t answer the question. “Okay.”

“But the Lumen is my home. My family. And sooner or later, I will have to make a decision about where I belong.”

Rael swallowed harshly. The words hit him like a blow, even though he’d been expecting them. Naturally, she would go back at some point. The Lumen trained her; they took her in when she had no one. Why would she give that up for a pack that still hadn’t fully accepted her? And for a bond she never wanted in the first place?

Even though it killed him, Rael said, “I’ll support whatever you want to do, Alanis.”

***

An hour after the Lumen team left, August informed them that the Shadowridge Alpha had been more than helpful, even promising to supply more resources should they be necessary.

“We must go back,” August leaned against the wall, looking as tired as Rael felt. “Check in with Silas, report to him about what happened.”

“It takes four hours to drive there,” Alanis pointed. “And we’ve barely slept. Driving exhausted is asking to get into an accident.”

“There are rooms available here,” Rael mentioned. “We can each pick one for the night.”

August nodded. “That does make sense. I will tell Silas that we will go back tomorrow.”

The rooms were not large, but well-maintained, each having a single bed and simple facilities.

Rael’s room was right next to Alanis's, and as he unloaded the few things that he had packed, he tried not to think about the thin wall between them. He refused to think about how he desperately wanted to go to her room, grab her, and make her understand that she belonged to him and not to Lumen.

But that wouldn’t be fair. It was her decision to make. He would not pressure her.

Half an hour later, Rael was seated on the bed, trying to decide whether to go to bed or look at intelligence reports. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door. The door slowly creaked open, revealing Alanis. “May I come in?”

“Of course.”

She slowly stepped in, shutting the door behind her.

“I can’t stop thinking about what you said. About finding the people who hurt me and making them pay.”

“I meant every word.”

“I know you did, and that’s the problem.” She started walking toward him. Rael’s heart picked up. “No one has ever volunteered to do that on my behalf, to fight my battles, to take revenge for me. Lumen taught me to fight on my own behalf, to never rely on anyone to protect me.” She crossed her eyes briefly and sighed. “But it is lonely.” Alanis leaned forward and caressed his cheek. “You make me feel less lonely, Rael. You make me feel like I don’t need to be alone and carry it all myself.”

Rael grabbed her hand and nuzzled into it. “You don’t. Not anymore. Whatever you are carrying or going through, we will get through it together “

“Promise?”